Being a guest blogger can be a great way to expand your online authority and build a reputation as an authority in your field. Here are 3 tips to get you started.
If you are looking to develop or expand your authority online as a healthcare professional, guest blogging is an excellent means to do so. There are several ways that guest blogging raises your profile that adding content to your own blog does not. For starters, it raises your visibility and credibility, but it also helps provide backlinks for you that are often unattainable otherwise. Like any other endeavor, if you have a plan in place, you can maximize the potential benefits.
When you start thinking of what guest blogging can do for you, remember this, guest blogging has to be a win-win proposition for both parties or it isn’t going to work. You have to provide quality content and it needs to be relevant to the blog you are proposing to contribute to. With that in mind, let’s look at what you should, and should not do, when exploring opportunities to be a guest blogger.
Here are 3 general ground rules to help you get started:
1.) Content is everything.
You can’t slap a post together really quick without much thought and expected it to be appreciated or used. You need to present a quality piece of content to be taken seriously. You want to get your name out there, the blog owner wants quality content, and you have to meet each other’s expectations on this.
Don’t forget this point, your name is on the post. Sure it is someone else’s blog, but it is your content and your reputation on display. Also, don’t be spammy. You will get your exposure and backlinks. Write something of value for the readers, not something that is wholly self-promotional and filled with sales pitches. Be insightful and engaging and you will do just fine.
2.) Find the right opportunities.
If you have created your content in advance rather than tailoring for a specific blog, you next job is to find the best possible outlet for it. While you may find plenty of blogs willing to run your post, not all will necessarily be the right fit. Look at each possibility and see which one looks like the best option for your content and what you expect in return.
Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when you begin searching for the right outlet for your content. Number one, make sure your content is relevant to the blog. If not, it’s a waste for both parties. Next, see how guest posts have performed on their blog in the past and what you can do to try to repeat previous successes. Finally, make sure the blog is actively promoted on social media.
3.) Pitch your post.
Once you have found good matches for your content, you need to begin contacting them to see if they have interest in offering you a guest blogging spot. Blogs are really going to contact you to run your work, so it is up to you to do the legwork and make them aware you have something to offer-.
Some blogs have a section which offers guidelines for submissions from guest bloggers. Some offer direct submission while others require email contact. Whatever formula they have laid out for guest blogging, make sure you are familiar with it and that you follow it.
Under normal circumstances, you will introduce yourself, and explain why you want to guest blog for them. When doing this, do not forget that it isn’t all about you! Establish your credibility and be genuine. Explain why you think your content will benefit them. How is it going to benefit their audience? Last but not least, be flexible. Make it clear that you are willing to adhere to their content standards.
Always remember to be polite and respectful. You came to them, not the other way around. Keep that in mind!