The Ultimate Guide to Guest Blogging for Writers

Blogging is remarkably effective, helping me build my writing business and reputation far faster than I would’ve managed otherwise.

Beyond your own blog, you can guest post on established blogs to fast track your success as well. Many online writers and entrepreneurs have built entire enterprises on the back of guest blogging. Leo Babauta’s massively successful site, Zen Habits (currently harboring more than 200,000 subscribers) flew through its early growth primarily through the strength of Leo’s guest blogging strategy.

Guest blogging, done well, offers a rapid leap in prominence and popularity.

As with anything, there is a right and a wrong way to do it. Knowing the key conventions and common etiquette, will help you design a simple strategy that can turn the modest benefits most bloggers see when guest blogging into rapid results that yield a wide-reaching yet immediate effect on your goals.

Approach guest blogging with intelligence and you can greatly increase your:

• Social proof of your expert status
• Visibility to established authority figures
• Emotional connection and engagement in the online community
• Inbound links to your own blog
• Joint Venture opportunities
• Fresh, organic traffic
• Ability to have others promote you and your guest posts
• Bonding with other key players in your niche
• Ability to build a strong networking base
• Sharing of information
• Number of people who know you

You’re in this for one reason, right? You want to get known as a writer so you can turn your ideas into profit and popularity. Networking is the lifeblood of entrepreneurship – especially online. Network with intelligence by using a solid strategy, smart systems, and an engine of consistency to drive your momentum.

When you do a great job with your guest posting, you’re producing results for your host, not just yourself. Your primary goal when blogging on somebody else’s site isn’t to mine the biggest advantage for yourself. It’s to create a win-win situation for everyone, including your host, everyone who reads your post, and you.

Many bloggers lose much of the value in guest posting because they do it wrong. Effective guest blogging means doing it in a way that is organically right for you, your writer’s sensibilities, your business goals, and your personality.

The Benefits of Guest Blogging

Why should you spend hours creating a guest post, for free no less, for someone else’s blog? What’s in guest blogging for you?

A great guest blogging relationship is one where everyone comes out a winner. Your host will welcome the break from having to deliver quality content to his audience, while his readers gain a unique perspective and a fresh angle on the usual topic. You gain exposure, credibility, and hopefully, new fans.

But there is a massive benefit that’s often overlooked: Gratitude. Once you play hero (successfully) to your host, and his fans are commenting, complimenting, and sharing your content, it won’t matter how far above you that your host is in the blogging hierarchy – you’ve reached the inner circle and can be considered a trusted associate.

You forged a connection. It may be small, but it’s there. This doesn’t mean your emails will be answered in five minutes, or that you’re going to be swimming in joint venture partnership offers, but it does mean that you will be remembered and that the door of opportunity is ajar.

So how, exactly, do you get your shot at guest blogging?

The good news is that everyone is busy, and good guest bloggers don’t grow on trees, so the odds of you getting accepted are high as long as you are approaching the usual topic with a unique angle.

First, find a blog in your niche that you’d like to post at. This should be a blog with a decent-sized audience and one that you can write to. Next, check to see if the blog has a policy on allowing guest bloggers. Some blogs do, others don’t. It’s good to know in advance. Third, get to know the blog before you ever make a pitch. See what kind of posts the blogger writes, leave some comments to drop your name onto the blogger’s radar (and the audience’s). Finally, send the blogger an email with your pitch – don’t send the post until he agrees to see it. With a good strategy and a great post, you might get a shot.

It’s one thing to get the guest post, and another thing to extract as much mutual benefit as you possibly can.

But this isn’t automatic. The benefit you get from your host is in direct relation to the benefit they receive. A surefire way to inspire positive results is to reliably deliver quality content that people are eager to read. Don’t make the mistake of posting second-tier content on someone else’s blog. Guest posting is your chance to be a star on someone else’s stage. When you’re starting out, that stage is far bigger than yours. Do well and you will surely increase your own audience.

Treat every opportunity to guest post as though it were the big break you’ve been waiting for, and you will avoid the biggest drawbacks of the strategy.

The Drawbacks of Guest Blogging

We covered the upside to guest blogging, but what are the drawbacks?

Fortunately, there are few. But, as with anything, it’s possible to do it all wrong. You could deliver sub-par content, ignore the audience after you’ve submitted your post (by not responding to their comments), fail to promote the post through social media channels, or disrespect the shared audience while you have control of the stage. These are some of the ways your guest post can backfire, but knowing what not to do, can ensure you handle guest posting like a seasoned pro.

