Post exchanges and more: What are your thoughts on contributing free posts?

Marketing is all about getting your name out there. Anyone can create a blog, writers make the blog worth reading, graphic designers create visual euphoria but traffic is an issue with that each blog owner has to worry about. The Huffington Post ruffled a few feathers the wrong way once it was sold for a pretty hefty amount, leaving the owner richer and the writers questioning why they didn't see a penny of the profits. With this wave, this has left a few bloggers questioning why they would contribute free content to another owner's blog without the possibility of upfront payment, adsense linking or some form of compensation that would suffice for their efforts. Do you feel that contributing to someone else's blog is worth your time? Do you think contributing will help in the long run?

 

Of course I think contributing to someone else's site/blog is worth my time. I like to help out sites I think deserve it, not only do things purely for the money.

And if the site I post on gets sold, I'll still keep supporting it (unless the new owner doesn't bother managing it properly).

 

I'll only contribute to someone's blog if I have something of value to add.
If I have something of value to add I would hope it helps in the long run.
Exposure is far more valuable than a few dollars for the effort.

 

Very true but there are aspects of professionalism that you both may exhibit that others may not. If you created or managed a blog, would you allow free contributions to be allowed. If you were to read one of the free contributions, a contribution that was simply placed on the blog for the backlinking with poorly written content, would you remove the article from your blog or would you send out a general letter to the author advising them you are removing the content because it violates the level of quality you expect on your site?

I think my question just went beyond just the simple scope of contributing, lol. I want to know your stances on advising someone their content isn't up to the standards you require on your blog and how you would handle rejecting the information even after it went " live" and generated minimal interest with your readers.

 

I have my blogs and articles set to where I have to approve any material before it is posted.
If you're asking if I allow poor quality material, I don't. For any reason.
If you want to post shit keep it in the forums. That's why they exist.
Blogs and articles are for quality material and they are often on the index page so they are what people see first.
I personally won't give the impression that my site caters to the Beavis and Butthead crowd.
"Yea, Dude! This Rox!" is not my idea of adding something of value to the content.
How do I handle it? I move it to the appropriate location.
If I have to explain why it was moved the member isn't smart enough to understand the explanation anyway.