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If you blog, you’ll likely come across at least one content thief in the process. They’ll take your articles (usually in full) and they’ll publish them on their own sites so they can either monetize your work or use it to build their own false authority. As someone who makes a living from writing, I find content theft infuriating. I’m also the wrong person to steal from, because while many people won’t bother pursuing the issue, I’ll go after a thief and hit them where it hurts (and then hit them again).

My Recent Experience With Content Thieves

In the last week or two, I came across two content thieves stealing material from my PR blog — NakedPR.com. Even though that blog is retired, it brings in a good amount of income, so I really don’t need people swiping the content and dilluting what’s offered there. In one case, a reader discovered the theft and reported it to me. In the other instance, it was a Google alert that turned up the stolen material.

One of the sites promptly removed my material on threat of further action. The other (MarketingTypo.com — which apparently does nothing but aggregate full content, including comments, from other sites under the guise of “fair use”) is still publishing my content illegally. They obviously don’t understand the concept of fair use. That site has already been reported as per my steps below, and is awaiting review by search engines and advertisers.

These two situations weren’t my first in dealing with thieves. In fact, I have the “deal with them” process down to a bit of an art — quick, efficient, and highly successful. Not once have I had to waste my time suing someone over their theft in order to get what I wanted (but I wouldn’t hesitate to do that — being willing to go all out is key, because if you’re not why should they bother doing as you ask when they know they’ll ultimately get away with it?).

Today I want to share the pre-legal route I take when tackling content theft, so you can put it to use should you ever need to.

How to Discover Content Theft

Before we can get into taking on content thieves, you have to be able to identify the theft. I used to do this monthly. Sadly I’ve rarely done this over the last year or so, and it’s tracking I need to get more aggressive about again in the future. Here are a few ways you can identify instances of theft:

1. Set up a Google or Yahoo alert for your name. If they just copy / paste, your name might still be included as the author. Some thieves think that as long as they credit you, it’s legal to steal and publish your work. It’s not. A by-line does not replace permission.
2. Set up a Google or Yahoo alert for your site’s URL / domain. In this case, some people think that as long as they link to you it’s okay to steal your content. Again, that’s not true. Be careful though. These will return partial hits too (such as people just publishing short excerpts with a link — which might indeed fall under fair use).
3. Run title searches. When people copy your content, they often don’t change the title. Search for some of your more popular posts and see if anyone’s ripped them off.

You can certainly do more. These are just some ideas to get you started, and they’ll turn up the bulk of directly-ripped content.

How to Deal With Content Thieves

Make sure you follow these steps in order. I’ll explain why that’s important at the end.

1. Find the content thief’s contact information. – Sometimes this is available right on the site. Sometimes you have to dig for it. You might need to look up the Whois information for their domain name. If they didn’t go with private registration you can find a name and / or company name, plus a phone number and email address there.
2. Send the thief a 48-hour cease and desist notice. – I find that 48 hours is more than adequate time to check your email and get my content off your site. If you’re too generous in your time window, you come across as a pushover from the start. You need to be firm and have a “take no sh*t” approach during the entire process. This notice should provide your name, a note that you are the copyright holder of said content, and a mention of where the content was stolen from. Obviously, also tell them which content you’re claiming is infringing on your rights. The person getting your email might not be the same person who published it. In this notice, reiterate that they do not have your permission to publish your content or any derivative work. In many cases, this notice will be enough to have the infringing content removed if you’re firm enough. I like to forewarn them about what I’ll do if they don’t remove the content too. That seems to light a fire under some folks’ asses (see below).
3. Take note of their advertisers. – Advertisers and ad networks generally don’t want to be associated with content theft. They don’t want to be used to monetize that stolen material. Track down all advertisers associated with the thief’s site and contact them with the details of the original content and the infringing material. The thief almost always loses ad contracts. More importantly, they can be banned entirely from ad networks — meaning not only would they lose Adsense (as an example) sitewide on the infringing site, but also on every other site they use it on. You just hit them where it hurts — in the wallet. But hold on. It gets better.
4. Report them to the major search engines. – File DMCA notices with all of the major search engines if the infringing content is indexed (it usually is). You’ll need to give them the URLs of all infringing material, as well as the URLs of your original material. The SEs will look into the claims, and when they find the infringement is indeed happening, that content will generally be de-indexed. Ouch. Now you hit what’s likely a primary traffic source for that thief.
5. Report them to their host. – Only after you’ve done the two previous things should you send a DMCA notice to the thief’s Web hosting company. That’s because you need the infringing material to be live on the site still when the SEs and advertisers review your claims. Basically the idea here is to put their hosting account at risk — even on the rare case where the content isn’t removed by now, they probably don’t want to lose their hosting account and have to move everything to another server because they violated the terms (not to mention the law). Are they hosted somewhere other than the US? Don’t worry. Send a notice anyway. Some thieves think hiding in offshore accounts is enough to protect them. It’s not. Many hosting companies worldwide still will put them on notice or ban their accounts for violating the company’s own terms of use.

