There are many benefits of having a guest writer post on your blog, but where exactly do you find those guests?
It can be overwhelming when it comes to reaching out to the right people, and how to do it correctly. Below are some ways you can get started.
Look for other people in your industry – Start by looking for people in your industry, particularly those with a thriving blog. Read their content to see if it would appeal to your audience or target market. Perhaps they have a unique perspective on a topic in your industry that your audience would be interested in knowing more about.
Take an active interest in their content – Reaching out to a potential collaborator without showing previous interest in their content is unlikely to elicit an enthusiastic response from them. Take the time to engage with their content. Leave a comment on their blog, or social media. Even better, share some of their posts with your audience. You’re letting them know you appreciate their content and are building a connection because you respect their work and the value they’re creating.
Avoid being generic – When you’ve found some people you’d like to invite to write a guest post, don’t reach out to them with the same basic inquiry. Most of the time, it will end up ignored, and at worst, be insulting. Taking the extra time and effort to personalize your message is far more likely to encourage a response. For example, perhaps there was a particular piece of writing you admired that you can highlight, or reference that unique perspective on a topic that we mentioned earlier. When reaching out, include something personal about their work that you enjoyed to get the conversation started.
Let them know what’s on offer – It’s always flattering to be asked to write a guest post, but many invites are often vague. A common mistake people make when reaching out is jumping in with an invite without letting the potential guest know what benefits they will gain from the collaboration. Let your guests know what you can offer them. For example, you could explain that they can enjoy exposure to a new audience. Often collaborations are very successful in engagement on social media.
If you need help planning an editorial calendar for blogs or marketing strategy, reach out to us today. Making marketing that matters to others is the why behind everything that we do.