Chatting Guest Blogging at #Pitchboxchat

I was invited to #Pitchboxchat hosted by Pitchbox to chat on guest blogging. As always, I am sharing my answers with MyBlogGuest community!

1. What are the top 3 reasons why acquiring links through guest blogging is paying off?

I’ll make it a rule for any link acquisition method: It is only safe when you are doing this NOT for links which makes guest blogging ideal here because it comes with many more benefits.

Guest blogging builds your niche connections. All those editors you are connecting to will love you (if you do a good job working on that article, of course), so they will likely link to you naturally
Guest blogging builds your authority and expertise: And people naturally link to experts (so more natural links)
Guest blogging builds your community which means more people will stick around (sign up to your list, join your site). Community building brings more links!

DON’T guest blog for links only because it will be obvious (to your editors, Google and readers). I blogged about that years ago (way before it became obvious.

2. How to find the blogs that will accept guest posts in your niche?

Start with blogs you read and bloggers you personally know. This is your best chance: Guest blogging relies on personal connections. Simply email them saying you have an idea (and why you think it will work for those blogs)

Watch your peers: See where other bloggers in your niche write. Try @Buzzsumo Author search for that:

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Ask around! You are likely to know a few bloggers in your niche. If you are smart, you are also part of some niche blogging groups on Facebook, Skype, etc. So ask and you might even get those email intros to get connected to the editors

3. What’s the perfect pitch structure to guarantee that an editor says “yes”?

I don’t pitch right away: I make sure I get introduced to the editors/site owners. For that I am using Linkedin search v

Linkedin shows how you are connected to any company, so type your target site there and find common connection. Message those common connections and simply ask to get introduced

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I also use Twitter “People” search the same way: Search Twitter users by the blog name to see who works there (and if they happen to follow you)

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Once I make sure I know the person (or get introduced), I send a simple email saying I’d like a regular column (making sure to link to my existing columns)

4. How to find the perfect guest post topic?

This is the combination of the blog angle and your own expertise. Never try to please an editor by suggesting a topic that you have no expertise in. Showing your powers in your content is the only way it works!
For example, my expertise is advanced search and personal branding, so depending on the blog topic I may suggest (a) “Using Google search to improve your productivity” (if it’s a GTD blog) or (b) “How to build your personal brand to advance your career” (if it’s a career building blog)

Mashable

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5. How long does it take on average to publish a guest post once your pitch is approved?

It depends on the blog. Some blogs publish within a week. Others scheduled as far as 5-6 weeks ahead.
What I suggest doing is for every blog you write for, is to continue blogging there for on a semi-regular basis
Regular contributions will build stronger relationships with both the editor and the blog readership and allow you to get a better feel of what they like and how to craft your content better

6. What tools do you recommend to use to speed up the process of building links through guest blogging?

LOVE the tools! Always use keyword research tools to optimize your guest posts just like you’d optimize content for your own site. I use @Serpstat and @Textoptimizer (which help with both content ideas and on-page optimization)

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Again, @Buzzsumo is awesome for just about anything content-wise: Following other guest blogging, researching your target blog better, finding topic ideas (+question research), etc.

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I also use Tweetdeck to maintain my Twitter list (where I add all my editors) to keep in touch with them and follow the blogs I write for. Tweetdeck allows you to search within the Twitter list.

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