Atlanta Georgia Home Staging

Dealing with Plagiarism

When I created the content for my website, I spent hours figuring out WHAT I wanted to say and HOW I wanted to say it.  Did I say hours? I really spent days. So, why, on God's green earth, would anyone think it would be okay to take what I say and use it on their own website is beyond me.

It's wrong. 

Yesterday, I took my pages thru CopyScape and found not one, not two, but three other websites that have used my verbiage.

It's wrong.

Do they not know that they we could be penalized for duplicate content? Do they not know that if the matter isn't addressed promptly that I can take legal action?

And no, I don't want to hear that your webmaster is to blame. You own your website. You own the words it contains and the pictures used. I also don't want to hear that you've hired someone else to write your content (which is what one of the three have claimed happened). If that's truly the case, then "note to self", ask for money back as they didn't write the content used on your site. I did.

Yes. I'm a little angry. It's happened time after time and it's wrong.

And no, I'm not flattered.

Now I'll go on record - please do not copy the content from my website. And never, ever should you think it's okay to use my photos without my permission. I'm the one that made the investment in my camera and took the steps necessary to learn how to take great photos of my home staging project.

I work extremely hard at what I do. Everything you see on my website is a direct result of what I've done, not what you've done.

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A Real Estate Staging Association Finalist for Professional Stager of the Year 2010, Kathy Nielsen understands  what it takes to help sell homes quickly. Considered an expert within the home staging industry, and having years of experience, Kathy makes the perfect choice for preparing your home for the market in the Atlanta area.

Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com 

    

 

PR: wait...  I: wait...  L: wait...  LD: wait...  I: wait... wait...  Rank: wait...  Traffic: wait...  Price: wait...  C: wait...

Can you imagine hiring a home stager with zero creativity?

I couldn't.  Not if I were a homeowner, an agent, a Realtor, or an investor.  A home stager should, in every sense of the word, be one of the most creative people you ever meet.  Why?  Because you're entrusting them with a valuable asset, your home.  You'll need to trust that they have the capability to set your home apart; that they have the skill set AND the creativity necessary to do so.

I suppose I should take it as a compliment when I find web sites of other stagers that have the exact same layout (from the revolving pictures on each page to the side by side pictures of the before and afters nestled nicely by the testimonials).  It's almost like they took my web address and passed it over to their web master and said; "Duplicate this, please. See, she's one heck of a successful stager and I want to be just like her." My take - this individual lacks the ability to be creative and left with no recourse, makes it easy by simply duplicating.  Shameful!  

Sure, I can and have been inspired by many other stagers here in Active Rain and elsewhere.  However, I have enough confidence in my abilities that I don't need to duplicate what others have done.  

So... finding myself a little blown away by the nerve of it all, I went over to Copyscape, which is a site you can use to see if anyone has duplicated the verbiage from your site and lo and behold, there are two other less-than-creative-and-think-it's-okay type individuals that have copied, verbatim the words off of my site.  It's not the first time and I know it won't be the last.

But for the record, it's not okay to duplicate my work.  Whether you're just starting out or have been at it for two years and are still struggling, it's NOT okay to copy.

So for the home stagers out there that need to rely on others for their creativity - time to find yourself another profession.

For the home owners, agents, Realtors, investors, etc.... the work you see on my web site is mine.  The layout, the words, the pictures, they're all mine.  I'm proud of what I do and put an incredible amount of effort into each of the staging projects I've had the good fortune of staging.  

Kathy Nielsen - The Atlanta Georgia Home Stager who takes pride in her work!

P.S.  And if you're truly interested in seeing who was nervy enough to duplicate, please feel free to email and I'll gladly provide you with the names.  

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A Real Estate Staging Association Finalist for Professional Stager of the Year 2010, Kathy Nielsen understands  what it takes to help sell homes quickly. Considered an expert within the home staging industry, and having years of experience, Kathy makes the perfect choice for preparing your home for the market in the Atlanta area.

Website:  Home Staging Atlanta

Before and After Pictures: Atlanta Home Staging Portfolio:

Email:  Kathy@HomeStagingAtlanta.com 

    

 

PR: wait...  I: wait...  L: wait...  LD: wait...  I: wait... wait...  Rank: wait...  Traffic: wait...  Price: wait...  C: wait...