Damage Control: The Naughty Blogging Guest

This is post 19 in Connie Ragens 30 Days Blog Challenge.

And my 4th post in a series of posts about guest blogging.

It is relatively new to me to invite guest bloggers to write on my blog, and recently I have also started to be a guest blogger myself on others blogs. I choose my guest bloggers carefully, and read their posts before they get published, and I have not experienced any “bad things” like offended readers or mean comments.

Still as a blog owner you might fear that you will let the devil in the front door. So it might be a good idea to be ahead and think about some “what if” scenarios. Everyone who wants to blog for you is not right for your blog. And if the naughty blogger should come to visit, you’ll have to smooth things over with your audience.

There could be different reasons why you want to find guest bloggers. It could be because you need more time to attend to the other areas of your business. Or, you are looking for ways to increase your traffic. A new voice on the blog can stimulate growth and give faithful readers new reasons to love you. It can simply add some new dynamics to your blog.

Even if you use certain measures to choose your bloggers, there are chances that a bad apple will slip through the cracks. Actually, they may have a popular blog or have come to you on the recommendation of someone else. What may spurn the naughty behavior is not the post itself but the comments that go along with it.

All guest bloggers have a chance to interact with the audience. When comments are made, they can respond back. Now, everyone is not going to like your guests, but what you wish is an open mind.

Guests who post also have to watch their comments on the blog as well. These are your readers and new visitors who are posting comments. When the guest blogger gets out of line with their responses to irate comments or makes irate comments, there will be backlash for you.

What to Do?

When readers are angry, they will let you know in no uncertain terms. If you have a suggestion area on your website or blog, they will use it. While you monitor your blog as much as you can, something may slip through.

1. When you notice the incident, make an immediate post. Let your readers know that you are handling the situation and are sorry for any comments that may have offended them.
2. Pull any scheduled posts by that blogger. You don’t want readers to feel you don’t care by letting this person continue to post.
3. Talk with the naughty guest blogger. Were they having a bad day? As a business person, you are held to different standards. They may be personally offended by something someone says in a comment but can’t let it get the better of them. The guest also can’t use their posts as an open forum for stating disagreeable positions that may offend that blog’s readership.

You can plan for most outcomes, but in the event that a guest blogger irritates your readers, damage control is important. Be proactive and go to your readers instead of waiting for them to come to you.

Thank you!

Also read:
Choose the Right Guest Blogger
Guest Blogging A Powerful Way to Build Your Brand

Ebook Package:
Blogging for Profits & Creating and Writing Your Blog

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