Today Kristen Lamb blogged about how to get your guest post accepted. This got me thinking about what I look for in guest posts. (And, by the way, bloggers love guest posts!)
So, without further ado, here are 7 tips for how to get your guest post accepted.
1. Tell the blogger what you can do for their blog
You don't want to email someone who doesn't know you and ask them to do something for you. You wouldn't do this in the non-digital world (aka 'real life') so don't do it in the digital one either. If you do, your email will be classified as junk mail and promptly deleted. Instead, present the blogger with an offer, tell them what you can do for them.
2. Show you are familiar with the blog
If you're offering to write a post on spec don't ask the blogger to set you a topic, suggest something. Also, make sure what you suggest is within the subject matter of the blog. For instance, if the blog is about cooking, don't say you could write an article on how to get more pageviews a month. Yes, the blogger might be interested in receiving more pageviews, but a post about pageviews/SEO would be completely out of place for a food related blog.
3. Be patient, but not too patient
The more popular a blog, the more congested the blogger's mailbox. If you send off an email and you don't hear back within 24 hours, don't fret. They're busy, they'll get to it. If they don't, send a polite email about a week later mentioning your previous email. Chances are they meant to reply but something came up.
4. Be flexible
The blogger might not be interested in any of your suggested topics so make sure to mention that you're open to suggestions. (Don't expect the blogger to set you a topic, but be flexible.) Sometimes there is a topic the blogger wanted to write about but hasn't had the time and it's very close to something you've suggested.
Even after you and the blogger have agreed on a topic they may have their own ideas about what title they'd like to use and how long the piece should be. This can be irritating, but chances are the blogger knows what works best for their blog and getting the maximum amount of exposure for your piece will benefit you both.
5. Include a short biography and a link to your website
Don't forget to include a short bio as well as a picture of yourself. If you've written a book, or are holding an event you'd like publicity for, ask the blogger if you can include that in your article.
6. Promote your blog post
The more exposure your guest post gets, the more people will visit your site, giving you more pageviews. So, after your piece is published, help the blogger promote it. Talk about your guest post on your blog. Mention it on your social networks (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
If your post does well the blogger will want another one from you, giving you more traffic in return.
7. Be considerate
Google doesn't like it when the same content ends up on two different sites, so it's likely the blogger will ask you for exclusive rights to your piece. Because of this, it's important you disclose whether your guest post has been previously published.
Whoever you submit your work to, remember that every professional writer receives rejections. I know it's easier said than done, but try to look on them as a badge of honor. This is what a real writer does. Whatever happens, don't give up. You'll get there.
Good luck!
Other articles you might like:
Pixar: 22 Ways To Tell A Great StoryHow to Write a Blog Post
How to Write a Horror Story
