Many organizations don’t see the opportunity to create guest posts, thinking they don’t want to waste time composing content for other websites. Shouldn’t I just put the time and effort into publishing my blogs on my website?
What is guest blogging?
Guest blogging or guest posting means composing blog posts or articles to be published on other high-authority websites. Many websites allow bloggers and organization owners to submit original blog posts on topics significant to their niche. In other cases, the blog writer has a website that is related to the blogging website, so guest posting can be mutually beneficial.
Writing guest posts is a great way to drive quality traffic to your website and increase your searchability in Google and other search engines. A guest blogger benefits from posting on sites that promote original and highly relevant articles, and these blogs expose you to readers who may be actively seeking information.
At the same time, guest posting will also give your website more connection juice. Google ranks websites with high-quality connections. The more relevant and significant position backlinks you have to highlight to your site, the higher you can rank in search tools.
Write a guest post
1. Find a website connected to your image.
Is this website relevant to my brand? This is the first question you should ask when deciding where to publish your guest posts. If you have an e-commerce website that sells shoes, your guest blogging efforts should not be limited to websites that specialize in shoes. You can reach out to fashion blogs, as long as the blog’s readership fits your target market.
Lead people to a conclusion.
For every guest posting, make sure you link back to your website or blog. Think carefully about where you are sending your readers. Even if your homepage is well done and full of actionable calls to action, it may be completely irrelevant. Depending on your goal, drive people to the right page. Here are some ideas:
An e-book or a special gift that is related to your title.
An email registration landing page
Another post about a closely related topic
Be true to your voice.
Guest posting requires more quality. Unlike your blog posts, this new audience isn’t familiar with you yet. So this is your chance to showcase your brand’s unique voice. Don’t worry about new readers critiquing new content. Your guest posts should mirror the posts on your website.
Create an anchor text strategy
Anchor text is the particular text in your post that you connect to. Your choice of anchor text matters when it comes to search engine rankings. After doing keyword research, you’ll have an idea of what keyword phrases you want to rank for based on keyword traffic and competition. So make sure you use a keyword or keyword phrase that will bring you more traffic from Google years from now.
Follow it up with more guest posts.
Don’t just visit websites once. You can create follow-up blogs to maintain your valuable relationship. And while you’re at it, influence the fame of your guest post by mentioning big-shot websites and bloggers in your specialty. This convinces them a reason to share your posts, retweet, or advance your follow-ups.
Respond to comments.
Don’t just create a post and leave it at that. Hang around and reply to every single comment you get from readers. This is a great way to construct a long-term relationship with the new audience you want to reach. The comments section is a place where you can construct your brand and interact with readers.
Urge the website to advance your guest posts.
Even when you’re just guest posting, you can still make decisions for your brand. For example, we encourage hosts to politely share their posts on their social media pages. Or if you can, ask them to add your guest post to their email subscribers. Foster a good relationship by offering to do the same — sharing their posts on your own social media channels and email list.
