I have written hundreds of posts over the last few months on a variety of blogs. In fact, my role on Blogussion is primarily to write great content and promote our blog. Alex also writes awesome content and has insane design abilities.
Together we are building Blogussion’s brand by connecting with our readers and networking with hundreds of other bloggers. Our goal is for Blogussion to be the source of great content on blogging tips. Reaching our goal requires us to promote our content to everyone on the internet. Today, I am going to explain our #1 source for bringing in new traffic.
Guest Posting Strategy
Let me first explain the most important part of our strategy when it comes to guest posting… sitting down and doing it! This isn’t going to be the first time many bloggers have heard of guest posting. If it is or isn’t your first time, listen up and get ready to do some serious promotion. Guest posting is the best way to get new subscribers and more traffic.
Why Guest Post?
Bloggers spend a lot of time worrying about traffic and trying a variety of different methods. Some work great and others just take a lot of your energy away from other important things. The majority of traffic methods usually lead to bloggers wasting valuable time instead of writing new content or seriously promoting their work. Many of the methods are not even worth the efforts made to use them.
After trying everything, guest posting is the single most effective way to build traffic to your blog.
Promoting your blog is hard and can be very frustrating. You tweet, stumble, digg and comment all over the internet and still your blog seems to find little change in readership. Eventually you dive into SEO and try to learn more about keyword rich titles and content. You know links are important, but you’re scratching your head as to how to get more of them. You have heard about guest posting but for some reason you are too scared, too tired, or not aware of the powerful results.
Personally I learned the power of guest posting when I started blogging for a new site. The blog was only a week old but I had produced 30 quality posts to launch the blog. With the help of some of my blogging buddies, and the start of search engine traffic trickling in I began my promotion methods the very first day I began blogging. Here’s what I did to turn a new blog into a busy blog.
Research Your Niche
I knew from previous experience what blogs were important in my current niche (topic) so I went to five of the top blogs and began reading their posts. While reading their posts I asked myself these 10 important questions:
- What exactly are they writing about on this blog?
- Is there content similar to my content?
- Would their readers be interested in what I write?
- What topics are they currently writing on?
- Are there any ways to elaborate further on recent posts?
- Are there any major post topics they are missing?
- Do they use guest posts?
- What style of writing do they use?
- How can I use my background and blog uniquely in their content?
- Are my experiences useful to their readers?
Photo by Stefan Baudy
Asking these questions and answering them honestly will help you come to the conclusion of whether or not the blog is worth guest posting on. To many of you I give this advice… I can find a way to fit ANY blog topic into a post for ANY other blog, and so can you. If you need help, just go to the contact page and let me know what blog you want to write for and what help you need.
Once you have a few big blogs to write on… get out a piece of paper, whiteboard, or open a document and start writing post ideas. You should brainstorm as many post ideas that would fit with the guest posting blog as you possibly can. Then start to narrow the posts down into posts you think are most interesting and easily researched/written.
How to Guest Post
Writing is the next step. First begin with an outline of major points for the blog post ideas you liked best. Really try hard to get the main point of your post idea in the outlines you write. Then look for the posts with the clearest outlines and most interesting topics. Start thinking of stories, analogies, web tools, images, or anything else which could compliment your post. Then do some research on the topic to make sure your opinion is correct, or at least arguable.
The next step is different for many bloggers, so choose carefully. Your options are to either email the owner of the blog with your proposal to guest post, main point (one sentence), brief outline, and contact information to see if it is worth writing up, or you can go ahead and write the entire thing.
I have done both and found that emailing a very brief and succinct outline of a post I wanted to write works very well, especially when you are less experienced. When I had started my blog this is what I did for my first guest post on ProBlogger. Darren Rowse was very nice and sent me a quick reply telling me my ideas were worth writing [note: his reply did not mean he would automatically post my written article, but rather that he liked the current direction]. Then I wrote up the post and sent it too him. He replied that he would love to post it soon.
