Guest Post Guidelines: 7 Essential Rules for Acceptance and Quality Content
Have you contemplated the idea of incorporating guest posts on your blog? However, it is crucial to understand that search engines are now taking measures against sites that indiscriminately accept guest posts or overlook the quality of posts from specific authors. The internet is inundated with a plethora of substandard content being posted by guest authors, which has prompted search engines to potentially penalize sites. Even esteemed blogs like the New York Times and Huffington Post have started allowing guest posts, but unfortunately, many of those contributions are laden with mediocre content and spammy links.
It’s worth noting that Google, in general, has reservations about guest posting as a practice.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you should completely refrain from accepting guest posts for your blog. Instead, it highlights the need to be discerning and selective in the posts you choose to publish. Don’t simply accept guest posts solely for the purpose of increasing your website traffic. Rather, prioritize guest posts that genuinely provide value and benefit to your readers.
By adopting a meticulous approach, you can ensure that the guest posts you feature on your blog maintain a high standard of quality, relevance, and usefulness. This not only safeguards your blog’s reputation but also enhances the overall experience for your readers, thereby contributing to the long-term success of your platform.
Guest blogging has become a popular strategy for website owners and bloggers to expand their reach and enhance their online presence. However, accepting guest posts without proper guidelines can lead to subpar content and potential risks. In this article, we will outline seven essential rules to ensure that the guest posts you accept are of high quality, provide value to your readers, and contribute positively to your online community.
Rule #1: Establish a Track Record of Excellent Content Writing
To maintain the quality of your blog, it is crucial to accept guest posts only from authors who have a proven track record of producing exceptional content. This rule ensures that the content provided by guest authors aligns with the standards you have set for your blog. Look for authors who have previously published quality articles on reputable websites or have their own well-established blogs. This will help you ensure that the content they provide meets your readers’ expectations.
When considering guest authors, thoroughly evaluate their writing style, grammar, and ability to engage readers. Look for articles they have written in the past that demonstrate their expertise and knowledge in the relevant subject matter. Additionally, consider their social media presence and the engagement they generate. This rule will help maintain the credibility and authority of your blog by publishing content from reliable and skilled authors.
Rule #2: Exercise Vigilance with Outgoing Links
Outgoing links in guest posts can significantly impact your website’s SEO and reputation. It is essential to closely monitor and regulate the links included in guest posts to ensure they are relevant, reliable, and add value to the content. Avoid accepting posts with excessive or irrelevant links, as these can potentially harm your website’s ranking and credibility.
Educate guest authors about your link policy and guidelines. Encourage them to include only high-quality and authoritative sources that enhance the reader’s understanding or provide additional resources. Regularly review the outgoing links in the guest posts you receive and remove any that are unrelated, spammy, or lead to low-quality websites. By maintaining control over the outgoing links, you safeguard the reputation of your blog and protect your readers from potentially harmful or irrelevant content.
Here’s a general rule to remember:
- A bio should only include one or two links, either to the author’s website, Twitter handle, or blog.
- A blog post should include at least four links. I don’t have a maximum number of links that should be included in a post, but I do have a minimum. Instead of regurgitating the same old information, link to sites that have already covered it.
Rule #3: Emphasize Detailed and Unique Content
To provide real value to your readers, guest posts should offer unique insights and in-depth information on the chosen topic. Avoid accepting generic or shallow content that merely rehashes what is already available online. Encourage authors to provide fresh perspectives, personal experiences, or research-based findings that can engage and educate your audience.
When reviewing guest post submissions, look for articles that demonstrate originality and provide a unique perspective on the chosen subject matter. Encourage authors to delve deep into the topic and offer comprehensive information that goes beyond surface-level discussions. Request specific examples, case studies, or actionable tips that readers can implement. By upholding this rule, you ensure that your blog becomes a trusted resource for valuable, one-of-a-kind content.
When evaluating guest post submissions, there are specific factors to consider before accepting them:
- Content Quality: To ensure that authors don’t engage in spammy practices, conduct a quick online search of their name. This helps to determine if they have a history of pushing out low-quality or spam-ridden content across various platforms.
- Link Relevance: Carefully examine the inclusion of outgoing links in the author’s bio or within the content. It’s essential to ensure that these links don’t lead to spammy or unreliable websites. By doing so, you maintain the integrity and reputation of blog.
- Depth of Content: To gauge the value that the author’s content can provide, you can assess the level of detail in their previous work. Typically, I prefer authors who have a track record of crafting in-depth articles, preferably exceeding 1,000 words and sometimes even reaching the 2,000-word mark. This approach ensures that the guest posts offer substantial advice and avoid shallow content produced solely for the sake of obtaining backlinks.
