By Ann Smarty
At The Urban Muse we regularly enjoy reading guest posts from various prominent bloggers and writers. This adds some variety and makes the resource more insightful. Besides, that discovers for us some new talents and resources we start following and appreciating.That's what makes guest blogging such a great concept: it is a win-win situation both for the blog owner and the guest author. When it comes to the blog owner, a timely relevant guest post allows to take a day off from blogging and refresh the blog with some new perspective.
This post looks at the multiple benefits for a guest author who shares his insight at a blog.Why Guest Post?
Guest posting is the most effective way to let people know about you, your product or your brand. Yet, it is not the only way. Other methods may include
- Writing at your own blog or micro-blog (Twitter);
- Commenting at articles written by others;
- Sharing your ideas at social media sites and forums.
While I don't mean to say that you should stop blogging, commenting, Tweeting or networking and only guest post (instead, you are encouraged to engage in everything listed), let me explain how guest posting is different from (and more often than not more beneficial than) other ways to promote your brand online.
1. Guest blogging versus and blogging:
Actually, you can't compare the two because they don't exist without one another. First and foremost, you should maintain your own blog because this is your own property. This is where your own community of fans and readers will be built around.
A blog is also a great landing page for those who come from various sources (including your guest posts) to buy your book or discover your brand.
Building your own readership takes plenty of time. Besides, your readers are your "friends": they are familiar with your style, topic and points of view. In that respect, guest posting is totally different. Writing a guest post you are entering a totally new, different and already active community which means:
- More active feedback;
- Lots of inspiration;
- More exposure;
- Plenty of new connections.
2. Guest blogging versus and commenting:
Blogging can't exist without commenting. By commenting the readers of the blog get to know each other and become more enrolled with the blog life. Sharing your opinion by commenting at others' post is a great way to get noticed.
Besides, it is much easier than guest blogging because you don't need to spend time finding relevant blogs and writing emails back and forth discussing the potential article. All you need is to subscribe to a dozen of blogs in your niche, come by often and leave really awesome comments.However here's a huge difference: by commenting you are just one of hundreds, by guest posting you are the one. This is your post and your ideas people discuss and comment. You become an authority in your niche people follow and look up to.
3. Guest posting versus and social media networking:
By getting active at (niche and/or generally popular) social media networks, you come across plenty of people daily. Most of them come and go; but some of them will soon become your partners, active supporters and readers. This is invaluable because your contact base is what will help you grow.
Social networking does build your brand awareness (as well as traffic and leads) however it won't position you as expert. A friend is a friend; if you want people to look up to you, trust you and consider you an expert, you should guest post.
Guest blogging positions you as the niche authority and expert. It is the most effective way to get recognition and build bran awareness.
This is a guest post by Ann Smarty who has been guest posting for the past two years. Her passion for guest blogging resulted in the recently launched project - My Blog Guest - which is the community of guest bloggers. If you want to reach hundreds of high-profile bloggers as well as find quality writers who will contribute to your sites for free, join MyBloGuest and get enrolled!
Interested in contributing a guest blog post of your own? Check out the guest blogger guidelines.