#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Grow and Build Your Own Guest Blogging Platform with Erika Heald
Have you ever thought about guest blogging as a way to grow your online presence? Whether you’re looking to start guest blogging on other sites or you want to accept guest posts for your own blog, this week’s #ContentWritingChat is a great one! To help you take full advantage of guest blogging, we’re sharing some amazing advice from the chat in this recap! How to Grow and Build Your Own Guest Blogging Platform Happy Halloween, #ContentWritingChat! ? Who is ready to talk about guest blogging with the one and only @SFerika? pic.twitter.com/o9Ld8MnAqT — Express Writers (@ExpWriters) October 31, 2017 Our guest host this week was Erika Heald. Erika is a marketing consultant and a freelance writer. She’s also the host of a weekly Twitter chat, #ContentChat. Be sure to check it out every Monday at 2 PM Central! Erika has plenty of experience with guest blogging, which is why she joined our chat to talk all about it this week. She had great tips to share with all of us, so let’s dive into the recap! Q1: Why is guest blogging a beneficial way to grow your online presence? You’ve probably heard people rave about the benefits of guest blogging before. However, you may be wondering if it’s really worthwhile. Here’s why guest blogging can do wonders for you: A1a: By contributing content to established websites, you’ll expand your reach and increase your domain authority. #ContentWritingChat — Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2017 A1b: As a blog editor, accepting guest blog posts increases your talent pool and your distribution channels. #ContentWritingChat — Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2017 Erika said that guest blogging on established websites will help you expand your reach, while also increasing your domain authority. If you’re a blog editor, accepting guest posts on your site will increase your talent pool and distribution channels. A1: Blogging allows you to SHOW not TELL people about your expertise, perspective and personality. #ContentWritingChat — Maureen Jann (@MaureenOnPoint) October 31, 2017 Maureen said guest blogging allows you to show, not tell, people about your expertise, perspective, and personality. A1 My guest blogging has brought brand exposure and 50-60% of our new leads/revenue for @ExpWriters for 5 years. #ContentWritingChat — Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) October 31, 2017 One person who certainly sees the benefits of guest blogging is our very own Julia. She said guest blogging has helped build brand exposure, while also bringing in 50-60% of new leads. A1. You get to share your expertise with an already built audience. #contentwritingchat — Bourbon & Honey (@BrittanyBrander) October 31, 2017 As Brittany said, you get to share your expertise with an audience that has already been built. A1 it allows you to share your expertise and knowledge with a new audience. It’s a great way to grow organically #contentwritingchat https://t.co/zVH2DfijGR — Jade Alberts Consult (@Jade_A_Consult) October 31, 2017 Having the ability to share your expertise and knowledge with a new audience is a powerful way to build your own brand. A1: connecting with other bloggers merges your 2 audiences and gets your name noticed by more people #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/9JmTaO1gM3 — Independent Retailer (@indretailer) October 31, 2017 Guest blogging essentially brings two audiences together and helps you get noticed. A1: It’s a great way to get a different take on subjects, expand your audience, attract new influencers, etc. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/DAVHVMITpH — ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) October 31, 2017 As Sarah said, guest posts allow you to get a different take on subjects, expand your audience, and attract new influencers. Q2: How do you determine which websites are the right fit for you to guest blog on? Now that you’re ready to get started with guest blogging, you need to choose the right websites. How do you go about that? Here’s some helpful advice to keep in mind: A2a: I look for guest blogging opportunities that share my audience but aren’t competing with me for business. #ContentWritingChat — Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2017 A2b: The ideal guest blogging opportunity is with a higher domain authority site that will do ample promotion. #ContentWritingChat — Erika Heald (@SFerika) October 31, 2017 Erika likes to look for opportunities with websites that share her audience, but aren’t direct competitors. Ideally, she wants to submit a post to a website that has a higher domain authority that she can count on to do promotion once the post is live. A2: Does the blogger have a similar audience as you? You’ll want to make sure your content is reaching the right people. #ContentWritingChat — Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) October 31, 2017 Lexie shared a great question you should ask yourself when trying to select a website to guest post on. Does that blog have a similar audience to you? It’s important that you’re reaching the right people with the content you share. A2 a) look for platforms that allow ongoing columns. Best ROI b) relevance to you c) they credit/link back to the author #ContentWritingChat — Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) October 31, 2017 Julia suggests looking for websites that allow for ongoing columns. This is great because it’ll consistently provide you with new opportunities in the future. She also said that website needs to be relevant to you and they should allow you to link back to your website. A2. Research their audience (who’s following them, commenting) & ask: Are these your people, too? #contentwritingchat — Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) October 31, 2017 As Kristen said, make sure you take time to research their audience. You want to determine if their people are also your people. A2 Always do research when guest blogging. Speaking on the wrong topic to the wrong audience is detrimental! #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/gcKbqsiU4Q — HeyOrca! (@HeyOrca) October 31, 2017 You don’t want to waste your time speaking on the wrong topic to the wrong audience! A2. Are they in the same industry as me? If not, can I help their audience solve a problem? 1/ #contentwritingchat — Bourbon & Honey (@BrittanyBrander) October 31, 2017 If a website isn’t in … Read more