Guest posting can be a powerful tool for increasing your online presence, reaching new audiences, and establishing your authority in your industry. However, to ensure the success of your efforts, you must approach guest posting strategically and follow certain dos and don’ts. Here are some of the reasons why guest posting is important for your content marketing strategy:
The Dos of Guest Posting: Best Practices for Success
1. Do Research Your Target Site’s Guidelines and Audience
One of the most important things to do when guest posting is to research the guidelines and audience of your target site. This will help you in ensuring that your content is relevant to the site and that you adhere to their editorial standards. When researching your target site, the following are some best practices to follow:
- Read the site’s content: Spend some time reading several articles on the site to get a sense of their content style, tone, and voice. This will help you personalise your content to the site’s audience.
- Check the site’s guidelines: Most sites that accept guest posts will have specific guidelines that you should follow. Make sure to read these carefully and follow them closely to increase your chances of getting published.
- Check the site’s traffic and engagement: Examine the site’s traffic and engagement metrics to get a sense of its audience size and engagement rates. This will help you determine if the site is a good fit for your content and if you’re likely to reach a large audience.
- Research the site’s social media profiles: Check out the site’s social media profiles to get a sense of its audience and engagement rates. This will allow you to tailor your content to their target audience and effectively promote your guest post.
- Look at previous guest posts: To find out what kind of content has previously been successful on the website, look through previous guest posts. This will give you a good idea of what the site’s audience is interested in and what type of content you should focus on.
2. Do Provide High-Quality, Original Content
Providing high-quality, original content is one of the most important “dos” of guest posting. When you submit a guest post, you want to offer something unique, informative, and engaging to the website’s readers. Here are some best practices for creating original, high-quality content for guest posting:
- Understand the website’s audience: Before you start writing, conduct research on the website’s audience and the types of content they typically publish. This will help you in creating content that is both relevant and valuable to your readers.
- Offer a fresh perspective: Don’t simply regurgitate information found elsewhere on the internet. Instead, provide different insights, unique insights, or personal experiences to help your content stand out.
- Provide actionable advice: Your guest post should provide readers with actionable advice, tips, or strategies that they can use in their own lives or businesses. This will increase the value and engagement of your content.
- Use visuals and multimedia: Including visuals such as images, infographics, or videos in your content can help make it more engaging and easier to understand.
- Write well and edit carefully: Your guest post should be well-written, error-free, and simple to understand. Before submitting your content, take the time to edit and proofread it thoroughly.
3. Do Include a Clear Call-to-Action in Your Bio and Article
A clear call-to-action (CTA) in both your author bio and the article itself is a crucial best practise for success when it comes to guest posting. A call-to-action statement is one that encourages the reader to take an action specific, such as visiting your website, signing up for your newsletter, or downloading a free resource.
Here are some simple tips on how to include an effective call to action in your guest post:
- Be clear and specific: Make your call to action clear and specific so that readers know exactly what action you want them to take. If you want them to visit your website, for example, if you want them to visit your website, include a direct link and encourage them to click it.
- Use persuasive language: Your call to action should be written in persuasive language that encourages readers to take action. Use phrases such as “Download now,” “Sign up today,” and “Learn more” to encourage participation.
- Match your CTA to your goal: Your call to action should be consistent with your overall goal for the guest post. For example, if you want to increase newsletter sign-ups, your CTA should encourage people to sign up for your newsletter.
- Place your CTA strategically: Your call-to-action should be placed strategically within the guest post, either at the end of the article or in your author bio. This ensures that readers see it and are motivated to act.
4. Do Follow Up and Engage with Your Audience and Site Owner
Engaging with your audience and the site owner is critical to the success of your guest posting. Following the publication of your guest post, make sure to contact the site owner to express your gratitude and to let them know that you are available for future collaboration. Here are some suggestions for following up with your audience and engaging with the site owner:
- Respond to comments: Once your guest post has been published, keep an eye on the comments section and respond to any questions, feedback, or compliments from readers. This is an excellent method for increasing engagement and creating a community around your content.
- Share the post on social media: Share the guest post link on your own social media channels to help promote the post and drive traffic back to the site. This also demonstrates to the site owner that you are actively promoting and expanding the post’s reach.
- Thank the site owner: After your post is published, send a thank-you note or email to the site owner, thanking them for the opportunity to contribute to their site. This helps foster the growth of a positive relationship and demonstrates your appreciation for the platform they have provided.
- Offer to collaborate in the future: Inform the site owner that you are interested in future collaboration opportunities, such as guest posting or contributing to a round-up post. This helps to maintain open lines of communication and may lead to future opportunities.