How to Find a Content Thief’s Hosting Company

Not sure how to find a site’s Web host? Sometimes this is difficult. However, the following tricks and resources will help you out in many cases:

1. Visit DomainTools.com and conduct a WhoIs search.
2. Towards the bottom of the WhoIs results, you’ll see something called domain servers (nsX.hostname.com is the format). Look at the “hostname.com” part of it. Look up AllFreelanceWriting.com as an example, and you’ll see ns29.hostgator.com and ns30.hostgator.com — HostGator.com is the Web hosting company for this website. If you get the actual host, you can stop and contact them. No need to follow the other steps below.
   

   Nameservers from WhoIs Record

3. Sometimes the domain listed in the nameservers isn’t the actual host. Let’s use my little content thief MarketingTypo.com as an example. You’ll see their nameservers are listed with DomainControl.com. Try to visit that site. Drat! Nothing comes up to tell you what host uses that domain for their name servers. Time to move on.
4. Pull up your favorite search engine and search for “DomainControl.com” to learn more about it. You’ll discover that it’s used by GoDaddy.com. Oh goodie — the Vietnamese thief is using a US host, which will make my life a wee bit easier later if they don’t remove the content based on the SE and advertiser reports. (How do I know they’re Vietnamese? Check their WhoIs record again.)
5. If this still doesn’t work, you can try the tool at WhoIsHostingThis.com. Try both AllFreelanceWriting.com and MarketingTypo.com. When you search for this site, you get The Planet as the probable host. But wait. Didn’t I say I used HostGator.com? Yep. The Planet is HostGator’s data center. In that case, the WhoIs lookup was a quicker route to the right answer. Now search for MarketingTypo.com and you’ll see they give you GoDaddy as the hosting company right away. In that case, their tool would save you time, because you wouldn’t have to look up who owns DomainControl.com from the nameserver information.
   

   WhoIsHostingThis.com Results

That’s all there is to it! It sounds like a long process, but it’s really not. Once you do it a few times you’ll get the hang of it. Save your notices and requests as templates for future use, and the process will be a breeze.

Remember, it’s one thing if you grant people permission to republish your material (such as through article marketing). But when you let people get away with stealing your work, as a writer you do yourself a real disservice. After all, if people know they can get away with stealing and republishing your writing for free, why on earth would they pay you to write anything new?

The only way to deter these kinds of thieves is to be strong and take them on as you find them. When they stop thinking all bloggers and writers are suckers who will just let them slide, then maybe the rate of theft will finally settle down. This is one of those situations where if you aren’t a part of the solution, you really are a part of the much larger problem.

To continue in my (very short) series of common questions asked of a freelancing mom, I’ll now reveal my true personality. It’s not very pretty – really, I know that. But this mom isn’t really that soft and gentle when she’s not dealing with her own children.

It’s the most common question asked of freelance writers around the world that gets under my skin.

“Will you show me how to do what you do?”

Answer: Probably not.

Why? Because, quite simply, if I have to show you how to do it, you probably won’t end up doing it. There. I said it.

Granted, there are plenty of tricks to the trade and I can help you build a business if you’re really serious about getting started, but it’s my experience that about 95% of the people, stay-at-home moms included, who ask me to show them the way don’t really mean it, don’t have the business sense to make it work or think it’s just a fun little hobby that happens to pay pretty well. They don’t even blog. They’ve never posted a comment. Some have no clue what a forum or blog is. And I just don’t have time to keep telling the world how to do what to do if they aren’t going to actually do it.

If you’re the 5% that’s huffing and offended right now, I commend you for being serious about this. And for that 5%, I’ll give you some real tips from one mama to another.

Plenty of mothers, especially those that stay home, are looking for ways to earn a few extra bucks without sacrificing time with their children. This is why the WAHM forums are full of moms working for pennies on projects here and there. They just want a bit more spending money. Pocket money is one thing, but a full-blown career is something else. Getting from one point to the next is not a matter of landing better gigs – it’s a full mentality shift.

