Despite what some social media pundits may tell you, and despite what you read in seemingly every “blogging best practices” list ever written, guest posting can be a complete waste of time—in certain industries.
Before I show a few examples, let’s quickly take a look at the main benefits to guest posting:
1. Exposure of the author/blog to a larger audience.
2. An inbound link from another blog (preferably one of a high page rank (PR))
3. A strong call-to-action so as to build your list subscribers, lead them to a product, etc.
Knowing these 3 benefits, if you’re considering guest posting as a blog growth strategy, but you don’t think you’ll achieve the above mentioned goals, then I would suggest you look elsewhere or attempt another strategy that is a better use of your time.
Looking at Your Industry
I bring this up because just the other day I had a client ask me if he should start doing guest posts. This gentleman is the owner of a successful retail kitchen appliance company in Boston and he has been embracing the principles of inbound marketing for about a year now.
Naturally, as he has been learning more and more about growing his site’s traffic, leads, and sales–he has read in various places the “imperative” need for guest posting.
Again, let me stress this is a total farce in certain industries, including my client’s.
Here is the problem—In the kitchen appliance industry, there are almost no blogs that are good.
Basically, there is no one out there that’s passionate about teaching the public regarding kitchen appliances (via the web). So considering the dearth of quality blogs, it would benefit my client very, very little to spend his valuable time on a guest post that will likely lead to no benefits at all.
Plus, considering he owns a location-based business (retail store), this makes the idea of guest posting on another site (out of his area) even less sensible.
Small Blogs and ROI
As most of you already know, I run the most trafficked blog in the inground swimming pool industry. Since March of 2009, we’ve written hundreds of blog posts, which has led to thousands upon thousands of visitors we never otherwise would have had, many of which have converted into leads and sales.
But saying I have the most popular blog in the swimming pool industry is a bit misleading, as the competition has done a very poor job in producing good content.
For me, if I had tried to find a blog to guest post on in the industry 2 years ago, I likely would have had no luck whatsoever even finding another platform. Today, many pool companies have followed our example and started blogging, but still, with their small audiences and low page rankings, guest posts would have an extremely low ROI (return on investment).
Keep in mind that I do not write this article in an effort to say guest posting is a bad thing. With The Sales Lion, I’ve done many guest posts on other sites, but as I mentioned earlier, I’m very selective on which sites I will post. Because of the finite amount of time and content I have (just like anyone else) to dedicate to other sites, I want each GP to produce the most fruit possible.
To give you an example, I contribute to the very popular Social Media Examiner once every couple of months. Because of the extreme editorial guidelines for the site, each post takes about 4-6 hours to properly write. Although this is a huge time investment for me, the results are well worth the effort, as each post typically adds about 100 new subscribers to my list, plus an inbound link from a high PR site with a strategically focused anchor text. (The following is a snap shot from the end of a recent SME guest post I did. Notice how the anchor text of the link is focused on the two main themes of TSL—Content and Inbound Marketing.)
Like every other strategy and “best practice” in this world of social media, the supposed “rules” change from niche to niche, company to company. So before you jump into the world of guest posting and start spending hours of time giving your content away to others, make sure you have a clear purpose. Make sure the potential ROI is there. And make sure your time wouldn’t be better spent elsewhere.
Your Turn:
Do you agree with me that guest posting is a waste of time in certain industries or do you feel the ROI is well worth it? Also, what has been your experience guest posting? Have you tried it with your business and what have been the results?
Jump in folks, feel free to leave your thoughts and if you have any questions about guest posting (and your industry), we’re here to help.
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{ 109 comments… read them below or add one }
The waste of time is when people submit guest posts, are very responsive by email when I suggest edits and photos, but drop off the face of the Earth after it’s published. My Wordpress settings are configured that authors receive emails whenever new comments are published with the encouragement to reply. I use specific author bylines in these cases. Yet, sometimes the guest authors don’t reply. Nor do they reply to future emails from me.
That’s a waste of time; and so I am progressively getting aggressive in who I accept and who I refuse. It’s pathetic I have to resort to this but I want to be productive with my computer time.
Ari Herzog @ New Media Explorer´s last [type] ..Introducing Stephen Tiano: Monday Muse #2
I definately agree with you on this. I have guest blogged a few times and typically receive more comments on these posts. It’s a lot of work to engage and interact but you should commit to this in the same way you committed to the writing piece.
Christina Pappas´s last [type] ..5 Things You May Be Doing Completely Wrong on LinkedIn
Yeah, now that’s frustrating Ari. Very frustrating. If someone is going to do a guest post, they need to take it all the way till the end.
Continued success man,
Marcus
Personally, unless you are hitting a blog of someone HUGE then it’s a waste of time in ALL industries.
I have a site that largely consists of guest posts – the ROI is next to nada for them – yeah, I get great traffic but the site isn’t monetised so … doesn’t really count. BUT I do use that site as my test …
Since taking my new direction with my site 3.5 months ago I have a NO guest post policy. Yup – I will NOT write one, nor will one appear on my site.
Here is why:
MOST single author sites have a loyal following who wants to hear what the AUTHOR has to say about something – not content from someone else, no matter how relevant.
My site is all about me … if you don’t like that you may leave.
Also, I am against writing amazing, sparkly content for FREE.
I refuse to work for free under the guise of “great” exposure …. what exposure do you get? I can’t pay my bills with traffic numbers …
There are a few other ways you can noticed without guest posting … thoughtful commenting, perhaps even disagreeing with the author
, you can do something to impress someone who in turn writes about you …. I’m not about to give all my tricks away but after the few guest posts I wrote (and yes, they were on “top” sites) the return was so poor I’m not doing that again … AND I tell my clients the same.
Ameena Falchetto´s last [type] ..Business Sluttery: Should I drop my price?
I am replying to Ameena, because I agree with you and the author.
I find Guest Posting to be a waste of time. First Off, I am not impressed about the quality content of the Guest Bloggers on my Blog. I spend hours editing their content to bring it to par.
I myself, don’t like to write in other blogs, I guess I am ‘selfish’, If I have something to write it should be on my blog and not others.