The Don’ts of Guest Posting: Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Don’t Submit Duplicate Content or Low-Quality Articles
When it comes to guest posting, one of the most important things to remember is to avoid submitting duplicate content or low-quality articles. These mistakes can harm your reputation, harm your relationship with the blog or website to which you are submitting, and ultimately harm your chances of success as a guest blogger.
Duplicate content is content that has already been published somewhere else, either on your own website or on another blog or website. This can harm your reputation as a writer and may result in search engines flagging your content as spam. It can also harm your relationship with the blog or website to which you are submitting, as they may recognise you to be untrustworthy or unreliable.
Submitting low-quality articles is also disadvantageous. Articles that are poorly written, poorly researched, or provide no value to readers are examples of this. Low-quality articles can harm your reputation as a writer and your relationship with the blog or website to which you’re submitting, as they may perceive you as unprofessional or unconcerned about your work.
To avoid these common blunders, ensure that you generate unique, high-quality content that adds value to readers’ lives. Take the time to research the blog or website you’re submitting to and adhere strictly to their editorial guidelines. Make sure to proofread and edit your content thoroughly before submitting it, and always strive to provide value to the readers of the blog or website.
2. Don’t Over-Optimize Your Article with Too Many Links or Keywords
Over-optimizing your article with too many links or keywords is a common mistake to avoid when guest posting. While including links and keywords in your article is important for search engine optimization (SEO), overdoing it can make your article appear spammy and harm your credibility with readers.
Make sure that any links you include are relevant to the content and add value to the reader’s experience. Include as few links as possible that are solely focused on promoting your own products or services.
Similarly, when utilising keywords, ensure that they are used in a natural and organic manner. Keyword stuffing, or overuse of keywords in your article, can harm your search engine rankings and make your article seem so unnatural to readers.
Instead, focus on creating high-quality content that adds value to the reader and incorporates links and keywords naturally. This will not only help your search engine rankings, but it will also help you build trust and credibility with your readers, which is vital to an effective guest posting strategy.
3. Don’t Ignore the Site’s Tone or Audience Preferences
When guest posting on a website, it’s essential that you avoid common blunders that can harm your credibility and your relationship with the website’s owner. Ignoring the site’s tone or audience preferences is a common mistake.
Every website or blog caters to a specific tone and audience, and it’s critical to match your guest post to these preferences. Ignoring the site’s tone or audience preferences may result in your post feeling out of place or disconnected from the overall message of the website.
For example, if you’re guest posting on a website that focuses on technical topics and uses a formal tone, your post should follow suit. Similarly, if the website’s audience consists primarily of professionals in a particular industry, your post should be tailored to their specific needs and interests.
You risk alienating the website owner and readers by ignoring the tone or audience preferences, and your guest post may be rejected or ignored. As a result, it’s critical to conduct research and ensure that your guest post is consistent with the overall message, tone, and audience preferences of the website. This improves the probability that your post will be accepted and well-received by the website owner and readers.
4. Don’t Forget to Build Relationships and Network with Site Owners and Other Guest Bloggers
This is a “Do” rather than a “Don’t” statement. Building relationships with site owners and other guest bloggers, as well as networking with them, is critical to the success of your guest posting strategy. Establishing relationships with other bloggers and website owners may lead to future opportunities for collaboration and guest posting. Furthermore, networking can assist you in establishing yourself as a valuable contributor within your industry and may lead to new business opportunities or partnerships. To summarise, as part of your guest posting strategy, remember to build relationships and network with site owners and other guest bloggers.
Tips for Finding the Best Guest Posting Opportunities
1. Do Look for Sites in Your Niche with Similar Audiences
When looking for the best guest posting opportunities, keep an eye out for sites in your niche with similar audiences. Here are some pointers to help you find the best websites:
- Use Google Search: Search for keywords related to your niche, including terms such as “guest post,” “write for us,” or “contributor guidelines” in your search. This will assist you in locating websites that accept guest posts and are related to your niche.
- Look for Similar Blogs or Websites: Find other blogs or websites in your niche with a similar audience to yours. These sites can be found by searching for keywords related to your niche or by using tools such as BuzzSumo or Ahrefs.
- Check Social Media: Look for influencers or brands in your niche on social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Check to see if they accept guest posts or have contributor guidelines on their website.
- Use Guest Post Networks: Use guest post networks like MyBlogGuest or PostRunner to find sites that are actively seeking guest posts.
- Check Industry Directories: Look for industry directories like AllTop or Technorati to find blogs or websites in your niche that are accepting guest posts.
When looking for guest posting opportunities, prioritise sites that are relevant to your niche and have a similar audience to yours. Following these guidelines will help you find the best guest posting opportunities, allowing you to reach a larger audience and build your brand.