By employing these evaluation criteria, I can select guest posts that align with my blog’s quality standards, thereby offering valuable and trustworthy content to my readers.
Rule #4: Maintain High Standards through Selectivity
Maintaining high standards for guest posts is essential for the reputation and quality of your blog. Don’t be afraid to be selective in the posts you accept. Ensure that the content aligns with your blog’s niche, tone, and target audience. By being discerning, you can ensure that each guest post contributes meaningfully to your blog’s overall value.
When evaluating guest post submissions, pay attention to the relevance of the topic to your readers and the overall theme of your blog. Assess the quality of writing, clarity of ideas, and overall organization of the content. Look for posts that offer unique perspectives, well-researched information, and practical insights. Remember, it’s better to reject a mediocre post than to compromise the quality of your blog.
When considering guest posts, adhere to the following criteria:
- Error-Free Writing: I have a strict policy of not accepting posts with spelling or grammar errors. Such errors indicate a lack of effort on the author’s part. While I acknowledge my own shortcomings in this area, I recognize the importance of improving my grammar skills. Therefore, I prioritize error-free content for the benefit of my readers.
- Personal Belief in the Content: It is crucial to believe in the content you publish because your readers’ trust is at stake. Regardless of the writer’s credentials, I refrain from accepting content that I don’t personally endorse. As an example, at KISSmetrics, we once had the opportunity to publish a post claiming that A/B testing is useless, authored by a renowned analytics expert. However, since we firmly believe in the power of A/B testing, we chose not to publish it. Aligning your beliefs with the content you present ensures consistency and credibility.
- Relevance to Blog Theme: Maintaining the thematic coherence of my blog is essential. As a marketing and entrepreneurship blog, Quick Sprout only accepts guest posts that fall within these two topics. Regardless of the quality of writing or the author’s reputation, I prioritize posts that align with my blog’s theme. This ensures that my readers receive focused and valuable content that relates directly to their interests.
By applying these criteria, I ensure that the guest posts I accept meet high standards of quality, align with my beliefs, and contribute to the overall coherence and relevance of my blog.
Rule #5: Preserve Control, Avoid Author Account Distribution
To maintain control over the content published on your blog, it’s important not to give out author accounts to guest contributors. Instead, handle the posting process yourself or assign it to a trusted team member. This rule helps you ensure that all guest posts go through a thorough review and editing process before being published.
By keeping control of the publishing process, you can carefully vet the content, make necessary edits, and adhere to your blog’s guidelines. Ask guest authors to submit their posts via email or a submission form on your website. This allows you to maintain editorial control, review the content for quality and relevance, and ensure that it aligns with your blog’s objectives. By implementing this rule, you safeguard the integrity of your blog and maintain consistency across all published articles.
Rule #6: Secure Full Ownership of the Content
To avoid any legal or copyright issues, it’s crucial to establish that you fully own the guest posts published on your blog. Clearly communicate to guest authors that once their content is accepted and published, you have exclusive rights to it. This rule protects your blog from any claims or disputes related to the ownership or usage of the content.
Include a clause in your guest post guidelines or a separate agreement that states your ownership of the published content. Ensure that guest authors understand and agree to this condition before submitting their posts. This rule allows you to repurpose, edit, or modify the content as needed, giving you flexibility in optimizing the posts for your blog’s goals. By setting this expectation upfront, you eliminate any potential conflicts or confusion regarding content ownership.
Rule #7: Encourage Author Engagement to Foster Community Support
Guest authors should be actively engaged in building and supporting the community around your blog. Encourage authors to respond to comments on their guest posts, share the published content on their social media platforms, and interact with your readers. This rule fosters a sense of community and encourages guest authors to become valuable contributors beyond their written content.
When accepting guest posts, emphasize the importance of community engagement to the guest authors. Encourage them to participate in discussions, provide additional insights, and address readers’ questions or concerns. Collaborate with guest authors to promote their published posts and encourage them to actively share and engage with the content on their social media channels. By adhering to this rule, you create a thriving and interactive community around your blog, benefiting both your readers and the guest authors themselves.
By implementing these seven essential rules for accepting guest posts, you can ensure that your blog maintains a high standard of quality content, provides value to your readers, and fosters an engaged community. Upholding these guidelines will help you establish your blog as a trusted resource within your niche and attract exceptional guest authors who contribute meaningfully to your platform’s growth and success.
