Credits: the importance of being earnest
Should I credit the site where I found this link, when its author also just nicked it from another site?
That is a question that sometimes pops up in many of us. The answer is really clear: yes, you absolutely should. Don't be afraid that your main page looks like a linkblog at times; if you post links, that is exactly what it should look like. Be earnest and stand for what you are doing. There are still ways to add value to a link - which is the main reason your readers will come back to your blog.
One easy way to do that is is to gather related links, post them together and give a short commentary. Voilá. You have just created some original content! Also, outlining the explanation of a link whose text might not be understood by the general reader is a good idea and a helpful one at that.
Whatever you do, make sure you credit your source. You can go the full mile and credit the entire chain of sources, provided your direct source also credited its source and so on. Not many people do this, and it might arguably be overdoing it a bit, but it may also be good to your stats if one of those sources notices your link and makes a comment - or even back link - about it on their site.
To achieve that, you will have to provide links with your credits, too. Don't be afraid that your readers will go to the credited source and leave you alone. One of the reasons they check back with you is that you spare them the extra work of visiting other sites. They will be greateful for a good tip, so the overall effect is positive.
April 25, 2006
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