Guest blogging can be a valuable way for public relations professionals to spread their message, boost incoming website traffic, and build credibility as a subject-matter expert.
Since PR pros are undoubtedly pressed for time and already swamped by current projects including writing for their own company blogs, the prospect of identifying opportunities and writing guest posts probably seems overwhelming. Still, the benefits can be well worth the effort to share your thoughts and opinions.
Experts recommend these steps to creating and placing guest blog posts.
Finding Guest Blog Opportunities
Just as PR pros research publications to find where to submit articles and press releases, they research blogs to learn about their topics, audience, editors, and tone and writing style. Many PR pros first seek blogs with high page ranks, but it’s important to submit guest posts only to blogs you want to be associated with, regardless of their page rank. It’s preferable to get to know the blog editor before submitting to improve chances of acceptance.
Search the site to find guest blogging guidelines that might answer questions about word length, author bios, internal links and images. Some blogs enforce strict requirements; others have loose guidelines. Some accept submissions through a website form; others accept them as email attachments.
Search the blog’s previous posts to find if it recently covered your topic. If it has, consider a different perspective or writing about it in greater detail.
You can start your search for guest posting opportunities by asking someone you already know, like friend or business contact. Alternatively, you can reach out to a leader in the PR field, hoping their popularity and Google page rank will add luster to your piece.
Ideas for Blog Posts
Here are some ideas for finding guest post topics.
Research and analysis. If your company has completed a piece of research, consider writing about your study results. You can also find research results from other sources and add your insights and opinion. Plenty of research is freely available and easily accessible online on almost every topic.
Current events. Cite a current event or trend and examine its ramifications to your niche.
Personal story. Tell a personal story related to the blog’s audience. A personal story can engage readers and humanize your brand.
Common problems. Answer a troubling question or explain how readers can solve a common problem. Scanning forums and blog comments can reveal those types of frequent questions and shared issues.
Other Guest Blogging Recommendations
Include a call to action. Some blogs offer guest writers more flexibility than others. If possible, include a call to action that asks the reader take an action such as clicking on a link or downloading an ebook.
Record your progress. Monitoring your guest blogging efforts is essential for understanding your results. Tracking contacts in a customer-relationship management program or spreadsheet can be very helpful in tracking your blogger relations efforts. Editorial calendars, which can be downloaded for free, can also help with that task.
Monitor your work. A social media listening service is critical for monitoring how your guest posts create reaction in social media. It can also track other brand mentions to help assess PR strategy and effectiveness. A social media monitoring service that searches on key phrases (without brand names) is especially valuable as PR personnel contribute many guest posts to a range of different blogs.
Work flexibly with bloggers. Sometimes blog owners will reject the post you submitted, but ask for something different. Accommodating them can help develop the relationship and lead to published articles in the future.
Engage readers. Responding to comments from readers can encourage them to return to the web page and elicit more comments from readers. Asking readers to share their opinions can spark a discussion.
Be evergreen. Although time-sensitive posts are often valuable, their web traffic typically fades. Evergreen content, by contrast, holds its value over time and can continue to deliver incoming web traffic for years.
Syndicate. If you can locate syndication partners willing to accept previously published work, you won’t need to create new content. Some blog publishers, though, prefer to work with original content.
Strive for quality. Fresh, original content is essential for a successful guest blogging program. Simply rehashing existing content and posting it on a different blog won’t suffice. Google despises republished content.
Bottom Line: Guest blogging is a valuable content marketing strategy. Guesting blogging can build the author’s credibility as an expert. It can also increase incoming web traffic, create backlinks and improve search engine page results. These recommendations can help PR pros manage a successful guest blogging program.
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William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
Guest blogging is a method used by bloggers to increase blog traffic where bloggers write posts to be published on other bloggers’ blogs. Guest blogging can work in one of two ways: You write a post to appear on another person’s blog. Another person writes a post to appear on your blog.
Hi,
It’s neat, because guest posting is going back to the old school approach of building relationships, forming bonds and helping both parties in the process. There is nothing wrong with building links as a natural by-product of adding value and forming connections. Smart post here.
But people were making huge mistake by taking it just for the sake of link building, which is completely wrong, It reduce the quality of guest posts.
So, Do your homework. Reach as big as crowd as possible. And of course, make sure the crowd wants to know what you have to say because smart guest bloggers hyper target their audience with a strategic guest blogging strategy.
I used to hit the heavies like problogger.net for a tremendous networking opportunity, and also, to build bonds with Darren Rowse and his co-bloggers at PB. It sure hasn’t hurt me in the social proof department either, as I’ve received some nice pop for being published on problogger 3 times.
All techniques make sense here. Put in the legwork to find the right blog to build an intelligennt, effective approach to guest posting. Think about the specific audience you wish to reach before bothering to write a guest post.
Thanks for sharing the awesome tips.