Credit: morguefile.com/kumarnm
Contributing guest posts to successful blog sites is an excellent way to make a name for yourself as an expert in your field.. Guest posts on popular sites give you exposure and build credibility.
Of course, you’ll want a body of work of your own online before you start offering guest posts. Any top blogger you pitch is likely to “google” you and you want the search results to work in your favor. Google yourself and if the search results are less than stellar, work on fixing your online presence with solid content before you pitch.
You’ll also want your social media profiles to be complete and up-to-date. Plus make sure the information on your own blog is current and that your last post wasn’t 3 years ago!
Pitching a blogger has some similarities to pitching traditional media. It’s important to do your research. Read their blog content and the comments they get. Don’t pitch ideas out of left field unless you can link them to the blog’s point of view and your own expertise. For example, if it’s an alternative health blog, how will your story about home-made dog treats help their audience?
When contacting a blog owner about guest posting, always make the email polite, short and right to the point. Introduce yourself, compliment their blog (a specific post reference is always good, so they know you’ve read it), indicate your expertise with links to your credentials and content, suggest a specific idea you could write a guest post about and also offer to write a post on a topic of their choosing. Ask for their thoughts and thank them for their consideration. That’s it!
Don’t be shy about pointing out what you’ve done. If you want higher visibility, you need to show you are an expert, not just tell. If you’re an author, say so and note where they can find your author profile, offer to send them your book, etc.
Also similar to traditional pitching, you will face rejection or get no reply most of the time. Patience, persistence and a thick skin will help you keep at it.
Create a target list of blogs you’d like to contribute to and aim to send out a handful of pitches daily. Keep track of the responses and don’t pester a blogger who does not respond or says no thanks.
Once a blogger does accept your offer, make sure your guest post is an excellent original with fresh ideas. You can certainly rewrite and repurpose content you’ve used before, but never send them the exact same post or article that has appeared elsewhere… and certainly never send a copy of someone else’s work as your own. Mon Dieu!
When your guest post appears live on the site, check in daily for about a week to respond to comments and answer questions. (Remember that thick skin and resist the urge to be defensive or get into a flame war with a negative commenter).
Ready to become a guest blogger?
Here are a couple resources to check out. Both connect blog owners and blog writers to leverage guest blogging opportunities:
Blogger LinkUp created by Cathy Stucker
My Blog Guest created by Ann Smarty
Happy Pitching!!
I’d love to know about your experience with guest blogging. Please leave a comment.