One of the most often asked questions about using private label rights (PLR) articles is, "Will I be penalized in the search engines for using duplicate content?"
While a straightforward penalty for duplicate content doesn't exist, you're probably still concerned over using articles that will be published elsewhere because you know it's important to provide fresh, original content for your readers.
When it comes to deciding whether or not to use PLR, the good news is that we don't have to debate the question. Whether you believe Google's duplicate content penalty is a myth or reality, PLR can be a valuable tool for writing great content for your sites. And with a little creativity and editing, you can use it to provide unique, interesting content for your readers.
By definition, private label rights content means there is the potential for the same article to be published over and over again on different websites and blogs. PLR is content (articles, ebooks, special reports, and the like) that an author creates to sell to multiple buyers, along with a license to use the material on their own websites and blogs, or as information products to sell or give away. The original author retains the copyright, but in most cases the content can be published under the buyer's own name. PLR can be used as is, or modified to suit your individual needs. (PLR sources all have their own rules, so usage rights can vary.)
At this point you may wonder how valuable PLR content really is for your business. If it's going to be duplicated all over the net, and might even jeopardize your standing in the search engines, why use PLR? Because it saves money and saves valuable time, it can help you establish expertise, and it can be used to create multiple streams of income. Used wisely, PLR will not be duplicate content.
Turning it into valuable content starts with choosing the right source for professional PLR articles.
- Look for a service that limits the number of times they sell a set of articles. Many good sources sell as few as 100 to 150 licenses for each piece of content, reducing the likelihood that your readers will recognize your content as something they've seen elsewhere.
- Expect to pay a fair price. Yes, you'll find offers of 1000 articles for a dollar or two, but those are the articles that you'll find plastered all over the Internet along with all the free content that's out there. When you purchase from a good quality source that limits licenses, you can expect pay about $1 an article (sold in packs of 5 or more articles).
- Evaluate the quality of the writing. The time-saving benefit of PLR will quickly disappear if you have to research the validity of the information and correct a multitude of spelling and grammar errors.
The key to avoiding duplicate content is to modify PLR before using it. Editing PLR makes it unique, allows you to target it to your audience and your own keywords, and presents it in your unique style and voice. And even though you spend a bit of time editing, it's still much quicker than researching a topic and writing an original article.
With a little creativity you'll think of many different ways to use PLR. For example, in addition to using the content on your website and blog, you can sell or give away free reports and ebooks, set up an autoresponder ecourse, or use it as the basis for a teleseminar or webinar.
Like any other business tool, poor quality, improperly used PLR is of no benefit to anyone. Used in combination with other content sources, including writing your own original content, carefully chosen and wisely applied PLR can benefit your business and become a very valuable component of your overall content strategy.