There are numerous ways to promote and drive traffic to a website. In this post, I will walk through how to do guest blogging and the dos and don’ts of doing guest blogging. Because guest blogging is one of the best ways to improve your SEO, get on the top of search engine rankings, and get quality traffic.
Guest blogging is incredibly helpful in getting you better search engine rankings and attracting new visitors from organic searches.
This is because guest blogging boosts your website’s credibility.
It also showcases your personal expertise in your particular niche and builds the trust of your potential customers and clients.
There are numerous reasons for doing guest blogging.
In short, it helps you build traffic and target traffic from the top search engines. It gives your website a push forward in the SERPs. It enhances your credibility as an expert in your particular field. You’ll be able to get backlinks, traffic, exposure, and brand awareness at the same time.
However, you need to realize that not all guest posts work.
The reason?
When it comes to guest blogging, there are some things you should do and others you should avoid if you want to get positive results.
In this article, I will discuss how to do guest blogging the right way so that you can get better results from your guest blogging efforts. This is going to be a complete guide on how to do guest blogging starting right from the beginning.
I’ve split this guide into different sections. Each section will focus on one major aspect of guest blogging. By the time you are done reading this guide, I guarantee that you’ll be able to publish high-quality guest posts that can help you get more traffic, authority, and finally more conversions.
So, without further ado, let’s get to it!
What is Guest Blogging?
Guest blogging is the process of creating content for another website with a backlink to your own site. In other words, you will be writing a blog post on another person’s blog with a link pointing to your blog or website.
When you guest blog for someone else’s blog, they will usually link to your website or blog in their author box. This is an important part of guest blogging.
Now, before you start guest blogging for others’ blogs, it is important to know what kind of blogs accept guest posts and which ones don’t. You see, not every blog out there is willing to accept guest posts. Lucky for you, it’s not difficult to know which blogs accept guest posts. I’ll show you how to do that in a moment.
The Benefits of Guest Blogging
The main benefit of guest blogging is the backlink you’ll get from the other person’s blog. The greater the value or domain authority of your guest post publishing site, the more valuable this backlink will be. It can naturally help boost your search engine rankings, which means more organic traffic for your website.
Also, it introduces you to a new audience. If your post is published on another blog, it exposes you to the blog’s existing readership. These could be people who would never have known about your website otherwise.
It sends you high-quality traffic from the other site’s audience.
You’ll be guest posting on sites in your niche or one that’s very similar and related to yours. This indicates that the visitors who find your blog through that post are likely to be interested in the same things you are. As a result, they are more motivated to stick to your site than someone who is not interested in the topic.
Guest blogging is also an effective way to develop relationships with other bloggers in your industry. Because you’re writing for another person’s blog, this will help you establish authority and trust amongst the other bloggers.
The more guest posts you publish, the more valuable you are to other bloggers. If they have valuable guest posts on their blogs, they will want something equally valuable in return. This is your chance to build an audience and set yourself apart from other bloggers in your niche.
Finally, it establishes your credibility as someone who knows what they’re talking about. You become an authority on the subject. Doing it on your own blog is enough, but being able to talk about it on other, larger sites must mean something.
Now, I know what you’re thinking.
You’re imagining having to do a lot of hard work and no one will appreciate it, not even the people whose blogs you’re guest blogging for.
How will it benefit you?
Well, there’s no doubt about the fact that guest blogging can be hard work. But, if done right, you can get plenty of benefits from guest blogging.
So, enough of the benefits for now.
Let’s move on to how to find guest blogging opportunities.
Find Guest Blogging Opportunities
First of all, you need to know what kind of sites you want to be guest posting for. They should be in your niche or in related ones.
So, if your blog is about health, you should only target health-blogs blogs.
If your site is about food, guest posting on other food blogs is a good idea. You may also write for travel websites that specialize in food from across the world or have a food section. You could also look into nutrition or fitness blogs.
There are several ways to identify blogs where you can start guest blogging. But, you know what? The most important thing is to always be aware of the types of blogs or websites for which you wish to write.
There are thousands of blogs out there, and each one can help you grow your readership. However, while each of them has the potential to be exceptional, some are superior to others. You should look for blogs with authority and a real readership. You want people to interact with your blog when they come to it.
Quote: “The most important thing is to always be aware of the types of blogs or websites for which you wish to write.”
How to find blogs to guest post for?
First of all, check out the websites that are already linking to your blog. The ones with similar readerships could be good options.
Read – A Beginner’s Guide to Starting & Monetizing Your Blog
Use Google Search
You can even try using Google to find top blogs in your industry. Google is truly an excellent place to begin your research for blogs where you can guest post. But, you have to make sure that the blog has good authority.