2. Do Search for Guest Posting Guidelines and Submission Policies
When looking for the best guest posting opportunities, do your research and find websites and blogs that align with your brand and audience. Here are some simple tips for finding the most ideal guest posting opportunities:
- Search for guest posting guidelines and submission policies: Many websites and blogs have guest posting guidelines and submission policies posted on their website. Look for these guidelines and make sure your content aligns with their requirements before submitting your post.
- Use search engines: Use search engines like Google to find websites and blogs in your niche that accept guest posts. Use relevant keywords and search phrases such as “guest post,” “write for us,” or “contribute.”
- Look for guest posting opportunities on social media: Follow relevant hashtags on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram to find guest posting opportunities. Engage with other bloggers and brands in your industry and look for opportunities to collaborate.
- Use guest post directories: There are several guest post directories and platforms that connect bloggers with websites and blogs in need of guest posts. Some popular directories include MyBlogGuest, PostJoint, and BloggerLinkUp.
- Reach out to websites and blogs directly: If you have a website or blog in mind that you would like to guest post on, reach out to them directly and pitch your idea. Be professional, explain why your content would be a good fit for their audience, and provide examples of your previous work.
By following these tips, you can find the best guest posting opportunities that will help you reach new audiences, build backlinks, and establish yourself as an authority in your industry.
3. Do Build Relationships with Site Owners and Other Bloggers in Your Niche
Building relationships with site owners and other bloggers in your niche is a key strategy for finding the best guest posting opportunities. Here are some tips to help you build these relationships:
- Engage with other bloggers: Follow other bloggers in your niche on social media, comment on their posts, and share their content. This can help to establish a relationship with them and make them more likely to consider your guest post pitch.
- Attend industry events: Attend industry events, conferences, and meetups to connect with other bloggers and site owners in person. This can help to build a more personal relationship and increase the likelihood of securing a guest post opportunity.
- Offer to contribute to their site: Offer to write a guest post for their site or contribute to their blog in another way. This can help to establish your credibility and expertise, making them more likely to consider your guest post pitch in the future.
- Collaborate on projects: Look for opportunities to collaborate with other bloggers or site owners on projects, such as ebooks or webinars. This can help to establish a deeper relationship and increase the likelihood of securing a guest post opportunity.
By building relationships with other bloggers and site owners in your niche, you can increase your chances of finding the best guest posting opportunities. Not only will this help to expand your reach and build your reputation, but it can also lead to other opportunities for collaboration and growth.
4. Do Track Your Success Metrics and Adjust Your Strategy as Needed.
Yes, tracking your success metrics and adjusting your strategy is an essential step in finding the best guest posting opportunities. Here are some tips for tracking your success metrics and adjusting your strategy:
- Set clear goals: Before you start your guest posting campaign, define your goals. Are you looking to increase website traffic, generate leads, build backlinks, or establish authority in your industry? Once you have clear goals in mind, you can track your success metrics more effectively.
- Use analytics tools: Use analytics tools such as Google Analytics to track the traffic and engagement on your guest posts. This will help you understand which posts are driving the most traffic and engagement, and which ones are not performing as well.
- Analyze the data: Analyze the data from your analytics tools to identify patterns and trends. Look for commonalities among your most successful guest posts, such as the type of content, topic, audience, and website or blog you submitted to.
- Adjust your strategy: Based on your analysis, adjust your guest posting strategy. Focus on submitting more guest posts to websites or blogs that have proven to drive the most traffic and engagement. Experiment with different types of content and topics to see what resonates best with your audience.
- Build relationships: Finally, build relationships with the websites or blogs you submit to. By establishing a rapport with editors or site owners, you may be able to secure more guest posting opportunities in the future and increase your chances of success.
Conclusion: How to Succeed with Guest Posting in 2023
Guest posting stays an effective strategy for content marketers in 2023. To be successful with guest posting, it is essential that you adhere to the dos and don’ts outlined above. Research the blog or website you’re submitting to, provide high-quality content, adhere to editorial guidelines, include a bio and a link to your website, and interact with readers in the comments section. It’s also important to avoid duplicate content, excessive self-promotion, disregarding editorial guidelines, writing overly promotional posts, and failing to promote your guest post.
In addition to adhering to these guidelines, it is critical to be strategic in your guest posting efforts. Determine which websites and blogs are relevant to your target audience and have a high level of authority in your industry. Develop relationships with industry editors and bloggers, and pitch topics that are relevant to their content strategy and audience.
Finally, it is important to track your progress and adjust your strategy as needed. Check your backlinks and website traffic to see how well your guest posting efforts are working. Utilize this data to fine-tune your strategy and discover new opportunities for guest posting and content marketing.
You may be successful with guest posting in 2023 and beyond if you adhere to these suggestions and keep your attention on adding value to your target audience.
