You might be wondering about this topic. How do you share a guest post? How do you write a guest article?
I’ll answer your questions and more. But before I teach you how to submit a guest post and why accepting guest posts is useful, let’s first understand what it means…
What is a guest post?
A guest post (or guest article) is when you write something and it gets put on someone else’s guest blog.
It’s pretty simple.
Guest bloggers do this to help more people know about them and visit their own website (kind of like showing them the way).
Now, I have a video that can show you some tips on how to do guest posting. You can watch it below or just read this guest blogging article.
Decide What You Want to Do
First, decide what you want from guest posting. This is like picking your goal before you start playing a game. There are three main goals for guest posting.
1. Show that you know a lot and become a famous guest blogger on your topic.
2. Make more people visit your website through the guest post.
3. Make special links that go back to your website (but don’t focus too much on this, because Google doesn’t like it).
With good stuff on the best guest blogs, you can do all three of these things.
If you want #1 or #2, find blogs with lots of people reading them.
If you’re going for #3, find blogs that are really strong and famous. You can use tools like Ubersuggest to see this.
Knowing what you want will help you find the right guest blogs to share your guest posts.
How to Find Blogs to Share On:
First, you need to find places where you can share your guest articles. When you look for these places, you want to find websites that are like your topic or industry. Look for blogs that have these things:
• They talk about what you know about
• The people who read the guest blog will like your topic
• Many people read and talk about the guest blog (they share the posts and write comments)
• The person who owns the guest blog is active on social media (so they can tell others about your work on their website)
• If you’re selling seeds for plants, for example, look for blogs about gardening where people like gardening. These things will help you find the right places to share your guest posts.”
Search over the Google:
Google is a good way to start looking for places to share your guest posts. Use these words to find blogs that let you share:
Replace “words” with words that are about your topic.
keyword “submitting a guest post”
keyword “guest posting”
keyword “guest posted by”
keyword “guest post submissions”
keyword “criteria for guest posting”
You should be able to discover real guest posts written by other people or pages, along with instructions on how to submit a guest post, by using these specific searches.
Super Guest Writers:
Do you know about really good writers who share their work on other people’s websites about the same topic as you? If you read lots of blogs about your topic (which is a good idea), you’ll often see certain names that keep popping up in guest articles.
Some of the best writers in the field of marketing are Neil Patel, Jeff Bullas, Mark Traphagen, Tony Right, Jenny Halasz, Brian Harnish, Kevin Indig, Adam Riemer, Robyn Johnson, Benji Acciola, Kevin Rowe, Anna Crow, and Kirk Williams.
To find these amazing writers, use Google to search for their names along with the phrase “guest post by.” This will show you all the websites where they’ve shared their writing. Those websites are probably great places for you to write on as well. It’s even better if you know one of these writers personally. They might be able to help you connect with the blog owners they’ve written for.
Observe What Your Competitors Are Doing:
If you or someone helping you with online marketing has ever looked at what other businesses like yours are doing to improve their visibility on the internet, you might notice that they have links from guest posts.
If you have access to tools like Open Site Explorer, you can examine the links your competitors have and see if any of them come from blog posts they’ve written.
If you can’t find any, you can perform a search on Google.
Use the search query “link:domain.com -domain.com ‘guest post'” (replace domain.com with your website’s domain) to find websites where your rivals have contributed guest posts.
An Example:
link:backlink.io -ezinearticlesbase.com.com “guest post”
Easy Ways to Find Places to Write and Share:
Look on Social Media:
Many bloggers and individuals who write for other blogs often announce their new writings on social media. Twitter is a great place to start. Try searching for the term “guest post” on Twitter. This will show you the latest tweets about guest writing in your field. Just click the links to discover which blogs allow guest bloggers.
Search for Opportunities to Write:
Do you need more ideas or a comprehensive list of various places where you can write?
Read this article about 14 additional methods to share your writing.
Use My Blog Guest:
Last but certainly not least, there’s a platform called My Blog Guest. It’s like a community of people who contribute articles to other blogs. Sign up for free and search for blogs that are open to guest posts. Even better, you can let them know your interest in writing about a specific topic. This way, blog owners can easily find you!
Get Ready to Inquire:
We don’t just jump from discovering places to write to immediately contacting the blogs. There are a few things to do before you request to write for a blog you’ve just found.
Learn About the Blog:
Understanding the blog’s content is crucial. You know they cover the same subjects you’re interested in. But you need more information, like…
Who reads the blog (are they beginners, intermediate, or advanced readers)?
What type of audience reads the blog? If your business is B2B (business-to-business), then you want the readers to be other businesses rather than regular individuals.
What type of content do they prefer? Is it general topics or very detailed guides? Do they prefer lists?
Observe Other Writers’ Performance:
Just because a blog has guest writers doesn’t mean their posts are popular. Do readers like guest posts as much as the blog owner’s posts? Some blogs might accept guest contributions, but if most readers prefer the blog owner’s content, your writing might not perform well either if your goal is to gain recognition or drive traffic to your website.
Identify Guest Writers:
Certain blog owners prefer specific types of writers. Look at a few guest writer profiles on the blog. Are they bloggers, freelancers, consultants, business owners, etc.? This information helps when you introduce yourself to the blog owner and express your interest in writing for them.
Check Popular Posts:
To ensure your writing is well-received, choose topics that resonate with readers. To find inspiring ideas, check these platforms to see which posts have received significant likes and shares on social media.
Oktopus: Oktopus tracks and analyzes your social media activity.
Digg: This highlights the blog posts with the highest number of Digg votes.
Buzzer: Buzzer provides data and insights while scheduling your social media updates.
