Guest blogging is really hot for businesses nowadays. It is really beneficial for all parties. It helps the business owner to introduce a greater volume of fresh content and it helps the guest blogger to gain valuable and widespread exposure.
Guest blogging rules
As a guest blogger, it is difficult at times to understand how to behave, what is expected of you, etc. When it comes to guest blogging, one of the most important things to remember is that the final word belongs to the person who owns to blog.
More and more people are starting to realize how valuable it is to be a guest blogger because of the amount of exposure that they get from it. With the wealth of blogs on the Internet, it is very possible to be a guest blogger for several different blogs and businesses and it is an excellent way to increase your exposure and boost your professional reputation.
Potentially, you can reap even more benefits if you guest blog. Many companies will be willing to pay you if you write them blogs.
The reason that many business owners are willing to pay is that they feel an obligation to constantly and frequently provide fresh content online and guest bloggers help them to do that.
Of course, the guest blogging market will become more and more competitive among blog writers, especially if there is money involved. There are other reasons as well for companies wanting to use guest bloggers:
- A link back to the business owner’s website: Guest blogs generally have a call-to-action with a link back to the blog owner’s website. That is an excellent way to generate new website traffic. The traffic, of course, will eventually turn into people who want to buy what is being offered.
- High-quality links: When a blog has high-quality links, the blog will be regarded positively by the search engines. The higher the business’s rankings, the more people will pay attention to that business and will want to interact with people working there.
- Great exposure to a large audience: When a guest blogger has an article that is posted on another blog, they will have the benefit of their audience reading the article as well as the audience of the blog owner. That blog has a great chance of also being shared on a much broader level and the greater the reach of the article, the better the brand awareness will be for the business that owns the blog as well as the blog writer’s business.
- Establishing a reputation as subject matter expert: If you are posting blog articles on specific topics (whether you wrote them or someone else wrote them), you are establishing yourself as a subject matter expert. The reason that this is so important is that you want people to think of you first the next time they have a professional need that you are able to fulfill. You want to be top of mind.
Getting your blog articles accepted
There are several different ways in which you can ensure that your blog article is accepted on someone else’s blog and if you use the tips that will be discussed, you should be able to achieve that quite easily.
- Always make sure that your links lead back to a good-quality website: This is critical to your success as a blogger. The chances are very high that your readers will click on the link that you provide in your blog article. The last thing that you want or need is to have the reader end up at a website that is not reputable or seems unprofessional. Basically, it is important that both ends be of the highest quality. In other words, the quality of your blog writing must be excellent and the website that is linked to your blog content must also be excellent. It is important to remember that there are two reputations on the line at all times: yours as the writer and the blog owner’s reputation as well.
- Be careful where you post: It is very important that you get involved with the blog for a while in some capacity before you actually become a guest blogger. You should develop a relationship with the business owner before you approach him or her about becoming a guest blogger. Your connection to that business should be solid and genuine.
- Get to know what the business and the business owner represents before you guest blog: The term “guilt by association” really applies in this situation. If you have gotten to know a particular business well, you will be able to determine whether you are a good fit for that business. It makes no sense to blindly submit blogs that you are hoping will be posted. There has to be a relevant connection between what you are writing and what they are selling.
- Sell your blog idea to the best of your ability: When you are discussing your idea for a blog article to a particular business, it is very important for you to give the blog owner an opportunity to get to know you to a point, whether that is through Email, on the phone or in person. There are some questions that the blog owner may ask you and you should be prepared with the answers. They are:
- Why do you want to guest blog for that specific blog?
- What is the subject of the blog article and why would it benefit that particular blog?
- Are you flexible about revising your blog article to suit the blog owner?
On the part of the blog owner, it is perfectly appropriate to request that he or she respond to you and let you know whether he or she has decided to publish your blog article. There is no reason why the blog owner shouldn’t at least read your article, even if it never gets published.
- Promote your blog article through social media channels: Once your article is posted on the other person’s blog, you should share it with all of your online connections, including social media groups and business directories, if appropriate.
Conclusion
You should consider guest blogging. It is a wonderful way to gain additional exposure and boost your professional reputation to great heights. Of course, you should also have your own blog and it is a great idea to encourage other people to contribute to your blog as well. One hand really does wash the other when it comes to online content.
So, go out and find guest blogging opportunities, of which there are many. Your content should be focused on your niche and your target audience will reach out and interact with you.
You need to have a different mentality when you are pursuing guest blogging opportunities. There is no reason why can’t open your mind to doing all sorts of exciting things with your expertise.