Your Guest Post was Rejected—Here is Why

A popular method of link building is to write guest blog posts. Its popularity rivals that of simply posting articles on websites which gained its popularity several years ago. However, guest blog posting requires a bit more work than simply writing a blog and posting it. You have to find a blog that coincides with the topic of the page you want to build your link to and then you have to wait to see if the blogger who owns the site will accept your request for submission. If it is accepted, you also have to wait until the blogger decides to upload it.


SEE ALSO: The Inside Scoop on How Good Writing Can Improve Your Web Site

Image Credit: Elvert Barnes

As you can see, the process is long and arduous and filled with a lot of waiting and wondering time—waiting to get accepted and then wondering when your post will go live. Each blogger has a different set of rules so what works with one is not going to work for another. And if you make silly mistakes in your blog, you may never get any of them accepted. Here are eight common mistakes that can get your guest post rejected and how to fix them:

    • Submitting spun content. You cannot simply take an already existing blog, rework a few words or phrases and submit it. What you end up with is a low quality mess that may not pass a plagiarism checker. This will ultimately lead to instant rejection of your blog. Always write original, plagiarism-free content.

    • Submitting without requesting. It may seem like a mere formality to send a request to have your blog posted, but it is a requirement you cannot sidestep. Not only is this necessary, but it is also common courtesy—much the same way that writers submit queries to magazines to have their articles published. If you already wrote the blog, let the blogger know and ask him or her if they would like to review it.

    • Bad writing. Even if you have the best ideas and thoughts for your blog, if the quality of your writing is poor, you will have very little chance of having it accepted. Big paragraphs, poor grammar and awkward sentence structure may be fine for some forms of written media, but not for the blogging world. You need to make your point quickly and effectively without drawing it out or using poorly worded sentences. People who read information on their computer often do it in small increments so they want to get to the point fast. Short paragraphs are a great way to make your blog look more appealing on a computer screen. Headers are also good in breaking up the content so a reader can go directly to the portion of the blog he or she wants to read the most.

    • Not following the blogger’s rules. Every blogger has their own set of rules when it comes to their site. Do not ignore these rules. If they have specifics as to what they want submitted and how they want it submitted, make sure you meet their requirements. Some have specifics as to what type of content they want. Read all the submission guidelines before you submit your request or blog.

    • Trying to submit a previously rejected article. If your blog got rejected once, chances are you will not have better luck if you try to resubmit it a few months later—especially if you did not correct the mistakes you made the first time. This is why it is important to read the submission guidelines so that your chances of being rejected the first time are a lot less. You can try submitting your blog to other bloggers or sell the article to an article-based website.

    • Having no understanding of the blog’s theme. If you are going to submit a blog about grooming your dog to a blog about cats, chances are pretty slim that your blog will get accepted. Read the posts that are on the blog to get an idea of what type of content they publish. When you come up with an appropriate topic, make sure you also research it well so you are giving relevant information to readers which is what the blogger ultimately wants.

    • Not proofreading your blog. Your first draft should never be your last. Make sure that you read and reread your blog correcting any typos, errors grammar or punctuation. Have someone else double check it for you as well. As good as your thoughts might be, they will get lost in translation if what you submit is filled with errors.

    • Not knowing when to let up. If you think consistently contacting the blogger is going to lead him or her to post your blog, you are in for a rude awakening. No one wants to be harassed—especially about posting your blog. A blogger may not have the time to respond or is simply not interested in your guest post. If that is the case, simply try getting your blog posted to another blog.

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