Guest Posting brings exposure, but if your blog is not monetized so what’s the purpose of the extra traffic.
Blogging for me is a hobby and to teach others and not to make money. If I get 1000 visitors a day that’s great, but I care less if I don’t.
Great Topic, and I agree with Marcus that “Guest Posting is Often a Major Waste of Time” No doubt!
Boutros.
Boutros Abichedid´s last [type] ..Top 10 Free Antivirus Software For Windows
Hi Ameena – You say that the return was so poor that you’re not doing it again. Out of curiosity, what were you hoping to accomplish after publishing on the high authority site?
Joe´s last [type] ..Why Your Whitehat Homepage Was Deindexed
Hi Joe, I was hoping for more than a couple of visits as a result of my efforts … forget subscribers … as I said, the return was certainly not inline with my efforts nor my expectations … I’ve done it more than once, in different niches (I have 2 blogs) and like I said – the returns each time made me realise that there were many other ways to make a difference and gain subscribers (and leads) and recognition!
What about the potential benefits to increase your website rankings? That should be thought of as a benefit as well. Getting additional subscribers is just an added bonus
I must add though each guest post should be of the highest quality and add value to the blog you’re posting on. This was more of a general statement and not targeted at you by no means!
Joe´s last [type] ..Combining Link Building Methods
Website ranking through guest posting? Surely easier to target blogs which let you leave behind your URL?
Depends on your goal at the end of the day. Personally I got for quality vs quantity in terms of traffic and subscribers.
Oh and in terms of adding value to someone else’s blog? That falls under business sluttery – you are working for FREE! (General statement)
Within your guest posts you can link back to your site should people want more info. More of these links help boost your website rankings which is why I believe guest posting should be *part* of a websites marketing strategy.
You’re definitely right though that it depends on each of our goals and not every website shares the same goal as others.
Joe´s last [type] ..Should You Accept Your Parents Friend Request?
Guess we’ll agree to disagree on that … you could achieve the same results by changing the link at the bottom of the comment … like I just did. Voila …
Saved me the bother of writing free content for someone else!
Ameena Falchetto´s last [type] ..Why focusing on traffic is hurting your business
Wait a second…You’re site is all about YOU Ameena?? Now what kind of crazy strategy is that??????!!!
BTW, I turn down 5-10 guest posts a week simply because I’m like you and just feel, at least at this point in my blog and business, that my content needs to be from me.
I may change in the future, but that’s where I am today.
Thanks again lady,
Marcus
Ah ha – I was gonna ask you that Marcus, if you are going to share your platform ….!
Yeah, crazy selfish strategy that making my blog all about me – I paid to host, build, & curate it … then I’m just gonna give that away? Not a chance …
Ameena Falchetto´s last [type] ..Business Sluttery: Should I work for Free?
Hey Ameena,
You have great points here about guest posting. But, I don’t agree with them (I think it is because my goal with blogging is different from yours – My goal is to build a strong community within my blog and then monetize it after some time – Yes, I do plan to make money through blogging in the future.
My experience with guest blogging is different. I haven’t guest blogged at any popular sites; I tend to focus on medium sized active blogs
Here is what I have got from guest blogging:
Traffic, exposure and backlinks – true, these won’t pay your bills. But, if you manage to turn those visitors into subscribers, you can make money through affiliate marketing (or some other means).
Guest blogging is a marketing method (I want to build my blog, so shouldn’t I use all methods that are open to me? Yes, commenting is a great way to get noticed, but when you are guest posting – you are also commenting – by replying to the comments you get
).
Community within my blog – Guest blogging can also help you to build a strong community within your blog. When I want to guest post at a site, I personally get involved with the site – reading, commenting and interacting with the blog owner/blog audience. This helps me to build good relationships with peeps that I may not know – and those peeps might just show up on my blog and leave their feedback on my posts.
Improve my writing skills – Yes, this applies to all the posts that I write. But, I tend to put a lot more effort into guest posting, because I am writing for someone else.
I do understand your arguments,
Yes, it can be waste of time for peeps like you Ameena
But, people like me – newbie/upcoming bloggers, we do certainly rely on guest posting for build our blog.
Jeevanjacobjohn´s last [type] ..Commenting Challenge, Mistakes, Lessons and Link Replies!
True Marcus. In most industries outside of health, business, marketing, finance and personal development, finding quality sites is very difficult.
But then I wouldn’t completely rule out the benefit of guest posting. You need to get links from somewhere right? If you are adamant that you will post only on high PR, high trafficked blogs, then you’ll miss out on the opportunity, since you have none in that industry.
In such cases, you can consider outsourcing article writing for 10 or 15$ a piece and then use it as a guest post. Since the blogs are not high traffic, their editorial guidelines will also be less stringent. So you can get links with probably content written in less than half an hour as well.
The lack of proper link building opportunities are what leads to the industry being a spammers paradise (consider the viagra and other such industries where it’s almost impossible to rank without falling into black hat SEO techniques)
Adarsh Thampy´s last [type] ..How to Accomplish Small Business Internet Marketing Via Content Marketing?
Adarsh,
You make some good points here, but I’m not sure that I would hire people to churn out articles for me at a low cost. The reason is that my reputation is at stake with anything that bears my name. So even if the site has less stringent guidelines, I’m not sure that I would want to submit things that are of lower quality. And actually, I’m not sure I would want my work/name to appear on sites that are lower quality, even if I made a point of only submitting top quality work myself.
I need to admit, though, that my perspective is no doubt based at least in part on the fact that I’m a writer myself, so tend to be a little picky about such things.
Rebecca
Rebecca,
I can completely understand your reasoning.
It;s a trade off between spending hours and hours creating quality content for something which is not very productive and taking the short cut by hiring writers for far less money and saving lot’s of time.
If your niche has very good blogs, then it’s not worth hiring someone else to do the writing for you. However if there is a lack of quality blogs and you do not see the value in spending hours for a piece of content, what would you rather do?
Adarsh,
I knew you would give me a good response, which is one reason I left the comment.