The real drawback to guest posting for most people is the time it takes. Like everything else in your online adventure, guest blogging requires a commitment to the clock. Hours come one at a time and are never repeated. Minutes spent writing for someone else are minutes you’ll never use to build your own blog or personal assets.

Why would you want to help someone else grow their blog while neglecting your own? That’s the wrong way to see this opportunity. Approach guest blogging with the confidence that you are growing your own audience in the smartest way possible.

Imagine you are growing a vegetable garden. You must plant your seeds, fertilize the soil, and keep the garden moist. It will take time before your garden produces enough vegetables for the return on your time to be obvious. But what if you had a neighbor who told you that you were welcome to come over to her garden, and as long as you took care of her land for the day, you could return home with a basket of vegetables, or perhaps some cuttings to give your garden a nice head start?

Sure, you’re tending her garden, but it isn’t for free. What goes around comes around. Do a great job with your early guest posting, and you’ll be able to build your blog to a big enough size where you’re inviting guest bloggers to fill in for you while you’re working on your novel, writing high-profit sales letters, or taking well-deserved time off.

Knowing what to do is one thing, going out and doing it is something else entirely. You will have to go out and ask for your guest spots; no one will come knocking. Fortunately, this is much easier than you might think.

Where Should You Guest Post?

You’re ready to write a guest post, but how do you get a guest blogging spot? And more importantly, which blog(s) should you submit to?

A large part of being a writer is reading, and a large part of building an online writing career is reading the work of the writers, marketers, and mavens in your network.

You’re probably already following a few of the bigger blogs in your niche, along with those writers you enjoy reading.

If you’re not regularly reading anyone online, start now. Immediately. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200. Building your network is critical and you cannot grow you until you start.

Securing a spot on a smaller blog can give you similar, and sometimes better, results than guesting on a larger site. This may seem contrary to reason, but it makes sense. On a smaller blog, it’s easier to find harmony with both the blog owner and his readers, since you’re all in the same boat together and can identify with the same problems, concerns, and solutions.

Yet there’s no harm in aiming high. Try contacting both smaller blogs similar to yours in size and readership, while peppering a few power blogs with your queries. You never know where an email may lead and it never hurts to try. If you get rejected the first time, it’s no big deal. There’s always the next time when your experiences are richer and your name a little more recognizable.

Because busy bloggers are always looking for quality content, landing a lucrative guest spot is sometimes as simple as asking, as long as you know how to find those blogs that are in need of guests.

How to Find Blogs in Need of Guests

Guest blog with a plan, and you won’t be wasting your time.

The last thing you want to do is leap around the Web, hopping from blog to blog, submitting random queries and begging for a spot. You want to find those blogs that need content and are in alignment with your audience, where you can expect a reasonable return on your investment of time, while also establishing a relationship with someone in your niche.

Never waste your time on inactive blogs which the author doesn’t update and nobody comments at anymore. If the last post was written a year, or even a month ago, and there are two comments (possibly from the owner’s mother) there’s no benefit for you. This also means the host blogger is either too busy or disorganized to help you promote your post, so it probably isn’t a relationship that will yield much benefit.

A regular posting schedule is a must, but you should also be looking for blogs with obvious character, personality, and an avid audience that’s eager and loves to share. The size of the audience is never as important as the level of its engagement.

Once you find a handful of blogs you like, find out if they’re looking for guest posters. Some blogs will simply tell you with a clear spot in plain view (often in the sidebar) letting readers know how to apply. Higher traffic blogs will often redirect potential guest posters to a specific section of the blog with posted guidelines. These usually cover:

• Whether photos are allowed and whether or not they should be supplied
• The types of bylines, resource boxes, and bio clips that are encouraged
• How and where linking is permitted
• The topics and types of posts they are most interested in publishing
• Preferred article length
• General style guidelines

Though an invitation in the sidebar and posted guidelines are regular features of prominent blogs, they are by no means a standard, and you shouldn’t linger, waiting for your favorite blog to lay out the welcome mat. Be assertive. If you find a blog that seems like a perfect fit, send the owner an email and ask for a spot. Remind him that he’s busy, let him know you are a solution to his problem, and send a couple of links to posts you’re especially proud of.

Securing a guest spot is sometimes as simple as paying attention, then speaking up when the time is right. Look for clues that one of your favorite bloggers may be in the market for a guest writer. Are they talking about taking a vacation, heading to a conference, expecting a new addition to their family, or in any way hinting at overwhelm?

