I am often asked to consider posting an article from someone else on my blog. Until this point, I have always said “no.” However, Daniel Scocco’s practice at DailyBlogTips, convinced me to give it a try. He has produced a nice set of Guest Post Guidelines that inspired me to write my own.
So, yes, effective immediately, I will accept guest posts. Currently, I do not plan to publish more than one post per week. These will likely appear on Friday.
Content
Your post must be on one of three topics:
- Leadership
- Productivity
- Social Media
Your post cannot be an advertisement for your product or the equivalent of a sponsored post. (However, I do have an advertising category for that if you are interested.)
Guidelines
- Your post must be original and not previously published either on the Web or in print.
- You agree not to publish it anywhere else, including your own blog or Web site. You may, however, post a brief “tease” or summary on your site that links to the post.
- You may provide up to three byline links: one for your blog or Web site, one for your bio or About page, and one for your Twitter username (optional).
- Your post should be at least 300 words long and no more than 1,000 words.
- You may want to read “9 Ways Become an Exceptional Guest Poster” by Darren Rowse. He contains some very helpful tips to maximize your post.
Editing
- I will likely copyedit your post for grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. If I make substantive changes (unlikely), I will email the post back to you for your approval before posting.
- I may provide a short introduction or conclusion to your post to provide context or the rationale as to why I think the post is important. I will make sure that my comments are set off from yours stylistically, so that my readers are clear that these are mine and not yours.
Disclaimer
I understand the work that it takes to write a blog post. However, the fact that you have written a post and submitted it to me does not obligate me to publish it. The only guest posts I will publish are those that in my sole judgment add value to my readers.
Furthermore, if I do not approve your guest post, I will not explain why I did not approve it or provide any detail. Frankly, that would take more time than I can afford.
Submissions
If your post meets the above guidelines:
- Please email it to me for consideration. I will respond with a “yes” or “no” within one week.
- Please include the size of your readership: number of blog readers, Facebook friends or fans, and Twitter followers.
If I reject your post, you are obviously free to do whatever you want with it, including publishing it elsewhere. Also, please put your post in the body of the email rather than as an attachment.
Come join me and several of my friends for the Recreate Cruise for Christian Creatives. The first 12 people who register will have the opportunity to meet with me privately to pitch their book idea.
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It seems already that you might want to add a restriction to your guidelines that a limited number of submissions from the same author each month (i.e., only one submission per month per author). We're all afraid of you getting swamped!
Thanks for your sensitivity. If that becomes a problem, I will add it!
What a great and generous offer! Thank you. If I may, I'd like to offer one suggestion for the guidelines. I completely understand why you want the post to be exclusive to your blog. However, I've seen other policies that allow guest bloggers to post a tease or excerpt on their blog and link to the post. This generates additional traffic for you, but also lets the guest blogger promote the post on his/her own blog. Just thought I'd offer my two cents.
That's actually a great idea. It fact, I have added it. You can't have too much promotion!
I'm glad you liked the idea. I hope it pays off! Now, I need to think of a post would benefit your readers! I've learned so much from your blog – I would love to help someone else!
What a great and generous offer! Thank you. If I may, I'd like to offer one suggestion for the guidelines. I completely understand why you want the post to be exclusive to your blog. However, I've seen other policies that allow guest bloggers to post a tease or excerpt on their blog and link to the post. This generates additional traffic for you, but also lets the guest blogger promote the post on his/her own blog. Just thought I'd offer my two cents.
That's actually a great idea. It fact, I have added it. You can't have too much promotion!
I'm glad you liked the idea. I hope it pays off! Now, I need to think of a post would benefit your readers! I've learned so much from your blog – I would love to help someone else!
I would suggest to you that you have people 'pitch' their blog post ideas to you so that you don't have to spend a whole lot of time reading a whole bunch of potential blog posts. If you only read the blogs with good pitches that 'fit' what you are looking for it seems to me you would save a whole lot of time. I tried tweeting this to you but limited characters made it difficult so I wasn't sure you could follow what I was trying to say. Anyways I hope this helps, I envision you being flooded with potential posts & I can't imagine you'll be able to read them all. Have I ever told you I love your blog and learn alot from it? I do! Thanks for taking the time to share with us.
I would suggest to you that you have people 'pitch' their blog post ideas to you so that you don't have to spend a whole lot of time reading a whole bunch of potential blog posts. If you only read the blogs with good pitches that 'fit' what you are looking for it seems to me you would save a whole lot of time. I tried tweeting this to you but limited characters made it difficult so I wasn't sure you could follow what I was trying to say. Anyways I hope this helps, I envision you being flooded with potential posts & I can't imagine you'll be able to read them all. Have I ever told you I love your blog and learn alot from it? I do! Thanks for taking the time to share with us.
