There is no doubt that blogging can bring you more clients.
In fact, 90% of companies who blogged multiple times a day acquired a customer through their blog.
Many talented writers are creating artful, informative lifestyle blogs. But guest-posting?
While it may seem like a waste of time and creative juices to write unpaid content for someone else’s blog, guest-posting is still an excellent way to drive traffic to your lifestyle site. You will be reaching an audience of readers that have never heard of you before.
What other benefits will your reap from guest-posting? Let’s take a look.
Guest posting really can be a waste of resources if you aren’t strategic in your pitching and writing.
You should reach out to websites that are related to your brand, although you should avoid direct competitors. Keep in mind the demographic that you are trying to reach, such as age, ethnicity, home ownership, household income, and education level.
If your site is about organic eating, for example, consider posting on a site about shopping for millennials. You will want to check out their blogs first to make sure a similar post hasn’t been written.
Look for websites that get a lot of traffic. Look at the comments to see if people are reading and interested. Avoid websites with too many ads.
You can begin locating sites to pitch to by going into your search engine and typing in the name of the market your are interested in writing for and the words “submit guest post.” You will find some great up-and-coming companies looking for interesting, informative work.
A great way to make yourself credible to the author of a bigger website is to visit their site often and comment on posts. Your name, face, and insights will be familiar to them.
When you pitch, be sure to talk about the site itself, showing your admiration for and knowledge of topics discussed. Then show how you can contribute something unique and useful to their readership. Send samples of your work that showcase your style.
Be sure to remind the site authors that you will be lightening their loads. The average blog post takes over three hours to create, and you will be freeing up their time for other projects.
Your guest post itself should connect with people on a personal level. Focus on a problem many individuals in your demographic may be experiencing, and that you may have experienced yourself. Share new and accessible solutions to the problem.
43% of readers scan through posts, so it is important for your introduction to be captivating. Ask a question or present an intriguing fact or statistic. You can say something a little edgy or corny. The important thing is that it will make your readers wonder who you are and what you have to say.
While it may seem obvious, remember to link back to your website in the guest post. This is how you will begin reaping some benefits from your guest-posting efforts.
By embedding a backlink into a prominent website, you are making your site more discoverable.
Don’t expect your SEO to spike right away. Try writing once a month for each site you’re are guest-posting for, and after three or four months you should begin seeing an uptick.
You can ask the author of the site you are posting on to share your post on their social media outlet, and reciprocate by sharing it on your own. Remember that you will be reaching a much larger readership interested in the topics on your blog.
Be sure the links you are embedding are highly shareable. Infographics can help you get up to three times more social-media engagement.
Your host site is successful because of its great ideas. After a while, though, the strategies and marketing strengths of the same bloggers begin to run its course.
Your guest post can provide a fresh perspective in a new voice, and it won’t cost them a dime!
When you guest post on a big website, you are being recognized by a trustworthy brand as someone who knows what they’re talking about. You lend the same credibility to your host when you share the content on your own site check out this site.
Even if folks aren’t drawn to your site when they click on the link initially, they will be aware of your brand’s unique ideas and inspirations. They may return to it when that is what they are looking for.
If you really are making a valuable contribution to discussions about topics, you will draw more readers and influencers to your site. They may even ask you for advice. Be sure to respond to comments, as this will increase your following.
You can develop or refine your strategy based upon what you learn from other successful bloggers or interested readers.
Guest-posting on a credible website is a great way to show potential employers that your opinion is valued by trusted brands. You will showcase yourself as a versatile and serious contributor.
Responding to comments on your blog by new readers will allow you to share your insights, and your products, with them. There is a demographic out there looking for exactly what you offer.
As you tailor your voice for a new audience and research points of interest to them, you will find that you become stronger at marketing your own brand. This is a great skill to have, no matter how much traffic is drawn to your site.
Guest-posting will do more than increase readership of your lifestyle site. It will improve your visibility, boost your authority, and make your content marketing the best it has ever been.
For more information, contact us today.