I did the opposite for Daniel Scocco, Daily Blog Tips, the very same week. I wrote the entire post because I knew the idea would really connect with him and emailed it. He quickly sent a reply and told me he would be posting it soon. The very next week I had a guest post go live at BOTH ProBlogger and Daily Blog Tips and my blog had been live for only a week!
Writing a Guest Post
In the last 6 months I have guest posted on dozens of blogs all around the internet. Guest posting four times at Problogger, two times at Daily Blog Tips and then over 23 different blogs have rapidly increased my blogs links and traffic. Currently I have three guest posts waiting to be published at three very high traffic blogs. Each time I have submitted a guest post, it has been accepted so I have tried to think of how you can replicate this success.
The key is to write your very best content for others! They will love it and so will their readers. Then traffic and links will soar on your blog. When I named this post, I thought of a significant event on this blog. It was when we received 200 new subscribers in 2 – 3 days! What happened is I was featured two time on Problogger in two days! We got thousands of visitors and hundreds of new subscribers. Many of you reading this might have come from one of those posts.
In addition to writing your best content, be sure to look at Alex’s recent post and reverse the role that Alex talks about in Preparing a Guest Post. His post has you thinking as the blog owner, but put yourself in the guest posters shoes and think about how you could make the blog owner’s job easier.
One way I do this is by making the emails very brief when I send my guest posts. I include:
- My name and link to my blog
- Proposed Title (usually 2 options)
- Main Text
- Image (w/ attribution)
- Byline
I promise you, if you spend 2 hours writing a powerful guest post for your blog, you will have more traffic and subscribers then by spending 2 hours doing anything else online! So stop what you are doing and get your guest post written and sent in today!
69 Discussions
Yes, guest posting seems to be helping everyone.
I just recently submitted my first guest post to another blog. I hope it helps to get me more subscribers!
Eric B.´s last blog ..11 Quick and Easy Ways to Improve Site Usability
I am sure it will! Congratulations on actually doing it!
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
This reminds me – I’d really like to do a guest post for you guys sometime! Currently working on one for Robby over at ShiteILike.com – but I’d love to do one for this site too! Guest posting really is such a great part of the blogging community. I’ll make sure to use this format when i send over an idea
We would love to have a guest post here on Blogussion from you. I think your posts on your blog are hilarious and a blogging tips post from you with your style would be fantastic. When you get one ready, check out our guest posting page.
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
Right, you’ve given me some great ways to write a guest post and why. I will follow through.
Gordie Rogers´s last blog ..How To Develop Persistence.
Awesome! By the way, how’s thesis working for you?
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
Guest post is always in my mind for blog promotion but i do not have a single guest post yet because do not know how exactly i should write it. And after read this article, i already have complete description and start writing.
Dana@Online Knowledge´s last blog ..Increase Blog Page Views
Great! Let us know when and where you end up guest posting. I would love to here how your first guest post goes. After your first one is published, start working on a second one!
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
Hi seth
very good post. I also get lots of subscribers via guest posting. But, what is your thought about article marketing?
InternetHow Blog´s last blog ..7 Ways to figuring out blogging success
I think article marketing is another great tool to build links and get more traffic to your blog. My only problem with article marketing is that as the article spreads throughout the internet, the content is duplicated and the value of the links goes down. Of course I still do it though because every link helps!
Guest posting would still be #1 though, very targeted traffic comes from a great guest post. Usually these visitors stick around if you are offering a quality blog.
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
This is a great idea but rather something difficult to accomplish unless someone really has ample time alloted for guest posting.
Mathdelane´s last blog ..Keywordluv Abuse and No Follow Free on Do Follow Blogs
It takes me only 2-3 hours usually to research, write, and communicate the entire guest post process. Considering how much time the average blogger spends reading, commenting, twittering, and using other social media sites every day it is hard to imagine not being able to not touch those things for a day and writing a great guest post. Especially considering the payoff.
