FREE TRAFFIC SOURCES SERIES PART THREE – GUEST POSTING

INTRODUCTION

Guest posting at first glance may not seem like something you could expect to get much mileage out of for increased traffic, but that is not the case, I can assure you…

In my own experience, I have had posts or articles I have published on various forums result in queries years after the information was posted….

This is an approach that will pay off immediately in an increase in traffic to your site and it also has an evergreen effect, in that for many months and yes, even years after you can get more traffic.

I urge you, therefore, to take a good look at the information presented here today, bookmark it if possible, and stop back to see what additional input we get over time on the subject.

Let’s get started…

 

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WHAT IS GUEST POSTING

Definition

This is not a difficult thing to get your head around. Quite simply you prepare and submit your posts on another’s site to gain the benefits for your own online marketing program.

Use In Online Marketing

There are many ways such activity will help you. You can get backlinks, traffic, build your reputation and authority, network with top level people in your niche, and at the end of the day get more conversions…

Venues You Can Use Guest Posting

There are many you can consider, and this is likely the first step you want to start with when you decide to use this as a means of getting free traffic…We will get into some techniques below, but suffice it to say that you want to guest blog on sites that are on a par or superior to your own…

 

 

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WHY USE GUEST POSTING

Effective

This really is a way to get more traffic. If you add backlinks to the article you provide, you can add an opt-in page for that link to add to your leads, and of course, the additional traffic and buzz you can get will help your overall program.

Easy

It is not hard to use this free traffic tactic. Having said that you do need to have a plan of action and a set process to go through so you know that you are covering all the bases and you will get the opportunities you are looking for to guest blog. This article and my free giveaway report will help you get this in place…

Increases Visibility

Your name, reputation, authority, site, and brand can all be positively affected by guest blogging. This is why that you really need to have top-quality material and add some things like pictures, graphs, infographics, videos, and etc. It is your chance to shine.

More Traffic

As mentioned, your article will drive traffic to your site. This is one tool that you can select and plan for using on a regular and periodic basis. Once you start and have some successes, and more and more people see your information, it will lead to yet more opportunities and your online footprint and get ever larger (and can all lead back to your site).

More Authority and Credibility

If done effectively, guest blogging cannot help but improve both your authority and credibility. There are certain techniques that will help you use the guest post to further increase these, as in replying to guest comments that you may get from the guest post.

Guest Blogging Can lead to other JV projects

In the process of securing guest post slots from various platforms, you will see that more and more interaction will start happening between yourself and other more experienced persons in the niche.

This, in turn, could result in your being able to work together on projects like product development and launches, further enhancing your reputation as a go-to person in the niche.

This will provide an opportunity for you to learn from other marketers, a chance to develop some new products and ventures, and overall you will build the JV partner’s program up as you build up yours.

 

 

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HOW TO SET UP GUEST POSTING

The Approach

There are several steps involved in getting from an idea to guest post to actually having one published, and these steps include planning for your follow up actions as well.

Where To Consider Posting Guest Posts or Similar

There are different places on the internet that would be valuable to guest post at, and they include using other sites/blogs, but you can also consider adding your articles to forums, group sites on Facebook, or even curated sites that publish content on a regular basis daily or weekly.

Here are a few examples:

Example 1.

One that I use is called paper.li, which collects and published niche related  daily newsletters. With their service, you can have your paper curated for you automatically, and published on their host using a subdomain.

There are two options a paid and free version, with the paid costing $9 a month. Using the paid version also gives you space to add in your own ads for your products or services, plus add in your twitter feed…

You can create your own daily newsletter going here and signing up for a free account:

===> FREE PAPER.LI ACCOUNT <===

Example 2.

Yet another option would be a Reddit account where you can add content and it will get voted up or down by people that read your post. Also free and easy to set up, you can then contribute subjects and articles.

if the work your provide is of hight quality, it is likely that you will get a good response and interaction, and develop a good discussion thread that will raise your visibility and credibility, assuming you have something of value to say!

You can sign up for a Reddit account here:

===> REDDIT ACCOUNT <===

Example 3.

