How To Guest Post And Build Major Clout

How To Guest Post: Guest posting on other blogs has many benefits and it does not have to be some difficult or some mysterious thing that only the “in-crowd” get to do.

It is a long term strategy to build up your writing portfolio or promote your own blog.

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We will discuss how to find guest posting opportunities, how to write a stellar guest post pitch, and all the do’s and don’ts that go along with writing.

But I first want to talk a little bit about WHY you should be guest posting on other blogs.

Why You Should Guest Post

By Guest Writer Keegan Kraemer

As bloggers, it’s something we are told we should be doing. But what is the real reason one should spend their time researching and pitching?

Whether you have your own blog or are a freelance writer, guest posting to reputable blogs can help to increase your blog traffic, build your portfolio, and make lasting connections with online influencers.

Making Connections

Connecting with other amazing bloggers is crucial for your success online.

When you connect with other bloggers in a positive and respectful manner, people reciprocate. It is all about giving before asking.

If there is a blogger that you really admire and want to connect with them, do a little bit of online stalking (not in a creepy way though).

Find out what is important to that blogger and who their audience is. If you have an audience with similar interests, bonus!

The goal is to build long term connections so that you can support each other, not be in competition with one another.

Potential Opportunites

This ties right into making connections.

There was a blogger that I was “stalking” and I had seen that she was accepting contributing writers for one of her other blogs. So I wrote a great post, submitted it, and waited.

After not hearing back from her for a few weeks, I emailed her a polite inquiry to see when my post might be published.

I wasn’t pushy because I know she has little ones and runs multiple blogs.

Much to my surprise she responded very quickly and asked if I was interested in ghostwriting for her on a regular PAID basis because she liked my writing style!

To which, my response was, “HECK YEAH, WHEN CAN I START!”

Guest posting on blogs can lead to guest posting on bigger blogs, landing paid writing gigs and building up a pretty rad portfolio of publications.

Credibility

When you regularly guest post on blogs it increases your credibility as a real writer.

Showing consistency in quality postings shows other blog owners and editors that you take your writing seriously.

Once you have built up a good portfolio and in turn some credibility, you can start going after the big fish. Big authority sites like the Huffington Post, CopyBlogger, BuzzFeed, and HubSpot accept guest posts and many PAY!

Also, if your goal is to land paid writing gigs as a ghostwriter, content contributor, or the like, posting on authority sites is going to give you a lot of clout when applying for writing gigs.

How to Find Guest Posts

Finding blogs and sites to guest post on is the easy part! A simple Google search can yield literally thousands of blogs that accept guest posts.

However, when guest posting, your goal should be quality over quantity.

It’s going to look much better to other reputable bloggers and potential clients if you have one or two posts on authority sites (like Scarymommy.com) rather than a bunch of posts on low authority sites.

So, if you are Google searching to find sites to post on, make sure you are very intentional about your search and use words like “authority,” or “high domain authority,” and “submission.”

Be intentional not only about how you are searching but where you are posting.

If getting backlinks is your goal, then try and stay away from shady-looking sites that look like they came out of a box.

Just because someone is accepting a guest posts doesn’t mean you SHOULD be posting there.

Also, if you are looking to post on a specific site, say of a blogger that you have recently been stalking, search their site.

Most blogs should have a search feature where you can search for posts and pages using keywords. Search things like “write for us,” “guest post,” or “contributors.”

How to Ask About Guest Posting

When I finally put on my blog that I was accepting guest posts I got so excited when the submissions started rolling in.

I also got really annoyed…

How To Guest Post: What Not To Do!

Let me share with you an email I recently received that is a great example of how to NOT ask someone to guest post on their blog.

Here are all the things that are wrong with this email:

1. If you can’t take the time to actually look at my blog and find out if I am a man or a woman, then I’m going to assume you don’t take the time to write quality content either.
2. I do not have a post titled “Money Saving Tips and Budgeting” but I give them credit for actually seeing what my niche was. And the fact that they put “blogs” instead of blog bothers me…
3. Don’t ask for a do-follow link! So in exchange for the crappy post that you are going to write (that probably came from a content mill) my awesome site is going to boost your SEO? NO THANKS! I’ll pass…

I have gotten even worse ones than this that I’m going to assume is some type of bot emailing me because it was so generic. I don’t even waste my time and just delete these!

How To Guest Post: What To Do!

Now that we have covered how not to be a crappy person and waste a blogger’s valuable time, let’s look at how to ask for a guest post properly.

Step 1 – Follow directions

Most bloggers and authority sites that accept guest posts regularly have a system for doing so. This weeds out the crappy people mentioned above, saves everyone time, and keeps everything organized.

Chelsea has a great system for accepting guest posts. This system is in place for a reason people! Follow it!

Step 2 – Know the audience/niche

If you are a freelancer or blogger and you only write about a certain niche, then stick to that niche.

For example, if you are a beauty blogger, applying to guest post on a site that deals with cryptocurrencies probably isn’t the best choice.

Niches and audiences can overlap though. I generally blog about personal finance and saving money.

However, know a lot about blogging and entrepreneurship related topics and have written several posts on these topics on my blog.

Thus, I am comfortable writing about topics such as guest posting. I also know that visitors to my blog read my blogging related posts.

My goal for guest posting on Her Paper Route is that Chelsea’s audience will read this post, think to themselves, “Wow, Keegan sounds like she knows what she’s talking about…I wonder what other blogging related topics she writes about?”

Then they jump over to my site and read every one of my blog posts ;-). Just kidding…kinda.

I also promote Her Paper Route my adding my guest post and other relevant posts from HPR on my social media, because sharing is caring!

This is also the reason that you should be sure to confirm that you either get a link back to your site in an author bio or somewhere within the article.

Even if it is a do not follow link, you should at least make sure readers can find you or your blog.

Step 3 – Be professional

Don’t be like the person in the email I received.

If you view yourself as a professional writer/blogger, act like it! If you are supposed to email in regards to submitting a guest post, then do so in the most professional manner possible.

Show the blogger that you have done your research!

A good pitch includes a personalized message about the blogger or site. It is short and sweet! Also, the pitch is about them.

Don’t ramble on about how you draw inspiration for writing from your cat or your lifelong goal of becoming the next Stephen King.

Seriously, they are not going to care!

Here is a quick example of how you might want to write a guest post pitch (feel free to take liberty in copying this format and making it your own).

Do you see what I did there?

As I said before, there are a lot of benefits to guest posting, if you do it right.

If you are a blogger…

• Increased traffic to your site
• Building connections with other bloggers
• Backlinks to your site
• Building clout

If you are a freelance writer…

• Making connections with influencers
• Building an online portfolio
• Establishing clout

One of the big differences between guest posting as a blogger as opposed to blogging as a freelancer is your author bio.

As a freelance writer, if you don’t have a personal website, blog, or online portfolio that you can link to, you should at least include your well-kept, updated LinkedIn account.

I am assuming if you are a freelance writer, your goal is to land paid writing gigs. So make sure your online resume reflects that.

How To Guest Post – Conclusion

There you have it!

So start making those submissions and make sure to share any of your questions or comments (or tips) about guest posting in the comments below!

Good luck!

_________

Keegan Kraemer blogs full-time at TheDailyChangeJar.com, a site dedicated to empowering women to take control of their finances through frugal living and savvy side hustles. As a wife and mother of 6, she knows a thing or two about living frugally and making extra income through side hustles. Be sure to get your free copy of Keegan’s Savvy Girl’s Guide to Financial Freedom.

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