If you’re like most Digital entrepreneurs, you’ve probably come across a lot of free PLR downloads on the internet. And while it’s great to be able to get hold of this content for free, you can actually make good money from PLR content if you avoid making common mistakes.

Some of these mistakes are unintentional but they can reduce your chances of growth to get a good ranking on Google.

Many digital entrepreneurs avoid using PLR products because they think it will result in duplicate content. However, if you use PLR products correctly, there is no need to worry about duplicate content.

In fact, using PLR can help you save a lot of time and money while still allowing you to produce high-quality content.

Let’s find out what other mistakes marketers do when they use PLR content in this article.

Pen and Planner with the cap stating common mistakes to avoid with PLR content

(Disclaimer- This post may contain affiliate links. You can read our full disclaimers here.)

17 Common Mistakes to Avoid with PLR Content

If you are using PLR content for your blogs or shops, it is best to know the best practices of using done-for-you content. Take a look at the most common mistakes mentioned below.

Mistake 1- Using FREE PLR downloads as-is

The first and most common mistake is to use free PLR downloads as-is. 

Even though most PLR sellers will give you the right to use PLR content as-is without requiring you to change anything, do not take this right at the face value.

Using the PLR content “as-is” is a huge mistake because PLR content is sold to multiple people ( unless it is exclusive and very costly). That means there’s a good chance that other people are using the same content that you bought. 

If other people also use this PLR content without changing anything in it, it can hurt your chances of ranking high in the search engines.

This is considered duplicate content and Google penalizes it by not giving your content any ranking. This brings me to the next point.

Mistake 2- Not making the PLR Content Unique to Your Business 

Laptop and writing

Another mistake people make is not adding their own voice to the PLR content.

Most PLR is written as a standard article, which means it’s targeted toward a general audience. If you want people to read your PLR articles, you need to add your own voice and personality to them. This can be done by adding your own stories, examples, and opinions.

Put your own thoughts, experiences, and insights into the content so that people will want to read it.

Additionally, you should also make sure that the content is helpful and informative so that people will want to share it with others.

If you buy PLR products like PLR Journals, PLR planners, and even PLR workbooks, you still should modify the layout or the design to suit your clients. 

E.g For a PLR journal with prompts like this, you can change the cover, the background, the font, and the graphics that the original PLR journal came with. 

Journal Pages and Covers for Digital Entrepreneurs
Morning 10-minute Journal with Polka Dot Watercolor Covers

In my PLR journals, I often give 3 cover options for the front and the back. This way, you can create more products from just one Journal Template.

This will help your journal stand out from the rest of the customers who bought the same PLR journal.

Mistake 3- Not Optimizing The PLR Content For The Search Engines

Another common mistake people make with PLR content is not using search engine optimization rules for their PLR content. If you don’t optimize your content, it’s not likely to rank high in the search engines and people won’t be able to find it.

In short, if you do make these top 3 mistakes, your content will be one of the millions of articles on the web that people are not reading. 

Get your SEO foundation right before using PLR content.

If you want to know more about SEO, check out Debbie Gartner’s popular and effective SEO course- Easy On-Page SEO here.

Mistake 4- Not understanding Private Label Rights

If you’re not familiar with the term “Private Label Rights”, it’s important to understand it before you start using PLR content. 

The full form of PLR is Private Label Rights. 

PLR is a type of license that allows you to purchase content and then modify it and claim it as your own.

However, there are some restrictions on PLR content. The original PLR creator will have a condition to not claim the copyright of their material. This is also because many buyers get the PLR license. And if everyone starts claiming the Copyright, it is a violation!

If you’re not sure whether or not you should use PLR content, it’s always best to consult with the PLR creator to understand their license rules. If you are still not sure about it, consult with a lawyer or an expert in the field to get their opinion.

Mistake 5- Not adding images or videos to your PLR Content

Another mistake is not adding images or videos to the PLR content. This is a missed opportunity because people are more likely to read an article that has visuals in it.

Take an example of this article. If I had written just the big article with bigger paragraphs without any images in between the paragraphs, it would not be that interesting an article, right?

Adding images or videos is also a great way to break up the text and make the article more visually appealing.

Files and folders with flowers

You can use stock images from sites such as Unsplash or invest in high-quality stock images with the rights to use them on your website.

I love Julie Butler for her feminine stock photos. Check out her beautiful photography here. She also gives social media templates to her members within the stock photo membership.

Kayla from Ivory Mix is also my favorite creator to source high-quality images for all my sites. Do check her website and stock photo membership today. She gives a ton of value to her members as well.

Mistake 6- Using the wrong Links in the PLR content

When you’re using PLR content, it’s important that you use the right hyperlinks that go to your website or shop.

Otherwise, people will click on the links and end up on a page that’s not related to your site or what they’re looking for. This can harm your reputation and cost you traffic and sales.

Mistake 7- Not Proofreading the PLR Content

Another common mistake people make is not editing the PLR content before they use it. 

I know some coaches who love to use written content from self-help PLR content creators like Piggy Makes Bank.

Her content is so good that you may not feel the need to really change anything. But when you change the content by adding your experiences, links, and images, always do proofreading before publishing it.

This will help you to avoid any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Mistake 8- Hoarding PLR Content and not Using it Fast

The whole point of using PLR content is to save time so that you can post content faster. But if you never use the PLR content, then you’re not going to save any time. In fact, you’ll end up wasting time and money.

If you find that you’re not using the PLR content as quickly as you’d like, try to batch-create content

This means creating several pieces of content at once so that you have a backlog of content to work with. Then, when you need to post something new, you can simply choose from the backlog instead of having to start from scratch.

