Guest blogging gives you the opportunity to reach a larger audience and drive more traffic to your website or blog. A well-thought-out guest posting strategy can help you get backlinks and boost your search engine rankings. It can also further establish credibility within your niche.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re looking for more guest posting opportunities in 2022.
5 Simple ways to build a list of guest post opportunities
The web is full of guest blogging opportunities, but not all websites or publications will produce results that benefit all parties. You want to focus on high-quality sites that’ll help build your reputation and expand your current reach.
Not sure where to start? Here are some easy ways to create a list of potential guest post opportunities that you can reference throughout the year.
Use Google search
This is one of the most simple, yet effective approaches. Search for your niche plus keywords like:
- Guest post
- Submit a guest post
- Write for us
- Guest article
- Guest post opportunities
- Contributing writer
- Contribute to our site
- Suggest a post
- Submit an article
- Guest post guidelines
- Writers wanted
You’ll likely get a lot of hits, so you’ll need to decide on an organizing strategy that fits your work needs. You can either quickly copy all potential guest opportunities into a spreadsheet, and then spend designated time sifting through your findings at a later date. Or you can evaluate each opportunity as you come across it to ensure only high-quality opportunities are making their way to your list.
In many cases, you’ll find that bloggers have already done some of the heavy lifting for you by creating “ultimate guides” to guest posting within your niche. This can help fast-track your search since fellow bloggers have already given the guest post opportunity their stamp of approval.
Look at websites you love
Use what you already know and love by searching through websites you frequently visit. Their content already meets your standard for being valuable, so you might as well reach out for guest post opportunities.
Use the shortcut Command + F to search for relevant keywords on their website, such as “write for us” and “submit guest post”.
As a dedicated member of their online community, you’re positioned to truly understand their voice and values. But there’s a good chance that you can also quickly identify topics that haven’t been covered or areas that can be expanded on to bring more value.
Comb through your favorite bloggers’ content
You can identify guest post leads by doing a deep dive into your favorite bloggers’ content.
Bloggers usually maintain an online portfolio that you can easily browse through. Pay attention to where these bloggers are being published as guest contributors.
You can also do an online search using your favorite blogger’s name + “author profile”. This will bring up existing author pages for places they regularly contribute to. You can then filter through that website for information on guest post opportunities.
Use social media strategically
Social media is a great way to build a loyal audience. But it can also be used to find guest post opportunities. For example:
- Follow your fellow writers to see when they promote their guest blogs.
- Look through bios to find where niche bloggers have the most prominent bylines.
- Follow and interact with brands and publications that publish guest posts regularly.
You can also use each platform’s search function in the same way you use Google by searching for relevant hashtags.
Expand your network with online communities
Your network can be one of your greatest assets. So, it’s important to join and actively contribute to online communities and collaboration spaces.
For example, Facebook groups are a great place to network with fellow bloggers and online entrepreneurs. You can ask questions about your niche, share your experiences and keep an eye out for guest post opportunities.
Additionally, don’t be afraid to reach out to other bloggers, freelance writers, ghostwriters, and editors that you’ve previously worked with. Many work with multiple brands and publications at once, so they might be aware of guest posts or other writing opportunities that you can tap into.
Focus on quality leads when pitching a guest blog idea
Once you’ve identified a guest post lead, evaluate whether the opportunity is worth pitching.
Check to see whether their audience is interacting with guest posts. Are there repeat guest bloggers? This indicates that other writers have found value in producing guest blogs for that particular site.
Most opportunities won’t pay for your guest post, but some publications will compensate guest bloggers for a set rate. In some cases, a website might charge you to publish a guest post.
So, depending on your guest posting goals, be sure to pay attention to the details before spending your time crafting your pitch or submitting your article.
Always follow guest post guidelines
Many opportunities will have their guest post guidelines published directly on their site. Follow these guidelines to a T.
Stick to the requested word count, limit your backlinks, and strategically link to relevant blogs to further establish your connection to their brand.
Don’t make your brand or service the focus of the guest post. That’s the quickest way to get your guest post denied.
Instead, look through each website to see how you can provide a unique perspective or fill a gap in their content. Your pitch should be crafted around an idea that brings value to their audience, not one of self-promotion.
Guest blogging should be a mutually beneficial endeavor. So, always go back to the question, “How can my writing and expertise benefit their audience?”
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