A lot of talk is going around on the interwebs right now about how it’s bad to have guest bloggers, because of Matt Cutts (googleguy) saying it’s bad form. Well, it’s being taken out of context and stretched a little too far. Some people were getting out of hand with guest posts, in a marketing spam kind of way. But, as far as calling guest posting en toto bad practice, not necessarily, and Matt didn’t say that.
I have the simplest of advice for how to know whether you’re doing guest posting the correct way. If you make it to the end of this list, then go ahead and let a guest poster into your blog.
1. Are you having the guest poster come in because they actually have expertise in your field?
If yes, continue.
2. If you held a seminar, would you stand next to them and let them contribute to your lecture?
If yes, continue.
3. If you were your target audience. would you want them to know about what the subject you and your guest poster have agreed he will write about?
If yes, continue.
Seriously. Go live your life your way, and do things the way you want to. It’s your blog. Guest posting is a great way to introduce some fresh blood to a blog, or to allow your two markets to mix. Also to help the other guy’s following find you and vice versa. It’s not bad practice as long as you’d actually form a business relationship with that person in your real life also, and as long as really good quality content comes out of the blender…
If you have any doubts, don’t do it. If you don’t, and the three questions above apply favorably, then go ahead!