It seems like guest blogging is the hot topic in the blogosphere these days. Most blogs that I visit are welcoming guest blog posts and a lot of bloggers are taking advantage of these opportunities. Let me get right to the point.
Do not start guest posting.
Seriously, do not submit a guest post….
I can hear you now, “what the hell is this dude talking about.”
I am hoping that the title of this post caught your attention and the point I want to make is this.
Don’t Guest Post until your blog is optimized to take advantage of the increase in traffic.
I have learned this lesson the hard way, I did my first guest post about a month after starting this blog. My theme was a crappy free theme, I did not have any logo, my posts were weak and I do not even think I take my feedburner account up and running. About a month ago, I published another guest post on MaxBlogPress.com and it drove thousands of visitors to my site. My blog was in much better shape to project a better image and capture some regular readers but I still could have done more to get my blog ready for the influx in traffic.
If you are thinking about guest blogging to promote your blog , here are 5 things to do on your blog before guest posting.
- About Page - Make sure that you have an about page set up. Many new readers will want to see who the bloggers is behind the blog. Check out the post I wrote last year on how to write a killer about page for your blog if you are looking for tips.
- Blog Image – If you have been thinking about shaking loose for a premium theme or a logo design, you may want to consider doing this before guest blogging. Let’s face it, how you blog looks is very important and first impressions matter.
- RSS and Follow buttons – It is essential that you have your rss button , twitter button and facebook button in a highly visible position. This may be a good time to invest a little in your list building capabilities. I need to kick this up a notch myself. For more tips in this area check out this post. 12 Reasons to Add a List to your Blog Now
- Killer Content – You want your best content front and center. Your new readers will want to check out your most recent posts. Make sure you are giving them a taste of your best. This is something I will do a better job of next time I go on a guest blogging campaign. I noticed afterwards that my third post down was a sponsored post, not exactly the image I wanted to put forth.
- Keep them reading – Once you have them on your blog you want to keep them reading. You may want to consider installing “most popular post” plugin or “related content” plugin.
**Bonus tip ** Consider running a blog contest at the same time you start a guest blogging campaign.
Do you have any tips to add?
Excellent suggestions Dan. I made the same mistake a few months ago. No about page, no contact form and comment set-up sucked as well. I could go on and on but I get your point and well taken. I was wondering why your title said this and now I know it makes perfect sense.
Lee
.-= Lee´s last blog ..What Blogs and Fashion Should Have in Common | Utilizing Resources Effectively =-.
haha, had me scared for a second there.
I agree, if you’re not optimized before you send traffic, you’re wasting a lot of your efforts.
Sure you’ll send traffic to your blog but all it will do is increase your bounce rate when people land and can’t find worthwhile content, information about you, a way to subscribe and catchy theme.
Think of it like a landing page, if your intent of the guest post is to expand your reach and bring visitors back to your blog, why go through all that trouble just to have people take one look and leave.
You want to utilize your guest posting to keep people and add them to your community.
Like the post said, having a contest is a great way to immediately get people interested in your blog.
You could also offer a free eBook, video or training series. These really don’t take as long as you think. If you break an average freebie ebook down you’re going to have roughly 10 – 12 posts worth of content.
Just make sure you create something that people will actually WANT.
.-= Murlu´s last blog ..My 3 Favorite Ways To Make Money Online =-.
I have always tried to do a few guest posts especially when I read someone that gives me the chills. I also try to share the art that is on my website to gain followers for the artist that allowed me to use the picture for my blog. Why do I like to do that? My goal with my site is to create relationships, not consumers. If I decide to sell a book, or music, or content, I want to have friends that read my blog to offer a product, rather than trying to sell to people via page views. Now, I am aware that many people use the tactic, and find success. My website is more my diary and networking tool! I love content that works in the moment. I don’t ever want to feel like my site is a chore that needs to be updated 24/7.
.-= Kimmy´s last blog ..What birth order says about you =-.
This is a very good advice man, you rock
I 100% agree that every blogger should have the basic elements of blog before starting to do any guest blogging, I believe that readers will check out his/her blog if they like their writing!
excellent post!
.-= Hesham @ FamousBloggers´s last blog ..Should I Shave my Head like Chris Brogan and Seth Godin? =-.
Haha, had me going there for a second! This article is more about what to do on your blog before advertising, but “do not guest blog” works too!
For a brief moment then, with that title, I thought you were telling us not to do it, but after reading I’ve found some great tips, I think my guest posting has slackened off lately due to the time I don’t have, but I always enjoy a good bit of guest blogging
.-= Karen @ Blazing Minds´s last blog ..Monthly Round-Up April on Blazing Minds =-.
Because of my style I never asked anyone to guest blog that would be like sleeping in their bed.I definitely agree if a person is going to jump out there they should have their own blog prepared for the visits etc.
