Why It’s Important To Guest Post On Other Sites

• Necessary to help increase your online visibility as a blogger and an online business owner
•  Potential to attract a bigger audience and you are able to link back to your site
• Cross promotion between the two sites to reach a wider audience and audiences you might not have been able to reach on your own

 

Even though I don’t advertise guest posting on my site, I still receive emails from time to time for these requests. The majority of the time, the emails sound really generic and spammy. I’m referring to the ones that start off with: “Hello admin, hey there, etc.”  So  I automatically delete them. People will often use email templates to save time and be more efficient. This is definitely not a bad idea, but  I think it’s important to make the effort to create a template that shows sincerity and authenticity.

Not only is it about what you say, it’s also how you say it.  Since you are not speaking to them in person, it’s important to focus on how you say it and what kind of tone you are creating. The messages in emails can be read in so many different ways to different people.

 

 

Here are some guidelines you can follow when composing a response-worthy guest post request:

 

1. Make Sure Their Content Relates To Your Business

I’ve  had people requesting to guest post that had absolutely nothing to do with my site’s content. Or people have asked to write a topic related to personal finance when it’s perfectly clear that I’m not writing about personal finance anymore.  I haven’t written about personal finance since late 2015.   This shows that they haven’t taken the time to look at the About Page or read the latest blog posts.

 

2. Introduce Yourself

First off do they know who you are? Do you follow them on social media? Have you ever interacted with them on social media? Or commented on their blog? Shared their posts on your social media accounts and tagged them? I would be more likely to accept a guest post if I had a vague idea of who this person was and if they were following me.

 

3. Why You Would Like To Guest Post / How Your Post Can Provide Value

Read some of their most recent posts on the blog and mention what you liked about them or how the content helped you.  People will often say they would like to guest post because they want to increase their exposure, help promote their business or build up their writing portfolio. All of these points are valid, but it seems too cookie cutter in my opinion. In addition to that,  tell the person about your brand and what your mission statement is.  Explain how your knowledge on subject XYZ can help their audience.

 

4.  Showcase Your Writing

Include links to your own posts on your business’ blog or a personal blog that are relevant and other guest posts if you have written any. This gives the person an idea of what your writing style is like and what types of topics you normally write about.

 

5.  Propose 2-3 Topics To Write About Including Possible Titles and Talking Points

This shows you’re taking initiative and creating less work for them because all they have to do is pick one. You’ve already completed some of the work on your end as well because you’ve already brainstormed a few ideas and discussion points.

 

6.  Review Your Request

Just like any blog post or any other email you send, be sure to review it carefully. Read it over a couple of times to ensure the message says what you need it to say and it includes the proper information. The last thing you want is for the email to say someone else’s name and someone else’s business.  Use proper grammar and spelling. I find Grammarly to be a very useful tool when it comes to proofreading.

 

7. Request a link back to your site AND social media accounts.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it doesn’t hurt to ask every time. Every site is different and may have different guest posting requirements.

 

8. Following Up With Your Request

If they respond within the next few days, then great! If not, be sure to follow up a couple of times, with a few days spread apart between requests. After a couple of follow-ups, there is still no response, then move on to your next task. When it comes guest posts and the follow-up process, they’re only worth a couple of emails in my opinion.

 

Do you have a process when for sending and accepting guest posts requests?

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