Over Use of Quoted Content in Online Articles - Quite Frankly It"s a Mistake For Article Marketers
There is a good reason for this, you see, at some point it becomes less of the author's work and more of a collage of collected information from other sources.
In the future, strict adherence to minimizing quoted content will be very important.
I assure you new online copyright changes to "fair use" rules are coming, and/or will be better defined - play it safe.
Now then, as I recall there is a rule, at least one of the top online article directory sites that authors keep quotes to a minimum, which I presume is also due to not stretching fair use copyright rules.
I believe the rule is 5-lines, which might come out to about; 90-words or so, and really that is pushing what I'd consider future "fair use" rules.
So, I'd consider that, and even if there is nothing you can do about the past, you can certainly start now and pay more attention to these things.
Okay so, when is the best time to use quotes in your articles? I find the best way to use quotes and still maintain expert status is to take questions posed by your clients, customers, or readers - use those questions, "in quotes from them" and then answer the question or questions in your own voice.
I find this to be the very best use of quotes, and believe that it is okay to occasionally quote media or research articles or sound bites; always use quotes and cite the article or media by name, and author or speaker.
Next, don't quote them and summarize what they said, rather discuss their articles or research and your points in a difference of opinion and then state your expert disagreement or counter-arguments.
These also make great articles, as the drill down into the topic for the reader.
These types of articles are some of my most read articles, ones which give me the most feedback from emails, phone calls, etc.
Those are my thoughts.
If you want to be taken seriously, use fewer quotations, and more first person voice.
Show the reader that it is you that knows what they are talking about, not the person you are quoting.
After all, if the person you are quoting is the expert, why on Earth does the reader need you? Think on this for your online article marketing.