How to Reach Thousands by Guest Blogging

"With [guest posting] you should absolutely try your hardest to write something where people demand you come back..." (Tommy Walker)

Blogger Alex Turnbull did a guest post on Buffer's.  Within one hour he had 1000 new visitors to his own blog.  One thousand became 5,000, then 10,000, and before he knew it, he had 20,000 new visitors.  He has at least 10,000 regular subscribers; however, his blog partners have 1,000,000 subscribers.  That is the power of guest blogging.  If done regularly and effectively, it gives you the potential to tap into a much larger audience.

According to Alex, here are some of the factors you should consider before venturing into the world of guest blogging:

-Who reads the blog you are considering writing a guest post for?

-What audience challenge has the blogger not yet tackled?

-What content does well on the blog in question?

Alex has a standard guest post pitch which he just tweaks for each new submission.  It includes:

1.  a warm introduction (if possible, make sure blogger knows who you are before pitching your guest post ex. leave comments on their blog)

2.  put the other blog first (make sure it's a good fit; focus on building real, mutually rewarding relationships)

3.  validate yourself ex. what are your credentials (mention content published in other blogs)

4.  post a teaser (3 or 4 sentences)

5.  call to action (come out and state your request)

6.  follow up (set up a targeted landing page for the new readers you acquired from your guest post)

I look at my own history of guest blogging.  Thus far, I have only written one guest post; mind you, it was for a well-established, well-written blog (sheilawraygregoire.com).  My son, Thomas, warned me that while I would likely see an increase in my blog hits, after a couple of weeks my stats would return to normal.  He was right.  So, the name of the game is to guest post again...and again...and again.  Guest blog frequently enough that readers start to recognize your name.    

For more information, read "How We've Reached More Than Million People by Guest Blogging" at https://www.groovehq.com/blog/guest-blogging. 

That being said, don't forget that nothing can replace a well-written blog post.  Try to be a prolific writer in the blogosphere, but at the same time, don't sacrifice quality.  You want to write something that will grab the attention of your readers, that will keep them coming back for more.  

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Developping Good Blog Content

"For a blog to be successful, your content needs to be useful and unique to readers." (Darren Rowse)

You have found a blog niche, name, platform and design.  Now it's time to start developping your blog content.

Define Your Voice

According to Professional Blogging for Dummies (http://www.amazon.ca/Professional-Blogging-Dummies-Susan-Getgood/dp/0470601795) the first consideration you need to focus on is defining your voice.  What is your writing style?  How do you present your material?  Do you let your personality shine through in your writing?  Do you use the correct grammar and spelling?  Does your writing look professional?  How much do you want to share with your readers?  Do you want to include information about your spouse and children, or keep them out of your writing?  Do you want to invite guest bloggers to post?  If so, how will you keep their voice consistent with your own? These are questions you must consider in the early weeks of blogging.

Keep an Editorial Calendar

The second consideration is an editorial calendar.  Just as a magazine editor has a calendar to plan each upcoming issue, you need a plan for your blog, a "roadmap for your content" (Professional Blogging for Dummies).  Without a calendar, you have to start from scratch each day.  Even though I have had a successful blog for four and a half years, there were many days where I didn't know what to blog about.  I wasted a lot of time choosing a topic, often more time than I did writing.  Last year, I started grouping blog topics into days or even a week.  This year I am experimenting with a monthly topic.  I find myself looking forward to writing that much more because I already know what I'm writing about.

Professional Blogging for Dummies recommends filling in the following details in your editorial calendar for each post:

1.  date:  daily, weekly, biweekly, bimonthly, etc.

2.  type ex. narrative, essay, review (book, restaurant), opinion, podcast, promotion, news, recipe, roundup (top ten)

3.  topic:  divide blog into sections with tabs; my blog has three categories, history, home & writing

4.  author:  if you have guest bloggers

5.  art:  always include a picture or photograph; it catches the reader's eye ex. www.istockphoto.com or www.flickr.com

6.  media:  include a Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/?gl=CA) link or podcast

7.  deadline:  if you have guest bloggers

Don't forget to include a catchy title or headline.  You have only three seconds to catch the reader's attention before they move on to something else.  Also, include tags in your post to attract reader's who happen to google keywords from your post.

Invite Comments

The third consideration is comments for your blog, something recommended by experts.  If you don't have comments, your blog is simply a website.  You may choose to set up a system where you approve or disapprove the comments before they are officially posted.  You can restrict comments to stop profanity, negativity or HTML hyperlinks.  Some people aren't interested in engaging in dialogue but just want to promote their own blogs.  Some software programs allow you to pre-approve the first comment and then automatically approve any subsequent comments from that same blogger.  Post your policy somewhere on your blog so that readers know what your rules are regarding comments.

Add a Blogroll

Lastly, consider starting a blogroll to accompany your blog in a sidebar.  It is a good way to become part of the blogosphere community.  It also gives readers a sense of your taste and friends.  You may get discovered through a Google Alert.  Start with your favourite blogs, then influential blogs in your niche, then associations and affinity groups and then blogs dealing with complementary topics.  My blogroll includes a few history blogs, a few writing blogs and a few Christian blogs, a true reflection of my interests and values.

For more information, visit
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2006/02/18/writing-good-content/.

Name That Blog!

