Blogs are as essential as websites for businesses today. A blog tells your story and lets the audience learn all about you. It keeps your followers updated about your brand. It is also an excellent way of maintaining direct communication with them.
Maintaining a blog is challenging though. You’ll need to spend a lot of time and effort crafting a good post. So why would you even do a guest posting? Read on and you will get the explanation.
What is Guest Posting?
Guest posting is when a blogger writes an article that’s posted on another person’s blog. You’re considered a “guest author” when you submit a post for another blog. This is an invaluable instrument for building up your reputation. You can get your name or brand mentioned to a new market. Your article will also include backlinks to your own blog or website.
One question that’s often asked is “how long should a blog post be?” There are two schools of thought here. Some say that guest posts should be anywhere from 500 to 1,000 words. But there are those who believe that it should be longer, like 2,500-words long. There’s data that indicates a longer form will give the page a better chance of ranking higher on Google.
Regardless of the length, your guest post should be on-topic. It should also be interesting, informative, and well-written if you want it to bring in the leads.
Top Reasons to Guest Post
- Build Relationships with Other Bloggers. Guest blogging is a way to build positive relationships with fellow bloggers. It’s a win-win situation. New bloggers can learn from pioneer bloggers and get the exposure they need.
Meanwhile, the other party gets some fresh and free content. Not all sites accept guest bloggers though. It’s up to you to verify and reach out to those who do.
- Raise Brand Awareness and Ranking. Guest blogging can help rank your blog on search engines. It also helps establish your credibility.
Data shows that almost 63% of consumers find blogs with several authors more credible. According to many established bloggers, guest posting is an incredible marketing strategy. It is best to work with relevant bloggers who are amenable to backlinking to your own blog in your guest post.
- Helps Establish Your Authority. It may take years to establish your blog before you become an expert on the field. By publishing high-quality guest posts on high authority sites, your voice gets heard. The goal is to whet the interest of this new demographic so they’ll click on your bio and check out your site.
Steps on Writing an Effective Guest Post
Determine Your Goal
The first thing you should do is set a goal. It should be attainable and measurable. For example, you want your post to give you more referral traffic or boost your search visibility. It’s also easier to select a topic to write about and where you want to publish it.
Pick Topics That Serve You
Your guest posting mission becomes successful if you set your focus on your content. Don’t think too much about what the publisher wants.
Choose topics that will help achieve your goal. Whether it’s to get more clients, generate leads, or improve your SEO performance.
Try mapping your planned content. Set a goal that you want to see come to fruition and your timeframe for doing it. Then select a topic that’s relevant to your niche and expertise. Look for the best keywords by using research tools like Ahrefs and SEMRush.
Look for Established and Reputable Blogs
Once you have your content planned out, start looking for the best blogs to publish your work. There are several ways to do this. You can use advanced search operators or a reverse image search. The latter entails using a photo of a popular blogger and using it to find sites they’ve published to. These sites might accept guest posts.
You can also use your competitor to lead the way. Check their backlinks to see where they’ve guest posted. You can Google “top websites for guest posting.”
Reach Out to Publications
Once you’ve made your list, it’s time to check the sites’ guidelines on guest posting. Read it well. When you’re ready, reach out and make your pitch. But make sure you’ve done your research and have checked that they don’t have a post like your idea.
Write Your Article
This is actually the easiest part of the process if you’re passionate about the topic. Set aside a specific time and start working on your article. Write at least 1,000 words but break them down into smaller paragraphs. Use images and graphs you’ve made and include quotes from influencers and experts. Link to your own content and to relevant articles of the publisher. You should also include your byline and an explanation about your expertise.
Best Practices When Writing a Guest Post
- Send your pitch to sites that accept posts from other writers. Time is money. You don’t want to waste your time pitching an idea to an editor or blogger who doesn’t want guest posts. There are a lot of guest blogging opportunities out there. You can search on Google or social media platforms.
- Channel your inner editor. You don’t want to give the editor a chance to doubt your capabilities. It’s why you should think like an editor. Look at your work with a critical eye. Check for grammar lapses. Consider the topic and how you presented it. Is it informative? Is it evergreen? The goal is to make the blog’s editor happy to vouch for you.
- Remember that there’s a place for small talk. It’s usually when you’re out socializing. Cut the small talk when you’re pitching your guest blogging services. You also don’t need it when coordinating with the editor. Let your writing do the talking instead.
- Give a new spin on a traditional topic. Don’t make the mistake of mimicking the same old advice or ideas. Put on your thinking cap and come up with a new discussion or slant on classic topics.
- Aim to be a valuable resource. You should come off as an expert on the subjects in your guest post. The goal is for your content to be unique and special. The editor must think you’re the only one who can give them that kind of Orlando SEO post. There’s a good chance they’ll invite you to write again if you appear as a trusted resource.
- Match your post’s style to the blog’s other content. Check the other posts on the website. If most are 1,000 words or more, then your article should be that long too. Pay attention to the number of images and types used as well. Adjust your article to match it.
Did the article teach you what is guest blogging? Great! You should also read our post on creating a content calendar.
Before You Go
Maintaining a blog is your road map to success, and we here at Tulumi Digital Marketing can help pave the way for you. We are a full-service digital marketing firm based in Florida. Our services include website design, content management, and social media marketing. Our team of experts is looking forward to helping you generate new leads and rank higher. You can call us at +1 (800) 481-1720 or email us at hello@tulumi.com.
