tips for effective guest blogging: 20 do's & don'ts

Do’s & Don’tsFor SuccessfulGuest Blogging

Carrie Morgan Digital PR Consultant Rock The Status Quo We Make Brands More Visible & Vibrant Online

20

1Select niche or trade vertical blogs with existing (robust!)traffic, instead of generic blogs.

You will have a better chance of earning click-through trafficand/or followers.

The Do’s

Come up with post ideasspecifically tailored tothe blog’s unique audience.

2The Do’s

Provide an exclusive. Re-purposed is fine, but don’t use thesame copy from another post.

That’s plagiarism.

It’s boring and earns unpleasant SEO penalties.

3The Do’s

Look for writer's guidelines before you write or pitch.They help immensely.

4The Do’s

Verify they actually publish guest contributions.

Otherwise, why bother?

A variety of different authors is a good sign.

5The Do’s

Keep your post between 500 - 1,000 words, UNLESSthey specifically ask for a longer post.

6The Do’s

Include an image, if possible.

Just make sure you havethe legal right to use it andgive credit where it’s due.

7The Do’s

8The Do’s

Pitch a blogger just like a reporter.

SELL them on why they want a post from you, or tantalize them with your great idea.

Share the post acrossALL of your social media assets, once it hits.

Helping them is a win-win.

9The Do’s

Don’t forget to LIKE theirFacebook page, become ablog subscriber and comment regularly BEFORE you approach them. 

Become part of their community.

10The Do’s

11The Don'ts

Don't send them a post you’ve already written unless they have a submit form right on the site.

Reach out to them first – build a relationship. It’s common courtesy to GIVE before you ASK.

12The Don'ts

Don't forget to make the post (and the pitch) about their needs,NOT ABOUT YOU.

Never be promotional.

13The Don'ts

Never, ever, EVER write a boring generic post that isn't customized for their specific audience. Duh.

14The Don'ts

Don't write in a journalist style. Write in an educational, opinion or storytelling style because blogs are more casual than newspapers or magazines.

15The Don'ts

Don't write for SEO - write like you are speaking to one person.

It’s great to put your keyword or phrase in the title and first paragraph, but don’t keyword stuff!

16The Don'ts

Don't forget to provide a simple, short author bio.

And a headshot photo. But NOT a crappy shot taken by your mother.

17The Don'ts

Don't hesitate to wrap up your post with a call-to-action. (Consider writing the post with that CTA end goal in mind.)

18The Don'ts

Are you hoping to publish there again?Don't forget to thank them, once it runs! Manners matter.

19The Don'ts

Don't forget to check for comments. It's your chance to start a conversation with readers and gain followers. It also boosts engagement for the blogger. HOME RUN!

20The Don'ts

Did you share a few of their posts? Give them a little love and support. 

They worked hard to build their audience.Build a long-term relationship by consistently giving back.

Want more help? Then you mightlike my blog, RockTheStatusQuo.com.

Go take a look.~ Carrie

@morgancarriemorgan@rockthestatusquo.comhttp://rockthestatusquo.com