5 Unique Guest Blogging Tips

Guest blogging on sites with a rank of PR3 or higher can be beneficial for a number of reasons. The obvious reason is exposure. Look at it this way; if you guest blog on a web site that gains over three million viewers each month, you can guarantee attracting a few of these readers back to your blog. Even a single guest post can make a big difference. Let's not forget a few other reasons, such as building your credentials and getting an opportunity to better your writing skills.

So, if you haven't entertained the idea of becoming a guest blogger, do so now. Thank me later.

For those expert guest bloggers, view this article as a guide to unique tips you (most likely) didn't think to try, but can separate you from the rest.

Blog owners are always propositioned with wordsy articles that include a few nice pictures. Step outside the ordinary and craft a video instead. Videos take special effort that blog owners will appreciate. Let's look at this from another point of view; When offering a short video, expect positive feedback from the blog's subscribers. People love pictures (Pinterest has taught us this much), but are more inclined to watch a video instead. Just remember, keep the videos short and concise. No tenners, please. Keep it down to five minutes or less.

By this, I don't mean thank the blog owner for inviting you onto their blog. That's a given. Rather, do your research and find a post the blog owner has written that relates to your topic. Let's say you're writing an article about the benefits of soy candles versus regular candles, and the blog owner wrote a post on DIY soy candles--mention her post and add a permalink leading back to it. Commend the blog owner for her creativity, then return to your topic.

Most people don't stop to think about this, but the format used is important. The webmaster is doing you a favor by allowing you to guest blog on his site, so don't give him unnecessary work. When submitting your post, do so in HTML text format or even plain text rather than MS word, a common mistake. Why? The webmaster will most likely have to reformat your work if done in Microsoft Word.

If you have set your sights on a particular blog, then get noticed by posting comments on their blog posts. A month or so later, pitch your idea for a guest post. If the owner knows you, has read and even replied to your kind comments, they will be more inclined to help you.

Other ways to connect with the webmaster before your initial pitch is by seeking them out on other social media platforms. Follow them on Pinterest and Twitter; become a friend on Facebook. Your goal is to create a favorable identity long before you ask to become a guest blogger.

Email templates are like coffee; you can never say for certain whether it's good or bad because you've read too many conflicting facts. A lot of people have done away with email templates because they lack "personality", or they're too cliche.

I, on the other hand, think it's a good idea to be used prior to your pitch. I was reading an article where the writer said something that really resonated with me: "There's a stigma attached to email templates because people don't know how to use them properly."

True. There's a difference between good templates and bad ones. If you plan to download a Google template, then don't use one. But if you put creativity and personality into it, you'll find yourself ahead of those who do away with templates all together.

An example of a good template is one I came across on Hellobloggerz.com, written by Obaidul Haque. After reading this, I knew immediately that it needed to be a part of my freelance writing arsenal.

Hello [name of the blog owner or editor],

I’m a regular reader of ______ [name of the blog]. I truly liked the blog post that you wrote about _________ [a popular post on that blog, and a couple of useful points that caught your attention].

Since you already publish guest posts from different authors in your niche, I thought it would be nice if I too had an opportunity to present your blog’s readers with something of real value.

I work as a ________ (relevant industry position). Over the recent past, I’ve contributed guest articles to several niche industry blogs including _____ [list of the blogs you’ve written for]. I understand the need for unique and well-researched content. And I’m also very passionate about any topic or subject that I write about.

Please have a look at some of my recently published guest posts –

[URL 1]
[URL 2]
[URL 3]
……….

I’d love to share my insights with the readers of your blog in a guest post titled “_________” [title of the guest post]. In this post, I’ll discuss some key points including ___________ [main points you’ll discuss]. The word count of the post will be no less than _______ [number of words].