There is another site called Disqus, where you can create a thread and add articles to the thread, and these can be niche -related. When  you post articles viewers are free to discuss in the comment section, and of course, it will give you a chance to respond to the comments, etc.

You can also make comments on other posts here and over time, although not as good as creating and posting your own articles, also get some traffic juice I have seen people adding in links to their own blog sites, but no direct link to a sales page, which I think is NOT ok).

You can sign up below to create your own account (from my page)

===> DISQUS FORUM <===

Example 4.

Yet another consideration for using this tactic is to join other programs that allow blogging on their site. I am a member of an education site called Wealthy Affiliate.

There, members are taught from the ground up how to build their online sales program. The main focus is taking steps to learn how to successfully operate an affiliate program, but many of the subjects covered also include knowledge that you will need for any online sales program.

This site has been in existence for over 10 years and is well established and has a high degree of authority from Google and other search engines.

Posts that you do there can be ranked by Google quickly, and although no links are able to be added to the article itself, the reader will have access through your link that is on your blog page to the right.

===> WEALTHY AFFILIATE <===

What Is Next?

So now you have an idea of possible places to consider using this free traffic tactic with. The main one is of course on other’s blog page, but also consider alternatives that the same type content can be used with.

Preplanning – Finding Blog Guest Post Opportunities

To start you need to find a site that accepts guest posts…Not so easy you might think, but not so. A simple google search using your keyword and a few different terms should yield a bounty of sites for you to start with.

Adding an ending such as “guest post”; “write for us”; “guest blogger”; “guest article” or similar after the keyword will bring up a list you can then start to categorize by several factors…

Such factors you are looking for may include:

(1) Authority (Check with “Compete” or “Alexa”).

(2) Relativity to your niche/site.

(3) High-quality posts.

(4) Good traffic.

(5) Will allow you to add your link in and at a place on the page where it will have good visibility.

(6) Having a good amount of social shares and fans.

It may be a good idea to shift your overall list into two categories, Plan A and Plan B. I always do this because you want to go after the best of the best first and not waste your time on the ones that would work but perhaps be less effective.

You can start with the top tier sites (Plan A) and delve into Plan B sites if needed, or perhaps later down the road after you have exhausted the top list sites you would like to guest post on.

Once you have broken down the potential sites, it would be a good idea to do some further research to see what might work well as a guest post for the site. Maybe they have some outdated material, maybe there is a need for a particular subject or interest.

Also, consider the level of the reader the site focuses on. Is it for newbies or more experienced readers, are they more interested in how-to articles or discussion of various topics, etc.

Try to stay away from subjects that have been recently covered on the site. If there were articles on social platforms published in the last 3-6 months, it would not be a good idea to offer a guest post on that subject.

Generally, the more information you can gather, the better. It will allow you to develop a picture of the site and site owner that can be used to plan the approach to request being allowed to provide a guest post.

Establish Contact with the site owner

OK so you now know pretty much what you want to write about. You have a set of supporting materials such as PDF materials, pictures, graphics, videos, infographics, etc.

The next step is to make contact with the site owner.

Cold calls are the worst calls normally, and so it is with guest blogging. It is far better to start some sort of communication to break the ice with the site owner. Starting a dialogue is a better way than a cold request to the owner who has no idea who you are.

This can be a combination of activities such as adding comments to the site owner’s blog posts, connecting with the person via Twitter or Facebook, and working to start a dialogue. All are better than simply sending a mail that includes a request to add a guest post to the owner, who has no idea who you are.

All are better than simply sending a mail that includes a request to add a guest post to the owner, who has no idea who you are.

It would be good to reference your contacts and interactions with the site owner when you make the request, and also, you may want to include a copy of the article and supporting material.

Make sure that you have followed all the rules the site owner may have for guest posting. Remember it is their site and their rules. If they have some that you cannot live with.

I suggest moving on to another potential site rather than wasting your time on one that is not likely to accommodate you if you want to do something other than what they will allow.

Plan the words you will use in your mail to request the guest post carefully. Use a soft approach and mention prior contacts you may have had. Mention the site owner’s experience and perhaps some of yours, then include the article you want to post.

The Deliverable – Your Guest Post Content

When you plan for a guest post, you must think about many things that will factor into the success or failure (failure is not an option, your guest post article will likely not be accepted).

