Some creators always try to manipulate the system. The reason is clear. This is perhaps the only way to compete with the giant players.
These shortcuts work for a while. And after some time, when a Google update is launched, these sites get hit and penalized. Among those practices, spun content is one of the most common ones.
What is Article Spinning?
Article spinning, aka content spinning, is a method where creators use tools to generate several copies of the same content.
The purpose behind it is very clear. They just want to avoid the manual work that is required to create a quality piece of content. Because this process is hectic and requires research, some SEOs or content writers use tools to bypass it.
They use spinners by providing text that already exists on other websites to create copies. Just like all other manipulative ideas, this process did work in the past, but now search engines have become more efficient.
Now, you cannot fool them. These search engines use their advanced algorithms to detect spun content. If it exists on a website, webmasters may face negative consequences.
How Does it Work?
Want to know exactly how this works? To understand this, see this example:
The beautiful sunset filled the sky with color.
Rewritten examples:
The beautiful sunset decorated the sky with bright hues.
The glorious sunset painted the sky.
The majestic sunset painted the sky in a range of vibrant colors.
Spot the difference? This is how different variations are made by just replacing words.
This tool can generate infinite variants. It produces endless paraphrased sentences with its advanced technology.
Article Spinning vs Paraphrasing
Now you must be thinking, are they both the same? No, there is a difference.
In paraphrasing, you express the meaning of the source text in your own words. This way, the context remains the same, but it reflects the writing style of a creator.
The purpose here is very clear. This is done to enhance the sentence structure and convey the information from various sources in a concise way.
On the other hand, content spinning relies on automated tools. These tools only change the words or structure of sentences. They do not add any value to the content.
Paraphrasing may also involve using automated tools, but its primary purpose is not the manipulation of search results. If done right, paraphrasing is far more reliable than content spinning.
However, it is worth noting that these tools can sometimes produce grammatical errors with poorly structured sentences. It can be easily recognized as machine-generated.
Conversely, when a human performs these tasks, there are higher chances of producing text with fewer errors and a more natural flow.
Article Spinning in the Past
Earlier, search engines had simplistic algorithms that were susceptible to manipulation.
Back in the early 2000s, algorithms heavily relied on backlinks and keyword density. These were considered very important ranking factors.
During this time, creators started relying heavily on article spinning. What was their purpose?
They used those articles for marketing purposes. They used articles as guest posts with lots of backlinks and submitted them to external sites.
Besides that, article spinning also facilitated the creation of PBNs (Private Blog Networks). Here, site owners produced a large number of articles within a short time.
After so much manipulation, now spinning is widely regarded as a black hat technique that is penalized by search engines.
How Does it Affect Rankings?
Are you thinking: will it affect my website traffic or rankings?. The answer is yes.
It can have detrimental effects on your search rankings. One of the key issues is that the generated content lacks quality. This content is usually difficult to read.
Such content fails to provide value. And this, of course, is also a negative sign in the eyes of Google.
Duplicate content is heavily discouraged. When search engines identify duplicate or low-quality content, they may impose penalties on websites. This may range from temporary ranking drops to more severe actions like de-indexing.
Being de-indexed can have significant consequences for your site's visibility and organic traffic.
Rebuilding search visibility after being de-indexed can be challenging.
Are there Any Alternatives?
There are several alternatives that you can consider to make the most of your existing content while staying within Google's guidelines.
Repurpose Content
Instead of spinning someone else's content, repurpose your own content in different formats or presentations.
Take parts of your existing blog posts and repurpose them as social media posts or transform key information into infographics.
You can give it new life to reach different audiences without resorting to spinning someone else's work.
Cover a Topic Fully
Rather than spinning existing content, explore the same topics from a unique perspective or delve deeper into specific aspects that others may have missed.
Provide your own insights and analysis. This way, you can create unique content that adds value.
Republish Older Articles
Identify underperforming content on your website.
Consider republishing these articles by rewriting them from scratch or updating the majority of their content.
This allows you to give them a fresh look, update the information with the latest data, and attract new traffic to those pages.
Tools to Help you with Writing
Here are some helpful tools that can assist you in researching and creating quality content:
SEMrush Writing Assistant & Topic Research Tool
SEMrush Writing Assistant is indeed a valuable tool for addressing various content writing needs.
It provides a comprehensive evaluation of your writing based on four essential parameters:
readability
originality
tone of voice
SEO
Simply input your target keywords. It will generate a range of SEO recommendations tailored to your content.
These recommendations are designed to enhance the visibility of your piece of content in SERPs.
Additionally, the tool provides word count recommendations that offer guidance on the optimal length for your content.
The Writing Assistant also assigns an originality score to your piece. This score indicates the level of uniqueness in your content.
CoSchedule Headline Analyzer
CoSchedule is a comprehensive work management software.
One of its prominent features is the Headline Studio. It is a powerful headline analyzer that provides valuable feedback based on a vast database of data points.
CoSchedule's free browser extension makes it easy and fast to improve your headlines. It only takes 30 seconds to optimize them.
It ensures that your headlines are well-crafted to attract more traffic to your content.
Grammarly
Grammarly is an advanced writing tool that swiftly detects writing errors in a matter of seconds.
It supports different variations of English, including American, British, Canadian and Australian. It makes sure your spelling and wording match the particular style of English you want to use.
Canva
You cannot deny the importance of visuals in content. Here comes Canva.
You can now easily create professional images with Canva and make your blog posts more appealing to users.
There are millions of stock photos and hundreds of thousands of templates. This way, you can choose elements of your choice and create visuals that meet your requirements.
GrowthBar
Are you looking for another valuable tool? GrowthBar is another important one on the list.
This tool has several features that assist in writing. It provides outlines, keywords, as well as headlines and drafts. Not only this, but it also takes care of images and references for your blogs.
This does not end here. GrowthBar also gives you plenty of useful information related to your competitors. Thinking which insights? It includes information about their website traffic, Google & Facebook Ads, backlinks and organic keywords.
The Bottom Line
Article spinning needs no introduction. It is one of the most controversial topics in content creation and SEO.
This method was once seen as valuable for deceiving search engines, but you know, things don't always work that way.
Search engines are getting smarter day by day. And their algorithms are quick enough to detect spun content.
It's the right time for creators to understand that quality always wins over quantity. If you really want to win over competitors, your focus must be on relying on sustainable SEO practices.