10 Ways to Encourage an Ongoing Relationship with a Guest Blogger
Content marketing is a primary driver behind the 192 billion dollars a year digital marketing industry. While content marketing encompasses a wide variety of mediums, one of the most popular and effective is blogging.
Having a blog on your site is an excellent way to get your share of the 4.5 billion+ search engine queries companies like Google direct to websites like yours every single day. The more blog content you have, the more opportunities your site will have to attract users.
That’s why guest blogging has exploded in popularity.
Guest blogging means having somebody else write relevant content for your website’s readers. A guest blogger will typically provide articles free of charge in exchange for the exposure they’ll get from your audience.
In this article, we will outline 10 best practices when it comes to finding and maintaining relationships with an excellent guest blogger!
1. Let People Know You Accept Guest Posts
It’s pretty rare that a guest blogger will email you out of the blue asking if they can write an article for your site. Typically, they’ll first look for signs that your website excepts guest posts.
You can display these signs in a couple of ways.
First, you can have a navigational button that says “Guest Posts” that people can click on which will direct them to relevant posting information. Second, you can simply publish a fair amount of guest posts on your blog that when users read, will let them know that guest posting is something you’re open to.
Finally, consider listing your blog on guest posting directories.
2. Make Your Guidelines Clear
Guest posting is a lot of work for a writer. If they create content for you that you don’t publish, that’s time wasted.
In order to maintain goodwill between you and your writers, be sure to make them read specific information on the kind of content, formatting, etc. you’re looking for before they get to writing.
This will reduce disappointment and confusion later down the line.
3. Always Say Thank You
This seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many cold, auto-responses many websites give to guest bloggers when they submit work.
In order to maintain a remarkable relationship with guest writers, doing something as simple as shooting them an email thanking them for their submission, even before you accept it, will go a long way!
4. Be Constructive and Kind when Requesting Edits or Rejecting
Again, a guest blogger will put a lot of time into writing your content piece. For that reason, if an article isn’t up to snuff, you should work with the writer to make edits and make it publishable.
If the article is beyond repair, be constructive and kind when you reject their work. Invite them to make improvements to their writing and always feel free to submit to you again in the future.
5. Don’t Be Stingy About Backlinks
Your guest poster’s aim in writing for you is to get exposure for their products and services. For that reason, be sure to allow them a fair amount of backlinks within their content piece to their website.
Typically 1-2 body links to their website’s internal pages, and an additional link in their signature is appropriate.
6. Create a Special Email List for Contributors
If you want to maintain a long-term relationship with a guest blogger, you’ll want to let them know when you’re looking for submissions. To do this quickly and effectively, make sure that all submitters opt-in to a special email list specifically for contributors.
With this list, you can not only call for submissions but communicate new standards and guidelines from time to time and more!
7. Share the Value Your Guest Bloggers Bring to Your Site
Everybody likes to feel appreciated. For that reason, be sure to let your guest posters know the value they bring to your business.
Doing things like communicating the amount of views guest work has brought to your site and how work has helped your SEO efforts (which you can learn more about) will make posters feel validated in their expertise and relationship with you.
8. Make Clear That You’ll Only Allow Personal Links
Some rouge guest posters will seek guest posting opportunities and then pack their article with backlinks to irrelevant 3rd parties. Those 3rd parties often pay guest posters for those links.
To make sure that a guest blogger does not take advantage of your website in that way, make clear that all backlinks outside of personal links to your guest poster’s website are either not allowed or need to be approved by you.
9. Limit the Number of Guest Posts You Accept
While it can be tempting to have a bunch of other writers create all of your content, fight the urge. Not only can a lot of guest posts hurt your SEO rankings given the volume of backlinks, but it can also delude your credibility and brand’s voice.
For that reason, look to only accept a certain amount of guest posts each quarter. This reduced acceptance rate will not only benefit your site but will also make it so guest bloggers that are accepted will feel more exclusive and accomplished.
10. Keep Your Guest Blogger Posted on Their Article
If you publish a guest poster’s work, let them know! Many websites are very discreet in their publishing which really hurts the respect they receive from their writers. Alternatively, if you take down a guest post for whatever reason, notify the writer as well.
Remember, even though the article is published on your site, it is somebody else’s work.
To maintain an excellent relationship with your guest blogger, never lose sight of the fact that you’re caring for somebody else’s content and that they want to know about it.
Wrapping Up Ways to Encourage Relationships with Guest Posters
Having a guest blogger or multiple guest bloggers creating content for your website can be a mutually beneficial relationship. In order to keep your website functioning its best and keep your guest blogger happy, we recommend leveraging the tips we’ve listed above apoteksv.se.
Always create a process for your guest blogger that respects their work and their time. Also, never do or accept anything that undermines the quality of your website!
Do you want to start attracting quality guest posters to your website now? If so, our team at GuestPost Tracker can help.
Submit your blog to our guest post directory today to start finding qualified writers. You can also learn more about guest posting best practices by checking out more of the professionally crafted content on our blog!