The Beginner’s guide To guesT PosTing | 2Beginner's+Guide...By making friends with other bloggers through guest posting, you’re going to grow your influence in the realm of social

The Beginner’s guide To guesT PosTing | 2

Although I’ve been blogging since 2005, it took me years to learn an important lesson. For the longest time, I wondered, ‘Why is nobody reading my stuff?” Maybe you’ve asked the same question.

I’m beginning to discover the answer. It has to do with community.

I’ve stumbled upon a secret: Blogging is communal, and those who participate in the community win. My blog readership and influence has grown more in the past six months than it has in the past six years. Why? Because I’ve been guest posting more in the past six months than I have in the past six years.

Introduction


Most bloggers spin their wheels trying to increase traffic on their own blogs, while overlooking the essential discipline of writing guest posts for other blogs. Nothing can grow your platform quite like it.

Consider the following bloggers: Leo Babauta (of Zen Habits), Brian Clark (of Copyblogger), and Chris Brogan (of Chrisbrogan.com). All have used guest posting as a means of growing the reach of their blogs. And you can, too.

Guest posting is great for search engines, introduces you to new communities (and them to you), and allows your ideas to more freely spread. This is an essential marketing strategy for any blogger, but few know how to do it well.

This eBook is a quick guide on what it takes to master this important skill.


When I started seriously guest posting, my email list grew to 10,000 people in less than a year, my blog traffic skyrocketed, and I formed the foundation for what would become a successful online business. This stuff works, and in the next few pages, I’m going to tell you how.


These days, I’m writing guest posts like a madman. More than I ever have, in fact, in over six years of steady blogging. In addition to my commitment to regularly posting on my blog, it’s quite an investment of time.

So, why am I doing this more now than ever?

Because guest-posting is the single most important strategy for growing your blog readership and platform.

Allow me to explain…

How Guest Posting Can Help Grow Your Blog


WhaT is guesT PosTing?

First things first: let’s define our terms. “Guest posting” means writing and publishing an article on someone else’s website or blog.

I offer this on my own site (occasionally) and do it quite a bit on other blogs with audiences that I want to speak to. It’s a great way to connect with new readers and get your name out.

But for the longest time, I overlooked this essential discipline for growing a popular blog. I wish I hadn’t. And I hope you won’t.

There are three reasons why guest posting is such a key strategy for every blogger to build their online influence:


guesT PosTing Builds relaTionshiPs

Bloggers need good content. By being a good guest blogger and adding value to someone else’s blog, you’re going to build relationships with other bloggers.

Bloggers make up for a large percentage of conversations happening on the Internet, especially on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. They can be tremendously influential. Which makes them good friends to have.

By making friends with other bloggers through guest posting, you’re going to grow your influence in the realm of social media, which will ultimately lead to more blog subscribers.

guesT PosTing is greaT for search engines

The one non-negotiable you should have for guest-posting is this:


The host blogger must include a link to your blog in the post somewhere (usually at the beginning or end).

Over time, these backlinks will raise the value of your blog to search engines, making your content easier to find via Google, Yahoo, Bing, and others. (If you want to know more about this, read my SEO guide for humans.)

guesT PosTing inTroduces you To neW PeoPle

Perhaps, the best part of guest posting is that it allows you to enter an already-established community, and share your message. It allows you to connect with new people, which can ultimately benefit you, if you do it right.

If you’re adding value to the discussion, you’re going to see that convert over time to more readers, fans, and followers. Conversely, if all you’re ever doing is asking


or selling, you may end up famous, but with a reputation you don’t want. (You don’t want to be “that guy” who’s hawking his own agenda.)

Add value. Help people. Be patient. And over time, you’ll win.

WhaT aBouT PeoPle guesT-PosTing on your siTe?

I’m also a big fan of allowing other people to guest post on my own site. You should consider offering guest posting on your blog, too (if you don’t already).

If you’re asking for opportunities to guest post on others’ blogs, this just makes sense. It allows the relationship you’ve developed with the host blogger to be mutual.

Some bloggers will even blog about their guest post and link to it from their own blog (giving you some great link juice). Personally, I’m a fan of this practice. When I guest post for someone else, I do the following:


• Link to the post from my blog

• Promote it on Twitter (several times)

• Share it on Facebook

• Thank the person

While not everyone does this, it’s not a bad idea. However, this is important: If you have to choose between getting people to guest post on your site or guest posting elsewhere, do the latter. It’s always better to get your name out into new communities.

guesT PosTing maTTers

According to my friend, Mike the Search Engine Guru, when it comes to SEO, guest posting on other sites is five times as valuable as creating new content on your own site. (So long as you get the backlink.)

