\ud83d\udcda In this guide, we\u2019ll briefly touch on why you might want to put some time into this marketing strategy<\/a>. Then we\u2019ll walk you through how to publish your first guest post<\/a>, followed by what to do after it’s published<\/a>. Let\u2019s get to work!<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n If you run a WordPress blog<\/a>, you probably focus a lot of your efforts on creating quality content<\/a> for your own site<\/em>. At the same time, it can be smart to write content that\u2019s intended to be published elsewhere too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udc49 Guest posting offers a number of key benefits including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a lot to gain by publishing a few pieces on carefully-chosen external sites, and nothing to lose except a little time. With this in mind, read on for a complete guide!<\/p>\n\n\n Getting a guest post successfully placed does<\/em> take a little time and effort. Popular blogs tend to receive a lot of inquiries and submissions on a regular basis. If you want to maximize your chances for success, the following guide will walk you through the most important steps to take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we touched on earlier, there are many potential benefits you can achieve through guest blogging. To get the most out of this opportunity, you\u2019re best off choosing a specific goal for each post. Then, you\u2019ll use that goal to guide the decisions you make about what to write, which blogs to approach, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udc49 Some potential goals you might have for your guest post are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s worth noting that you\u2019ll want to be careful with the last goal. Most blogs accepting guest posts look skeptically on content that’s too promotional. You can<\/em> use a guest post to help drive conversions and sales. You\u2019re just better off working in a mention of your product or service naturally, rather than designing an entire piece around a review or tutorial.<\/p>\n\n\n Once you know what you\u2019re trying to accomplish, the next step in our guide is finding a site to target. This means choosing a specific blog you\u2019d like to be published on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s best to start out by generating a list of potential target blogs, which you can narrow down later. To develop this list, you\u2019ll want to check out your own favorite blogs, as well as those most popular with your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also use Google to turn up good guest blogging opportunities. This search operator is a good start (just make sure to enter your own keyword):<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you get some targets, you\u2019ll want to look for sites that clearly accept guest posts. In most cases, this will mean they have a dedicated ‘Write for us’ page (here’s ours<\/a>). Many blogs also state on their Contact<\/em> or About<\/em> pages whether they accept guest posts or not \u2013 which makes it simple to eliminate them from your list.<\/p>\n\n\n If it isn\u2019t clear whether a particular blog takes guest contributions, you can check out their previous posts to see if they\u2019ve been written by a variety of authors<\/a>. If so, they\u2019re more likely to at least be open to the possibility. However, you\u2019ll want to reach out to the site and ask whether they\u2019re interested in submissions before proceeding, so you don\u2019t waste your time writing content for a blog that doesn\u2019t want it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you have a solid list of candidates at hand, choose the one you\u2019d most like to be published on. This should be the blog that’s best positioned to help you reach your goal. You can keep the remaining options handy for the next guest post.<\/p>\n\n\n At this point, many people are tempted to jump right in and start writing their guest post. However, before this, it\u2019s best to make sure your target blog is actually interested in the topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udc49 To do so, you can write up a guest post proposal. This is typically a short email that lets the blog know what you\u2019d like to write about. While writing up your proposal, consider the following elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the blog you\u2019re targeting has a dedicated submissions page, you\u2019ll often find an email address or contact form you can use to send your proposal. Otherwise, you can check out the site\u2019s general contact page<\/a> and get in touch that way.<\/p>\n\n\n When your target blog has indicated their interest in your proposal, it\u2019s time to get to work. We won\u2019t tell you how to actually write the post – chances are you already know how to put together some quality content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udc49 However, here are some things to keep in mind during the process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019re happy with the post, you can submit it to the target blog via its preferred method. You may have to wait a while for a response, although don\u2019t be afraid to follow up periodically to see if it\u2019s been reviewed and to ask when it will be published.<\/p>\n\n\n If everything has gone well, the target blog will edit and publish your submitted post. However, your job isn\u2019t quite over yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To get the most out of your guest post, you\u2019ll want to ensure that as many people see it as possible. For this reason, the last two steps in our guest blogging guide are to…<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can extend the reach of your guest post by using the following strategies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In your teaser post, consider emphasizing why the guest post is relevant to your readers. Talk about how it complements your usual content. Encourage readers to visit the guest blog, read the full post, and engage with it by leaving comments or sharing their thoughts. This cross-promotion between your own blog and the guest blog can create a symbiotic relationship. It will benefit both you and the host blog by driving traffic back-and-forth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Provide a brief introduction or teaser along with a link to the guest post, encouraging your social media followers to read and engage with it. When readers from your social media platforms visit the blog to read your post, be responsive to their comments, feedback, and any questions they might have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By actively interacting with your social media audience, you can generate more buzz around your guest post. This will attract new readers to the blog and foster a loyal following that extends beyond the initial publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have an email subscription list, it presents an excellent opportunity to directly reach out to your most loyal and engaged audience. Put together a personalized email message to your subscribers, informing them about your recent guest post and why they should check it out. Provide a brief overview of the content. Emphasize the value it offers and how it relates to their interests or needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don’t forget to include a clear call-to-action (CTA) in the email, such as a button or hyperlink leading them directly to the guest post. Just like with the social media posts, make sure to encourage your subscribers to engage by sharing their thoughts, leaving comments, or even forwarding the email to their network if they find it valuable.<\/p>\n\n\n \ud83d\udccc In summary, to promote your guest post do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, keep an eye on the post while it\u2019s fresh, and make sure to respond to as many reader comments as you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When readers take the time to leave comments or ask questions on your guest post, make it a priority to respond promptly and thoughtfully. Engaging in meaningful conversations not only demonstrates your expertise and willingness to help, but it also shows respect and gratitude towards the readers who have taken an interest in your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By actively participating in the comment section, you can foster a sense of community, encourage further discussion, and solidify your position as a knowledgeable and approachable contributor.<\/p>\n\n\n It can be easy to focus too much on your own blog and content. However, if you really want to grow your audience and reputation, you\u2019ll want to be visible on more places around the web. Creating quality guest posts and getting them published on key sites is the perfect way to do it.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n \ud83d\udc68\u200d\ud83c\udf93 In this guide, you’ve learned how to submit guest blog posts by doing the following:<\/p>\n\n\n And once you start getting traction from your own guest blogging efforts, you can look into accepting guest posts on your own site<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you have any questions about the steps in this guest blogging guide? Ask away in the comments section below!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\nWhy guest blogging is a smart marketing strategy \ud83d\udca1<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How to publish your first guest post (in 4 steps) \u270d\ufe0f<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Step 1: Decide on a goal for your guest post \ud83c\udfaf<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Step 2: Choose your target blog \ud83d\udcdd<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"keyword + guest post by\"<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Finding](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/write-for-us-page.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nStep 3: Develop a proposal \ud83d\udc69\u200d\ud83d\udcbb<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Step 4: Write and submit your guest post \ud83e\udd1d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What to do after your guest post is published \ud83e\udd14<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Promote the published post<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Create a short teaser post on your own blog<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Share the post on all your social media profiles<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Send out a message to your email subscription list<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"Promoting](\"https:\/\/mllj2j8xvfl0.i.optimole.com\/cb:c5QE.37290\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/themeisle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/social-media-promote-post.png\")
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Engage with readers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Get out there and put this guest blogging guide into action \ud83d\ude80<\/h2>\n\n\n
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