Blogging 201 ~ Lesson #6: Utilizing Guest Posts on Blogs

A great possibility for entering the blogging world is the utilization of guest posts, both on your blog and on others.  Guest posts offer many pluses to a blogger.  I have been both a guest blogger as well as have had guest bloggers at Simply CVS.

Benefits of Guest Posting for the Blogger
Who is Posting

• The opportunity to share their knowledge of a subject to a wider audience.
• The opportunity to be introduced to a group readers to new to them.
• The opportunity to introduce their blog to potential readers.

Benefits of Guest Posting for the Blogger Who is Hosting

• Brings a new perspective to their blog.
• Gives an opportunity to get to know other bloggers more intimately leading to future friendship and working relationship possibilities.
• Gives a break from writing for a day (or at least a post).
• Gives fresh material for their blog archives.
• Can provide depth to a subject the blogger may not be well acquainted with.

Benefits of Guest Posting for the Blogger's Readers

• Opportunity to read works of bloggers they are not familiar with.
• Exposure to more information than would be readily available from the host blogger.
• Introduction to new blogs they are not familiar with.

Finding Guest Posters

• Ask bloggers whose blogs you regularly read and hopefully comment on.
• Do a Google search for blogs on the subject you need a guest blogger for.
• Ask friends and family to share their perspective on the topic.

Finding Guest Posting Opportunities

• Contact owners of blogs that you are familiar with that cover topics you have some knowledge on and ask if they would be interested in a guest post on "X" subject.  Give a little outline or synopsis of what you have to offer.
• When visiting other blogs look for requests for guest posts or featured posts.  I often see links on blogs that take the reader to a post explaining how they can have one of their own posts featured at the site.

Regular Guest Posting

• Some sites have a regular day scheduled for guest posting.
• Some sites have a regular guest poster for a period of time.  I currently provide a guest post each week at Frugality Is Free.

Hints for Guest Posting

• When you are first starting to blog it is easy to get carried away with promoting your blog in the excitement of seeing readers visit, but be careful of branding your guest posts.  Write a thoughtful, in depth, informational post and if it is a topic specific to your blog add a little sentence or so at the end inviting readers to visit your blog for more of the same.  Leave it to the blog owner to add an introduction paragraph describing you and your blog.
• Ask the blog owner how long they prefer the post to be.  It is neither profitable to you or the host for your post to be either too short or too long.
• Thank the host for allowing the privilege of guest blogging within the guest post itself.
• Posting a little thank you on your own blog with a link to the hosting blog is a nice gesture and gives the host blog some exposure, too.

Here are some examples of guest posts I have been involved with; both writing and hosting:

• Couponing & Giving ~ A Family Affair
• Spotlight on CVS ~ A New CVS Pharmacy Series
• Save Money on Groceries Shopping at Aldi
• Clip with Purpose ~ Find the Best Deals Year Round for Filling Christmas Shoe Boxes

Utilizing guest posts on your blog and guest posting on other blogs can make your blogging experience richer.