The Newbie Guide to Guest Blogging

Author : | Category : Blogging | Last Updated :

We should all know by now that the backbone of your success online is getting your content out there. For most professionals and businesses, it’s a matter of getting into as many appropriate social networks as possible – generally including Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and their dedicated blog. More often than not, you can find some modest success even if you just limit your engagement to these specific channels.

But you don’t want modest success if your aim is to become the authority in a particular topic or to be the resource that search engines recommend when they search for answers. You want something more, which is why you need to go beyond your own blog and start guest posting on other people’s blogs.

Don’t know where to start? Here are a few tips:

First, figure out what your objectives are

Are you trying to become an industry authority? Is it all for getting people to visit your professional blog or business website? Or is it for brand exposure? Figuring out what you want guest blogging to do for you can help you figure out the kind of content that you’re going to provide – and it dictates the kinds of blog sites you need to post to. Some sites, for example, don’t allow contributors to associate themselves with specific brands. They can also be very picky when it comes to professional opinions; some don’t want dissenting beliefs posted on their blogs. Know your goals, and use them to find blogs.

Second, figure out where to post

Sometimes, finding guest blogging opportunities can be as easy as joining a blogger network like MyBlogGuest.Com or BloggerLinkup.Com. Most of the time, however, it can be very complicated – using relevant keywords to find related blogs on search engines, finding out where the big names and the competition post, and sifting through your network are the most common activities. After that, you need to sift through your choices to find which ones suit you: some treat guest posting like toll free numbers (that is, they let you post for free), some make you pay, and some pay you.

Third, figure out when to post

There are many guest blogging opportunities out there that allow you to post whatever article or topic you have available (like this site). It always helps, however, to take timing into account. For example, if the blog in question launches a theme week that is relevant to your interests, you can use that opportunity to pitch a topic to the blog owner. It’s even better if the blog in question made mention of you, your company, or your body of work – at which point, you can contact the blog editor and offer to do a guest post to expound on the element of your niche topic that they found interesting.

Finally, figure out ways to give back to the blog owner

While most tend to think that giving some people great content for their blog site is enough thanks, it’s always better to show your gratitude for the exposure by giving them something in return. The best way to do this is to provide them some exposure by posting about them on your own blog or social networks. You can even let them guest post on YOUR blog, to give their site authority a boost. The other thing you can do is to send other authoritative contributors their way, so they’ll have some great content bolstering their site reputation.

Do you like guest blogging? What other tips would you suggest?


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