Get into the great habit of following those blogs where you’d most like a writing opportunity and looking for the clues that will lead the way to getting it. It’s easy enough to ask for a guest spot, but what you really want is an enthusiastic “YES!”

The Number One Way To Get A Yes!

How do you get a blogger to say yes to your guest post?

Approaching a big name blogger to ask for a guest spot can be as intimidating as asking the prettiest girl (or boy) to the class dance.

If you’re new, fairly low on the pecking order in your niche, or if you maintain a solitary blog and haven’t really stepped out from behind the curtain, you will have a bit of work to do to convince bigger bloggers that you’re an ideal guest.

Put yourself in their position. Who would you rather have guest post on your blog, the author of three successful books, with their own blog and 50,000 daily readers, or you – a newbie be with 50 readers and a month or two of posts to his name?

Sometimes, though, the answer may surprise you.

Big-time bloggers aren’t necessarily looking for another big-time blogger. They are looking for quality content that their readers will relate to. It’s your job to convince your potential hosts that you’ll be interesting, relevant, and engaging to their audience.

You’re a writer. This should be easy – far easier than asking someone to a dance!

Write a short, direct email offering to guest post. In a few succinct, articulate sentences tell the blog owner why you’re the perfect fit for his readers. Link to samples of your work that represent your voice, tone, and style. Make sure the sample posts you send are somewhat consistent with the blogger’s style. Include a few relevant facts about you in the email, but make sure you are putting the needs of your host and his audience first.

When it comes to relationships online, and in any networking situation, really, it’s not about you, but rather, what can you do for someone else. That’s how you build relationships, and get good guest blogging spots.

Suggest a couple of possible topics. Bonus points if you can craft a few attention-getting headlines to show that you not only know how to write well, but how to grab eyeballs as well.

Refer to a recent post on your host’s blog that you personally connected with. This lets him know you’re plugged into what he’s doing, and understand the general nature of his audience. Let him know how you’re planning to promote the post and that you take your part of the marketing seriously. You can write the best email query ever, but if you make no genuine attempt to connect, you stand little chance of landing a spot. Only apply to those places where you understand the audience or have commented yourself.

The number one way to get an enthusiastic “YES!” is to have contributed valuable comments to the blog over a sustained period of time. Chances are good that the blog’s host knows who you are and will look forward to seeing what you do with a guest post.

Do your homework and familiarize yourself with the top blogs in your niche, along with any blogs you want to grow, network, or do business with. Not only will you be fertilizing your network, you’ll probably learn a few things that can help you become a better blogger, too.

Think of all these preliminary steps as part of the work required to be the best guest blogger you can be. The difference between good and great is sometimes thin, but it’s always worth covering. A great guest post will benefit everyone involved, especially you.

How to be a Great Guest Blogger

Congratulations, you got the guest post! Now it’s time to make it amazing.

If you’re not already well-versed in the blog you’re going to write for, it’s worth taking the time to do a little research. Sift through some recent and pillar posts and look through the comments. You can even follow the commenters’ links to their home blogs, Twitter, or Facebook feeds to find out the following:

• What are the topics the blog normally covers?
• How does the blog cover the topics – in depth reporting, conversational dialogue, in a playful or humorous manner? This is the voice of the blog and while you don’t have to duplicate it, you should try to sing in a similar key.
• Study the prose style of the primary author. Do they write short, punchy sentences or do they have a chatty style, full of adjectives and exclamations?
• What are the characteristics of the typical reader?
• Are there multiple comments on most posts?
• What is the niche skill level of its readers; is yours above, below, or about the same?
• What is the subculture of the group? Which posts get the most comment activity?
• Are there areas the blog owner seems to be weaker in dealing with – areas where you could shine and make the author look like a hero to his readers?
• Do his readers have an obvious need that he isn’t meeting?

Pay as much attention to the comments as you do to the posts. That’s where the answers to most of your questions will lay, giving you all the tools you need to know your audience and write to it.

Knowing what to do is important, of course. But knowing what not to do is essential.

What NOT to do as a Guest Poster

You wouldn’t go to a party and poop in the punch bowl, would you?

Keep that in mind when posting at other blogs. Because while you probably wouldn’t knowingly do something awful, there are some unwritten rules which a new blogger might not know. Violating them could have the same effect as the turd in the punch bowl.

Always remember your manners. Of course you have an endgame, but respect for your host and his audience should always come first. You never want your tone to feel forced and you always want to treat readers as though they were your own. Do it well and some of them will be.

