Guest Post ethics

I wanted to know the communitie's views on guest posts. We all would love to get backlinks from other blogs via guest posts and also get some original content from others on our blogs. But this is a very delicate relationship and both parties need to follow some code of ethics. Wanted to compile some and get your views on what should be the ethics

From Guest Blogger

1. Make sure content is original. : No need to copy paste from various websites. You just blow your chances of ever writing for that site again.

2.Dont reproduce content: Dont post your old blog posts unless specifically requested. The site is looking for original articles not something already out there. Be considerate. ALso google doesnt like copied content

3. Add value: Even though you are writing for someone else, doesn't mean you can slack. On the contrary your artice must be even better. Think like this :its like going out on a date, you need to be well dressed

4. Limit links: Ask the site owner on what type of links you can insert. They may want your links in author section.Also links should not be more than 2 or 3. Dont have things like "for complete article see here"

For sites accepting guest blogger

1. DO FOLLOW LINKS: This by far is the most important factor. If you are so rigid about not giving authors any do follow links, point that out to blogger before hand. If I write for you and you refuse to give me a do follow link, you bet I will never write for you ever again. Unless you are a site with maybe PR 6 and 10,000 visitors a day you have no reason for not giving a do follow link. Its akin to stealing content.

PS: Many sites insert a rel="nofollow" in your anchor text ,this tells search engines that even though there is a link, dont count it as a link. You dont get any SEO boost .

Eg: <a href="yoururl" rel="nofollow">Madhur</a>

2. Be responsive: If someone sends a guest post make sure you let them know exactly when it will be published.Or if you feel it cannot be published, let them know. And mind it ,once you say no, you lose the right to publish it later without permission from the author.The author might have published the article someplace else

3. Respect: Have creative respect for the author, if you want to change anything in the post, you need to take permission from theauthor. Even though the article appears on your site,it goes with their name