Jay LeonardI’ve been guest blogging for over two years now.
That might not seem like a long time in the world we live in today, but it’s a long time in the internet marketing world.
In fact, it’s a VERY long time in the world of guest blogging.
2 years ago, people were barely guest blogging and a guest post on a major blog could instantly result in 500 visitors to your website the week it went live.
Not anymore.
A lot of things have changed and I’ve learned quite a lot in the process.
From my experience guest blogging in the past two years and writing around 2,000 guest posts for myself and my clients, here are 7 guest blogging lessons I’ve learned:
Lesson #1: Guest Blogging for Links Can be Very Effective
You will notice earlier on in this article that I said I’ve gotten as much as 500 visitors in a week from guest posts on popular blogs; that’s like regular occurrence.
On the better end of things, I’ve gotten as much as 1,000+ visitors from a few guest posts on A-list blogs, too.
Guest blogging for traffic was very effective then.
Today, if you can get 100, no, 50 visits from your guest post on a popular blog then you’re lucky.
Of course, everything is relative and the quality of your content matters, but the times also have changed.
Those getting results from guest blogging today are not those expecting instant traffic; they are the ones writing guest posts that can get them links and improve their search engine rankings.
It’s about thinking long-term, not short-term.
Lesson #2: Don’t Listen to Guest Blogging Pundits
There are a lot of them these days, a lot of whom know little to nothing about guest blogging or have hardly published a guest post themselves.
In my two years of guest blogging, while I’ve benefited from guest blogging advice from some guest blogging experts most of the guest blogging advice I’ve read is BS.
To be more specific, I got results by doing the exact opposite of what I was advised to do.
My point here is this, and this applies to stuff from me too, don’t just blindly follow what an “expert” says. The only way you can get results is if you get out there and do the work!
Lesson #3: Quality Always Trumps Quantity
When it comes to guest blogging for links, most people are of the belief that the best way to get results is by writing poorly-written guest posts for crappy blogs.
It doesn’t work that way.
Based on my experience, quality always trumps quantity.
Even if your sole aim for guest blogging is to gain backlinks, you’ll only get lasting results, immune to constant Google updates, by focusing on the quality of the guest post you write.
Quality guest posts also benefit your host blogger and create future opportunities for you to work together.
Lesson #4: Your Homepage Shouldn’t be a Priority for Your Guest Posts
When I just started guest blogging, my guest posts were always linking to the the homepage of my blog like everyone else was doing.
I thought this was the best thing to do since everyone was doing it, but 2 years of experience have proven it is not.
Funny enough, a lot of people still do the same thing today. It doesn’t work!
If you’re writing guest posts for links, let your guest posts link to a content landing page on your website that is comprehensive enough to get good rankings, or to an article on your blog that sells your product or service.
If you’re guest blogging for traffic, instead of linking directly to the homepage, create a special landing page for your guest posts designed to convert traffic to subscribers.
Traffic alone is useless. It’s not about the numbers, but about the actions.
Having dedicated content or landing pages is the best way to get people to take desired actions.
Lesson #5: Case Studies Work Best
In my two years of guest blogging, a very important lesson I’ve learned is that case studies work best.
While there are various forms of content you can write as guest posts, case studies will always result in more traffic and leads; everyone can write a guest post and give tips and advice, but very few people have the results and experience to prove what they’re saying.
Case studies showcase your expertise and results, and more people will pay attention to case studies and check them out than ordinary guest posts.
In my own experience, case studies result in 3 times more traffic and subscribers than other forms of content.
Lesson #6: Sometimes, Numbers Matter
While quality should always be your priority, numbers can make a lot of difference sometimes.
When you have the opportunity to contribute more than one guest post to a big blog, make proper use of this opportunity.
When done right, I’ve gotten better results from a carefully planned out guest blogging spree than a one-off guest post.
That should be obvious, but it’s worth stating.
Lesson #7: Your Blog Matters a Lot
While most people will give you tips and advice on how to get the best from guest blogging by properly formatting your guest post, linking to landing pages etc., something much more important is often ignored; your blog.
Don’t ignore your blog because of a particular guest blogging campaign.
The more active and updated your blog is, the more impact it will have on your guest blogging efforts.
These days, guest blogging alone won’t do the trick. However, guest blogging plus effective content marketing will make a difference.
This article was written for Business 2 Community by Jay Leonard.
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I have yet to try guest blogging, although I would like to since you have the chance to write about almost anything.
It’s no longer just having to write for your company. Guest blogging allows you to take on a new field just because you want to, although you may want to still stick to your native topic if you want to link back to your site and other relevant content.
Thanks for the advice. Guest blogging seems like it’s going to be amazing.