This is a guest post by Warner Carter who wrote a book Guest Blogging for

Profits that advocates our “quality” approach to guest blogging.

People are the way they are and in society sometimes certain conventions are agreed upon by the participants. So it is in our world, the so called blogesphere, regarding Guest Blogging.

Feel free to rebel, experiment, and try new things but if nobody wants your posts, after reading this, it won’t be because you were ignorant about what is expected for your behavior and manors. Just that you choose to ignore them, and, for whatever reason, that is a choice you are free to make.

You’ll probably win the lottery before you ever see me in a suit, but if some situation really made it important, like I would get something I wanted, I do have one and probably can find it.

Guest blogging is one of the best ways to have fun, get noticed, bring traffic, and build some dang nice links. I am pretty sure this blog here gets more traffic than mine and there is one good reason to guest post.

Frame of Mind

To get yourself in the right frame of mind consider the blog is someone else’s. The blog you will be posting to is as important to someone else as yours is to you.  It is generally understood you will provide only 100% original content and you will not re-post or spin it all over the net afterwards either.

The first thing to do after you have been invited is ask them if they want you to provide the post in a particular format or style. They may like every post to have an image or expect sub headers for each main section. They may let you have anchor links in the body or only in your author bio box. It is generally accepted that you will get a link back to your blog.

You will want to write in to their audience and the best way to get that picture is reading comments as well as posts on the blog you will be writing for. Is the blog serious and technical or light and humorous? Every blog and writer has a style and a mood and you will want to try to get a sense of it. Is the writer a smart aleck?  Provocative, or introspective? It can be fun to phrase your writing in the context of a different state of mind.

Be there to reply to any comments that are made from your post. Don’t get into a flame war with a knuckleheaded nincompoop even if they deserve it.

For Greater Success

Write the best post you ever wrote, or at least try to. This post represents you and the blog you are writing on, forever. The timeworn phrase “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” is worth dragging out an dusting off for this occasion. The better your writing the more likely it is you will be invited back, and the more likely it is other blogs will welcome you in the future.  Heck, some people may even hunt you down to come write for them.

Show gratitude, before and after you make the post. Anywhere you go and in anything you ever do people will be much happier to help you when you show them you appreciate any effort they make on your behalf.

Promoting your post is also promoting your host’s blog. When you can bookmark, make a note about, talk about on Facebook and Twitter you will be doing yourself and your host a nice added benefit for you having been there. Maybe you can even ask some Digg or Sphinn buddies to give it a shout. Stumble it. All these little mentions and links add up over time like cumulous clouds accumulating raindrops.

Get There Ready

Have your post with any anchor links all set up in HTML code. Have your bio in hand, all formatted to be placed where your Host wants it. Have any images you want to use in your flickr account or somewhere you can just provide a link (and not a hot link to someone else’s account or site) If you want to be extra nice make up 2 or 3 headlines in advance and let your Host or Hostess select the one they feel would be best.

You are ready, and if you want to leverage for maximum results get Guest Blogging for Profits to position yourself with the resources that will give you unprecedented insight. I’m giving up every tricky trick and secret I could dig up in this.

Warner Carter writes the Page One Business SEO Consultation blog and the occasional book.

Post image by margaretshear

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18 Responses to “Successful Guest Blogging – Getting the Etiquette”

  1. Michele

    Great tips Warner. I agree it's important to tailor your post the the look and feel of the site you are writing for. I like to browse the site first and study the style before I begin writing.

    It's so funny that you write "write the best post you ever wrote, or at least try to". I have to admit, I recently wrote what I like to think was a great post 🙂 and found my self thinking, "wow, this would be great for my site".

    It's difficult sometimes giving up your best work even though you well know the benefits of doing so; you have to keep that in the back of your mind.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Jessy Troy

      It is always nice to be reminded of guest blogging ettiquette. Especially now that the concept is being abused and spammed.

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Warner Carter

        That is part of the reason I wrote this, so people would know how to do it right. Good etiquette and just trying to help people goes a lot further. Spammers fall by the wayside in time.

        Reply
    • Warner Carter

      Thanks for commenting Michelle. Writing better and better is just a challenge, the more I write the easier it gets. Having a great phrase drop onto the paper (or screen), seemingly out of nowhere, drives me. When I write a good post, I know I can still write a better one, even it if happens 3-4 posts later.

      Reply
  2. Lee

    Hi Warner,

    Followed you over here from bloggerluv. I've done a few guest post in the past and wish I had waited a little longer and learnt a little more prior to. Though I don't deny the experience of it as being helpful I just wish I'd been a little better prepared so to speak. Thanks for sharing these tips.

    Reply
    • Warner Carter

      Hi Lee. Thanks for coming over and commenting. I just joined bloggerluv and am happy with the warm reception. I'll be looking for your message on your next guest posts.

      Reply
  3. Kathe

    Great post Warner! Having read your "Guest Blogging For Profits" I can testify to the fact that I learned more about the subject than I never knew I didn't know. 🙂

    Excellent read and for the "newbie" out there, I can't think of a better way to get known on the Internet than to do some guest posting – but of course, do it the RIGHT WAY!

    Thanks for the insight and all the great links to resources too!

    All My Best,

    Kathe Lucas,

    Reply
  4. AnneMarie

    Hi Warner

    I think you have opened up an amazing opportunity for all those who want to drive more traffic to their sites and at the same time, take the pleasure of producing very interesting articles when writing as a guest blogger.

    This is surely going to liven up the blogging community as a whole and potentially make each blog much more interesting to the readers. I look forward to getting involved with this concept and have to say that your product sounds a tremendous tool to compliment the strategy.

    Reply
  5. Kevin Riley

    "The timeworn phrase “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” is worth dragging out an dusting off for this occasion."

    Too true. Whether its a first date, a job interview, or a guest blog post. And, when you get a guest post on a major blog, if you've put out your best work, the positive exposure you can get is phenomenal. That timeworn phrase can come in very handy.

    Reply
  6. Andy @ FirstFound

    A lot of this isn't just etiquette, it's good manners. In my mind, if someone's gracious enough to let you make use of their blog space, then you should be polite enough to give them a great post.

    Reply
  7. Abel

    My twin recommended I might like this blog. He was entirely right. This article truly made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this information! Cheers, Abel

    Reply
  8. web design la

    Definitely Warner, Guest blogging is just like a guest that happens in our usual life. But here form both the ends should be generous. One end provide you fresh and relative content while the other give you accommodation. I talked this because i liked your first point "Frame of mind". Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  9. Rina As

    I have not been too successful to do it
    I hope after reading your post, I can learn to practice and get better results than previous
    Thank you

    Reply
  10. Krista Low

    Thank you for the wonderful insight! It is good to know the rules before making a fool of myself. I appreciate you taking the time to post this valuable information!

    Reply

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