Guest blogging has become very popular due to the changes that Google deems to be acceptable when it comes to Search Engine Optimization (SEO.) With many of the older methods now illegal, people have turned to guest blogging as a way to build traffic and backlinks to their website.
The way I use guest blogging isn’t for its SEO purpose because when you think like that you begin to write too robotic. You then no longer write for an audience of people. Do it to benefit other bloggers who are in the same niche as you. Your reward for bringing a unique perspective to them is an influx of traffic.
But… Guest blogging is difficult. Just not as hard as you think.
If you think you need to be a well-known author first, you’re wrong. Anyone can do it. When I say anyone I really do mean it. Even if not a single person on earth has heard of you before, you have a chance at guest blogging.
How? All it really takes is the first step, sending them an email. It’s simple in theory, but there are several things you need to keep in mind when looking for prospective blogs.
Here’s what you need to know to give yourself an advantage:
The majority of “writers” lack basic grammar skills.
If you have a good grip on basic grammar you’ll stand out more. You don’t have to be someone who graduated with a degree in writing or anything. Blogging is very casual.
People are rude and all they can talk about is “me, me, me.”
When you email blogs you want to write for look to see if they have guidelines available. Follow every single instruction closely. If you don’t then it will show a lack of respect on your part.
Also make sure you’re not talking about yourself throughout the whole email. Be genuine and tell them about how their audience will find your content engaging because it’s relevant to them. This isn’t true? Then you’re looking at the wrong blog or you’re writing content that would be better off on another blog.
Bloggers are more willing to talk to you than you think, even people you think are “too busy.”
What’s the worst that could happen if you get turned down? Shot to the ego, that’s about it. But if you sit on it and do nothing you end up with nothing anyway.
I personally prefer the emailing method because I like conversing and bonding with people who share the same interests as me. Then I offer to write a guest post for them when I think I have something their audience would really benefit from. It’s a relationship, so treat it like one.
Finding Guest Post Opportunities
Aside from Google and blogs that you already follow, you can make life easier by looking at websites actively advertising as guest post-friendly. My Blog Guest is a community of guest bloggers where you can sign up and search for blogs that accept guest posts. You then pitch them your article and get in touch. Keep in mind what I was saying above about maintaining a relationship.
Another popular option is Blogger Linkup where you can fill out a form, follow its instructions, and be put on a list to be contacted by bloggers.
However, emailing isn’t the only way to find guest posts. There are networks that make guest blogging a lot more streamlined and automatic when it comes to finding opportunities.
PostJoint allows blog owners to submit their website to their database and wait while other writers create the content and propose it to them.
They moderate and manually confirm each blog owner and guest blogger to ensure each user comes from a high-quality background, minimizing risks for both parties.
Higher PageRank (PR) blogs may ask writers to pay a fee to be published, but writers can choose whether or not they want to pay. Generally getting published for free will limit options to lower PR blogs.
The way it works:
1. Guest bloggers submit the post(s) they’d like to see featured on another blog in their niche.
2. Blog owners go through posts until they find one they’re interested in. They are able to read an excerpt of the article and can contact the writer to offer a price to publish.
3. The guest blogger can receive up to 5 different offers and he or she chooses the most appealing.
4. The blog owner who was chosen can then see the full piece, contact the writer, and figure out the best way to work together.
It’s more automated in that you can sit back to wait for offers from relevant niches come to you.
There are tons of different strategies you can use to start guest posting more often. Regardless of what you go with, you still have to take the step and not worry about getting a “no.”
Don’t ever forget that guest blogging should benefit both you and the blog owner. Yes, you’re aware you’ll get more traffic. They know this too. But you should focus on quality and building relationships. Trust me when I say long-term bonds will help a lot more in the future than a small spike in traffic.
| Written on 8/16/2013 by Vincent Nguyen. Vincent Nguyen is the author of Self Stairway, a fast-growing self-improvement blog. He grew his website using guest blogging using the exact methods he described in this article. Follow Vincent on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. |
Photo Credit: C4Chaos
