A Week of Opinions: Ghostblogging is Smart

a-week-of-opinions-ghostblogging-is-smartGhostblogging is the process of paying someone else to write blog posts for you. There has been talk in the blogosphere about whether or not this is ethical. I say blergh to those people who think it is not.

When businesses blog as a part of their company’s marketing campaign, hiring someone to write the posts for them is not unethical. In fact, it’s smart.

Understanding the importance a blog has on a company today is essential. This ties into to Monday’s post so I won’t go on a big long soapbox again, you can just scroll down to read it. But I will say that one of the most common excuses I hear from companies on why they are not blogging is they just don’t have the time.

I understand that sentiment, I really do. There is hardly enough time to get work you get paid for done, so how are you going to find the time to blog?

That’s why ghostblogging is so smart. If you didn’t have time to finish a project for a client, you’d call in a freelancer, so why is blogging any different?

What a lot of people don’t seem to understand is just because someone else is writing your blogs that doesn’t mean it can’t have your voice, your opinion, and your content.

Developing a relationship with a ghostblogger and working with them in the beginning to make sure they understand the tone you are trying to set will ensure that you get to kick blogging off your overly crowded to-do list, while still getting the end product you want.

As a ghostblogger, I know that listening to a company and delivering blog posts that reflect their voice can be done and done effectively. It just takes some time in the beginning to get to know each other, and the rest is smooth as silk pie.

While this opinion may be more controversial than some of my others, I stick by it. Blogging is too important to a small business to not be able to delegate.

What do you think? Do you agree that ghost blogging is ethical?

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3 comments

  1. I also don’t see the problem with ghostblogging. As a media relations practitioner, I’m always writing things and actually directly attributing it to another person through the use of quotes! I don’t see much difference.

    As for credit, I agree there too. If you take on work as a ghostblogger, you should be okay with not getting the credit. I take issue when there is a disconnect between the practice of the company and the blog content. Proper tone and voice is all well and good, but what about when the blog presents expertise and thought that isn’t present in the company? I think that is misrepresentation.

  2. I think ghostblogging is fine. I think where people get upset about it is that they feel that the person who actually writes the posts should be the one getting “credit” for writing the post. I only see that being a problem if the person writing the posts is not being compensated for the ghostblogging they are doing.

    1. Hi Charity,

      I totally agree. If you think you’re going to get credit and don’t, that’s not right. But if you understand the deal going in, then that’s what ghostblogging is all about.

      Thanks for the comment!

      Rebecca

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