The thing that stood out to me in what you wrote above is “not very productive.” If it is not very productive, why do it? I guess maybe you think it is productive enough to do it, but just not productive enough to spend a lot of time or money on it?
But for me, the sticking point is the value of a good name, and choosing to avoid having stuff out there that I’m not proud of. This is even more important to me when it comes to stuff that is on a site that I can’t control, because I can’t remove it later if I decide that I don’t want to be associated with whatever it is.
Now having said that, you can find good content writers who do a decent job for $15, but the good ones won’t stay at that price for long, because it just isn’t worth it for them. (I network with a lot of writers, and I can tell you that the good ones will charge a lot more than that, but there ARE ones you can find who work cheap, but just expect a high turnover rate and the need to always be on the look out for the next good one who will work at that rate.)
All of that to say that I think hiring people to write articles for you at a low cost is not necessarily a bad thing, but I think it’s important to think long term when it comes to things like your reputation. If you’re using a pen name for these articles, then that isn’t as a big of an issue.
Rebecca,
Sound reasoning you have there.
Well I am not saying that you should hire writers for doing guest posting (In fact, I am somewhat against the idea of doing that.)
The reason I suggested this approach is when you are in a niche where there are not many high quality blogs. Take for example, the one Marcus mentioned, “kitchen appliance industry”. If there are few low quality blogs only, then it’s obvious your link acquisition chances are limited.
So you could either
1. Hire a SEO guy who’d probably spam your links using form profiles, article directories, and blog commenting
or
2. Choose to do guest post for the limited blogs in your niche (Of course guest posting shouldn’t be the only strategy, but it’s one of the core white hat strategies in link building)
Now let’s assume that the quality of the target blog is not that great. In that case it does not make sense to spend hours and hours writing magazine quality article for those blogs.
That being said, I don’t say you need to submit crap articles. You should produce decent quality articles. However if the ROI for guest posting by writing on your own is way too less compared to hiring a writer, then I’d probably go for it.
As a writer, I can understand your feeling.
As a businessman and SEO, I really cant! The reason is, for us, time is money. If I were to craft a guest post for Marcus, I’ll probably spend a day perfecting the article. However, if I am crafting one for a pretty new blog with very low amount of followers, I’ll probably take less than an hour or two.
Cheers
Adarsh,
I’m enjoying the conversation with you.
I think for all of us, time is money, since none of us have more than 24 hours in a day. BUT, what I’ve realized, and you mentioned it above, is that as a writer, I look at this differently than you. Because for me, in addition to time, having a good reputation as a writer is also money. In other words, people often contact me and offer me work as a direct result of the quality of my work that is out there. Because of that, I can’t afford to have anything out there with my name on it that is lower quality writing. But for someone in your situation, the requirement and expectation is no doubt not the same, so I totally get where you’re coming from in that regard.
Rebecca
Me too
Totally agree. If I am making my living writing (it’s a wonderful job, but I am not that good with language to make a living out of it), I’d definitely never associate myself with a low quality writing. It’s surprising how easily people can profile us using Google search.
So +1 for your strategy.
Hmmm, very interesting take Adarsh. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of guest posting for the sole purpose of that single link. Yes, it can be done quickly, but I’ve found that content that pushes the envelope and is truly GREAT gets way more inbound links than a slow guest posting link building campaign ever will. Plus, something tells me that there will come a day when Google is able to distinguish a GREAT link from a GREAT site versus a Poor link from a Poor site. Most wouldn’t agree with that statement, but I really believe it’s going to happen.
As always, I love the conversation you bring to TSL my friend.
Marcus
About guest posting for links: Sometimes it’s a necessary evil!
I know that whole point of guest posting is about community interaction, exposing ourselves and so on. But when you submit to low traffic blog’s it just doesn’t make sense when they hardly have any community. But then again, you can choose only to submit to highly interactive sites.
What you are hoping Google to be is almost perfect. But, I am almost 100% certain that, “that day”, will take a looooooong time. Sadly, even now Google and other search engines hasn’t yet been able to crack down on manipulative link schemes. It works now, it will work for a very long time. Probably when Panda 201.0 launches
. The problem is when Google catches one method, spammers come up with another one!
But of course, guest posting for links will stop being counted at one time. Then, I would say people guest posting for links would stop. Many blogs such as problogger is fueled by guest posting. I see the community interaction becoming less day-by-day. So once the power of links from guest post goes away, some sites will struggle to stay in the game!
Aye, aye Lion!
Though I love guest posting and can’t stop keeping from contributing here and there most of the time, my blogging goals are different. I have a personal blog and I am doing this for better networking; so basically, I like sticking my nose in other people’s business. But that’s it. Beyond that I really don’t have any other business. Really.
The whole thing again boils down to the goals you want to establish with your blog and how you think that guest posting will help you attain just that. You need to identify that first and then work on it. If you want to blog about social media and how you can be a great service provider for people struggling with issues related to social media; target blogs that cover that topic and might help you do better. Rather than, contributing to blogs about food recipes. I mean, will that bring in the bread? Pun intended!
For me, when I use guest posting to get in touch with more people, it works wonderfully. Because I target blogs where I can give what I have. Now if I start talking about Inbound and Content Marketing; the lions are going to tear me apart… literally!
Have an awesome day!
Hajra´s last [type] ..Suffering from Blogging Conformity?
You’re comments always make me smile because you write with such a positive vibe Hajra, and I love that.
But what you said about goals here is critical, and it’s funny how “goals” always seems to be the final answer to most of these debates about strategies, best practices, etc.
Thanks so much for all your incredible support Hajra!
Marcus
I agree with you Hajra
It all depends upon what our goals are – through guest posting. I guest blog for building traffic, community and forming new relationships
And guest blogging works for me. I just love it. True, it might not be that beneficial in certain industries (and it would be different for each of us because we are in different scenarios).
The truth is that for most industries business owners have little time to blog, let alone guest post.
Now, I think you are right outside social media and marketing blogs, guest posting’s ROI is zero. Actually it’s a negative because time and money was wasted to produce content which will not help the business.
It’s a great way to build a platform with free content though, look at Huffington Post
John Falchetto´s last [type] ..How to overcome fear and make choices
John,
I think that there is a powerful distinction that needs to be made between small business owners not Having time and not Making time.
