I’ve posted before about how great it is when bloggers form a community. But what’s not so great is when group-think sets in and people start to get lazy, ditching original ideas for mindless copy-blogging. And no, I don’t mean THIS copyblog — that’s a blog you SHOULD copy!
While most of your posts shouldn’t be of the “me, too!” variety, it’s impossible not to be inspired by other bloggers some of the time. But there’s a very fine line between getting inspired by great bloggers or blog posts and straight-up copying.
Copy-blogging: Borrowing a feature or theme from another blogger. Blogger X’s “Fit Girl Friday” shouldn’t become your “Thinspired Thursday.” (Well, in my opinion, no one should ever use the word “thinspired,” but that’s a topic for another day!)
Inspired blogging: Taking a cue from bloggers that do have features or themes to create some of your very own.
Copy-blogging: Running the exact same contest/giveaway with the exact same product you saw on Blogger X’s blog.
Inspired blogging: Using Blogger X’s giveaway as an example of successful social media marketing when you approach a company YOU believe in to partner with.
Copy-blogging: Taking Blogger X’s signature phrase or voice/style and adopting it as your own. Sure, you can do it, but everyone will know it’s not genuine!
Inspired blogging: Finding your own voice and using it as loudly as possible.
Copy-blogging: Posting links, recipes, products, or topics of discussion that you found on Blogger X’s blog without crediting her.
Inspired blogging: Always acknowledging when you get things from other bloggers (again, people will notice if you don’t!). This is also just a good way to foster community and spread the love. Just a simple “Thanks to Blogger X for this recipe/link/topic!” will do. Most bloggers are more than flattered when people get inspired by something they’ve posted.
Copy-blogging: Thinking that your blog will never be as good as Blogger X’s because you fail to realize that you bring something unique to the table.
Inspired blogging: Realizing that the appeal of your blog is YOU. Copying other bloggers only serves to mask that!
No matter how big or small your blog is, don’t think no one will notice if you’re getting a little too inspired by other blogs. Why not put your efforts into becoming the sort of blog other people want to imitate instead of just following the crowd?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post. I think a lot of bloggers get trapped in the thought process that if they copy the popular blogs they will be popular too. But sadly that’s not how it works. Be unique and the followers will come.
Unique blogs are the ones I follow. I get tired of seeing the same thing every day.
I also saw someone copy the exact same name as another blog! I was confused at first and then when I realized what they did I was annoyed. Come up with your own name!
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I definitely get inspired by other bloggers (like the hollaback post Laura wrote inspired my post for the next day) but you have to credit them! It doesn’t make your post of any lesser value.
I seriously cringe when I read a blog post that is blatantly trying to be someone else. It just sounds awkward, comes off wrong, and doesn’t get their point across.
When I started reading this I thought, “Oh, crap, do I do this??” I’m inspired by tons of blogs, but I don’t think I COULD copy them because I just write about my life most of the time, and it doesn’t really look like anyone else’s.
I notice a lot of trends in the blog world, but I haven’t seen a lot of blatant copying in the blogs I follow. I think sometimes it is easy to get swept up into trends and end up inadvertently copying.
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