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I see a lot of talk out in the blogosphere about how easy guest posting is:
How to find a bazillion A-list bloggers who are eagerly waiting to publish your post.
How to “write a guest post a blogger can’t refuse.”
How to get a perfect guest post written while you sleep.
(Okay. I made that one up.)
It isn’t that the posts aren’t helpful. It’s just that they don’t tell people the cardinal rule for success. The one thing that most affects the answer they will get when they propose a guest post.
The one thing you can do to be noticed more than 95 percent of bloggers who propose guest posts
Here it is, three simple words the advice givers gloss over. The thing that will open the door wider for you:
Do your homework.
When I was writing for magazines, I learned how important it is to find the right publication for my article and to get the topic and content right. In other words, how to write for their unique audience.
Same thing with guest posting.
One of the best ways to impress a blogger is to show her that you read her blog, understand her topics and even know what she has written about lately.
Subscribe. Follow what they write about.
In your pitch (email inquiry), show you have been following the blogger by referring to a post they wrote and suggesting a follow-up guest post that goes into more detail on one of the points (or offers a different perspective).
Explain why you think your article is a good fit and how it creates value for the blogger’s readers.
Watch the discussions in the comments and contribute. And pay particular attention to what readers are saying, what kinds of questions they are asking, what they need more help with.
Then propose a post on it.
Or read some of the guest posts bloggers have already published there.
Then propose something different.
Remember: There are no new ideas, but there are millions of spins on old ideas. Put your voice and personality into the post. And it goes without saying, but make it your best post.
Because that is what will drive people to your blog to get more of you.
5 places to look for guest posting opportunities
As you go through this list, look at the blog with two questions in mind: Do I want to blog for them? And, Is their audience a good fit?
Some things to consider:
• The reach. How many readers do they have? How many comments do they get?
• Promotion. Are there cross-promotion opportunities (social media, etc.)?
• Audience. Sometimes looking at their advertisers gives you a good sense of this.
• Blogger as person. Check the About page to find out more about him/her.
• Topics: Can you spin a post to cover any of the topics they write about?
Now, where to look:
1. Your blogger friends.
If you are a newbie blogger, blogs of friends are a good place to start. It’s a good way to learn, refine your work and develop confidence.
Just be sure that if it’s a reciprocal thing, it makes sense for that person to guest post on your blog. (More about this in a future post.)
2. Blogs you already read.
Which blogs do you regularly read? Which blogs are you already known at because you have left comments?
The great thing about this strategy is that you know the topics and can even refer to the blogger’s past posts in your pitch.
In other words, you have already done your homework.
3. Do a Google or Twitter search.
For instance, if your niche is marketing, a Google search with the terms of “guest bloggers needed in marketing” will turn up tons of opportunities, as well as titles of and links to guest posts bloggers have already written for marketing blogs.
Double win.
On Twitter, you can do searches more specific to your niche (or genre if you are an author) and find out who is putting a call out for guest bloggers.
4. Visit My Blog Guest.
I have not used this, but have heard good things about it. It’s a community where bloggers can find out about guest posting opportunities, network and reach new audiences.
5. Browse Alltop.com.
If you are brave enough to turn it up a notch, visit this site. As you probably know, Alltop.com is a collection of the “best of the best” blogs out there. You can search both within your niche and outside it.
Choose the blogs that look interesting and might have things in common with yours. Be prepared for some stiff competition, but if you read and study one of these popular blogs first, who knows?
What about you?
Have you started your guest blogging journey yet?
Are you thinking of starting?
Do you have tips to share or more questions?
If this post was helpful, why not sign up for email delivery of CatsEyeWriter blog?
And, if you are in the Puget Sound, Washington area and want to learn more about how guest posting and other traffic-building strategies can get you on the road to monetizing your blog faster, go here.
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These are some great suggestions.
I signed up with My Blog Guest a couple of weeks ago and just received my first guest post opportunity through the site. I’m pretty excited!
