Guest Blogging: Is It The Secret To Growing Your Blog?
Whether you’re looking to boost your website traffic, build your credibility, or connect with a wider audience, guest blogging may be the secret to growing your blog and helping your business get found online.
I have experienced both sides of guest blogging. I have used it to help the authority of my own blog, and I have also allowed others to use my blog to help the authority of their sites. And because I know how powerful a tool it can be in terms of business growth, I want to share my knowledge of guest blogging with you so that you can grow yours too.
In this article I’m going to break down exactly what guest blogging is, why it’s become a tried and tested strategy for growth and explore whether it’s the right option for you and your business.
So, let’s start off by figuring out…
What Is Guest Blogging?
You may have heard the term before but don’t really know the ins and outs of what it actually is. So, what does guest blogging actually involve? Well, guest blogging is when you are invited to write a blog post for someone else’s blog or website. Now, I know what you’re thinking, that you’ve barely got enough time to write posts for your own blog, let alone anyone else’s, but hear me out.
Because guest blogging is possibly the most effective strategy you can use to drive traffic to your blog and therefore increase the exposure of your business. Which means if you’re not guest blogging at the moment, you definitely need it on your radar!
Why Is Guest Blogging Important?
In order to help people find your website more easily, you need to get as many of your blog posts as possible appearing as high up as you can on search engine results. I’m sure you know from your own search experience, that you’re unlikely to go looking much beyond page 2. So, ideally you want to aim to appear on page 1 or page 2 of a search engine results list.
Guest blogging is one of the ways you can improve your chances of doing this. Every link you get from someone else’s website that points back to your website, is an indicator to Google, or any other search engine, that your site is worth ranking. The more of these backlinks you can get, the better.
When your website becomes more visible and easier to find, it will help you:
- Expand your audience.
- Build authority and credibility
- Drive traffic to your website
- Generate more leads
- Increase sales opportunities
Is Guest Blogging Right For You?
Now, guest blogging isn’t necessarily the answer for everyone. So, before you jump headfirst into doing it, it’s worth figuring out whether it’s going to be right for you or not. After all, there’s no point wasting your precious time on something that may not be of benefit to you and your business.
Guest blogging is great if:
- You are using a blog to build your authority
- You have a niche blog and are struggling to get found
- You want to open yourself up to a new audience
- You want to improve your website’s SEO
- You want to network and make new connections in your industry
- You want to raise awareness of the products or services you offer
If you’re sat there nodding your head to one or more of the above, then guest blogging is totally for you. But I’m not going to pretend it’s as simple as you cold emailing a blog post to someone and them immediately publishing it on their website. Oh, if only that was the case!
Guest blogging is time consuming, so if time is already in short supply, this may not be the best option for you right now. It’s not just a question of writing a blog post, there’s the time it takes to research target websites to blog for, the time it takes to pitch your ideas to these websites, and then the time it takes to follow up with them once you’ve sent your blog post.
And let’s not forget the fact that whilst guest blogging is effective, it doesn’t get immediate results. It is a long-term strategy, so if you’re someone who can’t handle not seeing results straightaway, then it may not be for you.
How to Start Guest Blogging Successfully
Ok, so you’ve decided to give the whole guest blogging thing a go. What now?
First up you need to find websites and blogs to guest post on. Most websites that allow guest posts will have an area on their site with details about submission guidelines, who to contact etc. You can find these by searching for targeted keywords. For example, if you’re in the fitness industry you can search using the word “fitness” plus:
- “write for us”
- “guest post guidelines”
- “submit a guest post”
- “guest blogger”
- “contributing writer”
This will bring up a list of potential websites that you can look through to see whether they’re right for you and your business and whether their values align with yours.
Once you’ve found some guest posting sites you will need to decide what you’re going to write for them and then create a strong pitch around your idea. Remember, no one is going to want an overly salesy post on their site. You should be providing as much value to their readers as you would your own. If you want to mention your business and explain what you do, include it within your author bio if the guest blog site allows you to have one. Otherwise, the backlink you’re getting from the post, is value enough, and will be the thing that helps you long-term.
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Guest Blogging
Guest blogging will only work if you target the right websites and have some form of strategy. If you randomly start guest posting on sites that aren’t aimed at a similar target audience to you, people are unlikely to transition over to your site. And even if you do get a few heading over for a nose, it’s unlikely they’ll stay around for long once they realise that your website isn’t within their areas of interest.
I touched on this briefly above, but if you write overly promotional content, all you’re really doing is sharing a sales pitch. And why should another website do your selling for you!?! You’re unlikely to get past the first hurdle, but if you do somehow manage to convince them to publish your post, the reader will spot your selling technique a mile off. And that is massively off-putting and won’t get you the results you’re after.
Final Thoughts
So, is guest blogging the secret to growing your blog? Well, it’s certainly one of the ways you can increase your website traffic and connect with a new audience. As a long-term strategy it can be an incredibly effective marketing tool for the growth of your business.
It’s well worth giving it a go, because remember this doesn’t need to be an every week or even an every month task. Set yourself a realistic target and aim for 4 guest blog posts per year. That’s just 1 post per quarter. In return you’ll get 4 backlinks that you didn’t have before. Each one of those backlinks will be working their SEO magic behind the scenes giving you more chance of appearing higher up in those search engine results.
If you’re still unsure about whether guest blogging is for you, why not connect with a friendly community of bloggers in my Facebook group. You can ask questions, share any issues you’re experiencing, as well as use it to find guest blogging opportunities.
Join The BlogWell Facebook Group
Author Bio
Bex Stafferton is a blogger who started off writing her blog The Art of Healthy Living as a hobby when she was a stay at home mum and caring for her two young children. The same blog now earns her a full time salary while working part time hours.
Bex is on a mission to help teach businesses how having a blog on their website is a valuable marketing tool. Helping to build a strong online presence, grow an engaged audience, and increase sales.
When she’s not blogging, Bex spends her time hiking up mountains, trail running, cuddling her two cockapoos, and volunteering at a local wildlife rescue centre.
