Guest blogging: why you should be doing it.
Just like social media networks, blogging has become a huge part of online marketing strategies for businesses both big and small. Guest blogging is a form of blogging in which companies write articles to post on other people’s blogs.
In the past guest bloggers have posted content that was lower quality on sites that may or may not have been in line with their market. Back then the purpose was to get back-links to increase their ranking in the search engine results.
Over the past year or two Google has improved the way they rank websites and this strategy has become ineffective. Many search engine optimization experts are questioning whether quest blogging as a web marketing strategy can still be beneficial and even Matt Cutts Googles Spam guru is warning against guest blogging. We believe that if Guest blogging is done correctly it can still be very beneficial as a web marketing strategy. Here are a few of the many advantages of guest blogging:
- Increased Traffic: The numero uno benefit of guest blogging is the high potential for an increase in traffic. Depending on which blog you post to, you can get thousands of visits to your website just from one post. The exposure that you get from guest blogging could very well translate into sales and even into loyal customers. It is important that the blog that you choose to post to has a massive following. When choosing a blog to put your guest post on don’t hesitate to inquire about the number of readers, pageRank, and monthly subscribers.
- Quality Viewers: It is vital that you pick a blog whose topic is as closely related to your type of business as possible. This is where the quantity vs. quality concept comes into play. Getting a huge number of viewers to read your post and visit your website is one thing, however if these viewers are not interested in your services or products then the guest post is not of any benefit to you. For example, if you have a women’s clothing company but write a guest post to feature on a men’s fitness blog, it is more likely than not that you will not gain a substantial amount of “quality viewers”. On the other hand if you write a guest post for a women’s make-up and fashion blog, then those viewers will most likely be more interested in your website and your products.
- Credibility/Positive Association: Any good blogger has a loyal reader base. These loyal readers trust the bloggers that they follow and deem them as credible information sources. Because of this, if readers see your guest post featured on one of their favorite blogging sites, most often they will automatically conclude that you are a credible source as well. This is why it is important to research the bloggers whom you choose to collaborate with. You are essentially guilty by association. This means that not only is your guest post a reflection of the blogger whose blog you are posting to, but that blog is also a reflection on you and your business. Therefore be sure to closely examine the blog and all of its components including page ads, before deciding to feature your guest post on it. If you select a credible blogger then this will most likely result in increased traffic and sales.
Guest blogging is a great tool to increase your company’s exposure and customer base. It is important to keep in mind that guest blogging must be done correctly, thoroughly, and on a consistent bases in order to yield favorable results. Businesses should also keep in mind that finding bloggers that will allow you to feature articles on their blog is not an easy task. Most bloggers don’t allow guest bloggers on their websites and the more popular the website the harder it will be to get a guest blog on there.In addition, some bloggers may charge you a fee to post your blog while others may want your services for free. eComand Solutions proudly welcomes guest bloggers. For more information on this service or guest blogging strategies in general, call our office at (314) 853-9235.