Batching will help you save time in the long run and it’s a great way to make sure that you’re using your PLR effectively.

There are a lot of ways of using PLR fast in your business. Do not let it sit to collect digital dust.

Related Article: How to use PLR products to make money (30 Proven Ways)

Mistake 9- Not Promoting your Content

People make one more frequent error and that is not promoting their PLR material after it’s finished. 

All successful entrepreneurs spend 80% of their time promoting the content and only 20% time creating it.

If you spend all the time only creating or repurposing the content and take very little effort to promote it, your content will be lost in the vastness of the internet without any viewers, subscribers, or customers.

There are various ways you can promote your PLR content such as-

  • Emailing your list about the content you created
  • Creating a blog post about PLR content
  • Creating a YouTube video to explain the PLR content

By promoting your PLR content, you’ll be able to reach a wider audience and get more traffic and sales.

Mistake 10- Not using a Call To Action in DFY PLR Content

A Call-to-Action (CTA) is simply an instruction telling the reader what they should do next.

For example, you might tell them to sign up for your email list or buy your product.

Since PLR content is written in a standard text file, you will not get Call-to-Action buttons or links in it. You will need to include it where appropriate when you’re editing the PLR content.

Take a look at the following CTA example.

Planner and Pages with the button

If you don’t include a CTA in your PLR content, people will simply read it and then move on without taking any action. This is a wasted opportunity because you could be making sales or growing your email list.

Always remember to include a CTA in your final published or downloadable content so that you can give your readers an opportunity to connect with you in the future.

Mistake 11- Not using affiliate marketing to promote yourself

Affiliate marketing is a great way to get exposure to your content and make some extra money. You can reach more people via your affiliate members. 

There are two ways to use affiliate marketing with PLR content.

First, you can find products that are related to the topic of your PLR content and promote those products as an affiliate.

Second, you can create a product of your own and then offer it as an affiliate product to other marketers who will help you promote it for a commission.

Both of these methods are effective.

Mistake 12- Not doing Email List Building with PLR content

Email List building is one of the important activities in your business. You can get more exposure to your content and products by nurturing your audience through value-added newsletters. 

There are two ways to do list building with PLR content. First, you can include a sign-up form in the content itself so that people can subscribe to your list right from the content. I have a form like this right here. 

Get FREE PLR Printable Journal

Second, you can create a landing page for the content, add the links of it to your social media and use that to collect email addresses. E.g. If you have a great free gift for your audience, a landing form is a great way to connect with a wider audience. You will see one below in the footer of this article.

Both of these methods are quite powerful. Choose one of the two or use both today.

There are many good quality email service providers that offer free landing page features. I have used Mailerlite in the past and now use Birdsend as it gives me full automation features to nurture my email list.

Mistake 13- Not using social media marketing to promote your content

Social media is a great way to get people to see your content and share it with their friends and followers. You can get a lot of exposure for your content by using social media marketing to promote it.

You can share the content on your own social media accounts and encourage people to share it with their friends and followers. 

Take a look at our FREE Instagram Motivational Templates below and get your copy today!

Instagram Motivational Templates

Mistake 14- Not using paid advertising to promote your content

Not all content needs paid advertising. But if you have a good piece of content that you want to get a lot of exposure for high-ticket coaching or membership program, then paid advertising can be a great way to do it.

There are two ways to use paid advertising to promote your PLR content. With Google AdWords, you can create ads that will target users who are searching for keywords related to your content.

Secondly, you can use Facebook Ads to target individuals who might be potential consumers of your content.

Both of these methods can be effective. Always check how the advertising affects your overall business budget and revenue goals.

Mistake 15- Only using PLR Content for free giveaways

If you’re only using PLR for free giveaways, then you’re missing out on a great opportunity to use it to build your list and get more subscribers. Freebies are a great way to get people to see your content and sign up for your list, but they’re not the only way.

You can use PLR to create paid ebooks, courses, digital products, etc. that you can sell on your website.

Not only will this make you more money, but it will also help you to showcase your authority on your subject matter.

Mistake 16- Not having a good plan for content marketing using PLR Content

Content marketing is a process of creating and sharing content that is relevant to your audience with the goal of attracting new customers or clients.

First, you need to plan what kind of content you’re going to offer to your clients and how you’re going to share it. Then, you need to actually create the content.

Creating this content yourself is often time-consuming and outsourcing it can get expensive. Use PLR strategically to fill the gaps in your content marketing plan.

E.g. Take PLR content to write a blog post and then take key snippets of that blog post to create stories for your social media.

Use beautifully designed PLR templates to create social media images, engaging quotes, and captions for your social media followers.

Mistake 17- Not adding website details in the content

lady with laptop

If you use PLR content to create ebooks, checklists, workbooks, or any printables that your customers can download, always add your website link to the downloadable material.

You can add your website details in the footer or header of the document. This will help you to get more exposure to your content and to build your brand.

Do not forget to add your website links to your social media graphics as well!

The bottom line to using PLR Content

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can make sure that you’re using PLR content correctly and making the most of it.

If you can avoid these common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to creating successful PLR content that will help you grow your business. Just remember to take your time, be creative, and add your own voice to the mix!

When you use PLR content correctly, it can be a great asset to your business and help you to grow your online presence.

By avoiding these 17 common mistakes, you can make the most of your PLR content investment and use it to achieve your business goals.

planner glasses and flowers to emphasize common mistakes to avoid with plr




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2 Comments

  1. Christine says:

    Great post. Gave me lots of ideas that I need to do and correct in what I’m currently doing. Thanks, Dee!

    1. Hi Christine, Thank you. So good to be in touch with you here!

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