The Lazy Blogger: Hosting Guests on Your Blog

Today we welcome guest blogger Arlee Bird (creator of the A to Z Challenge). And when finished here, please stop back at Tossing It Out as he has a review of OPENING. Thanks Arlee for stopping by and take it away .....

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As one who has an inclination toward laziness, there are times when I'd just love to kick back and let someone else write my blog posts for me. Do you ever feel like that? If so why not find guests to post on your blog?

Just look at Stephen Tremp. He's probably sleeping in or lounging in front of the television or something fun while I'm here toiling away writing this blog post for him. Yeah, look at him. He knows the secret of lazy blogging.

Actually though, if you've ever thought that another blogger was being lazy by hosting guest bloggers perhaps you should look more closely at what is involved. Someone usually doesn't just pop in and start writing your blog post of the day for you. It takes some real honest effort on your part.

As a host blogger here are some of the things you need to do:

Be on the lookout for those who are looking for blogs to guest on-- Sometimes they'll come to you. Authors on book tours or others with something to promote may request a spot on your blog or they may put out a call on their own blogs for volunteers. Be receptive to these requests since it may also help you in the long run. And you may make some new friends and gain new followers along the way.

Actively seek out interesting guests--Find experts in your blogging field who have something to add to what you are saying or provide new insights. They don't have to be bloggers in your blog circle either. You can enlist friends, relatives, or business contacts to write a post for you, especially if they have something they want to spread the word about. Your blog is an outlet for promotion even if your readership is still small.

Let your blog inspire your search for new guests--If you write about a particular topic on your blog, look for guests to expound upon that topic. Do a Google search, ask around, keep your eyes and ears open. For example, on my memoir blog Wrote By Rote I will frequently contact others whom I have read or heard about somewhere. My most recent post about video memoirist Jane Lehmann-Shafron came about from reading about her in the Los Angeles Times. I did a Google search to find her website, then contacted her to see if she would provide me a post. She was happy to oblige and I got a very interesting post as a result.

Let a particular post lead a search for a guest--If you've written about something that particularly intrigues you or that has gotten a good reader response, look for guests who can expound upon the topic. They can provide more information about your topic or even offer an opposing view. Make your blog a living entity, an active forum for discussion, and a place for enlightenment. Recently I was going to post something on my dream blog A Faraway View about a dream I had that was about something called "Dynamic Flow". I then decided I would write about the same topic on my main blog Tossing It Out, but first I did a Google search for the term to see if it was a term that was used in any real context. In my search I found an article by Halina Goldstein, a writer/blogger/teacher in Denmark, whose specialty is "flow" and had written about the very term "dynamic flow". I immediately sent her an email and soon I had a lovely post from Halina about my chosen topic.

Be a responsible editor--Your blog is your product for the reading public. As such your blog reflects a lot about you as a professional and helps establish your reputation. Coordinate scheduling with your guest and let them know what you expect from them. Make sure they are doing their part of the agreement and showcase them in the most favorable way you can. Don't be afraid to edit if that's what the post needs, but don't misrepresent your guest in any way either. The process of guest posting and hosting is one of mutual trust. Provide your guests what they are looking for and what makes them feel good about you and you should have no problem finding more new guests or even returning guests for future posts.

Follow up--Be sure to thank your guests for the time they've given you. I try to remember to thank them in the comment section as well with a follow-up email. If I've liked what they've done (which is usually the case), I may leave a standing offer for them to return whenever they have something else that might be of interest to my readers.

As you can see hosting a guest does take work, but it is work that is well worth the effort you put into it. It's good to have another voice on your blog now and then. And don't be afraid that your guest might be a better writer or know more than you. That's the point actually! If you want your blog to exude quality in writing and content then why not look for the best people to provide that for you.

As always, thanks for stopping by, and please take a moment to check out Arlee’s review of OPENING at Tossing It Out. This is a great example a review. Well thought out. Very professional. Thanks Arlee!


Arlee Bird has been blogging for over two years on his main blog Tossing It Out. He is always interested in hosting guests on any of his four blogs. He is also one of the co-hosts of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. The A to Z Challenge Blog is open to guests who have anything interesting to say about the Challenge or the art of blogging in general. Submit your posting requests to arleebird@gmail.com.