If you’re trying to boost search rankings and draw more traffic to your site, guest posting is an incredibly effective tactic. Guest posting is exactly what it sounds like: posting on another blog as a guest. This type of post can help you gain authority and build your portfolio as a freelancer or help build links if you run your own site.
Here are five tips to help you start guest posting.
- Choose the best sites
Start by making sure you target the right sites for your posts. Look for sites that are in your niche or that attract the audience you want to reach. Then take a look at the blog on the site—are the posts high quality? Do they get a lot of social shares or comments? Is the site ever referenced by other sites? You want to choose sites will help boost your reputation and traffic, not sites that will hurt them. Be picky!
- Pitch the right topics
The next step is getting your pitch accepted. To maximize your chances of getting accepted, match your topics to the site you’re pitching by browsing through the published posts. Don’t be afraid to pitch topics you aren’t as familiar with—if you’re willing to work and research to produce a quality piece for the site, writing on new topics can help diversify your portfolio.
- Personalize your pitches
If possible, look through the site and try to identify the editor you’ll be pitching to. This information lets you address them by name and make your email more personable. Also, follow them on Twitter or another social network and engage with them before sending your pitch so that you’re not contacting them totally cold, though cold pitching can have benefits.
- Write to match the site’s style
To improve your chances of having your post published (and minimize revisions), do your best to craft your writing to fit in and feel natural on the posting site. You don’t have to completely abandon your own voice, but make an effort to match the site’s tone. Otherwise, the editor is likely to send the post back for revisions, edit it themselves (taking some of your creative control away), or reject the piece altogether.
- Use the tools for the job
When guest posting, you can simplify your life by using tools that aid your process. For starters, you want to have a fast and stable internet connection and reliable email service like Gmail. Some site editors receive hundreds of pitches a day, and responding quickly when they email you will help you stand out. And services like Grammarly and the Hemingway App can help your pitches and posts stay error-free and well written.
Guest posting can seem difficult at first, but whatever you do, don’t give up. It can take time to get a few posts accepted and start seeing the benefits, but it’s worth it.
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