Few days back I posted on my Facebook page wall about a blogger who wrote this:
I know for a fact that I can provide my readers with much better content than my guest writers ever could.
I am still amazed someone would write something like that. In my opinion that has to be the most egoistic thing I have ever heard in the blogging world.
I found out that the blogger in questions does post guest posts on their blog. Eventually, I found out who it was (which I didn’t know at the time of the FB post).
No, that person sure can’t deliver something great every time.
So it sounds as even a bigger insult and hypocrisy to me. If you think guest bloggers suck, why are you posting their stuff on your blog?
What do you think about that?
Anyway, I am not focusing on that stupidity here. I actually want to say that I completely disagree because my guest bloggers CAN write stuff way better than me.
That is why I ask them to write for me and that is why I am so happy when they accept.
If I could deliver stuff better than anyone, I would not have guests here and my blog would be sold for $20 million. Don’t you agree 
So, to illustrate my point, here are some of the guest posts published here, that I am more than happy to have on my blog. And just a note or two what they brought me, which I am thankful for.
Steve Scott
I love Steve’s work and I love his practical way of writing. No bulls**t in his case, he says it as it is and gives awesome tips.
11 excuses that prevent bloggers from writing an e-book
Not only he listed the excuses but tells you how to overcome them.
I saw great conversations going on on Twitter about this post. Many said thanks and many got pushed to actually work on their books. 15 votes on BlogEngage is also something good.
Paul Wolfe
Paul is another blogger/writer whose work I love.
People talked about this, voted for it, had great conversation with Paul on my blog and were introduced to work of Steven Pressfield (one of my favorites).
This post was so different from what I write and it brought freshness to my blog.
Paul’s post also made me money. There is a single Amazon affiliate link in that post, at the very bottom, yet, it sold more Amazon books than all other Amazon links throughout my blog together.
Zarko Zivkovic
Zarko is a SEO expert that knows his stuff.
5 easy ways to get targeted traffic
This post had such a great success on Stumble Upon. At the moment of writing this, the SU button is showing 3.011 of SU views.
This post also brought me more than 1.200 new visitors in matter of few days after the publishing.
A message to egoistic bloggers
Don’t full yourself you are that good. No one is that good.
Instead of thinking how you are doing a favor to your guest bloggers by letting them write for you, how about thinking about the fact that they are doing you a favor by writing their best content and giving it away for free.
How about the fact that you don’t have to search for inspiration for a post because you have a guest post lined up to be published.
And if you are publishing bad guest posts, guess whose mistake is that!?
Any opinions on this?
Related posts:
No one is that good – Amen! I have off days, so does everyone. The day I stop listening and learning is the same day I will start dying. I mean, what good is having such a huge ego that you won’t learn anymore?
But that is the way life is that “he who dies with the most toys wins” mentality has to go, if only a little at a time. I can’t and don’t know everything. I screw things up all the time. I am honest enough to accept it and try to learn something from it.
Some other folks probably need to read this, but won’t. You really are “preaching to the choir” as they say. Anyhow, have a good day. Thanks for the reminder to not get such a big head.
To hell with this…I want to talk about ME for a minute!
It all started back in the summer of 2003 when…nah, just kidding
Wow, though. That’s some serious ego, there. I think some of these guys let the comments go to their heads a little and really think they “blog on water”.
One of the best parts about this blogging game is learning a lot from other people and actually complementing their knowledge with your own.
I can’t believe that blogger would post that, essentially saying that he’s delivering less than best quality to his readers. So that’s how little you think of your readers that you give them less than the best? Dan.
Hit me up in a message so I can find out who this is, I’m sure you don’t want to “out” them here
I can see a lot of hypocrisy there. I mean, bloggers start good, some are fine as things take off, while some become high headed. They are the ones who call themselves “gurus” or “professional bloggers” and they think no one can out perform them. This mentality won’t work especially in blogging.
I love you authenticity, honesty and guts Brankica. I have nothing to add. Just props.
Yeah, but I only said that because I was letting my mom guest post for me but she was killin’ me; I had readers dropping like flies. I thought she could pull up some slack, but as soon as she started talking about her ailments like she had an audience it was all downhill from there. I mean really, who wants to hear about irritable bowel syndrome? Plus, she’s from the hills and only has a 6th grade education and has trouble with some words. However, we were running neck and neck on quality and she actually has a higher Klout score so I shouldn’t be too critical, huh?
Actually, I like the guest post concept because it gives me the opportunity to meet new people through the sites of my friends. That is pretty much the only way I’m following new people right now unless someone reaches out to me first.
Quality is going to be up and down regardless. And also, I might write an epic piece; my best ever but if the topic doesn’t resonate with you it really doesn’t matter, huh?