Whether that’s precisely true or not, I don’t care. (Although, Mike is not an imprecise kind of guy, so it probably is.) The point is that this is an excellent


strategy for extending your reach and boosting your reputation online.

Plus, if you’re a writer wanting to land more “traditional” publishing opportunities, this is a great first step to eventually getting your writing featured in news sites, magazines, and other publications.

If you aren’t satisfied with your blog traffic but aren’t posting on other people’s blogs, you don’t have much to complain about. Start guest posting today, and see your influence grow.


I’m trying to break Leo Babauta’s record. Leo became an A-list blogger, gaining over 100,000 subscribers on his blog Zen Habits by writing for other blogs. And I want to do the same.

Guest posting is the single most effective way to increase the reach of your blog. In addition to writing daily posts for this blog, I usually write a few posts per week for other blogs. It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it.

I’ve guest-posted for Problogger, Ken Davis, Erica Cosminsky, Bryan Allain, Laura Click, Kyle Reed, Spence Smith, Randy Elrod, and many others.

Seven Tips for Getting Your Guest Posts Published


I’m a believer in guest posting. It’s the secret to taking your blog to the next level. And here’s the kicker: anyone can do it.

I’ve come up with some tips for getting more guest posts published on other sites.

Every blogger who wants to grow her influence can begin by practicing these habits that lead to more successful guest posting:

1. Be PoliTe. Don’t ever underestimate the discipline of being courteous. Say “please” and

“thank you.” Show respect. Don’t be too pushy. Ask someone to be a guest on his site; don’t demand it, and don’t act like you’re entitled to it. The best guest bloggers are polite.

2. don’T Be afraid To ask. The worst they can say is “no” right? I’m surprised by how many bloggers sabotage their own efforts before they even


begin, because they’re afraid to make a big ask. Why not just go for it? I’ve been surprised by how people have responded when I’ve put myself out there and made an audacious, albeit polite, request.

3. WriTe qualiTy conTenT. Spending time writing good content and being known for your quality will make your pitches to other bloggers a lot easier. It really is about the content. Good writing has a way of being found. While I had to begin by asking people to guest post, now people are starting to ask me.

4. Be PersisTenT. If at first you don’t succeed, try again. That’s it. Simple, right? (It’s harder than it sounds.) If you’re easily discouraged, you may find it hard to guest post.

5. add value. Write content for other bloggers that they need. I’m amazed at how many people try to write for themselves on someone else’s blog and


end up missing the mark. Other times, they write on a topic that’s already been covered in a previous post. A little research can go a long way.

6. have a good-looking Blog. This sounds superficial, and it is, but presentation really matters. These days, you can get a nice-looking website for cheap. It’s worth the cost to give your readers the impression that you’re a reputable provider of content. They’ll see your website first before they read it. This will also lead to influential bloggers taking you more seriously.

7. serve Before asking To Be served. The best way to network is to serve people. Don’t begin a relationship with a blogger by asking for a guest post. Begin by showing interest. Share her content on Facebook or Twitter, leave a few comments, send an encouraging email. Then, go for the ask.


Remember that show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with Will Smith? Whenever I think of the word “polite,” the image of the butler Geoffrey comes to mind for some reason.

He’s polite and prim and maybe a little cynical. Regardless, he is the very picture of propriety.

Well, Laura Click (who guest posted on my blog before) is like the Geoffrey of the guest-posting world. She’s the most polite guest blogger I’ve ever met.

I was so impressed with my experience of her guest post that I’m sharing with you what you can learn from her.

How to Be a Polite (and Successful) Guest Blogger


If you’re considering writing for other blogs to help you get noticed as a writer (which is an excellent idea), you would do well to follow her example.

Here’s what Laura did (and what you can do) to be a very polite and successful guest blogger:

PuT The communiTy firsT

Laura wrote an article on a topic that we both agreed would benefit the community of writers, bloggers, and creatives that read this blog. She spoke directly to you, encouraging you to use your valuable gifts to make money, providing some practical ways to get started.

suBmiT your “a” conTenT

Laura wrote an excellent article, which shows in the comments and retweets. She not only wrote something that was relevant to this blog’s audience, but she also wrote it very well.


