A Little Guide to Becoming a Brilliant Guest Blogger
This post is Day 24 of the 28 Day Blogging Breakthrough Challenge. You can chat about the challenge on social media using the hashtag #BloggingBreakthrough. Click here to view all of the challenge prompts. I'd also like to welcome Mary from The Happy Flat, who has written today's post. Since this is the last guest poster in the series, it was really fitting for Mary to write about this topic!
Guest blogging can seem like a dreaded three syllable word to some people. The realisation of letting someone new talk to the audience you've carefully built up & nurtured throughout your blogging life can seem daunting. These are some of the anxieties shared by many bloggers. But the thing is, once you peel back those fears and anxieties, you soon begin to realise that guest blogging in a collaborative sense could be one of the best things you ever do.
Guest blogging or guest posting is when you allow another fellow blogger to share their ideas and content through a post on your own blog. This can be a one-off post or a series of blog posts. Guest posting can be so rewarding and can really engage & benefit your readers. With many of us setting our blogging goals, I'm sure there are elements of your blog you'd like to expand or develop. You might be an interiors blogger who'd like to branch out into food blogging, or a lifestyle blogger who'd like to incorporate more craft or colour trend reports into your blog. This is where building that community and content through expert guest bloggers & guest posts can help immensely. And this is something I'd like to develop over on my own blog too.
Reaching out can seem quite daunting at first, but the main thing to remember is that at the end of the day, we're all bloggers and we're all passionate about what we do.
When selecting who you want to guest post on your blog or who to approach to guest post on theirs, it's important that you do your research.
Think about why you want to guest post and what you'd like to write about (and vice versa). Think about what you'd like to gain from this collaboration and what you can bring to the table, as well as how it will enrich your blog, your readers and your existing content & goals.
I've recently been looking at bloggers that really inspire me through their voice and engaged community. I also thought about how my readers might react to that energy. When you feel inspired by someone, chances are others will too. There are many bloggers that are so inspiring through the photography and rich content they produce, such as Marjorie Lacombe from The Kipi Blog and Sam Ushiro from Aww, Sam.
Once you have your list of bloggers it might be worth dropping them an email, explaining who you are and why you'd like to collaborate with them & their readers via a guest post. You can explain how you found their blog and what you particularly liked about it, whilst giving a brief explanation of what the guest post will involve. This should give them enough detail as to what you're asking for. It's worth pointing out that guest blogging is a two-way street and can really be a long-term collaborative partnership.
Alternatively, you may wish to just reach out to your existing followers and tweet a call-to-action, asking for guest bloggers if you know your followers well. You may then choose to filter your responses & suitability thereafter.
It's also worth trying to rationalise your guest blogging responses too. The worst someone can say is no - and that's OK. Some bloggers might be snowed under with blogging deadlines & projects, so it's not always a no, just a not-right-now.
I'm actually going to incorporate all this advice myself. One of my main goals this year is to build a stronger, fun & engaging community on my own blog, The Happy Flat. One way I hope to achieve this is through an initiative called 'The Flatshare'. The Flatshare collaboration is a community of creative & passionate bloggers who share an enthusiasm for their craft through guest posts on my blog. Like an actual Flatshare, bloggers can post a short stay one-off post, or can stay for the long haul, writing consistently on my blog. I'm looking for bloggers who are really enthusiastic and fun, but also very careful about the content they write in their blogs.
Who would you like to guest blog for? Are you hoping to collaborate with other bloggers this year? And what you guest blogging fears?
Today's Task
- Have a look through your Twitter & blog feed and write down some of the blogs you'd like to guest post on. Put them into two lists - "definitely" and "maybe".
- Check them all out to make sure they all accept guest posters.
- Research each blog individually to make sure you're picking a topic that's in line with their purpose.
- Create your own pitch template - check this one out by Rebecca Viner.
- Now go and pitch! And let me know when you've sent that email ;)
Guest blogging might be scary when you're first starting out. But take it from experience - it's one of the most valuable things you can do as a blogger.
TO GETTING A BREAKTHROUGH WITH YOUR BLOG
I'm Mary-Ellen Paul and in 2015 I launched my lifestyle blog 'The Happy Flat'. Quintessentially my blog is like my apartment – a happy place full of colour & style. An interdisciplinary blog, I cover fashion & beauty, interiors, lifestyle, interviews and as well as my journal.
Since the age of five, I’ve always had a love affair with interiors. I’ve always been that curious child who enjoyed going to other people’s houses to see their interior style or visiting the neighbours to see how they’ve styled their own homes. Since then I’ve always kept my hand in the interiors cookie jar whilst on my travels. Whether it’s on my way to work, riding the tube or catching up with friends over a tea, my eyes wander – taking in the style, colour & culture of my city. Named after the grandfathers tropical home the ‘Happy Flat’ is a place filled with warmth, style and colour.
If you’re someone who loves a cosy chat over a coffee, likes to settle down and get into a good lifestyle blog with a bustling community then come on in, wipe your feet on the welcome mat and take a browse…