Why Copying Your Competitor Doesn't Work

  08/10/2021

There's a difference between getting inspired and stealing content. The latter is illegal and hurts your reputation.

Inspired people innovate and remix great content by:

  • sharing stories
  • making comparisons
  • combining content from several sources

Stealing is quite the opposite. Stolen content receives minor tweaks to reduce glaring plagiarism. Or published as-is under a new business name with different branding elements. But copying your competitor doesn't work, here's why:

  1. The Power of The Community

It's often community members who notice that you are stealing another creator's content. These people have built a deep connection with the original creator and won't support you - a copycat.

They may even report you to the platform. Copyright infringement claims are serious matters. You can receive a copyright strike or have your account removed within a day.

  1. It's Not New Knowledge Anymore

If you copy from known creators, the information gets thousands of views within hours. Since people crave new things, they will like your copy, paste and post. Also, if you copied the content from a small account, chances are hundreds of others have as well. In both cases, the novelty of the information is gone and you gain less success than your competitor.

  1. Forced to Compete on Price

Copycats have to wait for other creators to hit publish before they can do the same (so content stealers are always second). When you copy, potential clients assume you sell copied work too. Thus, potential clients expect the prices of copycats to be lower than the industry standard.

The point is - Create before you consume because being your unique, imaginative self is authentic and refreshing.

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