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Accepting, Formatting, Editing and Publishing a Guest Post

Accepting, Formatting, Editing and Publishing a Guest Post

Use this checklist to get a guest post ready for publication on your site. Add the checklist to your own organization and edit it to fit your process!
1
Pre-formatting:
2
Get a copy of the content in HTML, Google Docs or Word
3
Check for plagiarism
4
Let the contributor know they've been accepted
5
Get their full name
6
Get high resolution images if needed
7
Get their bio
8
Formatting:
9
Paste the article into WordPress
10
Check for filler words
11
Make sure it's easy to read
12
Double check all links
13
Clear up any formatting issues
14
Break it up with their images or your own
15
Ensure the post is scannable
16
Make sure the author is correct
17
Add a header image
18
Run the pre-publish checklist
19
Publication:
20
Let the writer know the date they will be published
21
Schedule the post
22
Send the writer the link to the live version

Pre-formatting:

Get a copy of the content in HTML, Google Docs or Word

Working in WordPress, a HTML file is vastly preferable since copy-pasting from Google Docs or Word brings some ‘interesting’ artefacts along with it.

Check for plagiarism

Run the text (copy+paste for less than 1k words, otherwise upload it as a file) through this tool: http://smallseotools.com/plagiarism-checker/

The vast majority should ideally be unique; the minimum acceptable level is 85%.


Let the contributor know they’ve been accepted

Get their full name


You’ll need this to create the author profile on your website.

Get high resolution images if needed

Depending on the column width of your blog, you’ll have a minimum resolution for images. Make sure they’ve attached them, and send it back for edits if they haven’t.

Get their bio

You need their bio to fill in their author profile fully


Formatting:

Paste the article into WordPress

Paste HTML data into the ‘text’ view, and Word/Google Docs content into the ‘visual’ view.

Check for filler words

Read and refer to this article and remove all filler words from your work; if the word is not serving a purpose and could be cut, it probably needs to go.

WordPress’ ‘proofread’ function can catch these, but don’t rely on it.

Make sure it’s easy to read

Anyone (including your gran) should be able to read this content. It shouldn’t matter what background they’re coming from; they should be able to keep up with the language you use and the arguments you make.

Clear up any formatting issues

If you’re pasting from Word or Google Docs, you’re going to have a bad time reformatting in WordPress. Make sure that the line breaks are even, and that there are no strange HTML tags in text view.

Break it up with their images or your own

It’s good practice to include images. If they’ve not provided enough, either send it back and request images or just make/attach ones you’ve found yourself.

Ensure the post is scannable

This can be achieved by using sub-headings, breaking up paragraphs with quotes, bullet points, etc.

Read these articles is you’re unsure:

http://thinktraffic.net/make-emeverything-you-write-online-more-popular

http://backlinko.com/seo-copywriting

Make sure the author is correct

If it’s a post from Animalz (Walter Chen), then the author MUST be set as Vinay.

Otherwise, credit as appropriate.

Add a header image

Header images are usually specific to your particular blog, and branded in a certain way. It’s likely you’re going to have to make this and insert it yourself.

Run the pre-publish checklist

Publication:

Let the writer know the date they will be published

Schedule the post

Queue the post up in WordPress, and go grab a beer.

Take control of your workflows today.