Dear Business and Blogging – How to Guest Post

Dear Business and Blogging,

I have a website for my small business.  I like the idea of a blog as a marketing tool but I just can’t commit to updating a regular blog right now.  Any thoughts on how I can still take advantage of blogging to increase my business’ visibility?

Signed,

Busy in Bizmark

Dear Busy,

If you don’t have time to maintain your own business blog, I recommend that you look for opportunities to write guest posts on other people’s blogs.

There are several guidelines for doing this effectively:

1) Seek out blogs that serve similar target markets as your business. You obviously don’t want to blog on direct competitor sites.  Instead look for affinity businesses:  

• a home decorator and a realtor
• a veterinarian and a dog groomer
• a nanny and a maternity-clothes store

2) Read the blog to get to know the blogger:

• does the blogger currently use guest bloggers? (not required but good to know)
• does the blogger have a compelling writing style?
• does the blogger have an active community and commenters?
• do you like the blogger’s personality?
• read the about page – do you understand the blogger’s goals and background?

3) review the blog’s content

• what topics does the blogger like to write about?
• what gaps do you see that you could address?
• what topics seem to get good response from the readers?

4) After you have done the above research, you are ready to contact the blogger:

• send an email to the blogger letting them know that you are a reader (even better if you have been leaving comments on the blog)
• mention a few posts or series that you have particularly enjoyed
• describe your background and what you would like to write about
• request to do a guest post, offering several topics you could write about

5) Most bloggers who accept guest posts will find the following terms agreeable:

1. unique content that you have not published before
2. their review and approval of content prior to publishing
3. a general word count that’s consistent with their posts  
4. your byline on your post with a link back to your site 
5. a short bio at the end, with a link to your site
6. your picture with the article if you send one 
7. if you do have your own blog, a link to the article on your site   

Be sure to thank them for the guest post and respond to any comments that your post gets on their site. Once you have successfully guest posted on a site, they will probably be happy to have you back again!