The title of this article may seem a little absurd at first. I mean, OF COURSE, people like to read things that are written by other people. What else would they read?
Unfortunately, when you’re dealing with web content, there’s more than one answer to that question!
The web is chock full of corner-cutters, cheapskates, and people who legitimately think they can become millionaires by next Tuesday as long as they follow the right techniques from the right gurus. As a result, the web is chock full of people who are looking for something to make their work a little easier and a little cheaper.
And when it comes to content, that means getting a robot to write it for you.
Yes, I’m serious.
Instead of paying an expert writer to craft their content for them, lots of online marketers turn to article spinning software. That way, they can take an article they’ve already written (or, heaven forbid, that someone else has already written — without getting the copyrights!), shove it into a spinner, and voila! Brand new content that they can plaster all over the ‘net!
Unfortunately, though, spun content doesn’t do what great content is capable of. It doesn’t inspire readers to take action. It doesn’t present the author as a bonafide expert. Heck, it doesn’t even make sense!
To prove my point, I’m going to share a snippet of an article I wrote a few years ago that someone decided to spin. Bear in mind, I had nothing to do with the spinning nightmare you’re about to see! Instead, I was horrified to see that my article had been stolen, spun, and posted on someone else’s website — with my name still attached!
Here’s the first paragraph out of this little gem:
“PLR, or Personal Label Rights, is an straightforward and hassle-free way to add content to your internet site or weblog. You can get low-cost PLR bundles that every contain 5-10 content articles. Nevertheless, there are plenty of folks out there who will guarantee you very good subject material, but just don’t supply. So how do you find a top quality PLR service? Ask your self these questions before spending a penny”
No, those aren’t typos. This is EXACTLY how my article looked when it emerged from the dizzying spinner. It even changed the text from “Private Label Rights” to “Personal Label Rights”! But, hey, what do you expect from content that was written by a machine?!
Google attacked article spinners (and the low-quality content they churn out) with its Panda update in 2011. So, why on earth are we still talking about them?
Because even something as massive as Panda didn’t stop the gurus from trying to cheat the system.
For the past three years, we’ve seen gurus handing out advice, like how to spin “the right way”, how to spin an article so that “even Google won’t know”, and how to do “advanced article spinning”. Article spinning is SO alive and well that Matt Cutts devoted an entire video to it a few months ago — yes, folks, TWO YEARS after Panda first launched.
But what all of these spinning marketers are forgetting about is the READERS — the very people who visit their websites, sign up for their email lists, and buy their products! Instead of being treated to content that genuinely answers their questions and solves their problems, readers are being subjected to content that looks like it was written in some other language. They’re not bonding with the author in any way. In fact, instead of building a relationship, these “authors” are driving potential customers away.
That’s because readers are smart.
Within a few seconds, a reader can tell that your article is a spun mess. From that moment on, the reader is left thinking one of two things — either you’re a complete moron, or you’re simply a money-hungry shark who doesn’t care about the reader’s well-being. Either way, no one is going to be cracking open their wallets to buy your products.
Bottom line — plastering garbage all over the web ISN’T content marketing. Instead, true content marketing means creating something that’s informative, insightful, and compelling. It means evoking emotions in order to build a relationship with your readers. It means setting yourself apart and establishing genuine expertise.
It means being human!
