There's no question that guest blogging is a fantastic way to bring natural, dynamic links to your blog, social media accounts or website. However, it's not a secret either. Guest blogging was a hot topic in many marketing blogs in 2012, so those with blogs that have an audience are often inundated with requests to post their material – so much so in fact that you'll really have to stand out in order to gain acceptance from the blogger. What we've learned from our own experiences at Webimax is that it is all about the fundamentals.
Know your Audience: Any writer will tell you that the first thing you need to do is understand your audience. Even in high school, if you tried to write a paper and used slang all over the place, you most likely wouldn't get a good grade. At the same time, if you tried to write a blog post and used long, sweeping sentences to create giant block paragraphs, your readership would get a headache.
You're going to need an understanding of the blog you wish to guest post for before you submit a request. The best way to do this is to actually read the blog. Find out what the relevant topics are and read the comments to learn what matters most to the readers. If you can, search through other blogs in the area of interest as well.
Be Yourself: At the same time, you don't just want to copy the blogger's style. The reason why the blogger will accept your guest post is not just because it is free content; it's also because you're bringing a unique voice to the blog that can benefit the readership.
Become an Authority: In order to sound authoritative, you're going to have to do your research. Besides reading the blog and other similar blogs, you should scour the Internet for credible sources that will give you knowledge of the industry or area or interest. Google Alerts is a fantastic and free way to find articles related to your keywords and themes. And make yourself known once you do. Comment on blogs in the community and write in your own blog to show that you know what you're talking about.
Write Well: The final and most important part. If your blog post isn't interesting or contains spelling or grammar errors, you're not going to get accepted no matter how much you read or comment. Have an engaging title and short crisp paragraphs. Make the content sound organic and not spammy. Anchor text for links should make sense and not feel shoe-horned. And remember to review and edit the piece if necessary. As a rule of thumb, put yourself in the readers' shoes. If you saw this, would you read it? If not, you may want to make some changes.