What You Need to Know About Landing Guest Posts on Top-Tier Sites

Guest blogging remains a powerful tool for bloggers who want to increase their traffic and expert status. But too many bloggers aim too low when they seek guest blogging opportunities. Today, Jennifer Brown Banks (@PENPROSPER1) offers some advice on how to land guest blogging gigs with top-tier sites.

It’s no secret to today’s savvy blogger that guest posting provides an excellent way to build a platform, cultivate important relationships, establish expertise, and get noticed. For this reason, many bloggers seek guest posting opportunities on top tier sites that boast of cult-like followings. As well they should; like an American Express card, “Membership has its privileges.”

Indeed, landing a guest post on a well-trafficked site feels like the ultimate form of validation and badge of success.

The Benefits of Guest Posting

Over the years, I have landed guest posts at a variety of award-winning, authority sites, and here are some of the benefits doing so afforded me:

• Success by association.
• Job offers and business expansion. (A post of mine that appeared on Problogger.com landed me three requests within 72 hours for my writing services and one well-paid ghost writing project years later.)
• Requests to blog for other sites. (My post at Tinybuddha.com resulted in several opportunities to write for top personal development sites).
• Credibility as a blogger and writer.
• An impressive portfolio.

My experience has proven that strategic guest posting is much more effective than social media and takes less time to yield results.

Guest Posting Myths Dispelled

If you’re in a blog fog regarding how to approach guest posting on popular sites, Let me share a few insider’s secrets to enhance your efforts and garner “15 minutes of fame.”

First, however, it’s important to dispel a few guest blogging myths.

You can find a variety of tips about how to land guest posts online that, though well-intentioned, in my experience are not exactly accurate or advantageous. Here are a few common myths I’d like to dispell:

• To get your post accepted you need to “make friends with,” follow the blog owner on social media, brown-nose, or establish a relationship. Not true. Though it does help to mention in your email query that you are a fan of blogs you target.
• It’s almost impossible to land a guest post on a top-tier site due to the vast competition. Though it is typically much harder, it can be done. Be forewarned: You’ll probably encounter long response wait times.

How to Land a Top-Tier Guest Post Gig

With these things in mind, here are some essential tips to help you get your foot in the door and ultimately published at top-dog sites.

• Strictly follow the guidelines posted on the site. (Not doing so is the quickest way to be eliminated early.)
• Check the site archives to avoid topic duplication.
• Don’t just write well; think outside the box.
• Read several posts to get a feel for the tone, style, and approach of the blogs you target.
• Don’t be intimidated by the success of these super-star host bloggers. (Most are friendly and approachable).
• If at first you don’t succeed, try again. (I lost count of how many failed attempts I had with menwithpens.com before I was able to get published on the site.)
• Edit scrupulously. (Remember you never get a second chance to make a first impression.)

Build Your Blog with Guest Posts

If your goal this year is to build authority as a blogger, “win friends and influence people,” and work smarter, not harder, guest posting at top-tier sites should be on your to-do list. The common advice given in real estate applies to where you place your posts: “Location, location, location!”

For additional information on where to send your work and how to increase your odds of acceptance, here’s an informative post from Forbes.com you may want to read: http://authorityalchemy.com/become-a-contributor-for-forbes/

You also can learn more about writing guest posts and landing guest post gigs at Problogger.com, Writetodone.com, and Copyblogger.com

Have you landed a top-tier guest blogging gig? Tell us how in a comment below.

About the Author

Jennifer Brown Banks is a veteran freelance writer, relationship columnist, ghost writer, award-winning blogger and author. Her work has appeared in various online and print publications including: ProBlogger, Men With Pens, Write to Done, Tiny Buddha, Women on Writing and the Well-Fed Writer E-zine.

Banks is the managing editor of Coffeehouseforwriters.com, where she also teaches creative writing classes. When she’s not at the keyboard, she loves cooking, reading, “Jeopardy,” music, and shopping.

Find out more about Jennifer here: Penandprosper.blogspot.com/

Photo courtesy of  Bram Janssensgranula / 123RF.com