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Get More Visibility and Build Credibility:
6 Steps to Getting Your First Guest Blogger's Post
 Blogs aren't for everyone. They're a lot of hard work. And in the beginning, you may feel that you are talking to yourself.
But even if you don't have your own blog, you can get all the benefits that come with a guest post on a high-traffic blog. Benefits like:
Spikes in traffic to your website-or blog- You can triple or quadruple your own site traffic with an intriguing post. Readers will click through to find out more about you. And that's a good thing.
More credibility with your future customers- What better way to show your prospects how much you know and how you can help them solve their problems? And someone else promoting you on their blog? Well, that's priceless.
A chance to build your brand- More people will get what it is you do and what kinds of customers you serve. It's especially helpful if you have just changed the focus of your services or narrowed down to a more specific niche.
6 Steps to Getting Your First Guest Blogger's Post
1. Start with blogs you know. Sometimes we forget that the very people we can collaborate with are often right under our nose. Who do you know who has a blog that has a similar audience as your customer base? That's a good place to start. 2. Do your homework. Find the blog you'd like to post on, before you write your post. You'll hit their interests more squarely. Technorati is one place to start to find complimentary, high authority blogs. Or do a google search. But don't assume it has to be in your specific niche. I'll be doing a guest post on Becky McCray's Small Biz Survival blog. The topic? Not my usual article on online identity development. This time I'll be writing on operating a small business from a rural setting. 3. Be sure your site is ready for more eyeballs. This is a common mistake. Make sure your site shows you at your best because people will be clicking on the link to learn more about you. 4. Offer choices of topics. If it's your first post, make it easy on the blogger. Give 4 or 5 examples of what you could write about and let her choose. And always ask about the preferred word length. 5. Create and submit your post. Remember, you are not selling here. You are adding value. Find an interesting topic, give it an original twist, and keep your "helper's hat" on and you should do fine. Try to make your post search-engine friendly by using keywords. If your post is not accepted, keep that in perspective. Ask for feedback and whether the blogger would be open to a rewrite or submitting something new. But never take it personally. Just move on. 6. Promote, Promote, Promote. Most new guest bloggers forget this part, but it is the most important step. Tell everyone you know about your guest post. Better yet, provide a direct link to it. Make it easy for your friends and colleagues to read-and comment on it. The blogger you submit your post to will be impressed by, and grateful for, the additional readers.
Oh, one more thing: My most recent guest post was published yesterday on The Marketing Spot Blog. It's called "5 Steps to a Unique Social Media Profile."
I'd be honored if you stopped by and left a comment. (See Step #6 above: "Promote, promote, promote.")
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