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
Thanks for your advice Seth, I have same thoughts with you regarding blog posting. Although, I haven’t made any blog posting yet, I do visit those guest blogger’s blog when I find their posts useful. In the end, I regularly visit these blogs as they offer great value. In fact, I first started reading few blogs, and then the network of blogs that I read increased as I checked out blogs of guest posters. I actually look up to these authors as it takes a lot of value to be qualified as guest blogger especially if the host blog has a reputation as an authority.
Alex Lim´s last blog ..Making Money Easy With These Email List Building Tips
Right, it can be time consuming to make a fantastic post for your guest post. The key though is that usually you are reading these blogs already! If you are too scared or intimidated by the really big blogs… try starting small and guest posting on another blog.
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
When it comes to getting noticed by other blogs I have found that guest posting and blog commenting is two of the best methods to use. Blog commenting takes a lot of time if you want to see any great results, so personally I tend to praise guest blogging.
Stefan´s last blog ..Todoist Saves My Day
Stefan, good point… the other methods take much more time to get great results, that is why guest posting is so incredible.
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
It is funny that you publish this because it confirms everything I believe about promoting a blog. I’ve heard all about social media, bookmarking, etc, but the best return I’ve gotten was a John Chow RT.
If a single RT can generate literally 100s of hits how many more hits will guest posts send? It is exciting to see that guest posting has been successful for you, and it motivates me to get my guest posts ready ASAP.
Blake @ Props Blog Ideas´s last blog ..How Website Grader Can Take Your SEO To The Next Level
Get your guest post finished ASAP and then start a new one! It is incredible how traffic will change when you start guest posting. Matter of fact, I am about to start writing a new one right now!
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
I’ve actually never written a guest post myself, I’ve thought about it many times and I’ve been asked a few times.
I have probably been too busy concentrating on my own blog, and not seeing that it would probably be a lot better for my blog if I published my content elsewhere.
Thanks a lot for the tips. I might write a guest post some time soon.
- jens -
Jens P. Berget´s last blog ..The New Michelin Man and Your Story
You could always write an article on Marketing for us and we would love it!
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
Hmm….. I think I should try guest posting as well.
Jehzeel Laurente´s last blog ..Support All Pinoys in the First Asia-Pacific Blog Awards!
If you can do it right away!
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
Hey Seth,
I just found this blog from your guest post over at Dailyblogtips. Really, I came over here because it was a quality post, and as I mentioned in the comments, I love that it was on a topic that applies to bloggers who don’t write “how to” posts.
Anyways, this above post really helps. My blog has been around for about 5 months, and my co-writer and I have not even attempted to write a guest post until this month. My fear was that we didn’t have the expertise or authority to guest post, and I wanted to get a feel for the community. Now that I’m a number of months in, I feel ready to guest post. Commenting can only take a blog so far. If you guys accept guest posts, I’d love to shoot some ideas at you.
Finally, I find a lot of blogs on blogging really subpar and I only follow three regularly, but you are going to be my fourth. Keep up the good work.
Eric – It’s an honor thank you. I am glad you like this blog and that you are now ready to take on the challenge of guest posting. If I can help in any way let me know. Also, we do accept guest posts. The easiest way to guest post is to go to our guest post page and sign up. We would love to have your high quality content on Blogussion.
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
Congratulations guys! You deserve it and I had noticed your posts on Problogger. It’s something I need to do more of. Unfortunately I have tried it and made mistakes, like writing posts for blogs with no readers!! Oh well, you live and learn. I guess I just need to get back on the horse and give it another go:)
Guest posting for blogs with traffic is an important part of doing it right! Problogger and other high-traffic sites are good places to start.
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
Okay, I think the main ideas is guest posting is very important to bring traffic and build readership. That’s sounds good to me, anyway thanks for the post. I will try to guest post on this blog as soon as possible.
Reza Winandar´s last blog ..5 Tips to Increase the Number of Subscribers for Beginner
We would love to have a guest post from you so go ahead and get one ready!
Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog
really helping stuff in whole post, you always share great ideas. thanks
Dzinepress´s last blog ..30+ Free Flash Website Templates with Source Files Part# 2
Yeah, lots of benefits to guest posting: SEO benefits like getting naturally generated backlinks, promoting your brand, getting more readers, and if you keep being a dependable guest writer you’d pave the way for a more solid blogging alliance with power bloggers.
jan geronimo´s last blog ..27 Reasons Why Jena Isle’s Inspirational Book Rocks
We all know that backlinks are important, and guest posting is a great way to build backlinks and get traffic too!
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
I am learning more and more each day at how important it is to have good niches. It’s amazing how the right niche can land you hundreds of visitors.
And the right niche you guest post on can be very important too.
I did a guest post over at SEOmoz once which got a “call me” in the comments from a fellow who became a major client. They’re worth doing.
Great addition! You know so many great things come from guest posting… I have had many wonderful clients/proposals because of guest posting.
Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog
Guest post is always in my mind for blog promotion but i do not have a single guest post yet because do not know how exactly i should write it. And after read this article, i already have complete description and start writing.
OK Seth, I have been putting off guest posting for a few months. I need to start writing now! You have convinced me for sure. Are you in town at Blog World this week. Pro Blogger is here. I’m sure you have seen the tweets.
Thanks for the motivation.
Brad West ~ onomoney
Brad West´s last blog ..5 Points to a Successful Mind
I’m not in town for the Blog World! I wish I was but law school is pretty hard to get out of! Let me know if there is anything I can do for you while you prepare your guest post.
Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog
Have been doing this for some stime in my niche & have had some very interesting & positive results. It also helps when the owner of the blog you are guesting on pulls out the stops & sends an email / Tweet etc to say “have a look at this guest post from XYZ” … it triggers people’s curiousity.
Paul Harper´s last blog ..Emerging Markets : International reserve losses in the 2008-9 crisis a study
Yes, the better the owner promotes it the better it is for you. There are a number of things that gets others excited that you can do because you are now promoting such a big blog!
Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog
Heres a suggestion for a step 3.
Step 3: Prepare for the visitors that will land on your blog
? Something that links in with what they already read?
? Some way of getting them to instantly subscribe?
Andreas´s last blog ..Does your office offer these three cyclist facilities?
Yes – you do need to be prepared for the traffic by having a great post for them to read and by having a great subscription box like ours that is noticeable and easy to use.
Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog
Yes, Guest Post will bring traffic and its Good to build your brand
Another Blogger´s last blog ..Top Commentators And An Interview
Guest posts bring a lot of traffic… so get guest posting!
Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog
That’s a great blog wid lotzz of awesome information …carry on UR gud work alex…….
It’s inspiring to see a post on Guest Posting from someone that’s actually doing it. Talking the talk, walking the walk so to speak. I’ve been thinking about guest posting for a long time but I’m one of those that kept putting it off using ‘no time’ as a excuse. I just decided I will have a guest post somewhere by the end of this week
Great – Tell me where it is at and I will be sure to stumble it for you! Also, congrats on deciding to get it done. Yesterday I was guest posted again! So it definitely works!
Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog
Hi Brian,
Brian is someone that I kind of promised a guest post to a few months back. Working on it! no really not kidding this time.
Brad West ~ onomoney
Brad West´s last blog ..Healthy Passionate Relationships
i have started blogging recently and your article has helped me big tym… thanx…i guess it would also help me in getting better avenues..
Glad to have helped. Guest posting is huge… I cannot explain that enough. If you want traffic and subscribers… guest post! Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you.
Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog
Wow, I love this post!! Just last week I was thinking on working on a few blogs to submit to other blogs for “guest postings”. I am very excited I read your post, it has motivated me to go ahead and just do it! Your style of writing is amazing, you grasp people’s attention. I came across your blog through ProBlogger’s newsletter, I’ll be subscribing to yours soon. But I am happy I did, because you mention a lot of useufl information, that would benefit my readers and myself. Thank you!
BTW I love how you reply to most of your comments, makes it feel more personal, and welcoming.