This is really a pressure free site and I appreciate that most bloggers have guidelines for guest bloggers, making my job a bit easier.
Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier, Photography Blog recently posted..Finding Affordable Camera Gear
Judy – Thank you for demystifying the process of guest blogging. I haven’t tried it, and am not sure it’s a priority for me at the moment, but I’d love to in the future. Now I have a place to begin!
It also strikes me how similar your suggestions are to marketing anything. Know who you are addressing, whether it’s a target audience of many, a prospective client or employer, an editor of a publication, or a blogger.
Making your pitch relevant to them and their readers makes it easier for them to say yes to your request, and that’s good marketing.
Barbara Breckenfeld recently posted..12 ways to create curb appeal for your business
Barbara,
It is definitely a plus for a blogger if she has been in marketing, copywriting, writing for magazines (or even biz ownership) because pinpointing the audience is key. So it’s not what you want to write about but what would be helpful for the readership.
I think when you start guest blogging, you’ll f8ind it can be quite enjoyable.
Thanks for this. I’m just about to look for guest blogs so it is very timely. And it looks like great advice too.
Christopher Wills recently posted..Improve or Change your Writers Voice – two
Christopher,
Glad this came at the right time for you. : )
Hey Judy
Cool post – and agree with all the points you make. I think there’s one other thing to add though:
Only submit your best work for guest blogs.
If you’ve lined up the dominoes as you suggest in your article, and then produce an outstanding post, there’s a really good chance you’ll get a Yes.
Worst case scenario if you write something really good that gets rejected is that you can publish it on your own website. So it’s still a ‘Win’ scenario.
I do the things that you mention in your post, and then try and write a quality post too. I started guest posting two months ago – my current ‘score’ is 7 for 7. So I’m really pleased….and it definitely generates good traffic and reputation. So it’s a great strategy.
Have a great weekend.
Paul
Paul Wolfe recently posted..5 Blogs And Websites That Will Help Bloggers and Content Marketers
Paul,
Yes. Only the best. I just briefly mentioned that in this post because my focus was how to find blogs to guest post on. But you are on the money there.
So much is at stake (including being invited back!), so we’d better give them our best.
Thanks for weighing in here.
Hi Judy, I’ve written a few guest posts, all under category #1: blogger friends. (Sub category 1a: people who invited *me* to guest post.) I’ve been planning for a long time to do more guest posting. I even have some specific ideas about what to write about and for whom.
My biggest problem is capacity. It takes me a long time to write. I post to my own blog 2 or 3 times a month. So my question is this: am I better off to write a guest post, or write a new post for my own blog?
Patty K recently posted..YOU would make a GREAT before picture!
Patty,
If I were to choose, I’d say, beef up your own blog first, for many reasons. One practical one is that the blogger you approach will check out your site, looking for a regular audience and consistent posting. Another thing is that you don’t want all those new readers popping over to your site and seeing a post that’s 2-3 weeks old. Because this is your perfect time to show them what you’ve got and what value they will get if they subscribe to your blog.
I could write another post all on making sure your site is ready for extra eyeballs before you guest post. Excellent question.
Judy
That would make an excellent post….can we look forward to it?
Paul
Paul Wolfe recently posted..5 Blogs And Websites That Will Help Bloggers and Content Marketers
It’s now on my (growing) list. : )
Judy, Great advice for ANY and EVERY endeavor!
Myrna,
Thanks. : )
Thanks for mentioning MyBlogGuest!
We welcome you and your readers to try our platform!
Ann Smarty recently posted..35 Inspiring Guest Articles by MyBlogGuest Members
Ann,
Nice to meet you. When I have some extra time, I need to dig a little deeper in your site. My blog coaching clients are mostly start-up bloggers right now, and aren’t ready for guest posting, but some of my blog’s readers might find your site helpful.