I say this with a smile because it’s true but I think everyone should do what works for them or what they THINK will work 
I also never asked someone to add me to their blogroll
Yo where’s Brian Hawkins that is all I want to know 
I have written posts on two other blogs but to be honest the people involved with Guest blogging are suckers and snobs looking to have people do their work, there stale and ran out of gas and NEED people to cover for them LOL
I’m pretty sure that you would expect me to have an opinion opposite the NORM
Thanks for joining BloggerLUv where you can get more links with a click then a Guest post LOL
For one second I thought you’re an anti guest poster, well in the end I got a justified warning and it all makes sense.
I never got a chance to guest post but I realize I’m not really full geared to do it.
I agree wit this same thing happened to me but it wasn’t guest blogging it was digg traffic. If i was able to convert some of them to regular readers things would have been much better off.
.-= Fairy tail episode 29´s last blog ..Fairy Tail episode 29 =-.
Good advise, but do you have any of the site hosting the guest blogger? Any times on increasing guest bloggers?
I just started offering guest bloggers on my site. I’ve had 10 people sign up, but no one has submitted a post.
.-= benwaynet´s last blog ..Top list – April =-.
The main reason to guest post is the do-follow backlink(s) and to have fun. I got 4 visitors from my guest post on this blog but I still accomplished my objectives and I’m even playing a part two!
.-= Tyler Davis@Bone Length Increase´s last blog ..Increase Height with IRS-1 and MAPKs =-.
Lovely tip, And i see that you are right, you need to the take the maximum benefit of your guest article. I haven’t made a guest article until i had a certain level of reputation
.-= Gautam Hans @ Blog Godown´s last blog ..Learn More about People Who Contact You (WordPress) =-.
Even before that, make sure your server (host) is optimized for it. Otherwise those late to the party won’t even have a blog to visit.
.-= Dennis Edell @ Direct Sales Marketing´s last blog ..I Need MORE Aweber USER Affiliates! =-.
@Dennis Edell @ Direct Sales Marketing, Theres a few themes out there for wordpress ( can’t remember which) which are made for scenario’s such as a big traffic spike. After a traffic spike you switch into one of those simpler themes so your server can handle the traffic spike better
.-= Fairy tail episode 29´s last blog ..Fairy Tail episode 29 =-.
@Fairy tail episode 29, AFTER your server gets hit; how does that make sense?
.-= Dennis Edell @ Direct Sales Marketing´s last blog ..A TRUE Make Money Online blog – Part 2 – Choose My Domain Name =-.
@Dennis Edell @ Direct Sales Marketing, while your server is getting hit. Sometimes it isn’t instanitous and I check my my analytics/ am able to view vistor count in real time. If i see a big spike then I assume it got stumbled/digg’d, etc
.-= fairy tail episode 30´s last blog ..Fairy Tail episode 29 =-.
Hi typhoon, nice post. I first surprised by seeing your titled, “DO NOT GUEST BLOG”, but after reading the complete article I come to know why said that actually. Guest blogging help us to establish reputation within the blog sphere.
.-= chandan@work at home blog´s last blog ..Search freelancing work at home jobs =-.
I haven’t read your blog before, so I thought this was gonna be a silly “dare to be contrary” article before I clicked the headline, but it’s actually good, simply advice.
Coolio.
.-= Jonathan@Lifestyle Design in The Limelight´s last blog ..What To Do When You Are Naturally Lazy And You Don’t Want To Work For Someone Else =-.
You surely caught my attention in that post. I clicked in as much as a 10th of a second after I read your post title. That’s a great strategy, and so is this article. I loved it.
.-= Alfajores@recipes´s last blog ..Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe =-.
Excellent tips. How do you deal with pagination issues in terms of optimization? This is a common one for blogs.
cool post dad I will use your 5 tips to help me
maby some day I will start guest postind
.-= bloggingboy´s last blog ..the story of my extra bone in my foot =-.
It is always good to have those things that you have mentioned in order before you make a guest post. You always need to come off as professional as you can. Furthermore, if you don’t, you’ll end up with a bad conversion rate, converting those guest post visitors into new readers on your blog.
I found it is best to stay within a niche that is closely related to your blog niche. Your guest post, MUST be professional,unique and offer some new content that the blog you are on hasn’t provided in the past.
Don’t rehash old content that is all ready post on the blog that you want to guest post on.
Just my opinion.
.-= Spunky Jones´s last blog ..The number one thing, that ticks off Spunky Jones! =-.
I thought you were telling us not to guest post when I read the title, but I learned that if you are going to guest post, you have to do it right. Good tips bro
Well the title certainly got me. I just wanted to say the main point of blogging for many is to sell a product. You can also easily employ tons of affiliates to help do this for you. Just get a good affiliate tracking software to help wit the details.
.-= Affiliate Tracking Software´s last blog ..Affiliate Tracking Software =-.
This is very insightful. I am just starting to get into blogging and am looking for tips to increase traffic. It seems like you have the strategy down! Thanks for this!
I tried to use guest bloggers a few months back and wasn’t able to make it work…I wound up closing the blog down for a few months regretfully…and now my traffic has come to a screaching halt…won’t make that mistake again!