Thanks,
Arie Rich
Kmpblog.com
Arie – I respond because I really do care about every reader having a great experience here on Blogussion. Our goal here is to help bloggers succeed, so we have cut out the distractions of most blogs like advertising or any other annoyances.
Thanks for the retweet and wonderful comment here, it always feels really good to here that what you are doing is working. Also, be sure to check out the hundreds of other useful posts we have. Especially the Planning to Earning guide mentioned at the top of this page in the header. It is very useful.
Seth´s last blog ..4 Easy Ways To Increase Readership On Your Blog
Thank you for this great advice, I’ll listen to it.
Ilija Brajkovic´s last blog ..Introducing Windows Server 2008 R2 e-book
nice idea
but i believe in google getting me people to my articles. When all fails i think i’ll write a guest post ! 
thanks
Sharath G
sharath´s last blog ..Twitter fixes: Deleted Tweets? They’re gone for sure now!
Yes – search engine traffic is great, but you get so much more with guest posting!
Seth´s last blog ..Wired Weekend #1: The Best Blogging Tips From Around the Web
i have just started doing guest post on other blogs and invited other bloggers to guest post on my blog as well and yes i have noticed some increase in my blog subscribers and and increase in UV as well
This is what rocking the world of blogging nowadays : Guest Posting
I see many blogger try to make a good article to be submitted to other blog.
I still postponed my desire to make a guest post, because i think it will requires a lot of time, and research on my niche (like what you said). But i will do next month.
By the way, how can i be a guest poster in this blog?
Thanks
mytheory´s last blog ..Last PR Update : From N/A to 3
Yes just go to our link in the menu for “write for us”
Seth´s last blog ..Wired Weekend #1: The Best Blogging Tips From Around the Web
Awesome Post Seth.
Yes, you are right, guest posting is probably the best way to get exposure quickly.
I will follow your advice and write some great guest posts
.
See you.
David | ilcantone.com´s last blog ..THE STORY OF WILLIAM KAMKWAMBA: THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND
greate advice to look forward to. its a must do to blogger newbie like me
DreamHouse´s last blog ..Useful WordPress Related Sites
This is a good share, i have welcomed the idea of guest posting from the time i discovered its effectiveness
S Ahsan´s last blog ..Upgrade to WordPress 2.9.1 to Fix Couple of Bugs
What could have been a better time to bump into this particular post, when I was preparing myself to start writing guest posts?
Thanks a ton Seth for this greatly compiled post.
TechChunks´s last blog ..Best “Social Networking” posts in Year 2009
This is a good post. I have started a new blog and have put adverts everywhere stating that I accept guest postings. No takers as yet but it is a specific niche related to the Turkish Property market. Fingers crossed.
I’ve started my own blog so this article has really helped me out a lot. Thanks!
This is a great post. I’ve tried most of the blog promotion tactics but I’ve never tried guest posting. After reading this article I’m definetly going to give it a try. I’ll get some good articles together and go for it, following this advice.
Paul´s last blog ..7 Tips to Improve Cycling Fitness
Seth THANK YOU SO MUCH! It’s a really great post and made me think how to get my articles posted on other blogs.
Can I send you my post so that you can publish it, if it’s as per your standard?
I agree, guest posting builds more traffic
You are such an inspiration! I am amazed at how valuable and thorough your posts are. And that’s the thing; so many blogs are filled with ‘fluff’ or lightweight info.
I’ve been thinking about guest posts for some time now.. and even have the blogs picked out. Now it’s time to take action, and armed with instructions, I’ll be able to.
For me, I don’t like to be all over the place doing all kinds of things.. if I do that, I’ve found I squander a lot of time and don’t get the good content on my site. So, I’ve chosen a few things that work for me (and I thoroughly enjoy).
1. Tweeting
2. Commenting on maybe 5 or 6 blogs.
3. Craigs List Ads
4. Get off my butt, and write Guest Posts!
thanks.. Dee
Just as this post was published… I my guest post was published on Daily Blog Tips so go check it out! Also, I have one in the works at Problogger so look for it!
Seth´s last blog ..How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts
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