Here are some keywords that will help you in discovering blogs or websites that accept guest posts, along with guest posting guidelines:
- your keyword + guest posts
- your keyword + become a contributor
- your keyword + bloggers wanted
- your keyword + submit an article
- your keyword + contribute
- your keyword + become an author
- your keyword + guest post by
- your keyword + accepting guest posts
- your keyword + guest post guidelines
- your keyword + submit a guest post
This should lead you to the guest post guidelines pages, to other guest posts, or to guest post submission pages.
Search on The Blogs You Visit
Big blogs are also a fantastic place to look for other blogs that accept guest posts. Some of them have a page dedicated to “contributions” or “where I’ve been published.” You can discover a list of all the sites for which they have guest posted, and this could be an opportunity for you to do the same.
Others have a list of their favorite blogs page, which is also beneficial.
From here, you may browse the blogs to see which ones are now accepting guest contributions or have done so in the past.
You can discover new blogs this way.
Some websites may not make it clear whether or not they accept guest posts right immediately. I would consider searching for a “guest post” term using the blog’s search tool. This is how you will be able to discover the guest posting guidelines as well as guest articles from other authors if any.
It may also take you to a page stating that guest posts are not accepted at this time or in the future. But, if it doesn’t mention anywhere on the page that they don’t accept guest posts, there’s always a chance.
Not Every Blog Will Do
After you’ve discovered blogs that allow guest posting, you’ll need to figure out which ones you should try to get a guest post on.
In an ideal world, you’d like a blog with more authority and a higher ranking than yours. But you also want blogs with a lot of engagement.
What you’re searching for are blogs with a real following and actual readers. People that read the blog and also leave comments… If they enjoy what they see on your blog, they are the types of folks that will stick around.
It simply means that you don’t want blogs that accept any and all submissions. This isn’t going to help you in any way. Because if they cover a wide range of topics, you’re unlikely to attract a real following.
You’re looking for blogs with a specific audience and that carefully consider the guest posts they accept. These are the ones that will actually bring visitors to your website. And, that’s what you are looking for, right?
Approach a Blog for Guest Post
Finding blogs to approach may take some time, but it is a simple procedure. When you have to approach the blog owner, the difficult part begins.
You want them to read your email and be so impressed that they want you to contribute a guest article to their blog.
This is the most difficult aspect.
Imagine someone approaches you with something like this:
“Hello, blog,
I am John and I like your blog. I want to write a guest post for you. I can write awesome content that your readers will love. think it will benefit both of us.”
When a blogger receives an email like that, they are unlikely to respond or offer you a guest post. This email indicates that the person who sent you the email did not even bother to read your blog.
Even worst if you sent a mass email asking for a guest post.
Never ever do that!
Instead, you want to be very different.
You want the blogger on the other end to feel special.
You can go about this in a couple of different ways.
First, you can find a common link between you and the blogger. It doesn’t have to be a mutual friend or a previous guest post on another blog. You can both belong to the same organization, city, or college alumni.
Even if they don’t have anything in common with you, it’s still possible to make them feel special. Yes, you have to put in some effort here, but it’s worth it.
You can do this by complimenting them on their blog posts. Tell them that you loved a specific article or that you’ve shared it on all your social media profiles.
Even if the blogger doesn’t know you personally, they likely know that their articles are being shared. Appreciation goes a long way, especially within the blogging community. Just make sure that it’s not your only approach!
Before You Approach a Blog
Follow these three steps:
Step 1: Read the blog
You should read the blog in order to know how to approach the person properly. Take a look at what they’ve written and how they’ve written it. What were the topics they discussed? What exactly are they missing out on?
What kinds of articles do they publish? Do they prefer short or long posts? Are they publishing opinion-based blog posts, educational posts, or solely first-hand experiences? You must have a clear understanding of what the blogger might want to see on his or her website.
You must browse through it to determine who they are, who their audience is, and what they want to achieve with their blog in order to determine how you can assist them and how a guest post from you will benefit them.
Step 2: Read the guest post guidelines
Read the guest post guidelines carefully if they have any.
Nothing is more frustrating than receiving an email and discovering that the sender hasn’t even looked at your blog.
Most blogs include guidelines that state how you should approach them. If you contact them by email or through their website’s contact form. You can usually find out what kind of posts they accept and what they need.
It is critical that you read it to ensure that you understand everything. You will be automatically denied if you do not comply.
Some will tell you whether they want you to provide them with 2 or 3 topic ideas, while others will ask you to send them the post.