Become a Familiar Presence in the Blog Community:
To increase your chances of being a guest blogger, it’s important to become acquainted with the blog owner first. A simple way is to comment on their recent posts for a week or two. It’s even better if you share those posts on Twitter and mention the blog owner’s name with the “@” symbol. This way, when you request to write a guest post, you won’t be completely unknown.
Best Times to Ask for a Guest Blogging Opportunity
You might not always find the perfect time to request to write a guest post, but some moments are ideal. These include:
• When the blog mentions you in their posts or on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and so on.
• When the blog talks about you, your business, or your product in one of their posts.
• When the blog indicates their interest in having guest posts.
• When the blog publishes another guest article.
Proper Steps for a Polite Request:
Here are some essential things to keep in mind when you’re asking to write a guest blog post for another blog owner.
Read the Guidelines:
Before you approach the blog owner, carefully review any guest posting guidelines they may have. Follow these guidelines diligently. Do they want you to propose an idea or submit a complete post? What format do they prefer for the post? Should you create an account and upload it to their website? Familiarize yourself with these details before reaching out to the blog owner.
Personalize Your Email:
When I receive emails requesting to contribute a guest post on my blog, it’s more engaging when the email is addressed personally rather than starting with generic phrases like “Dear Sir or Madam,” “Hello, Webmaster,” or a simple “Hi.” Explore the blog to locate the name and contact information of the blog owner you wish to write for.
You might discover this information on the “about” page or through their social media profiles. Incorporate their name into your email.
Introduce Yourself:
Recall that you observed the guest writers on the blog to which you want to contribute. Some blog owners prefer to have other bloggers as guest contributors.
If you noticed that most guest writers are bloggers, introduce yourself as a blogger from [insert your blog name here]. It’s absolutely fine to also mention your role as a business owner, but for now, emphasize your skills as a blogger.
Why You’d Make a Great Guest Blogger:
When you express your interest in writing as a guest blogger, explain why you’d be an excellent fit. Share links to articles you’ve written elsewhere, even on your own blog. It’s even more impressive if these articles have received numerous likes and comments. This demonstrates to the blog owner that your content can provide value to their readers as well.
How to Propose a Guest Article Idea:
If the guest article guidelines require you to suggest a topic, brainstorm a few different ideas (based on what topics have been popular before) and present them to the blog owner.
How to Present an Exceptional Guest Article:
A common question about guest writing is whether you should offer your very best content for your own blog or a guest article. The answer depends on the quality of the blog to which you’re contributing.
If the blog typically features lengthy posts with many visuals, your article should follow suit. If the blog usually has concise posts with only one image, your article should align with that style. Here are some other valuable tips to ensure your guest article is top-notch.
It’s Not About Self-Promotion:
Keep in mind, an exceptional guest article isn’t about promoting your business, products, or services. Guest articles should provide valuable information and assistance, not advertisements.
Reserve information about your business for your author bio. While it’s acceptable to mention your business to some extent, the majority of your article should focus on providing relevant content.
Match the Blog’s Style:
Observe articles on the blog to where you intend to contribute. Do they utilize prominent headings, bold text, images, quotes, or other distinctive styles? Ensure your article aligns with its formatting.
Incorporate Internal and Source Links: Demonstrate your familiarity with the blog’s content by including links to their articles. Identify their top articles by searching “site:domain.com in the title keyword” on Google. If their article discusses a similar topic, link it to your post. If you mention products, books, etc., include links to those resources (unless they pertain to you).
Encourage Comments:
After your fantastic post, invite readers to share their thoughts in the comments section. More discussions about your post are truly beneficial!
Craft an Engaging Bio:
The utmost importance in guest writing lies within your bio. This is your opportunity to mention your website, blog, endeavours, or offerings. What you include here hinges on your purpose for guest writing.
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Steps for an Effective Bio:
Incorporate a link to your website.
If you want people to explore your site, include a link with the text you’d like them to click.
Design a page that resonates with readers.
If you aim to drive traffic to your site, consider where you want them to land. Depending on your content and the blog’s readership, you might direct them to a specific page or one highlighting your offerings.
Integrate your social profiles:
For those seeking more social media followers, append a line such as, “Follow me on (insert your social media and link here).”
Compose a concise, clear bio.
Next, briefly describe yourself and explain why you’re equipped to pen a guest post. Discuss your current role and endeavours that could interest readers.
How to Excel as a Guest Writer:
If you aspire to be a prolific contributor to a blog or wish to garner the blog owner’s favour, ensure you promote your post to your followers. The blog owner will appreciate your efforts in driving new readers to their platform.
Furthermore, engage with comments or queries left by readers on your post. This aids in establishing your expertise on the subject matter.
Assess Your Performance:
When seeking increased readership, it’s prudent to gauge the impact of your guest writing. Google Analytics is your best ally in this endeavour.
Refer to this post on discovering the origins of your website traffic for guidance. Simply create a dedicated section in Google Analytics to track the sources of your guest post readers. This enables you to ascertain whether your guest writing is effectively drawing visitors and prompting engagement on your site.
If you’re uncertain about tracking user behaviour on your site, consult this guide on obtaining valuable data.
Reciprocity in Guest Writing:
Remember, guest writing is a two-way street. Juggling contributions for your blog and others can be challenging.
Reach out to the blog where you’ve written and propose a reciprocal arrangement for them to contribute to your blog. This infuses new content into your blog and enhances your understanding of your readership. Additionally, you might attract new followers from their audience. It’s a win-win situation!
Last Lines:
Contributing to renowned blogs can significantly boost your visibility. To secure opportunities, present captivating ideas that showcase your expertise.
Guest writing is just one facet of elevating your content quality. Should you require assistance with your content strategy, our team is at your service. Do you engage in guest writing as part of your online strategy? What other advice do you have for businesses seeking to excel in guest writing?