Tips on Making the Most from Guest Posting

When it comes to guest posting there are a lot of questions. Why write guest posts? Why accept guest posts? What can guest posting do for me? How do I get started? What should I watch out for? How can I make the best of guest posts and guest posting? Well, I will attempt to answer all your guest posting questions as clearly and simply as possible.
First of all, what is guest posting? Well, guest posting is very simple. It is an article written by someone outside of the blog owner that has something (hopefully) to do with the blog. This article is usually free for the blogger to use. The blog owner allows guest posting for many reasons, which I will go into detail about in a moment. However there are many reasons for people to offer guest posts to bloggers. Some of those reasons people want to offer this valuable service for free is:
· Guest posting gets you exposure. Many smaller bloggers try to guest post on bigger blogs to get more exposure for their own site. Getting your name out there and allowing readers a chance to see your writing is very valuable and well worth the time and effort of creating the content.
· Guest posting gets you links. Links are very valuable resources. Many search engines, like Google, use links as an indicator of how valid a blog is. The more real links your blog has the higher you rank in Google’s searches. Real links are different than purchased links, which is why guest posting is such a great way to get links.
· Guest posting gets you name recognition. Along with exposure to your writing, guest posting also gets your name out there and the name of your blog. The more people see your name the more they will recognize and remember it. You want to market yourself? Then try guest posting.
That answers the question as to why people make guest posts, but it does not answer why blogger allow guest posts on their site. You would think that they would not want to give something away for free, but in reality they are getting just as much back. Here are some reasons that bloggers love guest posts:
· They get free content. Content that is high quality is also hard to write. A blogger by himself can have a hard time coming up with new posts every day and a guest post can take some of the burden.
· They have control. When it comes to guest posts, bloggers have the power. They can specify how long a guest post should be, what it should be about, and how it should look. They can even ask for images or links if they would like. Everything is still under their control.
· They can say no. Speaking of control, bloggers have the right to reject guest posts. Maybe they were off topic, too controversial or they just did not follow the rules. Whatever the case, you can say thanks but no thanks and move on, not harm no foul.
· They get links. Oftentimes when a blogger guest posts they offer a link to the blog on their blog. That means that the blog that accepts a guest post gets a link on another blog for nothing! That is a great deal.
· They get different viewpoints. When one writer is the only voice on a blog it can get boring and start to all sound the same. However letting in guest posts is a great way to get different viewpoints and voices on your blog. You also can get new ideas from guest posts that could help your writing.
· They get paid. Some blogger even get paid for guest posts! I have seen blogs that allow guest posts for a fee of a few dollars or even more. Think about that, people paying to write content for you!
Alright, so now we have answered why people write guest posts and why people allow guest posting on their blog. Now we get into the big picture. What is a guest post? What should it look like? How can you start guest posting? What are the dos and don’ts of guest posting?

Do:

· Follow the rules. Almost all blogs that allow guest posts have a set of rules you should follow to be considered. Read it and follow the rules. If a blogger wants over 500 words do not give them 300. If they want an image find one for them. If they want headers or bullet points give it to them. Paying a little attention now will drastically increase your chances of getting your article posted.
· Write original content. You should take the effort to write something original or just do not write at all. If you have to take some facts from another source then be sure to cite it properly and quote it. It does not take much effort to do things right and it can pay off big.
· Check out the blog before you write. Do not write for a blog without checking it out first. You need to stay on topic and relevant to their audience and the only way to do that is to find out who their audience is first. Find out what the blog topic is and stay within the bounds of that for the best chances of getting published.
· Write something different. Speaking of checking out the blog, make sure you do not repeat something that has already been written. That does not mean you have to read every post, but if you write on something that was posted a month ago the chances are you will be rejected. Keep your eyes open and be aware of what topics to avoid.
· Stay on topic. Sometimes you get off topic as you write and that is fine on your own blog. However when you are writing for others you need to stay focused. There are many ways to do that. Make a list of what you want to cover before you start so that you can hit every point. Reread your work as you go along and make sure it flows together and makes sense.

Don’t:

· Sell yourself. No one wants to read a sales pitch. Let your writing do the talking and leave yourself out of it. Try not to promote anything specific like a product or website to avoid people thinking you have been paid for the promotion.
· Write sloppy. There is a tendency to slack off when it comes to grammar and spelling on blogs, but writing sloppy could get your post rejected. Instead take the time to look things over and run spell check before you send out your guest post.
· Copy others. Like I said, no one wants a copied post. Plagiarism and spinning articles is a no go when it comes to guest posts. Sure we all make mistakes sometimes or accidently say the same thing twice, but actively taking someone else’s work is stealing no matter how you phrase it. Be sure to cite properly and attribute quotes when you use them.
· Write what you feel like. Do not go off and do your own thing. That is what you blog is for. This is the time to concentrate on the needs and topics of the blog you are writing for. Write what is suitable to their audience and blog niche topic. If you can blend your blog’s topic in with it smoothly then great. But if not then concentrate on them and not you.
· Be controversial. There are a few blogs out there that love controversial discussions like politics and religion, but as a rule most blogger prefer something a little more tame. Do not take sides or pick on a group. Instead take a journalist role and only write from an unbiased perspective.
Guest posting can be a great advantage for your blog. Allowing guest posts can bring in more variety to your blog and also take some of the stress off your shoulders. Writing guest posts can help you to get your name out there and get more links to your blog. All together guest posting is beneficial as long as it is done correctly.
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