Guest Bloggers Post to Your Blog
Setting up a blog with shareable content is a great way to spread the word about your company. Allowing authors to attach their names to a post is an even better idea – and most bloggers will enjoy the recognition. However, there are some precautions that you should take before you allow guest posts.
Google doesn't love it when sites like the Huffington Post allow random bloggers to post content. Why? Because these bloggers might be creating mediocre stuff, adding spammy links, and spreading a lot of garbage on the Internet. Google demands quality content, and that means making sure that your bloggers are top-notch.
Here's How to Take the Best Guest Posters
1. Make sure they have credentials. If you're hiring a blogger that's never posted a blog before, you may be in hot water. It's better to hook up with someone that already has a writing background – journalism is even better!
2. Keep your eye on outgoing links. If you're letting your new blogger post to your blog by herself, make sure that she's not adding any outgoing links without permission. Often, bloggers will add a link to personal work without your knowing it, and this can cause an issue.
3. Get unique content. Unfortunately, article spinning is popular amongst bloggers. What is spinning? Taking one article and turning bits and pieces of it into another article – and then selling that article to you. The problem with spinning is that your content won't be unique, and content that's not unique isn't going to benefit you in any way.
4. Restrict publishing privileges. You can set up any WP account to grant ‘draft only' permission to bloggers. You don't have to get rid of authorship or writer credit altogether, just make sure the restrictions are in place.
5. Do hire a content manager or editor. It's best to have a content manager or editor post drafts to your blog. This person can control quality, and this person can also make sure that nothing spammy gets put onto your website.
6. Do create a contract. Worried about ownership? It's simple: create a contract that gives you complete ownership rights. Don't start work without that contract!
7. Do give author credit. Why shouldn't you? If you have a tight contract, have restricted permission, and have an editor looking over every post, authorship shouldn't be an issue.
Guest Bloggers Post to Your Blog: It's A Good Idea
It's a great idea to allow guests to post to your blog. This provides variety, and people love to see different blogger voices on a blog. After all, once voice is really boring, don't you think?
If you're thinking about allowing bloggers to post to your blog, read through these steps first – and take it from a blogger, you can never be too careful!