When another person asks me how to get started or how to get her daughter or son started writing online, I used to try to give everyone tips and pointers. I’ve written tomes of emails that rival some ebooks and tried to point out the dos and don’ts of getting started online. Now, for the most part, I’ve given up doing all of that. When someone asks me to teach them what I do, I just give them my email address and ask them to email me when they want to talk about setting up a professional online presence and building a portfolio. Of the dozens of emails I’ve given out, I’ve gotten exactly NO inquiries. Go figure.

That being said – I’ve helped more than a few budding writers over IM strangely enough. Maybe that’s the litmus test I need for finding someone serious about writing online. If they have IM, or PM, for that matter, they are far enough along to need help – not a career coach.

Building a writing career is not simple. There are wonderful ways to write as a hobby online and plenty of moms (and others) do exactly that. But regardless of offspring, there only seem to be a handful of people who are serious about building a career in writing. The minute someone serious comes along, this work-at-home (and work-away-from-home) mama will certainly help, especially another mom who’s looking for a way to afford staying home with her kids during the day. Hey, I’m certainly not heartless. I’m just tired of shelling out my career secrets for someone who struggles to pull up Internet Explorer for something other than Facebook games.

If a mom or anyone else isn’t willing to take the first step, she just isn’t serious enough for me. Working at home might seem frivolous to the outside observer, but when there are twenty-four hours in a day and you’re working your not-so-little butt off all but seven of them, you just don’t waste time on those who don’t have the stamina or risk-taking nature to give it a real go.

Will I help someone serious about learning to write professionally? Absolutely! Will I hold their hand and give them an illustrated guide to how the world of web writing works? Probably – but only if they are savvy and dedicated enough to take the first step. Email me if I give you my address. Research the topic the same way you research how to make salt dough ornaments. Google it for goodness sake! If you can’t do that – you’ll never have the chops to make it.

Now I’m off to write loving notes to tuck into the lunchboxes of my little angels.

I can’t believe that last week I was asking you about blizzards, and now this week I’m running around outside with a t-shirt on! Why do I keep talking about the weather like an old man?  Maybe I ought to stick to posting freelance writing jobs instead of trying to make conversation…

The Freelance Writing Jobs

1. Academic Writer – if you’re currently enrolled in college, then this would be a great job for you. It’s a lot of odd jobs–expanding content, creating new content, editing, and researching. To apply, send in your resume as well as a phone number where you can be contacted. This freelance writing job pays $100 – $500 depending on the assignment. Be sure to ask about wordcount to ensure that your compensation is fair.
2. Real Estate Writer – a real estate website needs someone to produce content for the site as well as work on an ongoing basis for their blog. For the project, however, you will be compensated for the content alone. To apply, send in a resume and writing sample. This freelance writing job pays $500 – $1,000.
3. Software Tips Writer – love Lifehacker? If you want to work for a blog that does something similar but focusing on software, then this would be great for you! This is an Elance job with long-term potential and the buyer looks to be setting their budget high, so I would recommend submitting a strong sample and then asking a per article rate. This freelance writing job pays a minimum of $1,000.
4. Ecommerce Blogger – if you’ve got a strong background in PR and you have a history of turning blog traffic up from a 4 to a 10, then you should apply for this job. It’s on Elance, so like the last gig, be sure that you set a per article rate that is fair for you. This freelance writing job pays a minimum of $1,000.
5. Computer Accessories Blogger – do you have a flair for fashion as well as gadgets? A site that creates reviews of computer bags and Blackberry accessories needs a blogger. Like the other Elance projects, be sure to set a per article rate that’s fair. The AFW standard is a minimum of $.10 per word, so be sure to bid accordingly. This freelance writing job pays a minimum of $1,000.

Freelance Writing Job Tip of the Week

Are you still struggling with setting a fair rate of compensation? Money isn’t always easy for people to envision. Instead of using naked dollar amounts, try attaching the dollar amount to something you like to buy. I like to use cups of coffee or a week’s worth of groceries, but you use what you feel like. When I take a job, I ask myself if what I’m working for is going to be worth it. An article, for me, is a week of groceries. Or maybe it’s 10 Starbucks lattes. When you think of stuff that’s somewhat abstract (like dollar amounts) and figure it in terms of something concrete (like your electric bill) all of a sudden, it makes sense. And all of a sudden, those crappy $.01 per word rates seem awful.

Worst Freelance Writing Job of the Week

I screencapped this one after Brian Orelli sent it to me. I don’t know if it’s still up for bid on Elance, but, well, take a look.