I work for and work with many small business owners and I would say that more often than not the later is more true. This is because small business owners have a hard time seeing direct revenue generation…
Ryan Hanley´s last [type] ..How To Make Money Selling Value through Blogging and Social Media
Not having time, and not making time is a great debate and issue – the thing is, a lot of small biz owners/solopreneurs are swamped doing a gazillion things and prioritising is important, but should blogging be on that list of priorities? That’s a topic Marcus covered earlier I think on the question of whether every business should blog – I say no, not every company needs to blog, given that, it’s all down to personal choice … social media gurus harp on about guest posting and well – I say the majority of people who blog for DOUGH not for show probably don’t need to bother with it.
Ameena Falchetto´s last [type] ..Business Sluttery: Should I drop my price?
Awesome points…
I’d say it depends HOW you make your money from an Online presence. Is it all about email subscribers? Then Guest Posting may be important to generate new subscribers…
Are you small service business that mostly works face to face and really just needs an Internet presence for social validation and directions? Guest posting is probably a HUGE waste of time.
It’s a excellent debate though…
Ryan Hanley´s last [type] ..It’s Not the Blog… It’s the Blogger
Two perfect analogies Ryan, and this is exactly what folks and businesses need to understand—guest posting strategies will vary drastically depending on the company, the niche, the content saturation, etc.
As always, thanks for rockin it brother,
Marcus
Hey Ameena – I thought I was the only soul online that didn’t believe that blogging is a mandatory solution for businesses these days. I know for a fact, that blogging benefits small percentage of businesses. Not because the platform is non-productive, but because it’s not approached correctly. That’s where smart folk like Marcus come into play–helping businesses understand how to best use blogging effectively.
@Marcus – I’m not a big fan of guest posts. To be open and honest, when I see that a site I frequent has a guest post, my excitement drops.
In terms of growth, I find them to have very little effectiveness; the last one I did (can’t recall where), sent 1 referral click back to my site! After that I knew I was done….at least for a while.
Great topic buddy!
Jk Allen´s last [type] ..If You’re Not Attracting The Right Audience, Then You Won’t Attract Your Desired Results
Frequency and consistency are keys, JK.
I conscientiously decided last year that Fridays would be devoted to guest authors. The only instance I publish under my own name on Fridays is to promote that weekly column.
I’ve also started Mondays as interview pieces, such as the link below.
Mondays are interviews, Fridays are guests, and the days in between are whatever I choose. Readers are recognizing that, and appreciating.
Ari Herzog´s last [type] ..Introducing Stephen Tiano: Monday Muse #2
Thanks Great stuff Ari. You certainly know what you’re doing and I really appreciate your work! Best to you!
Jk Allen´s last [type] ..If You’re Not Attracting The Right Audience, Then You Won’t Attract Your Desired Results
JK, what’s up my man? Guest posting is a unique thing. Folks like Danny Iny have shown it can clearly help brand one’s name/company, as he has truly done wonders guest posting. But the same strategy Danny used could not be used in the majority of industries out there because there simply isn’t enough good platforms.
That’s why I felt this post needed to be written. Sometime we see the “blogging world” and liken it to every other industry, and that’s simply not the case. (Of course, you already knew that and I’m preaching to the choir
)
Thanks bud,
Marcus
Danny is a perfect example of one that has killed it at guest posting. But he’s a machine!
And you’re right about the platforms. That’s one I never really even thought much about. It’s limited, especially outside of the blogging/marketing niche.
Have a good day, man!
Jk Allen´s last [type] ..If You’re Not Attracting The Right Audience, Then You Won’t Attract Your Desired Results
Hahahha Ameena…but what if they’re like me and blogging for dough, mo, show, grow, and going to the sto’
“Going to the sto’” ? What’s that Marcus?
NOTICE how dough is the first in the list??? That’s your primary goal … the show is a paid for show … I’m watching
Ameena Falchetto´s last [type] ..Good vs Bad Lighting for Video
As in “Going to the store”
Hehehe
I STRONGLY concur with this thought. Not having vs Not Making is a subject we could spend all day on, and it’s pretty easy to simply say, “I just don’t have the time.”
Very interesting points my man.
I actually think that more business owners have the time to blog but just don’t see its use for their company…and certainly don’t want to be writing at their kitchen table at midnight like some other nut-cases I know.
And your point about “negative ROI” is a very strong one. I didn’t have the time to delve into that here as much as I would like to have, but yes, if we are spending are time on a low ROI activity and we could be spending that same time on a high ROI activity, then we’re in the negative….which ain’t good.
Always appreciate your perspective bud. BTW, I’ll be around to skype Friday if you are. Thanks!!
Marcus
Seriously, Marcus. Who writes at their kitchen table at midnight?
If your blog is part of your business, then you just may not have the time from a cost/benefit perspective.
But what if your business IS your blog? I would imagine that guest posting would become more of a priority.
I was just thinking hard about whether I would make month 3 of my ongoing experiment the month I start guest posting. I’m in the personal finance and lifestyle design area and it is common practice to guest post.
For me, if a site hosts too many guest posts I start to forget who the original author or voice was that drew me in.
I am skeptical about the whole practice (unless it’s a guest post on a major site).
John | Married (with Debt)´s last [type] ..Thought Leader: What Makes One?
Interesting John, but if I were you, I’d give it a try. But here is the thing– Don’t guest post unless you have a very clear and strong call to action in your byline. For example, I didn’t “take off” with guest posting until I had my eBook. Once I integrated that into all my guest posts, then things started really happening in a major, major way. But before that, the results of my guest posts were terrible.
good luck!
Marcus
Couldn’t agree more.
I have a similar deal with the Insurance Industry. Guest posting on other agency websites would be stupid if I’m writing as an Insurance Agent.
One, I’m a local agent. If I post on a Agency website in Boston what good does that do me living and working in Albany, NY.
Two, the traffic would be fleeting because local people to Boston area could just take my solutions to the Agent my post was written for. Why would they need me?
