How To Write A Killer Guest Post

There are many reasons why you might find yourself writing a guest post:
- Perhaps a blogging friend asked you to
- Perhaps you want a little extra exposure
- Perhaps you want to write something about a topic outside of the your blog niche
I'm sure there are a lot more reasons, those are just the ones that came to mind.
The main advantages to it are:
- It's a chance to get your posts in front of new people, hopefully leading to them visiting your blog
- It helps build relationships within the blogging community
If you've never considered writing a guest post before, give it a go - you've got nothing to lose! There are always bloggers looking for guest posters - have a look through Twitter, you're sure to find one that takes your fancy, or be brave and pitch your idea to a blogger whose blog you would love to feature on. If you would like to feature on this blog, take a look here for all the details.

So, you've found a blog to post on, and have a chance to get your post in front of a new audience - how do you make sure it ticks all the boxes? Read on for my top tips!

1. Read the blog you are submitting to

Have a look through some of the blog's posts. What are they writing about? Have you spotted a gap you could fill? A point they have touched on that you want to expand on? A new perspective on something they post about? For example, you are going to have very little success approaching a beauty blog with a post idea about potty training, however, a parenting blog would be much  more open to the idea.

Now you have the general feel for the blog, and an idea for a post, have a search through their archives - make sure you aren't just re-hashing a post they have already written.

 

2. Write something original

If the blogger is advertising for guest posters, check their guidelines, some will accept previously published posts, although most won't. Even if they do, I would strongly recommend writing something original, even if it covers an area you have already posted about. If you are pitching to a blogger who isn't actively advertising for guest posters, then you definitely need something previously unpublished. 

3. Write as yourself

Don't change your writing style to mirror the blogger you are writing for. Not only will this be glaringly obvious, but presumably the blogger wants something fresh and different or they would just write the post themselves! If the blog you are writing for has a set style of posting, for example, if all their posts are lists, there is nothing wrong with sticking to the format, in fact I think it would be a good idea, but don't lose your voice. If you write humorous posts, keep them funny. If you use swear words in your general posts, check with the blogger that this is ok. Don't be afraid to put a little personality/passion into it!

 

4. Write something worth reading!

If you wouldn't publish it on your own blog (in terms of quality, not subject matter) then don't expect anyone else to! It is very insulting to a blogger to write something sub par and expect them to fawn over it! Check spelling and grammar - the odd typo happens to the best of us, but if it is a mess, then you probably won't find much joy.

 

5. Add some images

Unless you are specifically requested not to, or after researching the blog, you find they don't use images on any posts, then add some. It saves the blogger having to find images to use with your post, and also gives a visual that represents your post.

 

6. Make it fit

Make sure your post fits the blog you are submitting it too (if you have followed the steps above, your subject and format will already fit). Now you need to tweak all the little things to make it fit their blog's style.

Don't write your posts in bright green, fussy font if all of theirs are in Arial and in black! The opposite is also true. If they use fancy fonts and lots of colour, do the same!

Check if they have a word count limit. If they do, stick to it! If it's not specified, look through their posts. If they are all 1500+ words, they will have more interest in a longer post. If they write 300 word posts, they might not want a long post.

Check how many images they use. If they use a lot of images, make sure you attach more than one. If they limit it, then don't add too many (or add the extras, letting them know they are free to use them all or choose their favourites).

 

7. Communicate

If you are going for something a bit different, it might be worth sending a brief outline to see if they are interested before you invest a lot of time in writing the post, especially if it's on a topic that you wouldn't be able to use on your own blog. Also, if you are unsure of something, ask. Bloggers don't bite, and asking the question early on usually avoids confusion and extra work later on!

 

8. After the post is live

Once you have secured your guest post, and it goes live, promote it! Remember, you want their readers to see your post, it can't hurt to return the favour and potentially send some of your readers their way. Promote it on your social media. You are also more likely to be invited to do more posts for them if you actively promote the post, especially if they see you sending them extra traffic.

 

I hope you find these tips useful. Let me know how you get on! Do you have any tips to add? If so, share them in the comments!

 

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