How do you make sure you don’t get your guest post rejected?
We all know that utilizing guest blog posts to help market content is a great way to get new followers and improve search rankings; it’s also a great way to spice up your blog. However, top bloggers get flooded with guest post pitches every single day. So how do you make sure you don’t get your guest post rejected? Here are a few tips to get your work seen and published.
Stick to the Guidelines
The hardest part of a guest post isn’t writing the post itself, it’s having your guest post request accepted. Many pitches are declined in the first round simply because they don’t stick to the blog’s guidelines for guest posts. Usually that’s because the post is off-topic or poorly composed. The good thing is you can improve your chances by taking the time to research the blog’s guidelines before making your pitch. Once you know what they are looking for, you can make your pitch unique to them and follow the rules they have set.
Make it Easy
Blog authors are chronically short on time. If you make them work harder than they have to they will quickly press delete on your pitch. Your goal is to make your guest post easy and convenient to use. Here are a few ways to do that:
- Be Ready to Accept Changes – Most top blogs will edit your article to make it meet their style. Either they’ll do the editing or they’ll request you to do it. Some writers get attached to their work and don’t want to edit it. This is a big mistake. You should never hesitate to edit your post. It’s best to make sure the blog author knows that you’re happy to make any tweaks they need right in your pitch. Your readiness implies that you respect their quality standards. If you refuse to edit your work it’s more than likely they won’t use it. So be prepared to make the requested changes.
- Be SEO Friendly – Show the blog author that you prepare your guest posts to go straight onto their site. Let them know that you have made your post SEO friendly and have chosen keywords that will get them more page views. You may want to try a content optimization application like Inbound Writer to help with SEO.
Promote the Blog
Let the blog author know that you will work extra hard to promote the post if they accept it. Being a good partner means you understand your responsibility. You are getting free traffic and visibility in exchange for your content and support.
- Be a Promoter – It doesn’t matter if you are a heavy hitter or a newcomer, sharing is caring! Make sure the blog author sees you pushing the heck out of the posts you write by using every social media platform to your advantage.
- Answer Comments – Answer and respond to as many comments as you can. Don’t assume that this is the blog author’s job. Blog authors have little time to answer everything so jump in and engage their audience if your post gets comments.
Remember, one of the most important things about guest blogging is to be polite and follow up. A little consideration and a “Thank You” will go a long way with blog authors. Emails can get lost and people get overwhelmed. It’s your job to follow up on your pitch and thank the blog author for their time.
Have you had a guest post published? What tips worked for you? Three Girls Media wants to hear your advice – let us know!
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