I received a really big compliment on my website. Another VA copied much of it into theirs.
I didn't really like it when I first saw it, but now I think: hey, I must have done something right.

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Hilde
www.vbbassociates.com

I understand how you feel. You have a great looking site! Considering it a compliment is the right approach.

While I can definitely appreciate the Zen approach to negative things in life stolen content is not a situation I'd personally apply it to.

A VA who cannot find it in herself to either write her own content or hire the task out, but instead lifts your hard work and writing skills for her use is not a professional.

At the very least she's diluting the SEO for both sites by providing duplicate pages to Google. At worst she's 'cheated' at getting her business site set up and cheapens the industry as a whole by choosing the lazy way through this particular startup task.

Content theft is a real problem on the web and should never be taken lightly.

Just my two cents.

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I agree with Tess 100%. You worked very hard on your website (which looks wonderful by the way) and for someone to come along and "steal" from you is downright criminal. Your website content is your intellectual property and it's illegal for someone to copy and paste that content for their own use.

I know this feedback is probably not what you were expecting, but you are part of a community that cares about your business just as much as you do.

AJ

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Angela D. Jordan
Your Humble Assistant, LLC

Thanks ladies for the feedback.

Tess, Angela, I initally felt exactly the same as you did, but then when I thought about what I could actually do about it, it sort of came to nothing. My sister approached it in a completely different way and she said: great, so we did a good job.
I decided then that that was the right way to go, if only for my own peace of mind. However, I did send her an IM and I decided to post, just to let her know it was not a nice thing to do.

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Hilde
www.vbbassociates.com

Hilde,

While it is a great compliment, I agree with Tess and the others. I would not have taken it so lightly. Working hard on my content, look and branding took lots of time and is a continued work in progress. For someone to just use what I have is not cool.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

When I first read this I thought what a great approach to have, I would have been livid!!!! Then as I read thru the other posts I have to agree that you worked hard on your website!!! I have been on various sites to get inspiration but NEVER to downright copy someone else's. I would contact her again and tell her she needs to change her website or you will seek legal help to make that happen!!!!

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Jenn B.
EveryBody Needs a JENN

Thanks for the input. I'll give it another think.

"Everybody needs a Jenn" - that's just brilliant.

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Hilde
www.vbbassociates.com

Hilde,

Here is some important information about copyright infringement. Realistically, you should consider taking steps to protect your good name so you can continue to build your business. It's not fair for you to start all over again with new content.

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Angela D. Jordan
Your Humble Assistant, LLC

Tess is right about the SEO part of it. Hopefully you've submitted your website to Google and other engines before this other VA did otherwise you could potentially lose out as the site that had that information first. There is discussion about duplicate information on search engines and Google will tend to favour/rank the website that had it up first - if you had your site listed with them first. Or something like that.