Looking to write original content without plagiarism? Let’s give you some tips for that.  

There are over 572 million blogs on the internet today. Now, imagine the task it is to help a blog stand out. One common ingredient in the process is original content. But a major hurdle for any blogger is plagiarism. How do they avoid it in their blog content in 2023? Let’s find out. Let’s go!

What Is Plagiarism? And Why It’s Important To Avoid It In Blogs?

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s content without giving credit or citing the source. It is unethical, and when you plagiarize, you are stealing someone’s work. And it’s one of the most revolting forms of academic/literary dishonesty.

Plagiarism is bad because it can cause your blog ranks to fall, and it can lead to a bad reputation and lost credibility. And it will cause your online rankings and traffic to plummet. Moreover, if a website is found guilty of plagiarism, it might even get blacklisted by Google.

5 Tips To Avoid Plagiarism In Your Blog Content In 2023

Now that we know why it’s important to avoid plagiarism in blogs let’s talk about the tips that’ll help you avoid it. That means you have to research properly, check for plagiarism in your text before posting, and come up with original ideas. Here are five tips to help you do all that. Please

5. Come Up with Original Ideas

The number one cause of plagiarism is a lack of original ideas (besides copying and pasting). If you’re writing trendy topics or subjects that have become far too common, you don’t only risk direct plagiarism but also accidental plagiarism.

Next time you’re writing such content, even if it’s original, check the percentage of accidental plagiarism in your text. You’ll be baffled by how many other people have the same idea as you. So, that’s where the key is; coming up with original ideas. How do you do that, then?

• Think of something not many others are talking about;
• Think of a unique topic, or read a lot to find something unique;
• Let your marketing strategy and goal drive you;
• Allow yourself time and brainstorm ideas.

This way, you will be able to come up with original ideas for your content. Moreover, you’ll easily stand out with unique ideas rather than washed-out or trendy topics.

4. Research More, Write More

Researching is a key part of writing a unique blog post. It’s what sets the tone and helps you stay on topic. But it can be difficult to find research that is accurate and current. It’s easy to do this on your own, but it can take a lot of time and patience.

However, the one key thing to understand about researching is that the more you research, the more you’ll write. You have to search for content, read it, analyze it, and then write about it. And if you’re writing about a subject you’re unfamiliar with, this process is even more important.

Luckily there is Google, which makes the job easier by providing access to research material at the click of a button. So, you have to research properly, and here’s how:

• Learn all the basics about your topic;
• Take notes about information;
• Craft an outline as you go along;
• Formulate the topic as you go along;
• Remember sources for citation later.

So, your approach needs to be 80/20. For instance, 20 words are written for every 80 words you read.

3. Citations Are Your Best Friend

Citations prevent plagiarism more than anything else. It simply gives the original author their rightful credit, so it doesn’t count as plagiarism. However, the citation itself is something you need to learn how to do properly.

In most blogs, a simple backlink or reference will prevent plagiarism. However, if you’re using another writer’s content to formulate your own opinion or argument in the blog, then it’s imperative that you give them credit properly, using the following:

• MLA
• APA
• Chicago

These academic citation styles will make your content look more professional and, most importantly, avoid any plagiarism claims. That’s why it’s important not only to accredit original content but to do it properly.

2. Paraphrase Profusely & Properly

Paraphrasing isn’t just changing a few words here or there to avoid plagiarism. Instead, paraphrasing is about restating an idea in other words—and preferably better words. Because if you paraphrase just mildly, it’ll be patchwork plagiarism.

Now, it’s important to understand that regardless of how much or how less you paraphrase, you need to cite the original author/blog/content. However, you still have to paraphrase properly. Here’s an example to help you understand:

Original Text:

The main road’s maintenance was put forth as an urgent matter by the city hall. However, the progress isn’t as quick as was expected.

Poorly Paraphrased:

The main road’s maintenance was called an urgent matter by the city hall. However, the progress isn’t as fast as was predicted.

Properly Paraphrased:

The city hall asked for the main road’s maintenance to be dealt with swiftly. However, the progress has been very slow compared to early expectations.

As you can see, the poorly paraphrased text is only changing a few bits. Whereas properly paraphrased, one has changed it profusely. So, use the right method to paraphrase each time.

1. Check For Plagiarism Before Posting

Last but not least, you have to ensure the uniqueness of your content before making it live on your blog.

One of the best ways you can rest easy is by knowing that the content you posted was original. Therefore, always check the content’s originality before publishing it on your blog.

There is only one way to check the content originality and that is with help of online plagiarism-checking tools. This will help you to check plagiarism in your blog content by matching it with all resources available online.

These online tools will further provide you with a detailed plagiarism report with percentages of unique and plagiarized content.

If you find any plagiarized text in your blog content, you can either rephrase it or can cite the original author to avoid plagiarism. After that, you can post the content on your blog without any worries.

Conclusion

These are some of the most credible tips to help you avoid plagiarism in your blogs. Plagiarism is a nagging issue, and every blogger is responsible for avoiding it in their content. Therefore, these tips will make the job easier for you and allow you to avoid plagiarism in your content properly.