There has been discussion over the past few years as to whether guest blogging is still profitable, or if it has gone the way of the Dodo. However, it would seem that as we head into 2017, guest blogging isn’t quite as extinct as some may think. Read on to discover the benefits of blog posting and how you can go about implementing this into your blogging practices.
Why Guest Blog?
In a past article, we mentioned that one of the ways to kill your WordPress blog was having no blog network. Ultimately, guest blogging allows you to develop important industry relationships and grow your professional network. These connections in turn help you to establish your own blog and yourself as an authority in your industry. Finally, guest blogging also helps you to increase your web traffic through a larger audience reach and traffic being directed back to your blog through backlinks. Ultimately, guest blogging has an incredible impact on your blogger persona, helping to increase your blogger influence and your online visibility. In short, to increase the performance of your blog, you should network intelligently, forming authoritative connections with whom you can share content.
To Post or To Receive?
In a blog post on ways that guest posting can help grow your online audience, writer Jeff Goins mentions that “guest posting on other sites is five times as valuable as creating new content on your own site,” as long as you secure a backlink from the blog on which you have posted. This is more valuable because when you post on your own site, you reach only your specific audience. When you post on someone else’s site however, you reach their audience as well, and can promote this post across your social media channels, making it available for your audience. Plus, you can include that very
Although Jeff mentions that you should opt for posting over receiving a post, it is still good to have others guest post on your site as well. Guest bloggers can lend their authority to your blog and perhaps bring some of their faithful readers along with them, increasing your website traffic. Not to mention that having a surplus of good quality content is never bad for blogging business. Furthermore, receiving guest blog posts helps to nurture your relationship with those important network connections. Although you may be more motivated to write a guest post over receiving one, remember that in this case, giving is receiving.
How to Find Guest Blogging Opportunities
- Google Search
Pretty basic, but incredibly useful: do a quick google search with your blog niche and the words “write for us” before or after the niche. You will be surprised with what comes up. - Get Social
Connect with other bloggers and publishers on social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, and on professional social platforms like LinkedIn. This keeps you connected to influencers in your field and helps you build a relationship. Note that they are more likely to accept your proposal for a guest post if they have had some kind of interaction with you already. - Check Out Guest Blogging Communities
There are many guest blogging communities out there that can be helpful for finding guest blogging opportunities. You can also see which blogs other bloggers in your niche are working with and ask through a mutual connection if you can get in touch.
Of course, you should only consider guest posting for blogs that are actually applicable to your niche; don’t just submit pitches to just any blog that might accept it. Be smart about your guest blogging connections, and also remember that this is a relationship, not a business transaction. Maintain a relationship with the bloggers you are connecting to and remember that this is a give and take agreement. By nurturing your relationships with your network connections, you leave the possibility open for future guest posting opportunities.
