Guest blogging for other sites has so many benefits. Take a look at what you can gain from it AND how you can get started – easily and quickly, with these simple steps.
Exposure
When you post your content on other people’s sites, you’re gaining exposure for both them and you. You both benefit from the exchange – they get to give their readers extra content and you get your name in front of those readers – meaning further exposure for you.
Credibility
Guest blogging on a popular or better-known website, will improve your credibility. It can be difficult to get accepted on the more popular sites, but when you do, you’ll instantly benefit from that association. Those sites that are more popular than you, have built their credibility and expert status up over time – and your credibility instantly goes up, as you’re seen as being at a similar level.
Further opportunities
If a guest blog is particularly successful, there’s an increased chance of being able to work with that site or business at a later date. Whether that’s via a joint venture, affiliate scheme or if they invite you to write another guest post or become a guest speaker at their next event, guest blogging can be the start of a beautiful partnership.
How do you find places to guest blog on?
Now you know the benefits of guest blogging, how do you actually find places to guest blog on?!
Before you get started with guest blogging, you need to check you have two foundation pillars in place – you already have a social media presence and you have relevant content on your own site. You cannot expect someone to offer you a guest spot, if you have no online presence and you have no relevant content on your own site.
Once you’ve got those two base columns sorted, it’s actually pretty easy to find places you can guest blog for – the art is actually finding relevant places to guest blog on. Follow these simple steps to narrow down your selection and find your first guest blogging spot:
Step #1: Make a wish list
Start by making a list of people and sites in your niche area, people you may already know and those you’d like to be associated with. Remember to use your social media platforms to help jog your memory too – look at whose page you’ve liked and who you receive notifications from.
Step #2: Use your keywords
The next step is to go to Google and search your keywords. See what quality sites are on the first two pages of the search engine results – add them to your list. Also search your keywords on Twitter, to see what results you can glean from there.
Step #3: Watch for influencers
You can also make a note of people and authors who are influencers in your field, along with the different sites they write for.
Step #4: Look for those who accept submissions
Google your keywords and both the words and speech marks: “submission guidelines” to find those who actually accept submissions. If the sites you like don’t have any guidelines, ask!
Step #5: Check out the sites
Once you have a list, look into each of the sites. You want to discount those who have lots of spam, those who haven’t updated regularly and those who don’t have a social media presence.
Step #6: Ask!
Now you’ll want to submit a query to the site. Either email or use their contact form, submit your proposal and give them a reason to say yes – by sharing links to samples, letting them know the title and overview of your idea and why their readers will benefit!
Step #7: Don’t give up
If you don’t hear back within a week or two, follow up on your query. There could be any number of reasons why someone hasn’t responded, just don’t assume it’s because they’re not interested.
Finally, remember to actually help advertise both the content on the site you want to guest blog for AND your own guest post, when it’s live. Do everything you can to help promote them – and they’ll be eager to have you guest post again.
Have you started guest blogging or is it something you usually avoid? Why not get started – by making your way through these steps? Share your guest blogging success stories in the comments box below.
Image © xurzon/Dollar Photo Club
