Grow Your Blog: Guest Posting Ettiquitte

One of the great ways to get yourself out there in the blogging world is, of course, guest posting.

As a guest poster, you get to meet and connect with other bloggers {a good thing in and of itself} who can also give you exposure to lots of potential readers who may not have come across your blog on their own.  Of course, the host blogger gets something out of it too, which we’ll talk about in another post.

Here are some basic tips for guest posting:

How do I get chosen to guest post?
Every blog and opportunity is different.  Just keep your eyes and ears open. 

* The Simple Sign Up
Bloggers will often look for guest posters when they are running a series with a particular theme, as well as when they’re going to be on vacation from their blog for one reason or another.  Oftentimes, they’ll put the word out via their blog, facebook, twitter, or emails that they’re looking for folks to cover a few dates for them.  If you see something like that and are interested, respond right away and sign up

* Reaching Out
If you’re particularly interested in posting on a certain blog, look and see if they have a section or tab somewhere on their blog about getting featured or guest posting.  Many larger blogs will ask you to complete a form or submit info about yourself, your blog, and your idea.  If you don’t see anything like that, send an email asking about the possibility.  If you are the one reaching out, you should be prepared with an idea.  Tell the other blogger what project/recipe/activity you’d like to share.  Make sure it’s something that would be appropriate for their audience.  If possible, include a photo.  They are far more likely to accept your proposal if you have a specific plan that they can see and approve rather than if you just say, “I’d like to post on your blog sometime.”

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How do I create and send a guest post?
The best way to do it is to go into your blog editor and type up the post as if you were going to publish it on your own site.  Include all your photos and links as you normally would.  Then, switch to HTML view, copy the code for the entire post, then paste it in an email to the host blogger.

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What should I include in my guest post?
It’s always good to start off with a brief bio of yourself/your blog to introduce yourself to the host blogger’s readership.  Including a picture of yourself or your family can be a nice touch.  Then, it’s time for your tutorial or recipe.  As you would on your own blog, include thorough and detailed instructions along with several photos.  Make sure your photos are large and clear.  Be sure you conclude your post, thanking the host blogger for having you and encouraging readers to visit you sometime.  It’s okay to mention a specific thing you do on your blog, such as,  “I’d love for you to stop by and share your own projects at my weekly Shine on Fridays party!”  It’s also okay to add your social media links.

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A few do’s and don’ts:
DO be yourself.  Use your own “voice” and style.
DON’T try to imitate the host blogger.  People want to meet YOU!
 
DO promote your guest post on your own blog & social media.
DON’T post it on your own blog the same day.  First of all, that’s not the point, and second, Google could flag both of you as content thieves when it recognizes the duplicate content.  If you want to put the full tutorial on your own blog, wait at least a week, maybe up to a month, and tweak it a bit.
 
DO link to your own blog and encourage readers to visit you.
DON’T make the whole post a shameless plug for your blog.  Give readers a quality tutorial that will make them want to see more from you.
 
DO read the comments readers leave on the post and try to respond to them if you can.
DON’T be discouraged if you don’t get a ton of comments.  For whatever reason, I find that people are less likely to comment on guest posts; maybe they feel like the author or the post won’t see them?  In any case, people are still reading and still enjoying what you shared even if they don’t say so.
 
DO keep your commitment and submit your post by whatever deadline you and the host agreed on.
DON’T forget or be late!  Remember, you want to use this to form a good relationship with another blogger {whose blog is probably larger and more influential than yours}.  Don’t make them mad or frustrated.  They are counting on you to fill the date. 
*It is not the host blogger’s job to remind you!  Every blogger should keep a calendar for scheduling posts.  Write down the dates your guest posts will go live as well as the dates they are due to be submitted.  If you sign up, it’s your job to write it down and remember!  Think of it this way; if you RSVP and agree to attend a party, the host doesn’t call you the day before to remind you to show up, right?  You’re just expected to be there.  Same thing.

 
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Whew!  I know that’s a lot of information all at once!  I hope you find it helpful!  If you have any other questions or have tips of your own related to guest posting, feel free to send them my way!
 
Happy Blogging!




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20 Comments

  1. I’m a new blogger and have been asked to do a couple of guest posts, as much as I would like to it kind of scares me. My blog is about me learning, somethings come up awesome and some don’t! It’s okay to post the loser stuff on my blog because my readers know that’s what I am about, but I feel so much pressure presenting on other blogs that I’d be a mess. Thanks for the tips!

  2. I’m so glad you posted this! Firstly, I’ve never understood the actual ‘how to’ of providing a guest post, now I know to just send the code. Secondly, I dabbled in having a few guest posters while I was out of the country and half of them didn’t show. I always felt bad, like I should’ve done more to remind them. Glad to know it wasn’t my fault~

  3. I’ve only been blogging for 2 months and I’ve been trying to build up the courage to ask to be a guest blogger. This post answered all my questions and made it feel like a more manageable task for me. I guess the worst thing that happens is they say no to me. Right?

  4. Phew! I was kind of nervous waiting for this post to see if I did okay with my first guest post on your blog. I think I followed proper etiquette. One question that I wasn’t sure about…..I knew not to post my guest post on my own blog, but what is the rule as far as posting to link parties? I did post the project to several and figured it would be okay because it was ultimately directing people to your blog too. Is that good that I did that, or should I have waited until I post it on my blog?

  5. Awesome! I try to sear ch the host blog a bit to include some links of theirs that are relative to the post. I had a blogger do that for me once, and I thought it was so nice of her. When Ireland her post and clicked on a few links she had included, I was flattered to see they went to a few of my posts on my blog.

  6. Good to see I’ve followed the correct etiquette when guest posting. Thanks for sharing this, Amy, especially as it’s a topic that doesn’t seem to be covered much.

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