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Guest Posts: Please Stop the Madness

How many requests do I receive from folks who wish to add their content to THE Canadian Personal Finance Place? This week, over ten, and most weeks, at least 5 of them, are asking if they can write a Guest Post. That is the same answer I give most guest post requests: NO! Stop the Madness! They are all from folks I do not read, nor do I know of them. If I ran a corner store, someone I did not know walked in and said, “I’d like to run your store today, can I?” I would give the

I realize that most of the How to Create Hype About Your Site newsletters say this is one of the best ways to get traffic to your site (I hope you didn’t pay money to get that advice), help your page ranking and solve world hunger, however, speaking as the person at the other end of the TSUNAMI of e-mails on Guest Post, please cease the Cold Call e-mails. Stop the madness.

The few guest post requests I have agreed to over the past year were referrals from other bloggers who I know and trust, who asked me as a favour to help out a new set of bloggers. The Post about the Side Effects of Credit Card Balance Built-Up fit with my point of view and did not heinous inundate the reader with links to sites and weird graphics with hidden crap in them. Yes, I am fully aware of the dirty tricks many of these alleged “guest writers” pull if you let their content onto your site, which is why I don’t usually allow guest posts.

I have discussed this with other bloggers (and believe me, I am not in the minority on my opinions of the Guest Postgame). Some of them now will reply to all Guest Post requests with a form e-mail saying that they charge for guest posts, and they still reserve the right to refuse any content they feel is inappropriate to their site (the charges range from $20 to over $100). I like this idea, but I am always afraid someone might take me up on the offer.

No Guest Posts! Please. stop the madness
No Guest Posts! Please.

Stop the Madness Advice on Guest Posts

Let me give some free advice on how to get your guest post accepted by a site (no, this does not mean you should use these on me, and no, I am not guaranteeing these will work; after all, this is free advice):

  • Do not send e-mails to bloggers you do not know. Most will send you to the SPAM box and ignore you. You need to have some relationship with the blogger before approaching them about a guest post.
  • Do not send content as part of your initial contact. I have people sending me crap as part of their pleading e-mail asking if they can guest post. I delete those even quicker until I say I want to see what you can write; don’t send anything.
  • Please get to know the blogger. It is Networking that works the best. If I know of you or know someone who will vouch for you, I am much more inclined to think about your guest post offer. How to get to know someone? Include a link to their content in your blog, and leave comments (that are not simply, “Hi, I really like your content”; I delete those comments quickly, too) on their site. Ask them questions in the comments, show you are reading their site and are interested in what they write. Once you can fake genuine interest, you will likely get a favourable response.
  • Write good content for a while. You might just get noticed that way.
  • Figure out what the site you want to Guest Post thinks. As an example, sending me an offer to write a post about how great Pay Day Loan places are will not fly (and you will get a rude response from me).
  • Think of Guest Posts like a Job Hunt, cold calling does not work at all (or incredibly rarely), and you need to build up your network of contacts so people know of you, and will think of you in a good light (not with a “who the heck is this” point of view).

Stop the Madness!

I apologize for sending you a rude “get lost” e-mail when you sent me a guest post request; I got miffed at this whole thing for a while. If I have not replied to you, take the hint, you need to build up credibility with me before I answer you.

It has taken me many years to build up the meagre readership; I don’t need a weird guest post to alienate my few readers; thus, I shy away from them.

Stop the Madness FAQ

Do you allow cold call Guest Posts

scam alert letting text on black background

No.

Do you allow Guest Posts at all?

moral quandary pensive male teen on gray background

Maybe, but only with groups and writers that I know and respect.

How can you stop the madness?

man wearing white dress shirt with black necktie

Stop sending cold call queries about Guest Posts.

15 thoughts on “Guest Posts: Please Stop the Madness”

  1. I completely agree with you, and my blog isn’t even popular enough to get very many requests. Still, the emails that start out “I love your totally awesome content and would love to post an article that links to my spam blog!” drive me insane. I’m happy to help out the bloggers I know and like, but I can’t figure out why I should support someone whose work I’ve never even read.

    I tried the whole “I’ll use your post for a fee” thing, but then people just try to bribe me with a link on their site. Personally, I think these emails are best sent to the spam folder.

  2. You’re judged by the quality of the company you keep. No truer is this than in guest posting/blog exchanges, even link exchanges.

    1. Evidently Iain was a SPAMMING SPAM BOT, and competition hunter dot com wanted all association with him removed, so I have done so, interesting that this post actually has a page rank and they don’t want to be associated with it?

  3. I totally Agree. when I teach people to guest post, I tell them to comment at least once a day for a month, and get to know the blog owner before ever asking for a guest post. That is unless it is a blog like FamousBloggers or Blog Engage that run on open guest posting.

    So far, I have allowed 1 guest post on my own blog, and that was from my brother. Generally, its not because of a lack of requests, but more because all I have gotten for guest posts are people I have no idea who they are, and what they sent me was pure rubbish.

    One other thing I would add that you didn’t mention… if you DO happen to get through a good request for consideration DONT USE SPUN CONTENT…

  4. I agree with something mentioned in the post but since you have the control of publishing the content I see no harm in allowing guest posts. I don’t get many guest posting offers but when I do get them I allow some if the quality is good and relevant to my blog. I also check the back links and see if they lead to shady sites. If your getting good content to your blog I see no harm in allowing it.

  5. I’m getting tons of “cold-email” requests recently too. I take a huge part of the blame because I don’t have a guest policy posted on my blog. It’s right up there on the top of my to-do list though 🙂

    Your suggestion about entering the Blog Engage contest is a wonderful one – and Kiesha from WeBlogBetter is having an awesome guest posting contest too.

    Thanks!

  6. The best comment I have received is from Preet, who says to put together a Template reply e-mail thanking the sender for their e-mail and then pointing out that any further responses from the author will include an invoice for a $50 consulting fee. usually slows folks down a great deal.

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