May 17th, 2010 by Susie

One of the ways in which a site can try to establish itself as an authority in its sector is by featuring regular comment on industry news. Search engines and users see the benefits in this because it provides something of value. However, when a site is in its early stages it can be difficult to get unique up-to-date access to the latest developments in the industry. Other sites can have more ‘insider knowledge’ and may be providing quite a rich content diet. Obviously, it is permissible to approach news from fresh angles, but some novices appreciate clarification of some of the basic dos and don’ts.

Is it acceptable to recycle industry news?

Plagiarism is of course something to avoid. Ideas should be those of the individual content producer. Copying material can be penalised by the search engines as an issue of duplicate content, although this is a complex matter. It is important from a legal and ethical perspective to acknowledge sources adequately. Quotes from individuals in the industry concerned should be treated properly and ‘block quoted’ to avoid any problems from the search engines.

However, if something has happened in an industry, a copywriter is at liberty to mention it, even if other more authoritative content providers have got their first. It makes sense to research a news item thoroughly and see how different sources have covered it. It is also good practice to adopt a critical perspective. Why are diverse sources taking the various views they are? Are they delivering the facts or are they selecting facts in line with an agenda? Where are the gaps and possible contradictions in their contentions?

Recycling industry news, then, is neither acceptable nor unacceptable! This is because ‘recycling industry news’ is not sufficiently defined. It is counterproductive and morally problematic to copy the work of others. However, it is perfectly legitimate to research a story and provide your users with your own distinctive narrative. After all, if traditional journalists often do something similar it cannot be judged as less worthy just because it is online and beneficial to your SEO campaign.

The need to be as original as appropriate

The production of industry-relevant content is not easy. It thus makes sense for some small firms to outsource their content manufacturing to specialist services. They possess the savoir faire to deliver the kind of content users crave day in, day out. This is in part because they recognise the need to be as original as possible, given the constraints imposed by the standards of the sector concerned.

The quest for originality is a priority because users often respond favourably to it. If they can be encouraged to leave comments on a site by opinion-based articles, that can be productive in terms of encouraging users to participate. Participation is great for search engine optimization and can have a positive effect on conversions. Part of the secret of effective content is that it is informative and useful, but another part is that it stimulates discussion.

Provision of industry news is a sensible way of demonstrating to potential customers that a site owner knows their business. It is clear that delivering industry news is far from simple, especially in the early stages of a campaign.

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