I’ve seen some good and I’ve seen some REALLY good but even the really good don’t crank it out time after time. Most of the stuff we read is just OK good if we really want to be honest, but that’s just my opinion and it also doesn’t mean I won’t read you time after time.
That’s my two cents for the day for what it’s worth.
Hope your day is going well. I saw some tweets that I didn’t want to butt in, but are getting getting ready to launch something new?
Hmm..sounds like you end up meeting a lot of weirdo through blogging, first the human spammer who “fought” with the blog – owner and now this. Ah the joys of being the “best” blogger…eh?
I think if guest posts aren’t “worthy” of being published then kindly refuse them and tell them where they are wrong, rather than publishing it, then going like “Aww shucks…I could have done way better” Well, if you could have you would have. The fact that you didn’t and went ahead and published it shows how “great” you are, so stop cribbing!
Being in the blogging world less than a year I feel there are some amazing bloggers ready to beat the crap out of everyone elses posts and these amazing people come in many many numbers, so tell the self obsessed blogger that there is a huge number of talent waiting to attack him/her right now!
Hope you have a lovely day!
Hey Bran
Glad you enjoyed the post – and glad you made a bit of cash too. That’s also great because it means people took action and actually purchased the book. I particularly like that because it means that (a) they’ll get hold of a great book and (b) my passion for that book must have come through in the post and encouraged people to go buy it.
There’s an interesting lesson here – I just don’t know what it is! LOL! When I work it out, I’ll come back to you with another guest post!
Paul
and p.s. the guy that originally wrote that line on Facebook is an ass, because there’s always someone younger and faster than you out there just waiting to make you look stupid!
This sounds exactly like one of the tweets that came through during this past Sunday’s #blogchat about guest posting. Some people will always think they know everything and are the most brilliant writers in the universe. I’m the first one to admit that I definitely don’t know everything. I know a lot about marketing, history, and a few other subjects, but not all there is to know. Everything is constantly changing, so how could this one person presume to have superior knowledge than a potential guest poster?
I originally found you through your guest post on Site Sketch 101, so I’m very, very happy that you write guest posts!
Excellent post. While some people are egoistic, some bloggers set too high a standard.
I remember one blogger approaching me for a guest post when I was starting out. Agreed my writing wasn’t perfect back then.
I delivered a guest post for the reader and he rejected it. he even gave the reason that the style of writing should have magazine level quality for him to accept. I agreed and did nothing more. I went ahead and checked his blog to see that the contents were very poor.
If a blogger cant produce decent contents, whey do they expect guest posters to deliver killer content?
Now the scenario has changed., I have improved. I have guest posted in several popular blogs. But the fact remains. Several bloggers still hold high expectations from other bloggers. Almost like they expect other bloggers to write their pillar articles while they produce mediocre contents.
@salesmaximus My thoughts exactly. Although we should always write great guest posts, the blogger should write his own pillar stuff. I agree with you completely!
@marianne.worley Lol, thanks so much
I never try to prove that I know everything because I don’t. That is why I research some stuff for my niche sites for example. Or ask bloggers to guest post for me when they obviously have some extra tips.
I think those people are just not mature in their heads and think the world resolve around them.
@Paul_Wolfe This is exactly the part why I could never write that post as close as good as you did “my passion for that book must have come through in the post and encouraged people to go buy it”. That is the reason I think your post is better than anything I could write on the subject. And it also freshened up my blog so much by being different from what I write.
And believe it or not, the blogger is female
@hajraks I have the same thoughts on this. I actually refuse posts that I don’t think are good enough and that is it. No hard feelings because it is between me and the blogger who is trying to guest post.
You know, you would be amazed to know what kind of stupid situations I had with some people. So its not me running into crazy people, you know them too
))))
I think people like this blogger will finally lose their readers if they continue having that attitude.
While at it, when are you going to write some masterpiece for me? Did you win that contest?
@bdorman264 You gotta stop doing that, people will think it really was you. Remember all the fuss you created on Mufasa’s post about that idiot blogger, lol.
I had an awesome day. I am in Atlanta, just came from the games my Braves won against Mets
@janesheeba I do have to say that obviously it works for some. But I also hope that those types of people (not just bloggers) will be seen through. You know, I bet you know many beginners that will follow blindly which ever blogger they run into at the very beginning so they don’t filter the info they receive.
@JohnGarrett You know I will tell YOU!
@NancyD68 Glad you agree with me. Like you said, we all have off days. I actually love when I have a guest post to publish and I can do something else instead of write one
@Brankica @hajraks Some masterpiece for you…hmm sounds nice! I am bad with technical stuff though will have to think to come up with something nice!
