If you’re into content marketing, you would’ve heard of guest blogging. Well, some think it’s an obsolete method while some use it consistently. However, writing guest blogs is one of the most authentic ways to build your brand.
Guest blogging is not only for link building. There’s so much more to it. If you want to build or create your own brand by guest blogging, read along. Here we’ll help you with a guest blogging strategy good enough to build a brand.
Ten Tips For a Successful Guest Blogging Strategy
1. Define your goals
It’s crucial to define your goals before you start guest blogging. It’ll help you look forward to something and eventually achieving it. Some general or obvious goals can be: –
- Attracting more visitors to your website home page
- Building links and improving SEO
- Creating Brand awareness and targeting a wider audience
- Improving Visitor-to-customer conversion rate
Whatever it is that you’re offering to have a goal in mind is always going to help. It gives direction to the strategy and tells you which way to go.
2. Focus on one niche
Sometimes it’s good to focus on popular guest blogging topics. But ultimately you should not deviate from your core business. Let’s say you have a plumbing business. So, you should only post content revolving around the plumbing. Otherwise, it’ll confuse both the audience and the search engine.
You should have expertise in your niche when it comes to guest posts. There’s so much information out there. How are you making a difference? This is what visors think. You need to dig deep, become an expert and add value to your reader. And you can do this only if you focus on one niche.
3. Look for websites that accept blog posts.
So, you have defined your goals and have found a niche. But where do you post the content? Well, for this, you need to find sites that accept blog posts. While you’re looking for such websites, make sure they serve your purpose.
Say, for example, you want to build links for your website. It won’t be possible if you approach a website that doesn’t allow backlinking, right? So, you’ve to look for a compatible website with good domain authority.
4. Form a relationship with the site owner before you pitch
Let’s say you’ve found an ideal website now before you pitch your title form a sense of relationship with the site owner. A person who knows you, even faintly, is more likely to answer as compared to others he doesn’t know.
So, before pitching, try to connect with the site owner. You can do this by reading other guest posts on their site. You can also follow the owner’s social media handles and engage with them. You can comment on their content or even like it.
When you’re doing everything, make sure it looks natural. It’s because they’ll know if you’re faking. And this won’t get you far.
5. Choose a topic you want to write a guest post about
Now, we’re building a brand here, so the topic needs to be around what you do. Whether you’re into the landscaping or digital marketing, you need to pick a topic of your field. And keep in mind to find a site that accepts this kind of content.
Make sure to find a topic that adds value and is highly searched. Now, you need to get a little bit technical here. You need to search for keywords related to your business, and then you can come up with a topic. It’ll both align with your business and will be quite popular.
6. Forward the Pitch!
It’s finally time to forward the pitch. Try to be as unique as you can. Those generic guest blog templates work once in a thousand attempts. So, take reference and create something unique. Make sure you include the below points in your pitch: –
- Keep it short
- Address the receiver by his/her name
- Share the post title
- Present a brief description of your post
- Describe how will it add value to its readers
- Explain why you’re the best one for the blog post
- Keep the first one in mind
Here are some good guest post pitch templates for you to refer to. Make sure to only make reference, not the entire template.
7. Deliver the best content you can
Now, if your pitch is accepted, it’s time to write the post. You’ll give to deliver something better than the best. Start off with a captivating headline. You can use the one you sent in the pitch, but a little more creativity never hurts.
Make sure your headline: –
- Involves emotions
- Shows the readers their benefit
- Has some action words
Once you’re done crafting the headline focus on the below pointers: –
- Do keyword research: If your post drives traffic, the site owner will love it. And this will eventually benefit you.
- Use internal and external links: External links are good for SEO purposes and internal ones for both SEO and easy navigation. So, use relevant links at relevant places.
- Include Images: Images always add to the content. If you’re able to find relevant images attach them in the blog post
- Use the correct format: Scroll through other blog posts on the site. Look how they look like. Make sure to format yours in a similar manner. It’s because your goal is to blend in.
In a nutshell, deliver something unique which stays under the site guidelines.
8. Create an Impressive Bio
Bio is where your readers can know about you. It’s where you can redirect them to your website or social media or both. However, it depends on what the site owner allows. Generally, you can link the bio to: –
- A page on your website
- A link to your homepage and a link to social media
It is quite important that you make your bio quite captivating. Here’s an example of a bio.
9. Engage with your audience & Promote your content
Now, when you are done writing a post, readers will most probably want to connect via comments. So, whenever there’s a comment; reply. If the site owner permit subscribes to comment notifications. This way you’ll get a notification whenever a new comment is left.
Promote your guest post like you do for other content. If there’ll be more reach, there’ll be more visitors. And this will give you more writing opportunities.
10. Write more & Track your progress.
Keep writing more blog posts. Once your readers find you interesting, they’ll crave for more. Also, track your progress using Google analytics. This way, you can learn how far have you come.
Wrapping up
Guest blogging has more potential than you can imagine. It can not only help you build an audience but a whole brand. But you have to be consistent and creative in terms of the execution. You need to follow the above pointers, and you won’t have to look back.
However, if you want some professional help, connect with Joel House Sunshine Coast. They can help you empower your online business with ease.
