As much as you love your blog and want to grow it, the fact is that not everyone will take notice of you unless you reach out to them. That’s where guest posting comes in. Getting your voice heard among a sea of other voices requires some strategy, though. For most people, guest posting is a sensitive topic because they see so many people abuse it for their ends. The opportunity to get your content in front of another audience also comes with strings attached. To avoid coming off as pandering or desperate, however, there are ways to make sure that you aren’t taken advantage of just because someone agrees to host one of your posts on their blog. Here are some tips from real professionals on how you can do guest blog posting services outreach the right way.
Know Who You Are Guest Posting For
Before you gun for any guest posts, decide on your target audience. Are you trying to reach out to specific bloggers who cover a topic that’s relevant to your niche? Trying to engage with a large publication that focuses on different topics entirely? Knowing where you’re directing your guest post efforts will help you decide the tone and content of your outreach. This will also help you filter out and avoid the places that aren’t a good fit, whether it’s because their content is too different from yours or because their readers wouldn’t be interested in what you have to say. If a blog isn’t a good fit, don’t take it personally. Remember, you want to guest post for the right reasons.
Ask Questions Beforehand
If you’ve never guest-posted before and don’t have any connections, you’re going to have to start small. This means finding blogs in your niche and asking if you can guest post on their site. The best way to go about this is to ask questions first. If they say yes, they’ll probably have some questions of their own. You can also ask them to suggest a topic or even give you some sample articles to read that fit into their content strategy. If they say no, you can move on without feeling rejected or offended. You don’t have to take every opportunity that comes your way, and there’s no shame in asking for smaller blogs with a lower readership than your target blogs.
Don’t Be Afraid to Walk Away
Hopefully, your first few attempts at guest posting will meet with success. You’ll get accepted to some blogs and be on the verge of others. Don’t let yourself feel pressured to take every opportunity that comes your way. If you don’t feel a connection with the blog that has offered you a guest post, don’t take it. Guest posting isn’t a numbers game. You won’t grow your audience or your authority by guest posting on every blog that will take you. You’ll just be spinning your wheels and diluting your voice. If a blog doesn’t feel right, walk away. You’ll thank yourself later when you don’t have to worry about managing a relationship that isn’t benefiting you.
Don’t Feel the Need to be Shaped by the Brand
One of the things you’ll have to consider when guest posting is how to fit into the style of the blog you’re posting on. A large publication that publishes content from many different people may have a very specific style and voice to their posts. A small blog may have a more specific or niche style. You’ll have to adapt to fit their style, which may be different from your own. That doesn’t mean you can’t be yourself though.
You’re guest posting to build your audience, so don’t feel like you have to be shaped by the other blog’s style. Just make sure that you’re respectful of the host blog’s style if they demand it. If they don’t, take the opportunity to show off your voice. You can even take advantage of the opportunity to switch up your voice so that readers who have come across your posts on your blog know that it’s you.
Conclusion
Guest posting is a great way to get your name and your content out there, especially when you’re just starting. It can be a bit overwhelming, though, and there are ways to make it easier. When you know who you’re guest posting for and why, and when you know how to navigate a potential relationship, it can be a great way to grow your blog and make connections along the way.
