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More and more entrepreneurs venture into guest blogging, because they understand its value and importance.
Guest blogging allows you to “meet” an audience that you would not be able to reach otherwise. It also increases search engine awareness of what you are trying to promote. What a fantastic link-building strategy!
With that said, you do not become a great guest poster overnight. Not only do you need to practice, but you also have to follow specific rules.
Interested in rocking your next guest blogging opportunity? I have created a short guide for you.
- Before contacting bloggers
- Contacting a blogger
- What to do afterwards
- What to do when your pitch has been accepted
- What to do when your article has been published
Before contacting bloggers
- Look around their sites to see the kind of topics they cover and if your ideas are relevant.
- Read the guest posting guidelines (mine is here). If there is none, chances are that the blogger is not accepting pitches.
Contacting a blogger
- Start your message with “Dear xxxxx:” or “Hello xxxxx”. An email that does not address someone directly is rude. And pay attention to the spelling of the blogger’s name.
- Introduce yourself briefly.
- Show that you know the blog and explain why you want to write for it.
- Offer relevant ideas, with a short introductory blurb for each.
- Be polite and professional. Have your email proofread to avoid embarrassing typos and grammatical errors.
- Cut the “crap”. Do not demand anything, resort to praises, or claim guru-ism. Instead, share samples of your writing.
- End your email with a polite phrase, such as “Best regards” or “Thank you for your time”.
What to do afterwards
Be patient. Some people are very busy and cannot respond right away. Wait at least 72 hours before sending a follow-up email.
However, no response usually means that the blogger is not interested in your ideas. Try to see if you can offer different ones. But do not be too pushy.
What to do when your pitch has been accepted
- Write the best article you can possible come up with. Show off your expertise!
- Make sure that your article has short paragraphs (75 words max) and is scanable.
- Have your content thoroughly proofread before pressing the “Send” button. Glaring typos and grammatical errors will result in a rejection.
- Pay attention to the feedback the blogger gives you, especially if they advise you to edit or rework something. They know their audience.
- Provide pictures, if need be.
What to do when your article has been published
- Thank the blogger for the opportunity. You can also ask them if they would be ok with you contributing again in the near future.
- Tag them when you promote the article on social media sites.
- Keep an eye on the post every day for comments.
- Try to respond to all of them, and address questions and issues.
Have fun rocking your next guest post!
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