However, writing my Marketing capacity for http://www.RyanHanley.com I’ve written for several different Agency sites and almost every industry trade publication.
Guest posting can very powerful (Marcus I actually saw you listed as a Serial Guest Poster on some website for The Sales Lion) but there has to be a purpose the Traffic you are trying to generate.
As always great thoughts and discussion!
Ryan H.
Ryan Hanley´s last [type] ..How To Make Money Selling Value through Blogging and Social Media
I’m a serial guest poster?? Dang, that’s pretty funny.
But again, great points and comparisons my man.
I’d say it depends on how successful a blog is. For a website / blog with a low page rank and limited traffic, guest posting can help build website authority – even if it doesn’t drive (relevant) traffic.
In my case, I run two blogs in the UK kitchen appliance industry (It might be interesting to exchange ideas with your client – feel free to pass on my e-mail address).
One blog already generates lots of traffic by targeting long tail keywords and there’s less need for link building; the other blog is in a more competitive market and we’ve started doing some guest posting. It’s difficult to measure success, but if anything it’s good for industry contacts.
Henneke, love what you’ve said here because it shows how you changed your strategy based on the industry and the industry’s CSI (content saturation index).
GREAT stuff and appreciate your wisdom!
Marcus
Similar with what Gregory Ciotti said about his music blog. He couldn’t find a way to guest post in the music niche, so he did something else. That’s where his network helped him out.
Josh Sarz´s last [type] ..Why Your Business Will Fail If You Don’t Follow These Hidden Rules
I have a friend who has a Saturday morning Gardening show on local radio. Would he be a good candidate for GP for a Landscape Contractor like me? We have offers for GP’ers but I have been afraid to waste my new site on them.
By the way, when I read TSL comments, I feel like I am at a Marcus Sheridan family reunion. I love this family!
That’s awesome David. Seriously bud.
Glad it feels like home around here.
To answer your question— Any time you can have someone guest post on a site and you feel it will benefit your readers, then it’s likely a good idea. In this case, it would be much better if your friend wrote it then referred to it in his radio show.
Also, if he has a blog, then you might do something at his site.
Good luck my man!
Marcus
What do you think about the BPO industry or health care outsourcing industry?
Latha @myonline income system´s last [type] ..Duplicate Content versus Syndicated Content – Myths Busted
Hi Latha! Here is what I would say first– Have you already established a wealth of solid content on your own blog, answer the questions you get from clients day in and day out? If you haven’t, start there first. Once you have, then guest posting in like-minded areas may make sense.
Good luck!!!
Marcus
Marcus, you make a really good point here. Some of the stuff that I’ve read on guest posting suggests that you start doing it very soon after starting your own blog (e.g. after a few posts), and it seems to me that it would make a lot more sense to put that time and effort on your own blog first.
Marcus,
Thank you.
I will follow your advice. I have started reading blogs, papers in my niche to be able to identify good trends etc which will be beneficial to my readers.
Can you tell me if you think guest posting and commenting will be a viable option for a bpo? Does it work for B2B models? I like the comment by someone about trade magazines – I hope they share some further insights..
Thanks a ton..
Latha @myonline income system´s last [type] ..Duplicate Content versus Syndicated Content – Myths Busted
Hi Marcus,
You’ve got a very interesting point. I haven’t been doing much guest posting for my blog, but I have been reading books, articles, posts etc.. on blog marketing, and like you said, guest posting is one of the most important strategies to many people.
But, I have recently started to think about guest posting in a different way. And the reason for this is that I have got my first client, a mountain bike race in Norway. And even though there are some interesting and relevant blogs, I couldn’t really find a way to fit their content in to the other blogs. It might be just me, but I was having a hard time finding a way to do this, because the other blogs are focusing on different content. But I might get it, I just need to do some creative thinking
Jens P. Berget´s last [type] ..A Serial Killer is Going To Make This Year A Fantastic Year
That’s exactly it Jens. We can’t force feed content into a niche that doesn’t fit. If we do, it’s a waste of time. If you’re able to find “outdoor blogs” or “biking blogs”, well then that may be another story.
Good luck to you bud, I’d love to hear the strategies you end up using.
Marcus
Marcus, good points about guest posting on other blogs. But one thing that has been successful for me in an industry that doesn’t have any good blogs is guest posting in trade magazines. Often times they are eager for content and generally have a bigger readership than a little blog. And to top it off, print publications often have a digital version as well so you get all the links and such.
Good post. Cheers!
George Muha´s last [type] ..Keeping it Simple, Understanding Customers Needs
No question George, what you’re suggesting here is a good alternative to GPing in a weaker niche. Would you be able to tell us your specific results of being in the trade magazines?
Much thanks!
Marcus
Absolutely! It totally provides great exposure to a smaller niche. I’m sure any publication I’ve written for has a much bigger audience then mine. Obviously, it places you as a thought leader to that space.
One recent benefit is that I’ve been getting asked to speak. So far in the last four months, I’ve bee solicited to speak at four different events. I believe my publishing in niche trade publications has been the reason.
Hope this helps everyone! Thanks for all the great comments!
George Muha´s last [type] ..Keeping it Simple, Understanding Customers Needs
George, I’ve had the same experience with speaking engagements that came as a result of being published in various print magazines. One thing you might want to consider is to be sure to hold on to reprint rights whenever possible. I’ve received a lot of requests to reprint my articles, and each time I do, I gain a bigger audience, without any additional work on my part. It also gives me an opportunity to state the specific terms that will benefit me to those who request to reprint my articles. Also, as long as you have reprint rights, you can yourself do whatever you want in the future with those same articles. So even if it’s unlikely you’ll want to reprint the article later, it pays to negotiate the terms in such a way that you’ll have the freedom to do so when desired.
Rebecca, great point! Thanks for the tip!
George Muha´s last [type] ..Keeping it Simple, Understanding Customers Needs
I completely agree with you, Marcus – it’s all a question of where your audience hangs out. If they hang out on other blogs, then you should guest post there. If not, then what’s the point?