Here are a few:

(1) Content rules. As mentioned briefly  above, make sure that your post follows all their rules prior to sending it over for review.

(2) Length is strength in most cases. If you send over a 400-word post, there is not a high likelihood that you can cover a subject thoroughly.

(3) Consider adding in additional supporting information such as a  downloadable file that supports the article, adding in flowcharts, screenshots, whatever will add to the post.

(4) Add in links to the site’s other posts where it makes sense. The site owner will appreciate that you have considered this in your effort because it will also help their site. Contextual links are loved by Google.

(5) Offer to make any changes the site owner may want as long as it does not change the overall intent of the article. The idea is to cooperate and get your post published. If the editing changes asked for are within reason, why not?

At the end of this stage, you should have an article that is ready to be posted and read by the visitors to that site, and once it is up and published, you may think this is it.

Well, it’s not…Here are some things you have to consider and act on AFTER the post is live…

Your After-Post Action for Guest Posts

There are a few things that you can do to help promote your post and show the site owner that you are grateful for the opportunity to have a guest post on their blog.

Here are some things to do:

(1) Follow up the post regularly to respond to commenters for the post. This will show readers that you are interested, and the site owner will benefit as well.

(2) Promote the post on your own site and through your social platforms. Generate more interest and visitors that will build your authority, brand  and reputation.

(3) Send a thank you note to the site owner. Let them know you appreciate their cooperation and the opportunity they gave you. This will make it easier to ask for a recommendation later as you build out your guest posting plan.

(4) Ask for the recommendation and ask if it will be ok to use this in garnering further guest post opportunities. Stay in contact even after this so you can build a true relationship and possibly do further joint activities in the future.

 

CONCLUSION

Today we covered what guest posting is, why you may want to include it when developing your free traffic strategy, how to enter into arrangements to do some guest posting, and finally explained some of the results and ancillary benefits you can realize using this free traffic method.

It definitely is a good idea, as it will add to your brand, niche authority, and credibility within your niche, and it is an opportunity to create something unique that will be out there for others to see on an evergreen basis.

This means that any guest post that is found on another site will increase your traffic to your own site, presuming that you have written it in such a manner that links are within the article, and the blog owner allows it…

 

For more information I have also an eBook that may interest you (see above). It is called “Networking In Any Industry – How To Be The Right Person At The Right Place At The Right Time”  and I am sure this will help you not only easier start working with your peers to get guest posting arrangements in place, it can also help your overall online marketing efforts.

Here is what you will find in this book (Table of Contents). If you find it hard to read, click on the picture below and a larger version will appear…

All I ask in return for downloading this informative and interesting eBook is for your name and email address. I ask this so I can then start sending you other materials via mail that will help you advance your business.

This is what this site is all about. Over time, you will be seeing such offers strewn throughout my posts, and once you are signed up, you will have access to all the eBooks and materials that will be found in Dave’s Online Marketing Membership site.

You can add your name and email below, and a verification mail will be sent to you. Verify by clicking on the provided link in that mail, and you will be taken directly to the download page:

Enjoy and let me know in the comments section what you think of the free eBook, please!

 

 

OTHER POSTS ON THIS 10 PART SERIES

10 PART FREE TRAFFIC SOURCES – INTRODUCTION

===> INTRODUCTION <===

 

10 PART FREE TRAFFIC SOURCES PART ONE – SOCIAL MEDIA

===> SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS <===

 

10 PART FREE TRAFFIC SERIES PART TWO – PODCASTING

===> PODCASTING <===

 

10 PART FREE TRAFFIC SERIES PART THREE – GUEST POSTING

(you are here now)

10 PART FREE TRAFFIC SERIES PART FOUR – VIRAL REPORTS

===> VIRAL REPORTS  <===

 

One last thing before we close this out…

 

FINAL POINT

As I do in most of my posts, again with this one I would like to hear back from you below so we can discuss, share, and learn from one another. It is through this interchange of ideas

It is through this interchange of ideas that a lot more than the base article is available to us, and I always encourage this. Please do the needful! Thanks in advance…

Cheers!