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Writing guest posts
Partnering with other websites to write guest articles is among the popular ways of generating backlinks for your authority site. Even better, this can be great for building your expert persona towards a wider audience. This means that you get increased viewer count not just with the help of higher rankings, but also because you’ve attracted a bigger fan base through varied internet platforms.
You can also build relationships with other bloggers through the valuable content you share with them for publishing. Don’t think of everyone as an enemy! It’s worth it to make colleagues out of other webmasters in your niche.
But how exactly do you get to write guest articles?
If you’re an established public figure in the industry, good for you. You’ve probably been getting loads of invites by now. But if you’re a humble content writer with barely any network, it’s your job to reach out to other authority sites.
Let’s explore two ways that can help you find the right partners.
1. Scout for blogs that are recruiting guest authors
Consider these websites as hot leads that give you higher chances of securing a collab. A lot of niche sites that need a constant stream of content are open for aspiring guest authors like you. Don’t get intimidated! There are a lot of beginners who use this tactic to get their first backlink, so you don’t have to worry about being ignored or laughed at by the big recruiting blogs.
You can easily scout for opportunities by entering a strategic search command on Google. Assuming that you want to talk about keyword research, simply type in “guest author” + “keyword research”. Using quotation marks will narrow down the results to web pages that contain these two terms, saving your time from all other irrelevant sites.
Apart from searching on Google, you can also put on your spy goggles and look into your competitors. With tools such as SEMRush or Mangools Link Miner, you can check their SEO profile and take note of pages that provided them with backlinks. Even better, you can get insights on the trending topics that can best secure collaborations.
2. Blogs from the same niche
Unlike the sites in option one, webmasters of authority sites from your niche might not be that interested in guest contributions. So suit up, gather all your convincing powers, and be prepared to put in extra effort.
Start off by reading through their previous articles. What were the topics they already covered? Have they ever accepted a guest writer before? These insights can help you determine if you even have a fighting chance of getting their attention. If they tend to throw shade to other authors in their niche, you might as well step back and not waste your time.
Otherwise, the solid mantra for this method is to send as many invitations as possible. With a cover letter template that you can tweak and personalize depending on each website, what could you possibly lose?
To help you get started, here’s a sample request you can send to other webmasters:
Subject: Request for Guest Article Collaboration
Hey there [insert name]. I just stumbled across your blog, and I must say you have really great content! Your perspective about [insert topic] was an eye-opener, and I’m looking for blogs to share my expertise with. My knowledge covers several areas, including [insert your specialization].
I’m not looking to get paid for this collaboration, but it would be really great to get a backlink in exchange for a high quality article you can add to your collection of valuable content.
I’m really excited to work with you, and I hope to hear from you soon!
Active promotion of your content
The hard work must not stop at clicking that publish now button. If you plan to just sit around idly waiting for visitors to come, expect to get little to none. No matter how unique and valuable you think your articles are, they’ll bring you no good if no one gets to see them.
Reality check, there are over 41.7 million posts published on WordPress every month! No wonder yours is barely getting any readers.
To make sure the hours you’ve poured into researching and writing won’t go to waste, go out and advertise your content! Instead of paying Google or Facebook for more traffic, put your public relations skills to the test.
Similar to sending out requests for being a guest author, you have to reach out to potential partners including:
1. Resources pages
Resource pages compile lists of important articles and websites related to vast topics, making these an ideal platform to market your content. If your posts are updated and packed with substance, you’ll have no trouble with securing a spot on their recommendations.
Similar to how we searched for blogs looking for guest writers, enclose your keywords with quotation marks when you enter a query on Google. Simply type “Resources” + “[your desired topic]”, and you can start the hunt for potential partnerships with resource pages.
2. Roundup e-mails
Contrary to resource pages that will publish your URL within a long list, you don’t have to compete with other citations if you close a deal with newsletter providers. Through roundup e-mails, these companies collate valuable resources and deliver them regularly to their subscribers.
This way, you no longer have to depend on the visitor count of another page just to boost your article’s visibility. Your content will go straight to a user’s inbox, thus increasing the chances of interaction. Take it from recent studies who revealed that e-mail marketing is 40 times more successful than Facebook and Twitter combined in securing customers.
Bottom line
Don’t be quick to judge seemingly traditional methods! Aggressively advertising your expertise and content is a proven way to make your authority site standout. With the increasing competition, this isn’t the time to sit quietly in a corner and hope that visitors will come.
However, building backlinks will be one hell of a nightmare if you haven’t been producing high-quality content. If that’s the case, there’s nothing to boost in the first place! So if you’ve been constantly receiving rejections from other webmasters, it’s best to go back to square one with keyword research.
Have you also been a guest writer for other niche sites? Don’t hesitate to share your personal tricks with us!