Danny @ Firepole Marketing´s last [type] ..The Pick-up Artist and the Internet Marketer (VIDEO)
Danny, I know you could (and likely will) write the book on “Guest Posting 101″. I’ve watched you experience meteoric success in this industry because you’ve done such a tremendous job leveraging guest posts to build your brand. Really, you’ve been an example of “doing it right.”
I’ve always read from some of the greats who have written books about online marketing that guest posting is listed as one of the items to address when driving inbound traffic. I’m in the computer support industry so there are probably better blogs out there than those in the kitchen industry so guest posting may not be such a waste of time? I’m glad to read from comments the arguments against guest-posting however, because I haven’t done many.
Chromilo Amin´s last [type] ..Completed a course at BCIT: Relational Database and SQL
Hey Chromilo, great to hear from you and I’m glad you’ve jumped in. Yes, it sounds like you may be in an industry that would be a nice fit for guest posting and growing your blog. Just be sure that when you start, you have a plan.
Good luck with this and I hope you’ll keep coming back,
Marcus
As the owner of the appliance store in question, thank you for the liberation. Guest posting for my industry is tough, because most of these companies do not have a blog or the blog in question has not been updated in 18 months
Thanks for saving me a ton of time
“As the owner of the appliance store in question…” Hahhaha, you make me laugh brother.
Thanks again for a good time in Vegas bud.
Marcus
Hi Steve – I’m sure blogging in your industry is tough but it’s not impossible. I love tough industries like this because it really makes you think outside the box.
In the post Marcus said “Here is the problem—In the kitchen appliance industry, there are almost no blogs that are good.”
I have to respectfully disagree. What about blogging on housecleaning blogs with tips on keeping those appliances clean? Or what about tips on stopping the howling from your freezer (I personally had this issue)? You may have to alter the goals for guest blogging as well. What if, in these guest posts, you included the anchor text Massachusetts Appliance Repair and pointed back to your site? I bet you’d see some good results.
Joe´s last [type] ..Combining Link Building Methods
Joe, I think I agree. I had 2 blogs once on small kitchen appliances. Both domains went down when I want well – lost a substantial income. But, I did write guest posts and my websites were on positions 1 and 2 in google.
I think my articles which were “how to do something” were the best. Even if it does not fulfil all the criteria, a guest post in any niche will 1) establish you as a leader and 2) get you traffic and visibility and sales…
Latha @myonline income system´s last [type] ..Duplicate Content versus Syndicated Content – Myths Busted
Yes. I think most guest blogging is a waste of time. Unless you are passionate about your blog and your guest bloggers are too…don’t do it! Great article, Marcus.
I saw this subject line pop up in my inbox and said to myself ‘what is Marcus getting at today with this?’ Guestblogging is a waste of time. Say what?!?! I love guestblogging and cannot wait until the day where people I respect and want to help will guest post on my blog. However, I see your point and it’s an extremely valid one. Where on earth is a kitchen designer going to guestpost that will make an impact and drive traffic/business their way? I dont see it happening.
Goes back to your goals. Like you do on your own blog, what is your goal for guestblogging? Marcus, you clearly have a goal of getting downloads for your eBook and possibly subscribers to the blog here which will lead to more visibility of you as a professional and all the great things you offer. So it makes sense. For me, my goal as a guestblogger is to introduce myself to another community and hopefully drive people to come visit mine and stay for awhile. It’s an introduction tool in a sense and it gives me some credibility because the blog owner trusted me to craft and deliver a message to their community.
Christina Pappas´s last [type] ..5 Things You May Be Doing Completely Wrong on LinkedIn
In some other point, guest blogging is quite good but other point of view guest blogging is really wasted of time. I find it that guest blogging for those who had a great time and passionate enough doing this one. They are having a good time doing this waste of time guest blogging. In fact, lost of freelance writer agree and contented on guest blogging.
Farrel´s last [type] ..Introduction to XHTML
It seems that guest posting is the best way to spread knowledge about a blog etc. as you said, but the fact that this is usually said by bloggers who do accept guest posts makes it a little biased. Like a social media agency swearing on the usefulness of Facebook for business. A bit obvious right?
After having thought about it for a while I think, imho, that most of the times for a “common” blogger guest posting is as useful as posting links on Snipsly, RedGage, Shetoldme and so on. Near zero.
If you are targeting a blog with a bigger reputation than yours the only reason why your post would be accepted is that it’s an extremely good one. And in that case wouldn’t be better to publish it on your own blog? And earn yourself the money it brings? And the traffic thanks to a wise use of keyword research?
It’s just like writing on publishing platform where who gets the real money are the owners and the writer gets pennies. Been there, done that. I earn more publishing on my own blog. Again, imho and without the intention to offend anyone, most of the times guest posting usefulness is a legend just like many others going around the net. Actually publishing a good article on places like Squidoo can give better benefits in term of backlinks and at least you keep some pennies for you.
It really goes down who really benefits from guest posts: the blogger or the guest?
Andrea Hypno´s last [type] ..How to Open Your Third Eye Step by Step
I forgot to add one thing, it’s not that I’m against guest posting, and actually even if I would no one would care
, is that most of the times is not that useful for a blogger. Clearly if I had the chance to write for a good health related blog I’d do it, but if it is already great it probably doesn’t need my article, unless the owner has gone out of ideas. But also it goes down to everyone own ideas, like the debate if it’s better to have a big list of “common” subscribers or a shorter one but focused and with people really interested in what the blogger says. Everyone has his own opinion and everyone should do what works best for him or her.
Also there is a much better alternative to guest posting which has the same benefits, maybe not the social proof though, and leaves the content on author’s blog. It’s called commenting on other blogs.
And I think that a list post like the one made from Danny Brown some time ago brings again the same benefits of guest posting, and probably even more but again your content remains on your own blog.
Sorry Marcus, I went long-winded another time.
Andrea Hypno´s last [type] ..Self Hypnosis Techniques: How to Develop Healthy Habits
Makes total sense and I am glad you mentioned smaller specific industry blogs because all I seem to come across are blogs about blogging and SEO! I think people would love to see more variety in topics but as you said this has to be backed up with good content.