I love seeing the way different people use their blogs in different ways for different purposes.
I love the way you are handling this and I think it's a very bold, but good step forward.
I handle guest posts quite differently on my blog but then, my blog is written with a very different purpose in mind.
I can't think of any guidelines that you should add… I think you've pretty much covered all the bases – except maybe for images.
Do you want images to be submitted with the post or would you prefer to source your own image to use?
I love seeing the way different people use their blogs in different ways for different purposes.
I love the way you are handling this and I think it's a very bold, but good step forward.
I handle guest posts quite differently on my blog but then, my blog is written with a very different purpose in mind.
I can't think of any guidelines that you should add… I think you've pretty much covered all the bases – except maybe for images.
Do you want images to be submitted with the post or would you prefer to source your own image to use?
Question: If a post is submitted and doesn't make the cut then is it OK to post on our own blog? If so…How do we know if it didn't make it? Are they all cleared back to zero each week or will you hold certain submissions over for another week?
Yes, if I don't use it, you are free to do with it as you will (see the last sentence of my post above). I will respond to your submission within 48 hours.I will schedule posts out in advance for as many good posts as I get. Regardless, I will notify you. Thanks.
Question: If a post is submitted and doesn't make the cut then is it OK to post on our own blog? If so…How do we know if it didn't make it? Are they all cleared back to zero each week or will you hold certain submissions over for another week?
Yes, if I don't use it, you are free to do with it as you will (see the last sentence of my post above). I will respond to your submission within 48 hours.I will schedule posts out in advance for as many good posts as I get. Regardless, I will notify you. Thanks.
Interesting post you got here. It would be great to read something more about that matter.
Interesting post you got here. It would be great to read something more about that matter.
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Wow! I've already been tremendously impacted by your writing; now I can look forward to a variety of wisdom from others you've found valuable and/or interesting. This is particularly helpful since finding good sources of information and inspiration can be difficult.
By the way, congrats again on your Guy Kawasaki mention!
Wow! I've already been tremendously impacted by your writing; now I can look forward to a variety of wisdom from others you've found valuable and/or interesting. This is particularly helpful since finding good sources of information and inspiration can be difficult.
By the way, congrats again on your Guy Kawasaki mention!
BTW, buy Wifi jammer to disable all secret instruments in your room or office.
BTW, buy Wifi jammer to disable all secret instruments in your room or office.
Michael,
It appears (at least on a pc) that the RBF zip. file is corrupt on your blog entry from a few years ago on how to get your boss's approval when you need it? I repeatedly get an error telling me that it does not appear to be a valid archive. Is it possible to have this zip uploaded again? Thanks very much.
http://michaelhyatt.com/2007/01/how-to-get-your-b...
Michael,
It appears (at least on a pc) that the RBF zip. file is corrupt on your blog entry from a few years ago on how to get your boss's approval when you need it? I repeatedly get an error telling me that it does not appear to be a valid archive. Is it possible to have this zip uploaded again? Thanks very much.
http://michaelhyatt.com/2007/01/how-to-get-your-b...
Thank you for opening a door for us. Looking forward to seeing these posts.
My recent post Finding the JOY in Servant Leadership
Thank you for opening a door for us. Looking forward to seeing these posts.
My recent post Finding the JOY in Servant Leadership
I'm quite new to the blog business. I had several mental hurdles to overcome but when your boss asks twice then you jump. Thanks for the many deposits of extremely helpful information re blogging for business on your site, including the link to Chris Brogan. I work for House of James, a bookstore up in western Canada. The template is still under construction, but I wonder if you would you ever be willing to be a "guest blogger" on our site once we get it up and running. Perhaps I am being presumptuous, but I can't think of anyone more qualified, or capable to write about the interplay of books, ideas and social media. You could even choose your own topic! Thank you for considering my request. (Gary Wall would probably vouch for me.) Becky Warkentin
I'm quite new to the blog business. I had several mental hurdles to overcome but when your boss asks twice then you jump. Thanks for the many deposits of extremely helpful information re blogging for business on your site, including the link to Chris Brogan. I work for House of James, a bookstore up in western Canada. The template is still under construction, but I wonder if you would you ever be willing to be a "guest blogger" on our site once we get it up and running. Perhaps I am being presumptuous, but I can't think of anyone more qualified, or capable to write about the interplay of books, ideas and social media. You could even choose your own topic! Thank you for considering my request. (Gary Wall would probably vouch for me.) Becky Warkentin
heres my email