Don’t comment to fill space. Say something intelligent and contribute to the discussion to fuel dialogue. Mostly, good guest posting comes down to common sense, though there are a few things you should never do. Here’s a list of guest blogging rules:

• DON’T promote your products or services without getting permission.
• DON’T use PLR (private label rights) articles instead of creating your own content.
• DON’T stuff your copy with keywords and place search engine results before the audience.
• DON’T be late with the post you promised to deliver.
• DON’T deliver uninspired posts without a unique angle, strong voice, or thorough research.
• DON’T submit poorly edited or proofread posts that are obviously rushed.
• DON’T disregard the blog owner’s guidelines.
• DON’T try to slip outgoing links to your other websites into the post that aren’t in the best interest of your host’s audience. This is like staying at your friend’s house while he’s out of town, then trashing the place while throwing a wild party.
• DON’T ignore questions in the comment section of your post. You SHOULD use the opportunity to schmooze with the people – that’s part of the reason you’re there!
• DON’T disrespect commenters. If someone says something rude to you, you SHOULD take the high road. Leave it up to the blog owner to step in if necessary. Remember, when you take the high road and remain polite, even in the face of rudeness, it makes you look cool, calm, and not easily shaken. In other words, a confident blogger worth reading.

Always consider how you would want a guest blogger to behave on your blog. What goes around comes around and every guest post you submit is a chance to grow and groom your own audience. Do it right, and you will steadily build a guest blogger profile worthy of envy.

Building a Guest Blogger Profile

You get what you give.

Being a great guest blogger is like anything else in life. Refuse to take it seriously or commit to it in a hit-and-miss fashion and you will receive minimal results. Approach it with intelligence, sound strategy, and the right mindset, tools and habits, and it will give you an immediate benefit like few other online strategies can.

Sporadic postings on random blogs with no rhyme or reason to fuel them is a little like planning to win the lottery. Sure, you could strike it rich, but your odds of success are slimmer than a toothpick.

Guest blogging is art and science blended with balance. Most writers just blog – you must do it with precision if you expect to be one of the best. You can do it. You can be the guest whose posts are eagerly anticipated, who rarely gets turned down, always get invited back, and who becomes a trusted resource, ally, and friend.

You can build your reputation as a guest blogging powerhouse, but you must have a streamlined system that is consistent and efficient if you want to make the most out of the experience.

If you’re reliable, consistent, and professional, you will quickly gain a reputation as a quality guest blogger worth knowing. These skills aren’t so much about how well you write, they are habits developed over time as a result of consistent planning and well-executed strategy.

Follow a checklist or action plan so it’s easier to take full advantage of every guest post. It’s pointless to write a phenomenal guest post and miss the many ways you can benefit – leading readers to your site, building your list, establishing your social media presence, and building your authority – because you are too busy concentrating on the post itself.

Make sure your host allows you to link back to your blog, preferably from the body of the post, but at least from your byline. And be smart with your link. Rather than sending a reader to your homepage, send them to a special welcome page on your site designed to turn them from a visitor to a regular reader, or even better, to get them on your list (more on this later).

Personalize your strategy, and stay consistent with your delivery, and guest posting can give you a tremendous head start in building your brand and drawing your first crowd.

Personalizing Your Strategy

The most effective guest blogging strategy is one uniquely tailored to you.
I can give you a head start, but you must customize it yourself. Start by understanding your overall goals, then articulate a strategy based on your ultimate destination.

• Are you trying to gather attention or gain expert status?
• Do you want to build a fan base for your upcoming book?
• Are you looking for clients or other freelance work?
• Who is your target audience?
• Are you focusing on specific blogs in a single niche?
• Are you trying to help people, boost your reputation, expand your network, or find partners to joint venture with on information products?

Answer these questions, then use your answers to draw your strategy. Once you have a general idea of what you want to do, determine how much time you’re willing to spend on your guest blogging efforts. Will you dedicate one day a week, one post a week, or try to balance your time between guest blogging and populating your own site with content? The last option is a risky, but highly-effective strategy if done well.

Know what success means to you. Your strategy will be different if you’re trying to broaden your network or increase your fan base than it will be if you’re aiming to be one of the in-crowd. Your strategy won’t be the same as anyone else’s, and it shouldn’t be. Everyone has a different endgame.

Decide what you want, come up with the best plan to get it, then go out and do it.

Do it right, and I promise, guest blogging will be well worth your valuable time.

This has been an excerpt from the book, Writing Online.

To get the full book, Writing Online, and get everything you need to build a lucrative career as an online writer (for just $4.99) click here.