Welcome to Ask Alexa! This is a weekly Q&A episode that is aired on Friday of each week. If you have a question you’d like answered on an upcoming episode, simply head to http://breakintotravelwriting.com/ask-alexa/ to submit your question. I need the Q in the Q&A to continue this segment!
Today I have two great questions – focusing on featuring content you’ve written for other websites on your blog and accepting sponsored posts. Click here to listen to the podcast now!
I also share the details of my upcoming media trip to Northern England. I landed this trip after a speed networking event at Tbex in Fort Lauderdale in October. Listen for all the details including my pitch letter and to hear my eight day itinerary.
[shadowbox]Question: From Tonya with detailorientedtraveler.com [/shadowbox]
What’s the best way to feature content you’ve written for other websites on your own blog? I know SEO doesn’t like duplicate content, but I’d like to share some of the articles I’ve written as full length blog articles with credit linking to the original site.
Answer:
You are right that Google doesn’t love duplicate content, but the reality is that most places you write for will give you guidelines and tell you if you can repost – so that is #1. For example many blogs want first rights and ask you wait a period of time, maybe a couple weeks before you repost. You’d need to check the guidelines. The bottom line is the site with the most traffic and higher ranking will come up first in search if you re-post the 2nd article exactly the same to smaller website.
But, I do recommend if you want to re-post that at minimum you change the title and rewrite the first paragraph. Some people say it should only contain 50% original content. In the end, it will be based on the guidelines from the original site it was posted on and what you decide as far as changes. Also – if you do post the same article without changes you should always credit where it was originally posted with a link back as you mentioned!
Tweetable: Great question from Tonya with @DOTraveler via @writetotravel podcast http://bit.ly/20fE69b #travelblogger [Click To Tweet]
You can head to the audio version for the full answer here: http://bit.ly/1OQwBVz
[shadowbox]Question: From Vicki with www.voyagervicki.com [/shadowbox]
Hi Alexa, I’ve been blogging for a while and am just now at the point of considering sponsored posts. I’m wondering if you could go over the pros and cons of accepting sponsored posts (especially those written by others and submitted to my blog, as opposed to me writing the posts for others).
What should I be aware of if/when accepting sponsored posts? What guidelines should I set? Should I be able to edit them as needed? What is a standard rate range for charging for a sponsored post? Anything else I should know?
And, in a related question–what are some standard guidelines for accepting guest blogger posts?
Thanks! Vicki with an “i”
Answer:
Sponsored posts.
#1 one thing you have to do is use no-follow links if you accept any sponsored posts, write a review if you have been given a free sample or product. This goes for any free travel. Pros are you will generate income and once you begin to do sponsored posts you can then track the success of the post and use that to gain more sponsored posts. Another pro is the relationship you create with the brand or PR, especially if you get them good results.
Con – could be if your readers don’t resonate with the post and it results in loss of web visitors. But, if you are accepting to write or publish sponsored content that is inline with your brand and niche this shouldn’t be an issue.
A con could be the time you need to invest to find partners to work with… but this is only a con if you don’t book a gig.
What you should be aware of …. Never accept an offer for post if they don’t allow you to do a no follow. Red flag.
Standard guidelines for accepting guest blogger posts:
Again, there are two sides to this transaction as well. First, I think every blog that accepts submissions should be clear and transparent about their traffic and what will be offered to promote the guest post. Will they have a byline only or will they get a full bio linking back to their website? Will you share it on social? Will you tag them? What platforms will you share it and how many times?
As far as guidelines for what you accept… base it on your articles. On average how many words is each of your articles? How many photos do you include? What else do they need to provide to you for a bio, etc. Choose your best articles and link to those in your guidelines. Do you require the guest poster to promote on social as well?
The more you have in writing the better and more clear it will be for both parties!
Tweetable: Great question from Vicki @VoyagerVicki via @writetotravel podcast http://bit.ly/20fE69b #travelblogger [Click to Tweet]
You can head to the audio version for the full answer here: http://bit.ly/1OQwBVz
Click here to listen to the podcast and full answers now!
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That is it for today! Thank you to Tonya & Vicki for today’s awesome questions! If you have a question about travel blogging, writing, photography or SEO, Web or Social Media for travel blogging that you would like answered on my Podcast, simply submit your question to bitw/askalexa and I’ll answer it on an upcoming episode.
Tweetables:
Great question from Tonya with @DOTraveler via @writetotravel podcast http://bit.ly/20fE69b #travelblogger [Click To Tweet]
Great question from Vicki @VoyagerVicki via @writetotravel podcast http://bit.ly/20fE69b #travelblogger [Click to Tweet]
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Thanks for sharing this. I have been trying to showcase some older posts on my site that I wrote for another site while working for them. This info really helped me to understand how to do it.
Thanks!
This was helpful, Alexa. Thanks for featuring my question. Ultimately I have content from a now inactive site that will work for my readers. I plan to repost, give credit, and update the content a bit so I have more content for my site.