would you be annoyed if someone done this with your content?

[Frog]

Curious as to the thoughts on this one...

Yesterday I was browsing around and came across a page that explained how to win £49 guaranteed on the Man Utd v Chelsea game. It involved opening 3 different bookmakers accounts that came with opening bonuses, depositing about £150 and placing bets on all the outcomes. The article obviously had affiliate links to all 3 bookies.

I emailed the guy late last night and offered to post the article on a website that gets significantly more traffic than his does, and promote the article sitewide until kickoff time this afternoon. I said I would be willing do this on the condition I could change one of the 3 affiliate links to my own.

He's not got back to me and I'm about to head out for the day so the window to do this is now closed. I was considering just going ahead and doing what I mentioned above (without permission), republish the content with 1 of the links changed, and promote it sitewide. If I noindexed the page it would have zero affect on his own site from an seo point of view. Once the game starts the page will be worthless and could be deleted.

Whats the general opinion... if it was your content and I done the above because I hadn't heard back from you, would you be annoyed? Or glad?

 

[AssetDomains]

Go for it if you are going to make him money dont see how he can complain PS send me the details I'd love to put the bet on if it looks good

 

[Frog]

No time for me to do it now, family flying out to visit today so need to get sorted and get to airport

Article is here - http://www.sportingpreview.com/gpb/000115.php

Double check all the odds are correct before you try it though!

 

[diablo]

There's a good chance that the guy would have agreed, but the decision is entirely his. And I think getting his permission is vital.

If approached, it's something that might appeal to me in certain instances, but if everyone started copying content without permission, and then assumed it was okay because they were only going to change one or two links and leave the others, I think it would very quickly lead to chaos. Unique quality content is the key to a lot of websites' success. Unlike newpbc, I do think he would have every right to complain, whether you were making him money or not.

In reverse, it's a good business model. Write fantastic content and offer it to other websites free of charge on a "shared links" basis.

You could have also given the guy a ring first thing this morning - his number is in the article.

 

[stevebrowne]

another reason that he might not want you to do it is that it could get his affiliate accounts cut off. 100% of a smaller amount, may be a lot more than 75% of a huge amount that is then refused payment.

 

[Rob_F]

I'd be very annoyed. It's his content at the end of the day, you should ask his permission before using it.

- Rob

 

[WigWam]

I would be very annoyed if someone did that to me, i'm sure s/he spent allot of time writing it. Why don't you just get someone to re-write the article / basic idea and have all 3 affiliate links to yourself?

Edit: If people saw it on your site first (that you say is larger - so they are more likely to see it their first), they may believe that s/he is copying from your site & that would loose them reputation.

 

[Alien]

I have to agree too, I think explicit permission is required first, before the content is used, even if the original creator does benefit financially.

 

[wb]

Anyone who hasn't used up free bets from all the major bookies should look up 'matched betting'.

An easy few hundred pounds at a minimum to be made if you do everything correctly (go through a cashback website like Quidco before joining anywhere to profit even more).

Not exactly a business opportunity, but as far as I know gambling winnings are tax free so can make a nice bonus.

 

[WigWam]

Too many people think because it isn't a 'physical' item that it doesn't count as theft (hence why companies such as istockphoto are making a killing off webmasters who use their photos without permission - because it is copyright theft), Same principle here.
If I went down to my local Tesco & asked if I could lift the logo off their store to stick on mine & I get to keep 1/3 of the profit, they say no, then I do it anyway... well they wouldn't be best pleased on me using their 'concept' that they spent a long time developing :/

just my 2 cents,

WW.

 

[WigWam]

So no "theft" took place.

Indeed, I was saying it on a broader scale of unscrupulous webmasters who do this sort of thing, (not froggy).

WW.

 

[diablo]

I think the point has been missed slightly...

Frog clearly stated he has asked permission from the author of the article / owner of the website - of which he did not receive - so he did not publish or change the affiliate links. So no "theft" took place.

He also clearly states that he was thinking about going ahead without permission - in which case he would have breached copyright laws.

 

[diablo]

I'm sure we have all thought about doing certain things that we shouldn't. The difference behind the good and the bad in this world is the good do not follow through with those thoughts.

The whole point of the thread is that the OP is asking what our opinions would be IF he had gone ahead and done it without permission.

It could be you that's missing the point slightly . . .