I’m assuming that you already know what’s wrong with this posting (just about everything) but just in case you received a concussion and are currently running around in a state of amnesia, let me break it down. You are meant to write articles under what I would term to be Orwellian conditions for $5. If you do not meet this person’s draconian standards, you will not be given enough compensation for a cup of coffee. This person doesn’t want to correct your grammar, but clearly doesn’t have a firm grasp on it. This is a nightmare boss and you’d be working for a pittance.

If you’d like to look through longer aggregated lists of freelance writing jobs to help you save time in your job search, All Freelance Writing recommends Anne Wayman’s freelance writing jobs at AboutFreelanceWriting.com.

Imagine this: you have been relying on the same marketing plan for several months or longer. Everything you do, for the most part, has been working. But out of nowhere you hit a snag and now nothing is breaking your way. What are you going to do?

If your marketing plan begins to fail, don’t panic. Instead, follow these steps:

1. Don’t abort what has worked in the past. The first thing you may feel like doing is overhauling your plan and forgetting what has gotten you this far. While there is nothing wrong with trying something new, you don’t want to totally give up on a plan that has worked so well.

2. Try something new. This goes along with tip number one. While you are working to get your old plan back on track, mix in something new that you have never tried before. For instance, if you usually send query letters and cold emails you should continue with this. But at the same time, why not throw in some cold calls to see if this can jumpstart your business? Once everything settles down you will have another marketing method that you are comfortable relying on.

3. Don’t give up. This may sound cliché, but it is entirely true. No matter what happens, recognize that your marketing plan has worked in the past and it will begin to payoff again in the future. The last thing you want to do is panic, make major changes, and find yourself in a worse position.

Final tip: just because you hit a slow period does not mean that your marketing plan suddenly turned bad. Remember, a lot of sales and marketing has to do with luck. You should expect to go through dry spells from time to time.

It would be nice if your marketing plan turned up new clients day after day. And while you may have a lot of success for an extended period of time, realize that this will probably turn 180 degrees sometime in the future.

First let me take a moment to introduce myself.

My name is Catherine–and the plan is for me to share some information with you about my experience with writing for print. I have been a full-time writer for many years, and have had my writing published in national, regional and trade magazines, as well as newspapers, books and custom publications. I have also written text for calenders and planners.

If it’s one thing I love it’s helping writers avoid making some of the mistakes that I did along the way.

So why should you listen to me? I’ll give you three reasons:

1. I have made piles of money writing for print publications.
2. I have broken into some big mags–examples include American Style, AAA Living, Boys’ Life and American Fitness, to name a few. 
3. I am willing to share some of the secrets about writing for print. You will find that not too many print writers want to give away their resources.

So with that…why don’t we start this journey by taking a closer look at some of the opportunities out there for getting published on paper. Here are some of the possibilities:

• Magazines. Don’t just think about the publications at your local bookstore–there are plenty of magazines out there that are mailed direct to the customer or are written specifically for a particular trade. I write for a publisher that puts together a lifestyle magazine for a very well-known client, and I have penned many a piece for trade magazines out there as well. Hospitals, associations and non-profits are other places to look for magazine writing opportunities. The pay rate range varies a great deal for this type of writing.
• Newspapers. There are all kinds of different ways to approach writing for a newspaper. You can get in touch with your local paper to see if they will pay for freelance work or you can write a travel piece for a big city publication. Pay for newspapers tends to be on the low side, but it is a great place to get some published clips if you can find a good angle.
• Catalogues. This market is not as large as it used to be, but there are still some jobs writing copy in print these days. Many tend to be employee positions, but sometimes you can find a temp spot as a freelancer. Pay varies.
• Greeting Cards. Create text for birthday cards, thank you cards and sympathy cards and make a little money in the process. You won’t get rich off of this one–but it is a fun writing job that doesn’t eat up too much time.
• Calendars and planners. Most of these gigs are on a per-project basis, but they can turn into an ongoing job if you impress the client.
• Books. You don’t have to write an entire book to get published in one. Other opportunities in this arena include travel guidebooks or anthologies. Many will pay in copies or pay writers a nominal fee, but the prestige can be huge. Some will pay a decent stipend, and fewer still will share royalties with the writer.

Although this isn’t an exhaustive list of places that you can get published in print, it can help you focus in on an area that you may find interesting. Whether you have been writing for the web or are just getting started on a writing career, print can be a little bit intimidating. Luckily there are plenty of ways to get going.

If you have yet to go into a Borders and pick up a magazine with your byline in it–perhaps it’s time to add that to your list of accomplishments. I’ll see if I can’t help you do just that.

I’m here to tell you–it feels pretty amazing.