Copying someone else's site?

[NoobMoney]

Hey there, new to SEO.

My common sense is telling me that directly copying someones website (layout and actual content/words) is a bad idea, but can anyone tell me exactly why? Assuming that it's a fake niche/website etc, what are the different ways in which this would not be beneficial?

Also, what is it OK to copy? Like for example, can i use their background and layout and change the articles/content and be OK? Thanks in advance.

 

[thebossispro]

It's a bad idea because it's not yours and google will see it as duplicate content.

 

[NoobMoney]

It's a bad idea because it's not yours and google will see it as duplicate content.

And if i keep the background/layout but change the content/wording?

 

[1+1=2]

Content must be unique, layout can be copied. A lot of wordpress sites use very same theme and that fact doesn't affect those site's ranking.

 

[Javado]

I did this once, ripped the whole website of the first result, was raking 5-6th for 3-4 days and disappeared completely.
If you want to waste time go for it.

 

[NoobMoney]

I did this once, ripped the whole website of the first result, was raking 5-6th for 3-4 days and disappeared completely.
If you want to waste time go for it.

Your website was deleted, or google stopped ranking it?

 

[yordanov]

Invest 30-40 dollars and buy good theme. Pay for articles 20-30 dollars and start the project without google problems.

 

[Slashdot]

It would be a waste of time. In today's world, you need truly unique and well-written content to rank a website. If you simply publish a bunch of spun articles from another site, why in the world would Google show your site before the original site you stole the content from?

 

[NoobMoney]

Invest 30-40 dollars and buy good theme. Pay for articles 20-30 dollars and start the project without google problems.

I'm fine investing the time to design websites/make articles, but I've recently been discovering that I've been doing far more work on all my stuff than I've needed to. Just making sure this isn't another area where I've made it harder for myself than it needed to be.

 

[Javado]

Your website was deleted, or google stopped ranking it?

No, my site is up, but it doesn't appear on google for any keyword, except the exact url, but it can be deleted too, if the real owner submit complaint.

 

[Kuz32]

ahhaha, that's a bad strategy abny way you look at it!

 

[prospect7]

bad for SEO, ok for sending paid traffic though.

maybe rip someones site but spin all the content? that should pass googles filters.

 

[DarkCosmos]

Yeah bad idea unless it is from another country and in
another language. I have had success copying sites and turning
them into other languages and targeting different audiences.