21 Resources for Writing Guest Posts that Kick Some Serious Butt

by Brad Harmon on February 8, 2011 · 37 comments

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Have you been thinking about writing a guest post but didn’t know where to start? Perhaps, you’ve already written some that you thought were contenders but took a dive in the first round instead. I’ve compiled a list of bloggers who know a thing or two about putting guest post opportunities on the mat. Are you ready to step into the ring and learn from these guest posting heavyweights?

When it comes to guest posting you have to bring it. This is not a time to mail it in – you have to show up! You want to make your host blogger look like a champ for opening up their blog to you. It strengthens that relationship, helps them bring in readers and traffic, and builds up your authority in the blogosphere.

This list is compiled of people who really get guest posting. You will see a couple of them listed more than once. Yeah, you guessed it. Those are guest posts they wrote talking about guest posting.

Why Should You Guest Post?

4 Powerful Reasons to Start Guest Posting by Nicholas Cardot
Writing a guest post is one of the best methods for generating traffic to your blog. Why? Nicholas explains that it’s targeted specifically towards you.
Why Guest Blogging is a Powerful Way to Gain Exposure for Your Blog by L Babauta
Leo gives many great reasons for why you should guest post, but I like how he points out that guest posting is lending a helping hand to the host blogger.
Escape Your Blog to Grow it by Chris Garrett
I love the analogy that Chris uses comparing guest posting to a rock band on tour. What happens when a band quits touring?
Three Benefits of Guest Blogging You May Not Have Known by Ann Smarty
One of the benefits of guest posting that Ann points out is that it can inspire us. She shows us how a change in virtual scenery can revive our own blog posts.

Where Should You Guest Post?

How to Guest Post Properly to Build Your Readership by James Chartrand
If you want maximum exposure for yourself and your blog, James says to go for the big guys. Just make sure you go about it the right way.
How To Get A-List Blogs To Accept Your Guest Posts by John Chow
John says that you should find a blog and tailor fit your guest post for it. Don’t shop it around. If you’re doing it right then it will only fit one blog.
Guest Posting on Top Blogs by Annabel Candy
As novel an idea as this is, Annabel encourages would be guest posters to actually read the blog they want to publish them and interact by leaving comments on their posts.
Writing Guest Posts to Increase Traffic: Choosing An Audience by Mike Holman
Mike looks at the subject matter and the target audience of the blog on which you’d like to guest post. Does the opportunity match your target readers?
How We Earned Over 200 Subscribers with 2 Simple Posts by Seth Waite
Most of your guest posts will likely be on blogs within your niche. Seth encourages us to ask 10 very useful questions to determine which of these will be the best fit.
Successful Guest Posting Strategy in One, Two, Three by Ann Smarty
Once you’ve posted on all of your friends’ blogs, how do you find other blogs that are searching for guest bloggers? Ann tells us where to look and how to make a pitch.

How to Write a Kick Butt Guest Post

Be Yourself When Writing Guest Posts by Nasrul Hanis
This is a short post by Nasrul, but I love the reminder to be yourself when you’re guest posting. It’s tempting to take on a whole new persona, but it generally backfires.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Guest Posting by Kiesha Easley
You’ve probably seen Kiesha guest blogging just about everywhere. She was our first guest blogger, and helped us get off to a fantastic start with her 4 Ways to Inspire Others With Your Blog. Pay close attention to her “optional” steps.
10 Proven Steps to Snag a Guest Post on an A-List Blog by Jordan Cooper
Many bloggers, including myself, find coming up with a great title a daunting and time-consuming task. Jordan suggests that we craft a title that is appealing and clickable.
9 Ways Become an Exceptional Guest Poster by Darren Rowse
Every blogger has a different policy, but Darren loves guest posts that include images (along with proper accreditation) that have been optimized for his site already.
The Five Unwritten Rules of Guest Posting on Blogs by Danny Brown
You can have the greatest content in the world, but if you don’t take time to format it for the host blogger they just may decide to reject your post.
Must-Know Guest Blogging Etiquette by Selena Narayanasamy
Selena suggests that you link to relevant posts on the blog where your guest post appears. It’s great for SEO, and shows the blogger you took time to read their blog.

What to Do After Your Guest Post is Published

Guest Posting: After You Get the Yes by James Chartrand
James reveals that we have an unspoken responsibility to make the post successful. Reply to all comments. Keep the discussion going. See what he says not to do.
How to Guest Post to Promote Your Blog by Josh Klein/Darren Rowse
This is a guest post by Josh to which Darren added his thoughts. Darren talks about the opportunity that many guest bloggers miss by not promoting their guest post.

Guest Blogging Etiquette: What Not to Do

9 Sure Ways To Get Your Guest Post Rejected by Mk Akan
Most bloggers that accept guest posts will have a policy for how the process is to work. One sure way of getting your post rejected is not to follow it.
How NOT to Get a Guest Post Published on a Blog … by Darren Rowse
A great guest post can bring it’s author a lot of traffic and build their authority. Don’t abuse the opportunity by being overly self-promoting.

How to Ask Someone to Guest Post on Your Blog

How to Ask Someone to Write for Your Blog by Tristan Higbee
Many bloggers who ask for guest posts on their blog aren’t very specific on which topics they’d like the guest poster to write about. Tristan says make it easy.

While I added a short reason to each of these posts as to why I included them in this list, there is much more to explore in the posts than what I wrote. Follow the advice in these posts with your efforts and your guest posts will kick some serious butt too.

Do you have a favorite resource on guest posting that I didn’t list? Let us know about it in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Flickr/AdamPiggott

This article written by Brad Harmon

Brad's Big Feet Marketing helps people on a limited budget enlarge their online footprint using blogging & social media. His other blog, Marketplace Christianity, examines faith's role in how we earn and spend money. He'd love to connect on Twitter and Facebook.

Brad has written 33 awesome post(s) for this site.

{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }

Amos Johnson February 9, 2011 at 4:11 pm Twitter: @amosjohnsonjr

Hi Brad, this is a lot of great info to go through. I am planning to start guess posting through a new company I just started. Do you think it is possible for a brand to guess post, or does it have to be a person representing the brand? The reason being is that we are trying to promote the brand, not a particular person.