As I type this, my Outlook inbox is currently swimming with inquiries from small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to get featured on the company blog that I manage. Last week, we put out the feeders that we were looking for and interested in featuring guest bloggers to contribute to our blog each week and the responses came pouring in.
Some of the people who responded have never blogged before. Others have and included links to their websites that I could check out to see their written work at. Some included pieces of pre-written blog posts attached to their emails. Most of said pre-written work attached needs a desperate round of editing made before it can be posted. All of this is okay and nothing I wouldn't expect.
I've worked with guest writers before, namely affiliates with the company. One of the first things I did when I started working as a social media manager was establish a day of the week for said affiliates to submit a guest post to our company blog. In return, we submitted one for their blog (if they had one) and allowed them to feature a link in their post that redirected the reader to the website so they could find out more. The link alone was self promotional enough without having the blog post itself reflect it by telling the reader why they were so awesome over and over again. Instead, the posts told stories of mistakes made in business that were learned from, offered tips for small businesses, and discussed start ups that were taking off in 2012. From the topical to the autobiographical, there was seldom a topic that someone could suggest that I wouldn't endorse and work with.
I called the program "Awesome Affiliates" and I'm proud to say that we received enough interested clients to contribute not just for one month, or just six months, but for a full year. You build it and the guest bloggers will come - and trust me, you want them to be a part of your blog.
1) It Puts You on the Map
For guest blogging, this works in favor of both parties. The blogger in question gets their article, podcast or video featured and typically promoted out through the social media channels whether it's their first time contributing or they're a regular on the scene. For the company offering to feature the blogger, their blog is officially on the map and may even garner a new readership if the featured blogger promotes the post out enough through their own Facebook and Twitter platforms.
2) Credibility + Expertise = Established!
There are a lot of people out there who believe that they are experts at what they do, but don't have much physical (or virtual) proof to back them up and get their name out in the field. A guest post will typically include an author's bio or a byline that tells you more about said person and what they do and where else they may have been featured at. They can also add in methods that they may be reached, whether through an email address or a Twitter account (or both, as you'll note my own bio for this article does.) The more you keep guest posting with different blogging outlets, the more word of mouth will spread about you and your company!
3) Pulls You Out of Routine - Always a Good Thing
No blogger can legitimately ever tell me that they don't run out of ideas or get bored after some time with the platform, no matter what field they work in. It's hard to stay constantly on and creative at all times and rather than slack off or go rehash an old topic again, this is the time to get a guest post featured. You'll be working outside of your routine box - helping brainstorm a topic, editing the post or video if it's a vlog, offering tips on keywords and how to promote the piece out once it's live - and beyond this, you'll be building up a relationship with the blogger that may lead to bigger and better things in the future.