Results not as yet! Tough people in the competition now!
@hajraks I don’t write only technical stuff, do I?
Hi Brankica
What a stupid thing to write on a blog of his own. Why doesn’t he just download his great blog and disconnect to the Internet. Isn’t blogging all about sharing and making relation to other bloggers? It is for me. Does the guy have a Twitter account? I was just wondering if he was using the same tactic there. “No one can tweet as good as me so I don’t want to follow anybody”
@Brankica No you don’t but you are really good at it! Will work on something and send it you for “approval” boss!
@TechWork_dk Actually it is a female, and yes, it is the same on Twitter, lol. That would be a great idea, to take the blog off internet LOL
Hi Brankica
In the end people will be turned off by a person’s attitude as if they are saying that for everyone to read, then their geust posters will probably read it too. Very hurtful comments aimed at them. Tthose egotists are the people whom I make sure to avoid.
There are enough kind and encouraging people in the blogosphere to engage with and soon as someone starts carrying on like that, I don’t have anything more to do with them. In fact I have just written a post about being motivated and inspired by others. The exact opposite to the reaction I have to arrogant bloggers that’s for sure.
Patricia Perth Australia
Brankica,
First of all, thank you for the shout-out. It is of course appreciated!
Of course I had to just spend about 10 minutes figuring out who the person was. I found the right article quickly enough, but I kept missing the blurb in question, because it was in ‘comments’
Unfortunately it IS a blogger I do like and respect. Oh well!
just to play “devils advocate” I think I understand her opinion…<i> to a degree</i>. A lot of the offers to guest post I get are like the new ezine-articles. The content is basic. It goes over rehashed content. It isn’t BAD. But it isn’t great. A lot of it I politely reject. Some of it is good enough to publish, so I do.
So I see from THAT point of view where she may have a point.
BUT….
That is not ALL of the guest posts I get, Like you, some of them are FLAT OUT AWESEOME. I can think of at least 5 guest posters off the top of my head I have had that I would say had posts were truly great.(danny, tristan, paul, sean, moon) I am sure that number would expand if I looked through the archives at some older posts I have forgotten about at this second.
I have seen some pretty good guest posters on her site, as well as the occasional, “dial it in”. So sure, some people dial guest posts in. For those ones, I can understand her reticence. But some people really do take effort to make “pillar” posts. In honesty that is part of the reason I do not guest post often. I want my guest posts to BE quality, so when I do them it does take a lot of time to “do it right”
Now I also that I was a little disappointed that she would call her guest posters out. Even the ones that may be “dialed in”. There is a certain amount of reciprocal trust between guest poster and postee. Even if the quality was “slightly subpar” once you accept it, there are some unwritten rules for both sides.
The excerpt was made in comments, so the expectation was likely that it was unlikely anyone would read it, bu I know if I had guest posted at her site in the past (which I have not) I would be really pissed at what seems like a haughty remark.
All that being said, I am willing to pointedly ignore the comment. Sometimes people write quickly in comments and she may not have thought that comment out (and how it sounded) very well.
Thanks for pointing this out, though. And thanks for taking the time and caring enough to go the <i>other way</i> and pointing out specific people (myself included) who have done a decent job with guest posting.
Have a wonderful weekend,
-S
@Patricia Lol, I would say we are on the same page here
@stevescott1 Hey Steve, you are way more smarter than me
I would have never guessed who it was or find it, if I didn’t get the exact link sending me to see it, after I kinda like “begged” for the person to tell me who it was. Cause at first I thought it was taken out of context.
I don’t want to call names out and that is why I didn’t say who it was, but I did think such egoistic sentence deserves my point of view because it gives me such a great intro to disagree and point out why, with your post there.
I think it is the bloggers mistake and no need to have such attitude, because she approves guest posts! They don’t just show up on your blog from nowhere. You read them and approve or not. I just refuse the posts I don’t think are not good for my blog so I don’t get into the situation to call anyone out.
And on the other side, everything we write and post anywhere, can and will be read by someone, so we should think twice even before commenting.
But anyway, like I said, I care less about the sentence itself but I loved how it allowed me to write the opposite stand point. I am so glad I had you on my blog and hope you will again go on a guest posting spree
Although I don’t want to blanket all bloggers in saying they’re self-centered, there is a very large degree that let all their ‘fans and followers’ get to their head– in a bad way.
99.9% of the world has no idea who Chris Brogan is. Heck, it’s not much better for Seth Godin. That’s just the facts.
As far me, I’m fully aware there are many, many people out there way smarter than me, and I certainly hope to always remember that.
