In this blog, I'd like to ask a question to the blogging community here about cross-posting of blogs. By cross-posting I mean writing a blog on one platform, and then copying and pasting it, verbatim, on other blogging sites you use.
The question is - is it the done thing ? Is it acceptable or not ?
I'm newish to blogging only having really started around Nov last year, here on PublishOx. I also use Hive a lot and publish blogs on both. To date I havent really cross-posted, because of 2 main reasons:
1 - I thought it was not the done thing. I'm not sure why, but I get the impression it is frowned upon,
2 - The audiences are subtly different. There are some posts that would work on both platforms (ie, the travel type ones I do would), and then there are other posts that are quite community specific and I really would not want to cross post them anyway.
However, its item 1 that is bothering me, and I'm just wondering if I made that bit up, or if it is something that is frowned upon, and I'd really like to know what the blogging community here thinks - so please do let me know !
To date I have only cross posted one or two blogs, one was about a castle I had visited, and another was about a game I play, but I am going to post this same post out on Hive as well, at the same time, as I'd like to know what the community there also thinks. And I will abide by the consensus.
Observations
I definitely see some people that cross post regularly, because I see the same identical posts on both PublishOx and Hive (and have done today). I dont have a problem with it personally. If I read and tip it on one platform, I dont bother reading it or tipping it on the other - otherwise it does not spoil my day !
Also if I was to look at it from an artistic or a creative perspective, I would say it should be ok. I create my material 100% - I dont need to steal it from someone else. As I'm the creator, should I therefore not decide, unless I've signed up to a platform that expressly prohibits it.
I can take the same reasoning when I compare to other things I've created. For example, I'm a musician and write my own music which I record. I have the same songs on multiple platforms (itunes, tidal, spotify, deezer, etc) and in the music industry it is the done thing. You've worked hard to create and produce the music, and you deserve to monetize it, and the publishing sites will happily push it out to multiple streaming platforms for you.
Also, when an artist creates a print, they often sell it in more than one location and also have more than one source for buying their original art as well.
So its ok in music and art, so why not in blogging ?
Anyway - I'm really interested in what you think and would really like what you have to say. Over to you (please !).
Credits: Photo I took of a (fence) post at Harlaw Reservoir on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Scotland
