If you’re a writer, blogger, or author and you have a website then you need to utilize quality guest posts to reach a wider audience. Here’s how to do it.
So you have a blog or author’s website. Great! But now you have another problem. Your website doesn’t get as many visitors as you want. So let’s get you some more traffic! Do you feel like your writing is falling into a void? Do your blog posts only yield single-digit reads? Is your work going under-appreciated?
The writing world is crowded. So how can you carve out a niche? You have to develop a solid following. To do this, you should guest post on blogs.
The Power of Guest Posting
It hit me one day when I found myself reading a blog post about writing. I realized I was only reading this post because I had been reading one on a different website about how to build a social media following. But I’d only gotten to that article because I’d been on a different website reading about author’s craft. And I’d only gotten there because…you get the point.
That’s the power of guest posts. You provide bread crumbs for readers to find you.
I see people promoting their blog on social media (I’m guilty of this, too). But the reality is that there’s just not enough engagement on social media to get your traffic to where it needs to be. I know that I rarely click a link on social media unless I’ve engaged with that person.
This is why guest posts are so powerful. People are already looking for whatever you’re talking about. This can make them much more likely to click to your site.
Why Guest Posts Matter
Imagine throwing some guest posts out there, writing about the topic you love, and boom! You get a ton of new readers. It’s not magic and it’s not rocket science. It’s guest posting.
Sometimes, you need a little help from others. Keep in mind, both you and whoever you’re writing for can benefit from this! They get quality content their audience wants, and you get access to that audience. This is true whether you’re a blogger, a traditionally published author, or you’re going the self-published route.
For a while I thought if I wrote a great article then all my problems would be solved. That’s just not true. Writers and bloggers need to churn out quality work all the time. However, even if you have solid content, it doesn’t mean you’ll get traffic.
If you can’t drive traffic to your posts, you might have the best website in the world, but it’s not going to matter. In the end, you’re more likely to burn out than unexpectedly go viral.
This is where guest posting comes in!
Guest Post Basics
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Locate guest post opportunities
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Write a great post
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Rules of guest posting
Locate guest post opportunities
So one of the first steps you need to take when guest posting is finding opportunities. Obviously, you should always leverage any relationships you have
However, if you’re just starting out, here are some questions to ask yourself:
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Where can your ideal customer be found?
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Where do your ideal customers connect with one another?
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Is there a specific type of social media that your target market uses?
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What else does your target market love?
I suggest checking out our list of guest post opportunities for writers below.
The easiest guest post option is to write for Medium.com. Medium has LOTS of traffic. And you can link back to your own site or put a link to your newsletter in your bio.
If you’re new to Medium (or have never considered using it), I created a FREE 5-day Challenge and 30-day support group to help you gain 100+ followers in 30 days.
There’s a waitlist because I want to ensure I’m getting to everyone specifically. So don’t wait. Sign up now!
Write a great post
This should go without saying but I’m going to say it anyway. Your post has to be phenomenal. If it’s not, you run the risk of being denied by the website. However, even if they post it and it’s not good, it’s not likely to drive traffic back to your site.
Lucky for you, I’m here to help!
After reading hundreds of blog posts and reviewing dozens of blog post templates and formats, I’ve developed the outline that I love and use all the time. It allows for flexibility within each post but keeps it to a format that is irresistible to readers. Check it out below.
Aside from that, make sure you’re thinking about what problems the audience is having and how you can fix them. If you’re new to writing, then you probably don’t feel like an expert. But that’s not true! Talk about a problem that audience is having that you had. Then, tell them how you fixed it. Even if this means linking to other sites or referencing other writers who are experts and solved the problem.
In the end, your goal with the post shouldn’t be to drive traffic to your site, it should be to help the websites audience with a problem. Do that, and you’ll see your own traffic increase.
Rules of guest posting
The number one rule of guest posting is to provide value. If you remember to do this, you’ll find that your posts are well-received.
Do not go into guest posting with the idea that you’re going to drive people to your content at all costs. People can spot ads and if you spam your article with links and calls to action everywhere, you’re not going to get what you want out of the post.
People who read the internet have developed really strong radar for self-promotion and they have short attention spans.
You’re better off under-promoting yourself and forcing people to have to find you. This will help you maintain a relationship with whoever you’re guest posting for and will make the readers see you for what you are: a helper.
People want to read helpers. They don’t want to read spammers.
So how do you do this?
My suggestion: Ask whoever you’re guest posting for what they would like? One related link in the meat of the post? A single call to action at the end? Maybe you can add a bio at the end of the post? Or the host will publish a mini-intro at the opening of the article with information about you and your website.
Whatever their preference is, you should know it going in and adhere to it. A good working relationship with other writers in your niche will go A LOT further than an extra click or two.
Key Takeaways
Spending hours and hours writing posts only to find your blog traffic lacking in numbers is frustrating. Whether you’re looking to grow a blogging business or just drive traffic to your author site, there’s nothing more upsetting than seeing single digit reads on a post.
To drive more traffic to your site, make sure you’re regularly guest posting so you can drive the right people to your site. An audience of people who is interested in the same things you are is vital to blogging success. So be judicious about where you post. Don’t just spam the internet.
Imagine driving traffic to your site every day on autopilot. Imagine waking up to see that people had already been on your site, signed up for your newsletter, bought merchandise, or ordered your book.
This is all possible when you have a large audience. So make sure you’re being smart about where you guest post and you’re providing the best, most helpful content you can!