Matt Kinsella´s last [type] ..How To Change Your Life In One Simple Step
Well I agree with both camps having read a lot of the comments. Guest posting should be used if it fits a goal and works in your industry, but frankly on a personal level I don’t like doing it so mostly I don’t despite invites to do so. The other things is, if your guest post is super-outstanding it is more than likely to drum up interest and ROI. It is simply human nature to want to pass on something amazing.
Having said that I hear what Ameena is saying too.
I think the answer is not do anything blindly. Do it, observe results, then decide for yourself.
pea´s last [type] ..Simple Determination
I think it’s a pattern of knowing your analytics and paying attention to where your inbound links are coming from. The problem a lot of us have is that – especially if we’re dueling blogging with a day job of some sort, time doesn’t often lend itself to guest posting. The way I look at it, if I am only blogging twice a week, I want to make sure the bulk of my writing time is looking for a way to increase blogs-per-week on my own site.
I am working on an arsenal of guest posts tailored for certain blogs/niches but I want to make sure that when people link to my site, there’s content worth linking TO.
Along those lines, I have also guest posted for LOWER-profile blogs as a favor to them in hopes it will boost their traffic. But I have become selective in this because often they haven’t learned the networking part of blogging, so it doesn’t really matter because they won’t keep traffic. In the end, everyone has to learn those networking rules for themselves.
Bryan Thompson´s last [type] ..8 Keys that will Make Your Relationship Indestructible
Like anything, guest posting isn’t a waste of time as long as you are strategic about it. It needs to be relevant, you need to do your part to drive people to your site beyond relying on an author link, and the site you are writing on should actually be read (not necessarily more trafficked than your own).
Hey, man. I should be all for the premise that it’s a waste of time. I WANT to guest post. I just haven’t found many good opportunities. It is great for people like me with a new-ish blog who want to reach a new audience.
In the meantime, I’ll settle for commenting on awesomely written blog posts.
Jon Loomer´s last [type] ..New Proof of the Correlation Between Google Referrals and Blog Commenting
So the question is, when are you going to start pushing those guest posts Jon?? Seriously, Danny Iny has written a lot about this and if you want to go big, read his stuff on it.
Keep it up brother and I hope you know your contributions here are very much appreciated.
Marcus
The only reason I clicked through on this post to read more is because I disagreed with you based solely on the post title. As you mentioned, guest blogging can be great to get new eyeballs, readership, downloads, subscribers, etc. Not to mention add to your status as a ‘thought leader’ – IF (big ‘if’) it’s in the right outlets. In the end, I agree with your post and all the points you’re making. However, I thought this was a no-brainer to be honest. What’s the point in spending your time and ultimately your money (if you count it as a part of your job or marketing budget) to ‘guest post’ in a weak market or onto a weak blog? I guess it may not be for everyone. Great points, I thought the bio and strategic linkbacks at the end of the guest post was most helpful piece of the post. Thanks for sharing, Marcus.
@kadeeirene
Kadee´s last [type] ..Pinterest for Men
You would think it’s a no-brainer Kadee not to use guest posting in an industry where there is no ROI, but to be honest, you’d be wrong in assuming others understood that.
Too many people hear time and time again “guest post!” and then they feel they have to do it….no matter the industry.
That’s why I felt this article needed to be written.
Thanks so much for dropping by,
Marcus
Guest posting is waste of time?
That’s really an interesting debate Marcus.
But, I am almost disagreeing to what you have mentioned (with all due respect)
For me as a personal development blogger, guest posting was the first major opportunity when my presence was noticed by like minded other blogs. My first guest post was on PickTheBrain.com and it not only fetched me close to hundred visits the very next day (and still it is fetching few hits ), most importantly it helped me to network with people. I continued to guest post further and my network with like minded bloggers expanded. Guest posting has multitude of benefits. I think , the best example we all know is , the young blogger from youngprepro.com who can be called as King of guest posts
It’s not always about a back link. It’s about building community. For me, guest posting has been not less than a blessing. Again, it’s my personal opinion to my industry
Thanks for sparking an interesting debate Marcus.
Lions are really cool
Naveen Kulkarni´s last [type] ..45 Free Personal Development And Blogging eBooks/Guides From Top Bloggers – The Ultimate Collection
Naveen, you’re welcome to disagree any time my man, as it doesn’t happen enough online…or on this site for that matter.
But in truth, you’re really not disagreeing with what I said.
The key to this article was the phrase “in certain industries.”
You guest posted on a blog with a following, in a industry where blogging is a big thing, which mean it was a worthy platform.
As I mentioned before, I’ve done this many time for the TSL brand and it’s great.
But for other industries, the same actions would have produced no fruit…like the swimming pool industry.
See where I’m coming from Naveen?
Thanks bud,
Marcus
Absolutely right Marcus – it is also a waste of time if you don’t do it correctly either. A bad guest post can bring you a mere trickle of traffic (and by extension, very few conversions). It really is a case of quality over quantity.
Tom Ewer´s last [type] ..Why I Have Decided To Monetize Leaving Work Behind
It can also hurt your writing reputation (if you have a bad guest post), Tom.
I agree with you. When investing time, we need to ensure that it will give us the right amount of return. I have not yet done any guest posting because I only concentrate on writing for my own blog. But if I will write a guest post, I will do it not only for the link juice, but to really satisfy my potential readers.
Vic´s last [type] ..10 Ways to Show Customers that You Love Them
This is really interesting, when I first read the title of this post I was a little shocked as I love to read guest posts on blogs that I visit regularly. And then I read what you had to say and I have to say now that I actually agree with you. After all, in todays climate, what is the point in doing something that doesn’t benefit you in the long run? I understand that kindess is needed but time is money and theres no point faffing around if you aren’t going to get any gains out of it!
Harriet´s last [type] ..Sony Ericsson Xperia X8
I might not comment. You have too many already and Newt Gingrich said if he becomes President he is completely rationing blog comments to only 1 per week per person. He is a big proponent of bringing back Fax Machines so preparing myself.
I am going to comment on Page Rank since I am seriously clueless about it. Yes that is why I am allowed to comment on it. Google not only indexes sites from comments too, if you Google me I come up with tons of comments on News Sites, my own blog, guest posts, etc. So for inbound marketing if this is your primary strategy SEO Page Rank is very important.