Step 3: Let them know who you are
You might go to their site and leave insightful comments before requesting a guest post so that they remember your name.
You can do the same thing on social media.
Be present on their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or whichever social media platform works best for them.
This way, you won’t be a complete stranger when you approach them. They’ll remember you as someone who pays attention to what they’re saying and makes thoughtful comments. It’ll make it easier to invite you onto their blog.
If that doesn’t work, then offer to help them in a different way. You could offer to promote them on all your social media profiles. Offer to help them in a way that they’ll appreciate. If you’re polite and willing to help them, then they’ll more than likely be happy to work with you!
When You Approach a Blog
After you’ve completed your research, it’s time to request a guest post. This is the most crucial step, and it must be done the right way.
Always be friendly
In your pitch, always be friendly.
Even if you’re offering them a guest article, you’re essentially requesting a favor. No one is going to help you out if you’re rude.
Make sure you know who you’re writing to.
Find out the blogger’s or person’s name you’re approaching. This is the bare minimum that you should accomplish.
Because no one likes being greeted with phrases like “Hey,” “To the owner,” or “Dear webmaster.” Take the time to look up the person’s name. The majority of the time, it’s as simple as visiting the about page.
Personalize your pitch
It’s also crucial to personalize your emails, not just with the blog owner’s name, but also with what you write.
If you have a pre-written email that you use to respond to all guest post requests, get rid of it! You should always personalize your email.
You can use the same framework for every email, but the content should always be appropriate for the individual you’re writing to.
Tell them what you like about their blog, or about a particular blog post, and how it has impacted your life. This kind of personal touch will leave a lasting impression. And it’ll be easier for them to say “yes” because you’ve demonstrated that you’re a real person. Be clear about what they can expect from you.
If you’re requesting a guest article, for example, tell them exactly what you want to write about. This will give them an idea of what they can expect. If your selected topic is interesting, then it’ll be easier for them to say “yes.”
Who are You?
Introduce yourself. They will also want to know who you are if you are a blogger yourself or what is it that you do.
Let them know that you are not just randomly sending an email. Tell them how you have come across their blog or the article they wrote, what it is about their blog post that caught your attention, and how you would like to work with them.
Let them know about your blog and link to your website.
They will probably want to know what kind of content you publish. Most bloggers will allow guest posts from other bloggers rather than from any random writer. Let them know if you’ve written for other well-known sites. Don’t brag about it, but make sure they know about it. As a writer, this will boost your credibility.
Talk about benefits
Tell them why they should choose you to be a guest blogger. What you can do to help their site and what they’ll get out of it. Add links to posts you’ve written, ideally the ones that have a lot of traffic and are on prominent sites.
If they want topic ideas, give them two or three that would work for their blog. Tell them why you think they’ll be a good fit. Look for topics that they are missing but that would fit on their site, topics that would complement another blog or things that they would require assistance with.
But always be nice, be human and never be arrogant.
Remember that you are asking for a favor. A guest post has a much higher chance of being published when the blogger actually likes you.
So, now you know everything you need to know before approaching the blogger. Now I’ll offer you a quick outline for writing your perfect email.
How to Write the Perfect Email?
Writing the perfect email is a pretty simple task. You won’t have to write an email from scratch every time you approach a blogger for a guest article, but you should work on improving your email every time.
Here are a few tips for writing a perfect email:
- Be personal.
- Remember to use the blogger’s name. Introduce yourself and tell them why you’re interested in working with them.
- Always use the blogger’s first name when greeting him or her.
- Please start by introducing yourself. Tell them what you do and why you started your blog. Tell them where you wrote and include a link.
- Talk about their blog. What do you enjoy, and which post has had the most impact on your life… Let them know you’ve been reading the blog.
- Make suggestions for topics you’d want to contribute to their blog. Make good headlines and be specific about what you want to write about.
- Keep it short and sweet. They get a lot of emails and don’t have time to read your entire biography.
Finally, make sure your emails are well-written and free of grammatical errors or any spelling issues. You can use free grammar checker apps like Grammarly. It is the first impression of your writing skills. So, it must be good.
Read – How to Write Professional Email?
Write The Best Guest Post
To write the best guest post, you’ll need to be clear about what you’re going to write. You already have a couple of ideas from the previous steps, but you should have a more detailed plan by now.
- What will be the main point of your article?
- What kind of images will you use?
- How long should it be?
You should know the answer to all these questions before you start working on your guest post. Focus on one big idea and expand on it throughout your post. Make sure the idea is clear and easy to follow for the readers.
