Tips to Writing a Successful Guest Blog Post

Internet marketers will take advantage of another blog’s popularity by requesting to write guest posts. This strategy is very successful because these posts can include the marketer’s bio information and links back to the website which can not only boost search rankings, but also spread brand awareness.

Contacting a blog owner can be tricky, but not difficult. Stay professional and humble, yet confident that you will be able add great content to the blog.

Once you contact the blogger and agree upon a topic or subject, it’s time to get writing. Note: if you write the article and send it to the blog owner as part of your initial point of contact, these same tips will apply.

Don’t Hold Back

Resist the temptation to keep your best inspirations for your own personal blog or correspondence. Your guest post is a marketing strategy and it should constitute your best work.

Research the Blog

Research the blog in question and identify which types of posts received the most feedback from readers. Look for social media reactions as well as the number of times a particular post was tweeted, liked or submitted to Stumbleupon. Check the comments section to see which posts garnered the most reactions as well, positive or negative.

You want to make sure you follow the rules of the blog and stay professional while creating a unique piece the readers will enjoy. Study the blog and get an overall feel for its subject matter and attitude. Some blogs are somewhat comedic while others err on the technical side. Know your boundaries before you begin as a sign of respect to the blog owner and follow the blog’s guidelines if listed.

Study the Blog’s Audience

To write a successful blog post, you will need to appeal to the needs of the blog’s audience. Similar to how you know the exact style and tone that works for your audience, you should take time to do the same for your guest post. Even if the blog is related to your industry, it will cater to a specific type of person. The research from the last tip will help you out with this task.

Study the comments and reactions and see what types of people are interacting. What are their business roles? What information are they seeking? Take special note of the blog comments that include questions. If you notice a trend of similar questions, you may have stumbled upon an idea for a topic for your guest post.

Tip: Enter the blog’s web address into Open Site Explorer and click on “Top Pages” to find the posts with the most links pointing back to it.

Beyond Expectations

Go the extra mile and make your posts stand out from the rest. Don’t think of the post as simply an opportunity for a link. Consider your audience first and prioritize their needs. This attitude will go a long way to spreading your brand message across the web. The blog community knows the difference between a good post and a great one, so pull out all the stops and make it a winner.

If the guidelines state a minimum of 400 words, write 500+. If the guidelines state images are optional, make sure to use them. However you can extend yourself, do it.

Many of my guest post opportunities came from business owners who read my blog posts and wanted me to write a similar post for their blog.  Show the blog owner you are serious about adding great content to the community and that you are not just another business owner looking for a link. Over time, like a snowball effect, you will have more opportunities than you know what to do with.

Jenna Scaglione (97 Posts)

Jenna Scaglione is a content writer, internet marketer, and a lover of family, friends and life. Jenna enjoys learning, growing and discovering the newest and latest trends on the internet. Known as "Lady Content", she lives in sunny Socal where she helps her clients around the world increase brand awareness on the internet through content writing and social media.