Hi. What a fantastic post, wealth of useful information really. And the timing couldn’t have been more perfect for me as I am about to venture out in this area very soon. So many thanks, I will be bookmarking this for future use.
marya writes recently posted..Are YOU making these Three Mistakes on your blog
marya,
Glad you found this useful. Please do visit us again. : )
My question is why would I share the great advice to other potential bloggers?
Lyndie,
Ah, there is a great question. You might find my part I post helpful because it goes more into why a blogger would want to guest post. That link is here:
http://catseyewriter.com/2011/03/19/is-writing-a-guest-blog-post-really-worth-it/
Your timing is great — as I wrote an article on my blog yesterday seeking guest bloggers. Click below.
Ari Herzog recently posted..Call for Guest Bloggers
Ari,
Synchronicity! I love it when this happens. Anyone who is reading this, Ari has a cool blog with lots of interesting stuff and an enthusiastic reader community. You might see if you are a good fit for guest blogging on his site.
I kind of like my under the radar approach right now where I drag my site along with me when I comment, and every once in awhile somebody will take the time to comment to my post.
I want to beef my site up before I really start trying to drive people to it.
Plus, I feel I connected to some pretty big people in this universe and I would want it to be something epic before I even suggested it.
Your suggestion of going to these other sites would work and still keep me under the radar somewhat.
Good ideas I can use. Thanks for sharing.
Bill Dorman recently posted..Excuse me- I’m talking here…
Bill,
You for sure want your ducks in order before you consider proposing a guest post. If you are doing commenting on various blogs, you are using an excellent strategy to test the waters and eventually find the blogs that are a good fit.
And yes, making those connections first is so important (along with developing your own reader base). I popped into your blog and I see that you are getting healthy discussions going. That’s awesome.
Judy, thank you for this post. My Blog Guest looks very promising to help others to become a success in the social media realm. How did you find this wonderful resource?
E.J. Apostrophe recently posted..A Rabbit- A Sword- and A Pen
E.J.
I read so many blogs that sometimes they blur together, but I believe that I read about My Blog Guest first on the Blogworld blog.
Judy, you are most gracious! Please say that to yourself often. thanks xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
Peggy,
Thanks. Hope you are enjoying your weekend. : )
Spot on here Judy. Guest posting is work – most people forget that – you did not.
Doing your homework should, in my humble opinion, include developing some type of relationship with the person you hope to guest post for. Like you suggest, get to know them, their blog and their audience.
Doing this allows you to write from a position of strength not weakness.
Writing weak is never good – especially in guest posts.
Frank Dickinson recently posted..Gandhi Rap- Be The Change
Frank,
Nice to see you here. : )
You nailed it. Building and nurturing that relationship, including showing the blogger that you understand her audience, is key. Here’s to strength—in writing and marketing our writing!
Judy,
I found this very informative and helpful. It really is a resource post for people would like to receive more affirmative responses to their pitches (love how you called them (email queries!).
What I especially took away was guest blogging isn’t all about you! Being proactive about seeing if someone else’s blog is even a good fit would seem like a “duh,” but the “obvious” isn’t always obvious.
As you so wonderfully punctuated in the comments as well is the importance of also being prepared for higher traffic on your own blog by having your proverbial ducks in a row there first.
Tshombe,
You know, I was taking an online writing class when I was working on my memoir and I used the term “pitch a story idea” and my instructor questioned the word “pitch.” She didn’t know what it meant! She suggested that I find another word.
It was surprising to me but I remembered it and now, the first time I use it, I put a synonym like “email query” in so people aren’t confused. I thought everyone knew that word. : )
I think the “be prepared” thing was what I didn’t get at first. You want your email and RSS feeds to be prominent (and working), to check the loading times, usability, etc. because you have just one chance to make a good impression with all those (potential) new readers.
Hey, Barbara. Thanks. I get lots of questions about how to get guest post gig, so thought it was time to write a post on it. : )