You want to enter the blogosphere and you've chosen a niche (subject).  Now you have to pick a name.  According to Professional Blogging for Dummies, your blog name is one of the most important parts of your blog, and one of the most difficult to change.  If your blog is active even for a short time, it remains in the Internet's memory and will be difficult to get rid of in the event that you change its name.  Remember, it sets the stage for your words.  So, choose wisely.

Here are ten tips for choosing a blog name:

1.  Brainstorm by writing down topics that you would like to blog about.

2.  Use your ideas as building blocks, experimenting by pairing different words together.

3.  Search keywords and phrases to avoid duplicating another blog name.

4.  Test the name that you choose on your family and friends.  Does the name match the content?

5.  Avoid song lyrics, movie lines and show titles to prevent copyright infringements.  If you are determined to use a certain title ex. Field of Dreams, use it in your tagline (the little explanation that follows your title) instead ex. The Best Baseball Blog with the tagline "A Field of Dreams".

6.  Remember your target audience.  What is the purpose of your blog ex. to entertain, to make people laugh, to educate people?

7.  Research similar blogs for ideas.

8.  Visit a blog name generator and it will punch out dozens of suggestions in seconds.

10.  Keep it short, to the point, and easy to remember.

Fore more information, read http://www.blogclarity.com/the-guide-to-choosing-a-blog-name-you-wont-regret-part-1/.

Here are some good examples of blog names:

-Simply Scribblings at http://simplyscribblings.blogspot.ca/ is my writer friend's blog.  It's simple, it uses alliteration and it encompasses a wide spectrum which makes it long lasting.

-Three Kids and a Teabag (now Three Kids, A Husband and a Teabag) at  https://threekidsandateabag.wordpress.com/ is the blog of my Bible study friend.  It peaks your curiosity:  what's the teabag all about?  It turns out that's what your tummy looks like after you've had three kids.

-Centsational Girl at www.centsationalgirl is a frugal living blog.  The play on words is cute.

-Earth Wind & Flour http://www.earthwindandflour.com/ is a food blog which plays on the group Earth Wind & Fire.


-The Patient Gardener at https://patientgardener.wordpress.com/ plays on the movie The Constant Gardener.

-To Love Honor & Vacuum at www.sheilawraygregoire.com is my writer friend's marriage blog.  It's catchy and it gives you an immediate mental image of a housewife.

Blogging: Choosing a Niche

You have decided that you want to enter the blogosphere.  You have come to the right place.  I am devoting the month of February to blogging.

The first question you have to answer is:  "What would I like my blog to be about?"  Here were some popular blog topics for 2014.

1.  parenting:  Mommy blogs are all the rage on the Internet.  Check out my friend's blog Three Kids (A Husband) and a Teabag at threekidsandateabag.wordpress.com.

2.  hobbies:  Maybe you collect hockey cards like my husband.  Maybe you are a knitting expert.  Join a network of people who share your hobby.  Check out myhockeycardobsession.blogspot.ca.

3.  technology:  Learn about the latest and greatest in the field of technology.  Check out mashable.com.

4.  politics:  Engage in intense debate.  Be prepared to answer questions.  Grow your readership quickly.  Check out Ordinary Times:  On Culture & Politics at ordinary-gentlemen.com.

5.  news:  Share new ideas or put a new spin on an old idea.  Check out huffingtonpost.com.

6.  journaling:  Declare your hopes and dreams to the world.  Share reflections on life which resonate with readers.  Check out www.livejournal.com.

7.  deals/frugal living:  Maybe you are a coupon queen.  Perhaps you have tricks to stretch your budget.  Check out www.thefrugalgirl.com.

8.  DIY & design:  Bring your creative skills to the Internet so that others can be inspired.  Check out House Tweaking at www.housetweaking.com.

9.  fitness:  Help readers get fit.  Check out www.irunnerblog.com.

10.  food:  This theme is so popular that it has its own book Food Blogging for Dummies.  Check out Top with Cinnamon at www.topwithcinnamon.com.

11.  history:  Check sites like thisdayinhistory.com for inspiration.  Check out Civil Warriors at civilwarriors.net.

12.  fashion:  Maybe you are a fashion design student at college.  What a great forum a blog could be for your ideas!  Check out Brooklyn Blonde at www.brooklynblonde.com.

13.  travel:  If you are a frequent traveller, blog about your trips.  Check out The Traveling Type at blog.travelchannel.com.

14.  books:  A strong reader makes a strong writer.  Post book reviews.  Check out The Book Wheel at www.thebookwheelblog.com.

15.  marriage:  My writer friend shares her ideas about marriage at www.sheilawraygregoire.com.

16.  photography:  My Grandad Stroud was an amateur photographer who even won contests for some of his photos including one of my doe-eyed sister Lisa as a baby and one of a close up of a blue jay.  What better way to share your prize photos than through blogging?  Check out www.robertkruh.com.

17,  antiques:  Maybe you're addicted to the Antiques Road Show.  Check out antiquesdiva.com.

18.  gardening:  My Grandad Tufts, a teacher, used to spend his summers gardening; in fact, his backyard was simply one big garden.  Check out reddirtramblings.com voted one of the top ten gardening blogs by Better Homes & Gardens.

19.  sports:  If you like football, check out www.yardbarker.com.

20.  music:  If you like country music check out theboot.com.


Note:  For more tips, check out "All of the Good Ideas are Already Taken:  Tips to Help You Pick a Niche" at http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/niche-selection-tips/.

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