Paraphrased content refers to the content reworded by changing the words and sentences of some already existing content. Paraphrasing is usually performed to make the content highly readable and user-friendly. It also plays a vital role in making the content search engine friendly. However, search engines don’t like too much paraphrased content.
Paraphrased content can work for SEO to some extent. But there are certain rules and limitations to using paraphrased content effectively. Following the paraphrasing rules, we hope that paraphrased content won’t harm your SEO score. Here is today’s post, we are going to provide you with a detailed guide that will show how to paraphrase content that works for SEO. But before starting the guide, you must know:
How Much Paraphrasing is Safe?
Excess of anything is bad! Similar is the case with paraphrasing. It is okay to paraphrase content to some extent, but over-paraphrasing can be harmful to SEO. It does not only refer to the use of paraphrased content only but also refers to taking content from one source.
You can paraphrase a few pieces of text but you should avoid copying and using the whole piece of content from a source. Taking pieces of text from multiple sources and then using them in your content after paraphrasing is somehow acceptable but now acknowledged.
How to Paraphrase Content That Works for SEO?
It is possible that Google may drop paraphrased content in the category of plagiarized content. But you can save paraphrased content from dropping into the category of plagiarized content by using authentic paraphrasing techniques.
Paraphrased content word for SEO when paraphrased correctly, the best way to paraphrase a piece of content is by replacing words with their synonyms, restructuring the sentences, removing the redundancy of words, swapping hard words the easy ones, and increasing readability.
Utilize Standard Paraphrasing Techniques
Paraphrasing manually requires you to have a large vocabulary. The most basic paraphrasing technique is to change words with their synonyms. This is known as the synonym exchange technique. Here’s how it works:
Synonym Exchanging:
Original Sentence:
This is a store, where you can buy baked goods such as cake.
Altered Sentence:
This is a shop where you can purchase baked items such as a cake.
So, as you can see, the words “store”, “buy”, and “goods” were replaced with “shop”, “purchase”, and “items” respectively. They are synonyms—words that mean the same thing— hence the technique name “synonym exchange”.
Rephrasing:
In rephrasing, instead of just using synonymous words, you can use synonymous phrases. Phrases add to the length of the text, and they are easier to understand as well. They go a long way to make sure that your writing is not difficult to comprehend. Here is an example to show how it works.
Original Sentence:
He rowed the boat across the stream steadily and smoothly.
Altered Sentence:
He pedaled the oars of the boat and moved across the stream bit by bit, and in a smooth fashion.
“Rowed” was changed to the phrase “pedaled the oars”, and “Steadily”, was changed to “bit by bit”. This increased the length of the sentence, but it also reduced the reading difficulty by a small amount. The more complex words that are replaced with phrases, the easier it is to read the resulting sentence.
Changing Sentence Structure:
Changing the sentence structure is great when you want to emphasize different parts of the text. Usually, changing the sentence structure entails moving a part of the sentence that comes later to the earlier position, such as when you are changing active to passive voice. Here is an example showing that.
Original Sentence:
Jack hit a ball so hard it flew into the neighbor’s bushes.
Altered Sentence:
The ball was hit so hard by Jack that it flew into the neighbor’s bushes.
When you combine this technique with rephrasing and synonym exchanging, it becomes very potent and it is capable of drastically altering text.
Alternatively, Use Credible Paraphrasing Tools
Paraphrasing tools can help to paraphrase the text accurately and swiftly. However, paraphrasing can also be done manually but it may a lot of time and will not be as good as online paraphrasing tools such as Paraphraser or Quillbot can perform. Humans do have limited knowledge and word collection while in comparison a tool has an infinite combination of words along with multiple ways to write a sentence.
A paraphrasing tool uses AI technologies to reword the content that works for SEO. Google always likes optimized content, hence, a paraphrasing tool does nothing against the optimization rules of content. Always choose credible paraphrasing tools to revamp your content. We have tested the following tools for paraphrasing content and found them secure and accurate. You can see the paraphrased content generated by them in the figures:
Paraphrased Content by using Paraphraser.io:
Paraphrased Content by using Quillbot.com:
Review the Paraphrased Content Manually
Paraphrasing tools use GPT-3, AI, machine learning, and NLP algorithms to read and manipulate the content. However, AI paraphrasing tools have become advanced and accurate, but still, there are chances of mistakes. That is why it is suggested to proofread content for mistakes after paraphrasing.