Include images wherever you can. If you don’t own an image from the web, it will be best if you can add a link to its source.
Write posts that are between 1000 and 2,500 words or more or follow the guest posting guidelines of the blog you want to contribute to.
Finally, always look for a way you can add more value to the blog post. Guest posts should be at least as good as your own. You want to draw readers in with this post, and you want them to visit your blog.
Here are a few tips for writing a great guest post:
- Write a good headline.
- Write for humans.
- Don’t write about yourself. Write for the reader
- Try helping out the other blog
- Don’t try to “sell” your website in the article.
- Include images wherever you can.
- Be informative and helpful.
- Take care of the grammar and punctuation
- Be attentive to the guidelines
- Use grammar checker apps like Grammarly
- Make sure you read all the rules and follow them exactly.
- Add your bio with a link back to your site
- Don’t be pushy
- Be kind and respectful
The above-mentioned points will help you with guest blogging and you will be a good fit for the blog you are guest blogging. Guest blogging is all about being a good fit for the blog you are guest posting for. Always remember to thank the blogger for considering your article and their time.
Don’t copy and paste the same email to every blogger when sending them an email with your final draft. Make your email stand out from the crowd.
Quick Note:
- Don’t lie in your email.
- Be honest and sincere in your approach.
- Do not abuse the blogger’s time.
- Reply politely when you get a rejection.
- Do not try to sell your blog in the first email itself. It can be a turn-off for a blogger who receives lots of guest posts daily.
- Always remember that you are writing this article for the sake of the blog and not just to get backlinks.
- Put your best content out there. Because that is what is going to make people click on your links or wonder who wrote them.
If you read the guest post guidelines properly, you’ll find out what you get in exchange for your guest post.
It’ll usually be a link back to your site in the author’s bio, with one or two links to a blog post on your blog, also, to your social media networks.
Make sure you put them to good use.
Your guest posts should include links pointing back to the best blog posts on your site. It should be to post about the subject of your article.
Make sure people stick around once they’ve arrived on your blog and are reading your best articles. They should also be able to sign up for your newsletter, receive your free product, or get the best recommendations.
Most visitors will only come to your site once. So, at the very least collect their email address so you can remind them of your existence.
That way, they’ll be more likely to REMEMBER your blog for a long time.
You’ve put in a lot of effort to get your guest post published. So, you have to make it count and make the most of the traffic you get from it.
Track Your Guest Post Inquiries
You’ll have to pitch a lot of people to get guest blogs. If you pitch 20 people, you might get one post, especially in the beginning.
With so many websites out there, it’s important to keep track of which ones you’ve already pitched, which ones aren’t accepting, which ones will accept articles again in the future, and which ones you’ve already received a guest post from.
I keep track of all the names of the blogs to whom I’ve sent an inquiry in an excel spreadsheet. This ensures that I don’t contact the same website again and again.
Every time you send a pitch to a blog, add it to your excel sheet. Make sure you update your excel sheet with the details of the guest post availability and other details before contacting them again.
Here’s what you can include in the spreadsheet:
- Blog name and URL
- Date of first contact with the blogger
- Expected guest post publishing date
- Confirmation of whether they have responded or not
- Date of guest post-publication
- What responses do you get from the blogger
- Your name and website if they link to you in the author’s bio
- Websites that are not accepting guest posts anymore also go in the document because you might try them again sometime in the future.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to track all your guest posts.
It makes life so much easier if you know which blog you can contact regarding a possible guest post at any point in time.
You can use a simple excel sheet or even your Gmail account to track all guest post submissions and their details, using Google sheets.
Once my guest post is published, I also copy-paste the post into an excel sheet. I find it easier than writing it down in my notes. Also, I update my Excel sheet every time I write a new blog post or reply to an email.
The point is that you should organize your guest blogging efforts by keeping a record of your pitches and the responses you get from the bloggers.
Keep an Excel sheet for this purpose, or use google sheets. Simple!
Final Words – Never Give Up!
Last, but not least, it is essential that you never quit.
Many people will either not respond or will tell you that they are not currently accepting guest posts. Don’t take it personally and keep trying. Before getting my first guest post published, I probably sent over 20 emails.
With each email, you will improve; you will be able to learn how to approach people more effectively and what they are looking for.
And also, you will improve your writing skills.
So, don’t be discouraged; just keep trying. The first one is always the most difficult, and once you’ve mastered it, the others become easier.
Just remember to be nice, get to know the blog you want to be guest posting for, and make the most out of the opportunity.
If you stick at it and never give up, your hard work will pay off.
And that is how to do guest blogging for better SEO.
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