Are you thinking of guest posting to increase your visibility, attract more customers, or improve your site’s authority? If so, this guide can help you learn how to find blogs in your industry, contact them, and write guest posts.
What is Guest Post?
Guest posting, also called guest blogging, just means writing and publishing an article on someone else’s website—ideally in your same niche—with the goal of reaching a wider audience, improving search engine rankings, and establishing your brand as an authority.
Why Guest Post?
There are a number of benefits to contributing to other websites, including:
- Authority: Regularly contributing to sites in a specific industry will establish you as someone knowledgeable and trustworthy.
- Exposure: Being seen regularly can make your name and business familiar to those who might eventually seek out your products or services.
- Connections: Guest contributions can build beneficial relationships with other bloggers in your field.
- SEO: There can still be SEO and link building benefits to guest posting, although they should not be your primary motivation.
The Five-Step Process to Guest Posting Success
- Identify Your Niche and Goals
Take some time to consider:
- What niche or niches do you want to contribute to?
- How will contributing improve your business?
- How will you leverage the extra attention that guest blogging brings?
- What are your goals for guest blogging?
- Are there any sites where you won’t contribute?
- How much time will you spend on guest posting?
- Find Target Websites
- Do a web search for keywords most relevant to your niche or intended topic + “blog.”
- Look for sites that accept guest posts (usually indicated by having guest authors or a “contribute” page).
- Research, Pitch, and Get Accepted
- Research the sites you want to write for:
- What kinds of posts do they publish?
- Do they accept guest posts?
- What is their guest posting policy?
- Crafting a Winning Pitch:
- Personalize: Research the target blog and tailor your pitch to their audience and content style.
- Highlight Expertise: Showcase your knowledge by suggesting relevant guest post topics.
- Provide Samples: Include links to 2-3 strong guest posts you’ve written.
- Structure your Pitch:
- Briefly introduce yourself and your experience.
- Mention why you’re reaching out and the blog you admire.
- Propose 2-3 guest post ideas aligned with their content.
- Include links to your previous work.
- Conclude with a polite request for their consideration.
- Craft a short, to-the-point email to each website. Be honest about being new to guest blogging if that’s the case.
- Write and Deliver Your Post:
- Adhere to Guidelines: Follow the specific style and formatting guidelines provided by the host blog.
- Offer Unique Value: Provide fresh insights, data, or actionable strategies that haven’t been covered before.
- Optimize for SEO: Include relevant keywords naturally throughout the content.
- Structure for Readability: Use subheadings, bullet points, and images to break up text and enhance readability.
- Include Internal Links: Link to relevant articles within the host blog’s website.
- Link to Your Site: Include 1-2 high-quality backlinks to relevant pages on your website.
- Proofread Meticulously: Ensure flawless grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
- Post-Publication:
- Thank the Editor: Express gratitude to the editor for the opportunity to contribute.
- Engage with Comments: Respond to comments left by readers on the guest post.
- Promote on Social Media: Share your guest post on your social media channels and tag the host blog.
- Link Building Strategy: Link to your guest post from other relevant articles you write.
- Follow up with the website owner to thank them after your post is published.
Advanced Guest Posting Techniques:
- Guest Posting on High-Authority Websites:
- Highlight the significance of guest posting on websites with high domain authority (DA) to improve SEO.
- Briefly mention strategies to find high-DA websites that accept guest posts (e.g., SEO tools like Ahrefs).
- Building Relationships with Editors:
- Emphasize the importance of building long-term relationships with editors for potential future collaborations.
- Briefly suggest methods to nurture these relationships (e.g., commenting on their blog posts, engaging on social media).
- Repurposing Guest Post Content:
- Explain how to repurpose guest post content into other formats (e.g., infographics, videos) to expand reach.
- Tools and Resources:
- Include a section listing helpful tools and resources for guest blogging success.
- This could encompass keyword research tools, SEO tools, writing apps, and free image resources.
Call to Action:
- End with a compelling call to action, encouraging readers to take the next step.
- This could be prompting them to download a guest blogging checklist, subscribe to your email list, or contact you for guest blogging opportunities.
Remember:
- Maintain a professional tone throughout the article.
- Use bullet points and short paragraphs to enhance readability.
- Include relevant statistics or data to support your claims.
- Regularly update the article to reflect the latest SEO trends and best practices.
In Conclusion
Guest blogging can be a powerful way to grow your reputation, increase traffic to your website, and improve your writing skills. By following these tips, you can increase your chances of success.