But now my curve ball. What if I guest post for a low page rank blog but where the source or writer has stature? Can’t you use it as a portfolio when pursuing clients/customers. While I am learning more about inbound marketing I am a direct sales person at heart so I use these to showcase my credibility when pursuing clients directly.
What about the reverse. Why would a blog ask for a guest post from someone who doesn’t generate traffic?
It should be very obvious that when writing content, quality is one of the most important things to consider. In order for a guest post to be successful, it must show the valuable information that you give at your blog. It may be quicker to write a frivolous article, but you’ll see much more rewarding results if you get readers hooked in on impressive content.
One should remember not to make the guest post too good in comparison to the content on one’s blog. This will result in readers of the impressive guest post being disappointed by content of a far lower standard, and you’ll fall on your bottom with a higher bounce rate.
Paul´s last [type] ..Reform Comments into Discussions: 5 Ways
This is another thing to take into account. Pretty interesting.
Andrea Hypno´s last [type] ..Self Hypnosis Techniques: How to Develop Healthy Habits
Marcus,
Awesome points here
I love how people are really involved in the discussion 
Anyways, here are my thoughts:
I think it really depends upon our goals and our scenarios. At times, guest posting can really help you to build traffic and exposure for your site – I mean, exposure to new audience (and maybe prospective clients). Of course, after you are established as an authority – Like you, Marcus
– in your niche, you won’t need to spend time on guest posting because the audience will find you – one way or another. But, for others – like me and many of other new/upcoming bloggers out there, guest blogging can really help us to build our blog/business.
Anyways, thanks for the awesome post,
Jeevan Jacob John
And yes, guest posting may not work for certain industries, like you said (but, can we make it work? Give it a try
). At least, there should one blog that is doing better, how about spending some time on that blog?
Or if its the case that none are doing better, just abandon the idea of guest posting – and focus more on marketing through social media and commenting [= guest posting on a smaller scale].
Thanks again for the thoughts!
The thing is Jeevan, there are many industries where commenting, guest posting, and the like are a waste of time compared to just producing great content. This is often the case with blue-collar industries where there is so little content.
I think we’ve got to stop thinking that what’s done in the “blogging” or “making money online” or “personal development” world will always work for other businesses, as it’s just not the case.
Really appreciate you dropping by Jeevan, and hope you’ll come again.
Marcus
You are right, Marcus.
People should start thinking about it and take action along with that. We could be creative with our efforts – try something new? We never know what works until we try
No problem, I am just “sad” that I didn’t come by early. Glad to be here now
Hello there, Marcus.
Thanks for sharing this. I couldn’t say that I’m not agree with you. They were all good points you’ve explained there. That “guest posting”, if you’re doing it right, it can be very useful. But it’ll simply turning into just a waste of time when you can’t do it right.
Andrew Walker´s last [type] ..Easyspace Promotional Codes
Well, when I just saw your heading, I was definitely going to disagree, but then, after you’ve made your point, I totally got what you mean. Though I did not think about it earlier, now I see that you’re right that not every niche blog needs that. Though it is totally necessary in a highly competitive market.
Kenneth@WebDesign Bureau´s last [type] ..Must Have WordPress Plugins (MailChimp, The Social Links, Subscribe2)
Hahaha Kenneth, well I’m glad we agree man.
Thanks so much for dropping by,
Marcus
Great content, please keep it up as i wish to obtain more information from you in the near future.
First, I don’t always come here just to disagree with you Marcus! lol
Second, though I’m disagreeing, I’m not disagreeing because of your point, which I actually agree with strangely enough… for the most part.
I did a little study back in September I believe testing which of 3 things brought me more traffic; guest posting, commenting on other blogs or doing interviews on other blogs. Commenting came in first, and the other two were very distant seconds. The blog I guest posted on, though, benefited greatly from my guest post, as it got nearly 150 comments (goodness, I never do that well on my own blog). And I had a blast writing it.
So, I got no benefit out of it, and I write very few guest posts overall, but for some reason it resonated with the audience on someone else’s blog, and I guess that was enough for me on that one. That doesn’t happen all the time though, just so you know.
Mitch Mitchell´s last [type] ..How Important Are You On Social Media?
That’s a really interesting study you did Mitch, very cool man. I’ve never tracked that stat before for those 3 items but your thoughts are getting me thinking about it.
Hope you’re well bud and come by to disagree whenever you’d like.
Marcus
I had this article flagged mentally for some time. I am considering guest blogging- as always very useful tips which I will use!
Cheers
shirley´s last [type] ..Social Media A to Z Series: Rocking the A to Z of Twitter and Tweets
So glad you found it useful Shirley!
And I hope you’re doing well too!
Marcus
I agree. The idea that something is always right or wrong is too simplistic and leads to disastrous results. As you point out, one has to understand the niche in which they’re writing and, in particular, their audience. Only then can you begin to assess whether or not a certain promotion strategy (such as guest blogging) can be effective for your website.
I found this post and I think I agree! I have done guest posting and recently tried it again. Really, I never get followers that way. And I purposely chose a blog that was a “top blogger” in my blogging field (writing/publishing field.) And my field does have great blogs. I feel like its me somehow, but I really don’t know. I’ve done two this week and neither really gave me a boost.
Nicole´s last [type] ..How to Gain Traffic from Writing Communities
I think a lot of it Nicole is your call to action at the end of the post. Is it clear and does it entice folks to click onto your site?
Thanks for stopping by Nicole,
Marcus
Thanks for the info. We are working on building up information in our industry and all the info helps.
Todd´s last [type] ..home
I agree with you that some industries are hard to find blogs to guest post for, but I don’t think I’d have too much trouble with kitchen appliances. There are plenty of do-it-yourself and home decor blogs that would be willing to publish articles about choosing the right refrigerator or installing an under-the-counter can opener.
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Guest posting is actually extremely productive if you are able to get approval to write for a very popular blog. This could be a challenge, though. I really liked your call to action example and I’ll definitely use that format on guest posts.
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