Now, I feel like I have a very close link with my readers, I know that they would have certain expectations. And, on the reverse side, if I was asked to guest on another’s blog, I would have to seriously think through the article, the topic, the tone and so on. So, total no-no from my side for guest blogging.
I guess I’m the 26th who got your attention!
Great tips you got there. I think I’ve covered most of them except for content as I just started. I spent about a month (part-time) preparing for my site before I considered it “officially open.”
By the way, I read your email. I’m back! “Keep them reading” — that’s probably why.
Have a good one.
.-= Gines´s last blog ..Domain Name as Our Contact Detail? =-.
Another by the way–are you interested in a guest post in the coming days/weeks?
.-= Gines´s last blog ..Don’t You Have Time to Think? =-.
I was seriously thinking of guest posting and then your title caught my attention! As I waited for the page to load (which was quick), I thought, oh boy, I might have to drop the idea of guest posting..I was grinning while I read your post..Thanks for sharing these great tips! My blog indeed isn’t that optimized yet and I guess I have to work on that first before anything else..thanks and keep it coming!
.-= EihdraG´s last blog ..NeoBux, On It’s 3rd Year! =-.
OMG you caught my attention with that heading!! I have been guest blogging for about a year now and you scared the hell out of me until I read the whole article. Smarty pants!! Very good points you made though, now that my heart rate is back to normal.
I have got to hand it to you for the creative title. It got me. It’s very true advice you give…don’t try to sell your hamburgers until they are cooked!
.-= Richard Cummings´s last blog ..MONEYMAKERINFO.BLOGSPOT.COM: Blogger Account Disabled Then Re-enabled Causes Frenzy =-.
My 2 cents ::: there are too many IDIOTS acting as “guest bloggers” supported by ADDITIONAL IDIOTS tweeting ridiculous posts written by these “Parasites” – I have two semi-regular guest-bloggers – but they are top-notch (one runs her own blog in Spanish – the other discontinued her blog in 2006!)
I was thinking what do you mean when I saw this title , but I understand the points you are trying to make after reading through.
very important point…
be ready for new readers before you make a guest post…
very true
.-= mk akan´s last blog ..Tools and Websites for Getting Blog Post Ideas =-.
I’ve got all those, now I just need some volunteers to write the articles
.-= Andrew Keir@logo design´s last blog ..Spending a little extra on your business cards =-.
Nice article Dan
I agree with all of your points, especially about having a good About Page. It’s where I head always to find out who’s behind a blog post and makes me remember to come back.
.-= Aldric Chang´s last blog ..Picking the Right Keywords for SEO Success =-.
My question is…how do you get invited as a guest blogger if the site your currently running is still in its infancy? And if your infant like blogger hands gets invited to guest post, wont 9 times out of 100 the blog be similar in size (readers and infancy)?. It just seems like guest blogging usually isn’t the second step for any blogger.
.-= Fast Break Music´s last blog ..fastbreakmusic: HOTT PICK of the Week: LARRY McDONALD: http://url4.eu/3QV4x =-.
@Fast Break Music, My blog is open to guest blogging if interested
Agreed. I still don’t do guest columns on other blogs unless it is directly related to mine.
Of course, I’m always concerned with the content that they might add after I make my guest appearance.
Great post title. It got me clicking on this post. You make some good points about how you shouldn’t bother with guest posting (or any other temporary promotion) until your site is ready to take full advantage of that traffic. If not, it is wasted effort.
This does get me thinking that I need to start some guest posting soon, but I’m going to redesign my template first.
Thanks for remind these things set up before guest blogging. Guest blogging is new thing for me.
Excellent suggestions . Because of your tips nobody is going to do the same mistake before starting to do any guest blogging.
And I totally agree with you that every blogger should have the basic elements of blog before starting to do any guest blogging.
hmmm so now i know why every blogger was offering guest post option…:) it seems there are less benefits for the guest and more for the blog owner
At first I was startled cos all everyone seems to talk about these days is how beautiful guest posting is. Nice tips for those wanting to take advantage of guest posting. I decided to give it a break months ago as it wasn’t working for me.
.-= Udegbunam Chukwudi@Make Money Online´s last blog ..Make Your Blog 10x Faster With W3 Total Cache Plug-in =-.
Thanks again for another great article. There’s no better way to say than with a guest post. I’ll refer back to this one when I pitch guest writers for my blog. Thanks so much.
Makes sense not to start unitll we can take advantage of the extra traffic. Also we need to tweak our site presentation to make the new readers stick.
Definitely like this post. I think you're absolutely right that you want to have your ducks in a row before really taking aim and taking further action. There's nothing like having that one post that really drives in huge traffic only to realize your first impression isn't a great one. Thanks for sharing!
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The suggestions given were really useful for me. I never thought that an about page can have such an importance. Will be soon adding it. Thanks for sharing!
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Guest blogging is good and help in attracting lot of visitors daily if the content is good.
Nice post, thanks for sharing reasons regarding not to start guest post.
You are so right, it would be really lame to write a great post on some popular blog get a flood of traffic and then have a crappy site where no one will subscribe or stay long.
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