She didn’t send me a recycled post from her blog or some “B” quality content that wasn’t good enough for her own site. She sent me a post that, it seemed to me, she worked on for a while.

make your arTicle incrediBly easy To PosT

While every blogger has their own preferences, it’s important to have your post as ready-to-post as possible. Make sure that you’ve proofread it and that there’s no funky formatting that will make posting it a hassle for the blogger.

In my opinion, Laura went above and beyond my expectations in this realm. She sent me two documents via email — one that was plain text and another already formatted in HTML. All I had to do was copy and paste the post in my blog and hit “Publish.”

Laura included a photo and provided back-links to other relevant posts on my blog. She even laid out the post in


short paragraphs (for easy scanning) and broke up the main points into sub-headers that made the reading more intuitive and comprehensible.

share generously

Laura leveraged her strong social media presence and connections with other influencers and shared the post link (more than once) on Twitter and Facebook. Throughout the day, she thanked every single person who retweeted the post, including my Twitter handle in each tweet to encourage others to follow me.

give PrecedenT To relaTionshiP

All of this was birthed out of relationship.

Laura and I were following each other on Twitter. Then, we met at a local meetup. Then, I guest-posted for her blog. Then, I invited her to do the same. And we dialogued via email and Twitter throughout the whole thing.


We didn’t cold-pitch each other. We didn’t try to sell or convince one another of anything. We got to know each other, and then we tried to help one another in our respective community goals.

Laura blew me out of the water. I hope to one day be half the guest blogger she is. And I hope you follow her example, too.


1. check The guidelines. Many established blogs have a list of guidelines that you can follow to make a guest post. Before submitting your post, read the guidelines and follow them.

Seven StepsTo successful guesT PosTing

2. sTudy The Blog. Do some research to understand the subject and voice of the blog and to see what topics haven’t been covered yet. If you know someone who has guest posted for the blog, ask him how he did it.

3. conTacT The Blogger. Email is probably best. In the message, get right to the point. Either pitch an idea or send the whole article, but don’t waste time with unnecessary flattery or self-deprecation. Don’t say “sorry,” and don’t be arrogant. Just be yourself.


4. WriTe The BesT PosT you can. (This may happen concurrently with #3). Once you’ve made contact with the blogger, you can begin writing. Fight the temptation to hold back your “A” content for your own blog. Guest posts are your best marketing collateral, so don’t submit something less than your best. Once finished, send the ready-to-publish post to the blogger with a byline and link to your website.

5. folloW uP. Depending on the guidelines, give the blogger some time (usually a week) before following up. When you do follow up, keep it positive and polite. You can follow up again a week or two later. If you don’t hear back in a month, tell the blogger that you’d like to take the article elsewhere.


6. engage and PromoTe. If the blogger posts your article, first thank her. Then, treat it as you would one of your own posts, if not better. Tweet it, share it, email it, etc. Post an excerpt on your own blog and link to the whole article. Interact in the comments and engage readers who respond. This is a must.

7. rePeaT. Whether you succeed or not, start the whole process over again. If you get rejected, don’t get discouraged. And don’t let it be the last time you try to guest post. Sometimes, the topic is just wrong. Other times, it’s the wrong audience. Regardless, you need to guest post more than once for it to be an effective strategy. So, don’t give up.


one final ThoughT:

The best blogging relationships are birthed out of real-life relationship.

The most elite bloggers on the Internet have grown their blog readerships through this simple, but effective strategy of guest posting. And you can grow your blog by doing the same.


Originally from Chicago, Jeff spent his twenties traveling with a band.

Now, Jeff lives with his family just outside of Nashville and spends his days trying to take over the Internet.

He’s written and guest-blogged for over 100 magazines, publications, and blogs. (To find out more about writing, check out this page here.)

He is also a speaker, creative coach, and consultant. To shoot Jeff a note about how guest posting has helped you grow your audience, reach out to him on Twitter @JeffGoins.

About Jeff Goins

http://goinswriter.com/writing-tips

http://twitter.com/jeffgoins

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The Beginner’s guide To guesT PosTing | 2Beginner's+Guide...By making friends with other bloggers through guest posting, you’re going to grow your influence in the realm of social