Thanks Bran,
Marcus
@Marcus_Sheridan OMG, you completely read my mind. Bloggers forget the fact that only very small percentage of people are actually trying to make a living online and then tiny percentage of those actually are blogging about blogging and similar topics and know those people.
But hey, some will eventually learn I think
))))
I’m with @Marcus_Sheridan on this. There are a lot of just amazing bloggers, and there are a lot of bloggers not so amazing. I believe bloggers are like regular people, there are good and bad ones. And I don’t think that bloggers are better or worse.
In Norway, the most famous bloggers are girls apx. 16 years old who are writing about make up and clothes. Those are the real stars of blogging in Norway, and they appear in newspapers and in magazines, and even on TV . Not many people knows about big blogging stars from the US.
Guest posts can be really bad, I have experienced some in the past, on the other hand, they can be a lot better than any post I could ever write myself…
Brankica, the trap that all bloggers could potentially fall into is when people start listening to them – once that happens, they may think that they’re more important than their ‘followers’.
I try and provide awesome content no matter where I am, and no matter who for. For this reason, I’ll accept guest posts that also have awesome content, even if it’s better than my own. I may learn something from the post!
As long as I have awesome content, whether it’s by me or a guest poster, I’m happy to publish it on my blog
@UnlockTheDoor I feel exactly the same. Obviously these guest posts brought something new to my blog and only made it better! I stopped reading some blogs because the bloggers writing them started thinking of themselves as “the A-listers” as they like to call themselves. Then I would read a post and realize that the advice given is not only wrong but the tools recommended are not working for years
@Jens P. Berget @Marcus_Sheridan You know, that is the main point. The only people who are reading “blogs about blogging” are those who want to make the same blogs. And of course because it is a “small group” of people, some think they are bigger than others.
But that is why I consider you guys friends, cause I can’t see you ever get that attitude
@Brankica Obsolete tools! Now that’s a shame when that happens.
One thing I don’t like is when I buy a book that looks and sounds really good at the time, but I don’t get round to reading it. By the time I do, sometimes months later, it’s no longer relevant to where I am at life. My own decision to read something else has nullified the value of the book!
D’oh!
@UnlockTheDoor LOL, that sucks too. That is something I was thinking when I was writing my first e-book, so I definitely plan to update it if stuff changes
Hi, Brankica.
Egotistical people suck! If they think they are that good, why accept guest blog posts in the first place? People like these infuriate me.
I haven’t had the pleasure of having a guest post on my blog yet, but I would love to have them one of these days (especially one from you, Bill, Danny, Griddy, Kaarina, Patricia, Marcus, John and many others). I believe that each of us is unique and have our own stuff to share. So, for me there is no good or bad post really (except for those with glaring grammar and spelling mistakes…teehee!), if you will just open up your heart and understand what people are really saying through their posts.
Dam, sometimes I think some people don’t think before they write anyway. That’s a blogger who would get the finger quite honestly, but that’s my opinion. It’s one thing to be good at what you do, but when you start acting as if your sh– don’t stink, is when they go on ignore mode. Being humble is much more appealing then an egotistical idiot.
LOL, could not agree more
Hi Bran, you know I actually read that post in question and I felt the same way. Smells so much of arrogance and self-promotion. It’s better to let others promote you, lest pride goes before a fall.
One thing that I pray to have always is humility to never see myself even half as good as others may see my works or to ever feel that I have arrived.
History has it that when people start feeling like this, they may sometime soon never see their mistakes. What puzzles me is that there are a lot of self-hype bloggers I’m seeing around and their readers hang around to concur and swallow those pills.
That brings to bare one of Ileane’s guest blogger’s latest post – the need for bloggers to start blogging to leave a legacy.
We all have the right to personal opinions and I think guest posting is an excellent way of promoting each other. I never guest posted for anyone so I have not experienced the increase in traffic but this technique has something to teach the business community and that is, doing business in the right spirit but such a unique technique I guess is possible only in blogosphere.
I’m going to play devil’s advocate here.
Generally speaking, I hope his statement is true. Whether he should have written it is a different question. But if you are blogging regularly about stuff that a lot of guest bloggers are better at, maybe you shouldn’t be blogging in that niche.
On another issue, there is no hypocrisy here. The misuse of the term “hypocrisy” is one of my pet peeves, so I’m calling it out. (Not that I’m the BEST person to write about the misuse of words or anything…
)
Hypocrisy: the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform; pretense.
Unless the guy is just PRETENDING to think he writes better in his niche than his guest bloggers, it’s not hypocrisy at all. Thinking you’re the best writer on the planet isn’t hypocritical. And allowing less fabulous writers post on your blog isn’t either.
As for arrogance. Yup.
I am not a native English speaker so I forgive myself mistakes like these