Having a business means you need to promote your products or services to your target audience in order to drive sales. But in order for you to be taken seriously and get the attention you are looking for, you need to prove your credibility. One way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in a niche area is by leveraging writing opportunities in the blogosphere.
To that end, try guest blogging!
What Exactly Is Guest Blogging?
Guest blogging is a great way to gain exposure with people who truly want to hear what you have to say. The process of guest blogging is actually quite easy, though it is very time-consuming. It also calls for writing talent.
Essentially, your goal is to contact online bloggers whose sites are relevant to your experience and ask if they would accept a “guest post”. For instance, say you start selling your handcrafted jewelry online. You’ll want to find other websites that specialize in talking about jewelry, fashion, or even entrepreneurial topics. You may have to think outside of the box on complementary site topics.
Once you have an idea of the type of sites to find, you will want identify actual sites to contact. When you are ready to email a blogger, be sure to visit the site first and get a general idea of what the blog offers its readers. Include a personalized email asking for the opportunity to guest post on the blog. Give the blogger several options for article topics you would like to cover that will not only be of great interest to the blog’s audience, but will also relay your expertise on individual subject matters related to your business.
How Do You Get Started in Guest Blogging?
Writing the articles will require some serious work because they need to be professional. Many bloggers will not accept posts that are not professionally written, have grammar or spelling mistakes, or overall do not make sense. You should keep the post between 400-700 words, unless the site owner has specific requirements.
Once your article is complete and emailed to the blogger, you’ll want to create a spreadsheet to help you keep track of the sites you have contacted and who received which article and when. The spreadsheet will be invaluable when you have to do follow up contacts. Many bloggers, if asked, will email you a link when your post goes live.
Keep in touch, stay organized and track all of your emails with the bloggers to ensure you are capitalizing on any opportunities that present themselves. Essentially if you are not following up and continuing to network with blog owners and readers, you are wasting your valuable time and the time of others.
So How Does It Help Your Business?
When creating an article, you will also need to include your author byline. You can simply include your name and a brief description of your area of expertise, along with a link back to your website. You will want to make sure the blog owner approves of your short biography with subsequent links. Gain approval from the blog owner prior to emailing the article. Most bloggers will be fine with your byline, provided the link back is not offensive to them personally. Be respectful and ask first.
As people become interested in the advice, news, and tips you have to offer in the article, the link included in your byline will redirect interested readers straight back to your website, increasing the potential for revenue which is essentially based on your own referral.
How Does it Help Bloggers?
There are some blog owners who will not accept guest posts from outsiders, but many will be interested in what you have to offer to their readers. Additionally, as an active blogger, topic fatigue is a real possibility and many bloggers are happy for the reprieve now and then. Many are happy to accept guest posts from others to use when vacations are on the horizon or other priorities are calling.
What If I Can’t Write?
If you are a skilled writer and are confident of your ability to get published, you can write the blog posts yourself.
However, hope is not lost in the case that you are not an exceptional writer. Since your guest posts should be professionally written, it is advisable you seek assistance from a third-party freelancer who can create plausible articles for posting. Your impression to both the site owner and the readers needs to be a good one if you wish to continue using this method as a marketing tactic.
In addition to the quality of the writing itself, your blog posts will need to convey your knowledge and expertise about a particular subject. This is where your input and collaboration with any third-party freelancer is critical.
How Can I Ensure Guest Blogging Will Work?
Quality guest blogging can indeed drive traffic to your website and help you create an “expert” image in a niche area of your business. It is a constant process that involves commitment to really see results. You need to stick with it. Never assume your traffic and subsequent revenue numbers will go up overnight. Be reasonable about your time expectations when planning your strategies, especially when working with a freelancer. Guest blogging can be a fun and rewarding experience both personally and revenue-wise.
