Last week we were talking about guest blogging bylines: That should be interesting, unique, non-promotional and describe a human being behind the content. Of course, obviously, we understand that brainstorming a byline is not as easy as it may seem.
Today’s Twitter chat aims at making your job easier: It will give you some clues to what should be included in the byline and how to make it cool.
***Reminder: Our Twitter chats are each Thursday 11 a.m. EDT / 3 p.m. GMT. To join, simply follow #myblogguest hashtag and include it in your tweets. Here are a few easy ways to participate described. Next week we’ll skip the chat for Thanksgiving, so see you in a week, Thursday (November, 29) at 11 am!***
Usual components of a good byline:
- Your name
- Your profession and company (or project or book)
- Any extra details that make the byline interesting and unique. Tip: Use details to better relate your byline to the guest article (to make it one whole piece).
- Your social media profiles to show *you* outside your content.
Some examples to get inspired:
1. Soft self-promotion
Just quick and simple: Provide your basic expertise, career details, social media account.
Formula: NAME is POSITION at COMPANY providing SERVICE in COUNTRY. You can follow NAME’s personal and business ramblings at @TWITTER
2. Extended
Like the above but add a tried “When I am not working, I…” trick:
Formula1: NAME is POSITION at COMPANY providing SERVICE. When NAME is not doing HOBBY1, he is doing HOBBY2. You can follow NAME’s personal and business ramblings at @TWITTER
… Or add your hobby, past experience or education details.
Formula2: NAME is POSITION at COMPANY providing SERVICE. In his free time, NAME does HOBBY. She graduated from COLLEGE
3. *Creative* Self Promotion
Just get creative: Some bylines sound like poems!
Formula: NAME is dreamer, traveller and artist. She works on BOOK. Track her dreams on her extra-ordinary Tumblr blog.
4. Motto
Do you have some wise phrases you keep repeating (and which never fail to make the right impression)? Feel free to include them in the byline!
Formula: NAME is HOBBYIST. MOTTO in life
5. “The real you”
Describe your life, what you do and who you are (makes sense especially in family-, psychology- and self-improvement-related articles – where your life experience proves that you know what you are talking about).
Formula: NAME is FAMILY ROLE(s), author and blogger at SITE. When at home he/she love HOBBIES. His/Her kids NAME1 and NAME2 usually keep him/her from writing blog articles. Her/His SPOUSE is PROFESSION…
More Resources to Get Inspired
A guest post byline is like your Twitter bio (albeit it’s longer and should be original in each article.) But looking at creative Twitter bylines will definitely help you brainstorm multiple cool guest post bylines:
- 25 Great Twitter Bios
- 10 brands with creative Twitter bios (good expiration for BUSINESS-oriented profiles. Mine that most of them have REAL people behind the bio)
- 5 Twitter Bio Examples That Will Rock Your Socks
- 20 of the all-time best Twitter bios
Now Your Turn! Do You Have Good Examples?
Winner:
This is a success story of NAME, NICHE-blogger. But if u want to know how I screw up sometimes follow me on @TWITTER.. #myblogguest #contest
— Ann (@manifestcon) November 15, 2012
More examples:
Example of #realyou #contest #myblogguest This guest post by NAME, a mommy and a blogger at BLOG….
— Viral Mom (@viralmomtweets) November 15, 2012
…was inspired by her little kid NAME who never stops asking about everything. Check out best of his questions at @TWITTER #myblogguest
— Viral Mom (@viralmomtweets) November 15, 2012
1 for #contest: Being a geek is what I've been doing since high school. I'd be happy to see more geeks at my BLOG ..#myblogguest
— Jessy Troy (@jessytroy) November 15, 2012
loves Los Angeles and fair and ethical treatment of humans. You can keep up with the Los Angeles love @LuvLosAngeles. #contest #myblogguest
— Deborah (@socialwebcafe) November 15, 2012
#myblogguest This article has been provided by the folks at http://t.co/ntQzA8SU. They know that a healthy lifestyle is more than organic…
— Stuart Lieberman (@OptwizardSEO) November 15, 2012
https://twitter.com/BirdandCo/statuses/269113002672939008
Joseph
Latest posts by Joseph (see all)
- Chatting Guest Blogging at #Pitchboxchat - December 19, 2018
- How to Collaborate on Content: Co-Create, Interview and Find Guest Bloggers! #BizapaloozaChat - December 5, 2017
- Ann Smarty Talking Influencer Marketing at #BW_Chat Twitter Chat - February 26, 2016
Betsy Talbot
Thanks for using my latest byline as an example. I like to have fun with mine and change it up for every guest post I do. Next time I’m going to try @manifestcon’s format. Thanks for the great ideas!