Reviewing the content manually will help eliminate even the last mistake. There might be some misspelled or repeated words left in the content after paraphrasing that can be corrected in proofreading. A well-written content won’t drive traffic to the website until it contains grammatical mistakes.
Check for Plagiarism in the Paraphrased Content
However, paraphrasing helps in plagiarism reduction but, it doesn’t guarantee 100% plagiarism content. Therefore, after paraphrasing, do check for plagiarism in the content.
There Might Be A Few Sentences Or Phrases Left In The Paraphrased Text. You Can Try The Plagiarism Checker Offered Either By Prepostseo Or Editpad To Detect Even Badly Paraphrased Content Without Any Hassle.
Plagiarism can damage the site’s reputation as well as the domain authority. Plagiarism-free content is essential for the SEO ranking of a website. Moreover, it also does enhance the domain authority of a website without backlinks.
How does Paraphrasing Help SEO?
In the previous section we learned how to paraphrase your content concerning SEO, but now let’s see why it is beneficial for SEO.
Improves Readability
Paraphrasing allows you to portray the words and ideas of others in your own words. This is useful when you are discussing some complex topics that need to be simplified for your audience.
Higher readability ensures that your content will have a longer dwell time which improves the SERP ranking because it is an SEO factor.
Helps to Deal with Plagiarism
Sometimes plagiarism can occur by accident or by coincidence. Such plagiarism is usually due to the writer unconsciously copying someone else’s writing style. It can be easily dealt with using paraphrasing. With paraphrasing, the text can be altered so much that none of the original words exist. And this saves the content from being penalized by search engines, which is good for SEO.
Helps to Deal with Keyword Stuffing
Keyword stuffing is one thing that can easily make your SEO efforts moot. That’s because it is a black hat SEO technique, and search engines frown upon its use. The thing is, it’s actually not known when “keyword optimization” crosses over into “keyword stuffing”.
Paraphrasing can help with that, it can change keywords with their synonyms, so you get to avoid stuffing, as well as attract people searching for the alternate keywords. With no keyword stuffing and more traffic, naturally, your site’s SEO will become better.
When & Where to Use Paraphrased Content
Paraphrased content can harmful to SEO, but using it wisely and precisely can make it work for SEO. So, we are going to tell you how you can make paraphrased content work for SEO by using it in the right place.
Use When Need to Add Long Quotations
You can use paraphrased content when need to add multiple long quotations in the content. Having too many quotation marks in your content can make a bad impact on the SEO side.
Thus, instead of using too many quotes in your content, it is better to paraphrase some of the long ones with a paraphrasing tool. It won’t let the plagiarism index of your content raise. Additionally, your content will become more credible because of search engines.
Use When There is Word Redundancy in Content
Recurring and similar words in a piece of content can damage its readability along with credibility. Moreover, the reader may get bored or annoyed viewing tons of similar words. In this condition, it is suggested to paraphrase the content.
The major part of paraphrasing is changing the words with their synonyms. So, recurring words will also be removed by paraphrasing the content.
Use Where Needed to Add Text as Reference
You might need to add a few pieces of text while writing a piece of content as references. Adding the references as it is can cause plagiarism. In Google’s view, similar content in two different places is plagiarism.
Therefore, instead of adding the reference text directly into your content, it is better to paraphrase it and then use it. It will make these references because of search engines.
Use When the Content Has Low Readability
If there are long sentences with difficult words in your content, you should worry. Search engines like short sentences with easy words in them because they are easily readable. Paraphrasing also deals with readability.
Paraphrased content will rank higher in SERP because of its high readability. If your content has difficult words and long sentences, then it is suggested to paraphrase it because paraphrasing shortens the length of the sentences with the removal of hard words.
Use Where Need to Write Examples
Paraphrasing can be used to mention examples without making your content plagiarized. You will be needing to add examples copied from the internet in your content at several points. But, writing those examples as it is can increase the similarity index of your content. Hence, as a solution, you can paraphrase those examples. Paraphrasing them will not make your content plagiarized.
Conclusion
Paraphrased content can work for SEO if paraphrased correctly. If used ethically and intelligently, paraphrasing can work wonders. It has various benefits such as improving readability, reducing keyword stuffing, and helping deal with plagiarism.
All things benefit SEO. We also learned how to use paraphrasing to get these benefits, hopefully, you can apply them in your writing and gain their benefits.
