ProBlogger: My 3-Step System for Finding Guest Post Opportunities

My 3-Step System for Finding Guest Post Opportunities

Posted: 23 Oct 2011 07:02 AM PDT

This guest post is by Jocelyn Ann.

Tired of haphazardly, randomly struggling to find guest blogging opportunities? Or finding yourself stressed to the max because you're unable to locate your next guest-post goal for the month?

You're not alone. Most bloggers don't know where or how to search properly, and if they're trying to search at all, generally end up with dead-end leads.

Developing a systematic method that you can implement to ensure a never-ending supply of opportunities is your best option. The three techniques I’ve listed below will help eliminate your random searches, cut down on wasted time, and leave you with a renewable contact list for finding the right guest blogging opportunity every time.

1. Know your Google search strings

Image used with permission

Google can provide you with the best of results … or the worst of results. It's only as good as the search terms you feed it. What you get, and what that means, is all tied up in your combination of search terms. Knowing what words with what words provide the results you want is a unique formula you'll have to figure out for yourself.

Let's say your blog is about baking, and that's your keyword to target for a link. Here are some search queries you could start off with:

baking AND guest post (will provide you with sites where other people were able to get a guest post who were also promoting baking; you know the site allows guest writers)
baker AND guest post (will provide you with posts attributed to authors who are most likely bakers themselves)
baking AND guest author (same)
baking | bake | dessert | pastry | pie | etc. AND guest author (try every form of dessert and every variation of bake)
baking AND write for us (will provide you with cooking sites actively seeking out guest writers; it should be very easy to get these)
baking AND submit (should return more baking sites who want guest writers; again, should be easy to land these spots).

2. Start a blogger shadow list

Every time a blogger turns up who's doing the same thing you are, enter them into a spreadsheet. Enter in their name (Lucille Ball), the keyword anchor text they used (comedy tv) and who they listed as their employer, if any (TBN).

As your list grows, you can start to group the bloggers into various categories that might help you later, depending on what you want to write:

related-content writers
unrelated-content writers
writers on high-PR sites
writers on low-PR sites but lots of them
writers who are representing a product for sale (these are harder to get; fewer
sites want to link out to commercial products or sites)
writers who are representing their own blog (you can likely find these by the dozen)
writers writing about everything (a sure sign they're marketing for a company; it’s good to follow them, as they'll lead you to a variety of blogs guaranteed to post pitch bylines)

When you have a list, all you have to do is run a search query for any one of the following keyword combination types:

Lucille Ball AND guest post
Lucille Ball AND guest author
Lucille Ball AND comedy TV
Lucille Ball AND TBN (in case she has other anchor text, like "romantic TV" or "red
hair dye" that you don't already know about)
Lucille Ball AND comedy TV AND TBN.

3. Generic, anything-goes post outlets

When you're just starting out, it may not matter all that much whether you can get guest spots on baking-specific sites. It will probably just matter that you can start writing for someone, anyone, in order to build up a portfolio.

If that’s you, you can get by with generic writings and searches.

Run a Google search on "write for us" and "submit content" and "contribute." You'll get a list of generic sites willing to accept your writing. Who knows what the content will be? You'll just have to do a little research and make it work for you.

Check out myblogguest.com. Once you create a profile, you can browse the forum boards to find all kinds of people who want content. From here, you just have to email them and submit your posts.

Use Twitter hashtags like #contentavailable, #guestauthor, and so on. Let people know you're willing to write anything and, chances are, they'll take you up on it.

Making it work for you

As you go along, you’ll likely discover new searches and new ways of finding guest blogging opportunities. Pick and choose those that work best for you to really make this idea work for your blog.

You may detest writing content about topics you know nothing about, or you may love getting to learn and write about that which you previously knew nothing about. Have some fun with it, and enjoy watching that portfolio grow!

How do you find guest post opportunities? Share your ideas and tips in the comments.

Freelancer Jocelyn is dedicated to helping families live healthier, happier lives. At the moment you'll find her writing alongside Air & Water, a company that loves to help families find the best heater for the elderly in their lives.

Originally at: Blog Tips at ProBlogger