The problem with guest posting
Recently I carried out an experiment and accepted a few guest posters on Blogstorm. While the content of most of them was good (the ones I published were excellent) I cut the experiment short and won’t be publishing any more.
The problem is that most guest posters want to show how knowledgeable they are about a particular subject rather than writing something of value to the readers. Sometimes the two overlap but more often than not you have post that contains the Top 20 Things The Guest Poster Knows About X rather than the information that offers good value to the reader.
Accepting guest posts can come across as being lazy. I see blogs like John Chow publishing guest posts that offer very little value to me every week. The reason I read John Chow is to hear what John has to say and nobody else. The reason I read the large multi author search engine news blogs is because the paid writers are mostly top notch and write the news in an informed manner, they don’t feel the need to show how much knowledge they have just to promote a blog.
This might all sound quite negative but I think it is just a fact of life. Every time I’ve written a guest post I’ve always tried to appear really knowledgeable rather than offering value but it’s not until you read some bad guest posts that you realise the problem with this strategy.
If your blog makes money then the best way to help it grow is to pay your writers with money rather than giving them a platform to promote their own knowledge. Feel free to accept guest posts but only when they help your readers more than they help the guest poster.
Categories: Blogging
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I appreciate your view. There has to be a right mix of both Knowledge and Value addition to the readers.
OldSailor February 19, 2008 5:29 am | Reply
When an editor at a professional magazine hires a freelance writer they make sure the author understands the editorial culture and the target audience. The same should be done when soliciting guest bloggers.
Make certain that guest bloggers are privy to your goals and expectations. Offer guidance and structure. Agree on the particulars ahead of time: topic, tone, length, etc.
Perhaps the hope for a positive response and the desire to avoid tension makes a more casual request appealing? If so, I suppose one could do the request in two parts, a “would you be interested” request and a “if so, we can discuss the particulars” follow-up.
This approach is helpful to guest bloggers too. My experience is that people appreciate guidance, especially inside someone else’s home.
Also, readers are smart. They can tell when someone is serving and when thought and effort has been applied. No one wants to be a tool. Therefore, if a prospective guest blogger does not appreciate positive guidance then they ought to receive a polite thank you and be shown the door.
Thomas Schmitz February 19, 2008 8:06 am | Reply
That is a fair comment. Perhaps the guest posters need to be given a more precise brief on what you want them to write for the blog. Discuss the article, let them go away and write it. Then you can check, give feedback and let them correct and edit till it is at the level your happy with.
The benefits of guest posting for people who are just starting out are enormous. A few guest posts from a new author can help their own blog take off. Chow is probably not the best example, but Skellie’s posts on Problogger are great, and have helped her develop a career pretty much.
Tom Beaton February 19, 2008 8:59 am | Reply
>>A few guest posts from a new author can help their own blog take off.
It works the other way around as well. When respected authors or experts are published on your own blog they often write about it on their websites, which will send their audience to your website.
Many established writers will be happy to contribute, especially the savvy who know that they must always work to grow their own audience. A great way to do this is to ask several bloggers to contribute to a group piece and compiling their answers question by question. Heck, you could even make a series of post–one question a day–that could blast you onto people’s radar.
Thomas Schmitz February 20, 2008 5:36 am | Reply
Your are pretty sure about John Chow. The most of the guest bloggers don’t know what they are talking about.
Rajab February 20, 2008 7:10 am | Reply
Yep i believe that guest blog posts at john chow are not that attractive.
I read this post and first time realized the fact that i too try to just put my efforts and whole knowledge while blogging or guest blogging in some blogs.
Good post there and nice view
Chetan February 21, 2008 2:43 am | Reply
[...] there is a word of warning which Patrick Altoft relays in no uncertain [...]
TigerTwoTiger » Blog Archive » Advanced Blogging: Stepping Away From Your Navel - Guest Posting April 2, 2008 1:40 pm | Reply
Hello everybody.
Patrick why dont you create a list of things “to do” when some one is guest posting and for all your candidates read?
Cumps,
Artur July 30, 2008 2:01 am | Reply