Looking for a guest post guide, with tips and ideas to enhance your postings? I've gotcha covered. Check out these 11 tips for guest blogging so you can impress your host and reap the benefits on your own site as well!
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1. Genuinely connect + support
I cringe when I get an email that says, "Love your site! I'd like to guest post, " with basically nothing else in the message. Reach out to bloggers and try something a little warmer instead like, "I loved your post on XYZ. I went through XYZ and your post really made an impact because of XYZ. I'd really love to write a guest post for you!"
2. Write a pitch
Be professional and write a pitch! Any guest post requests that have grammatical or spelling errors in the message are always immediately wiped off my list of potential candidates. This is 2017! We have spell check, for crying out loud.
3. Propose your idea
Don't send them your entire blog post but send a short summary of the kind of blog post you have in mind. A good proposal could be what hooks them in, making them accept your request.
4. State benefits
Show them that their readers will benefit from your content because of certain experience or refreshing ideas you have. Bloggers are giving you their prime real estate for a short time when you guest post. Prove that it's an opportunity they don't want to pass up!
5. Thank you + accept answer with grace
Don't take it personally if you receive a polite, "Thanks but no," response. I've turned down requests in the past simply because I was in the middle of a product launch or on maternity leave and didn't have time to work with a guest blogger. You never know what's going on in their personal or business lives.
6. Only guest post in similar niches for target audience
If you take away nothing else from this post, please remember this tip forever! If you guest post on a site with a different niche than yours, it can be harder to convince that audience to become new fans of your site. They may or may not be interested in your niche.
Instead, guest post on blogs of a similar category and you'll already be introducing yourself to people who are looking for the kind of content you write.
7. Bring a freebie
I like to compare this tip to being a houseguest for someone offline. It's always nice when my friends bring a bottle of wine or small gift if they're staying with me. Practice the same mindset online!
The trick behind this is that everyone will be be benefiting. Your host is benefiting because you're bringing incredible content and a freebie (printout, checklist, etc.) for their readers. The readers are benefitting because they're getting a freebie. And you're benefitting because you will give them this freebie by linking back to your site and having them signup on your email list. Once they sign up, you'll send them the freebie in your confirmation email.
It's a win, win, win!
8. Thank the host
I think this tip comes from my southern/midwestern upraising. Always be polite and thank your host and their readers for welcoming you into their online space.
9. Provide a bio + call to action
I hate it when I read a post, thinking that it was written by the blog owner and theirs only a tiny little line saying it was written by a guest blogger.
Provide a short bio of yourself and your blog (a couple of lines at the most) and include a call to action for the readers. This call to action ties in with that freebie we talked about in number seven. Remind them again that they'll benefit by receiving it and leave a link where they can sign up.
10. Promote your guest posts on social media
Treat any guest post the same way you would treat your own blog posts. Promote them on all of your social media accounts and invite your own email list to hop on over and read the post.
11. Respond to every comment on the guest post
Give your host the day off and respond to all of the comments on your guest post. This takes a little bit of the stress away for your host and it gives you the opportunity to connect with a new audience.
Guest posting doesn't have to be overwhelming and I encourage you to follow this guide to make the process a bit easier to follow.