Let me start with sounding like a broken record – I am really good at that: guest posting is the SINGLE best thing you can do to increase blog traffic. Period.
Guest posting gives you an opportunity to high-jack somebody else’s audience; preferably the one that’s far greater than what you currently have.
Otherwise, what’s the point, right?
That’s exactly the question I was asked by one of my guest authors and great bloggers all around: Lisa Dubec, formerly from TheFriendlyBlogger.com.
I am set to answer 2 questions in this post:
1. How to choose a worthy blog to guest post for?
2. Even more importantly: how to track your guest posting results to see which blogs you wrote for brought you the best results?
How to choose who to guest post for?
This is a very subjective matter, as you can understand, but I’ll tell you how I go about it.
Here are the important factors I look for when looking for a perfect blog to write for (in the order of importance):
- It has to be in my niche. After all, I want targeted audience and not just pairs of eyes.
- Alexa ranking has to be low. I know, I know, Alexa ranking is not that accurate, but it’s still a decent measure for this specific purpose. I look for blogs with the ranking of around 20K or less. Generally it means that those blogs get at least 10K visitors per month – not bad.
- Evidence of social engagement. This one is very important. I want to make sure that I see the readers engaged with the blogger and each other in the form of comments and social media sharing. Without it, even with low Alexa ranking, the blog is as good as dead.
- High PageRank. This one is not that important, but a nice bonus. Traffic is much more important than link building. Plus, even with a high PR site your link will still come for a no PR page, since your post will be brand new. This is what I call “long term link building”.
- Allow links within the post. Not to abuse their generosity, but if you have a valuable resource on your blog that will perfectly compliment your guest post, I want my link to be there, no questions asked. Of course, all links MUST be DoFollow as well; that’s non-negotiable.
How to track the results
Google Analytics to the rescue!
It’s extremely important to track how many visitors you get from your guest posting efforts. Otherwise, how would you know if you’d like to continue guest posting for that blog in the future or should move on to greener pastures?
Let me show you how it’s done, step by step.
1. From your dashboard, go to Advanced Segments in the left sidebar, then click on Create new custom segment.
2. From there you’ll see Dimensions column on your left. Click on Traffic Sources, find Source, then drag and drop it to the right where it says dimension or metric.
3. Next, set your Condition as Contains and your Value to the website you would like to track – without http or www. That way it will be tracked no matter what page is comes from within that domain.
4. Name your segment and press Create Segment.
Voila! Now you have a legitimate way to track all your guest posting.
How to make guest posting easier
By using MyBlogGuest.com, created by the charming and yes, very smart Ann Smarty.
What this forum-type site does is brings together blog owners who would like to publish guest posts and authors who’d like to find worthy blogs to write for.
Many notable blogs are a part of the site and yours truly is a moderator for one of the forums.
Highly recommended; give it a shot. Another great bonus – it’s free.
Why you should post for Traffic Generation Cafe
It’s true I am a tough cookie when it comes down to accepting guest posts. But it’s only because I want the best for my readers and for you, my future guest author.
If you want to get traffic from my blog to yours, the only way you can do it is by wooing my readers with your exceptional content. Otherwise, even if I publish your mediocre post, you won’t get anything from it and I will loose my readers who can always count on quality at TGC.
With that said, my blog fits ALL the criteria I look for when guest posting.
I think you should try it. You never know you just might become the next big hit here, at TGC!
Check out my guest posting guidelines here: http://www.trafficgenerationcafe.com/guest-post/
QUESTION: Do you have great blogs to guest post on in mind? Would love to know what they are! Comment below.
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{ 67 comments… read them below or add one }
Guest posting has been on my mind a lot of late. I think the reason I have been pushing it to one side, has been purely because I haven’t quite known how to approach it.
Then I happen accross this post, I think someone’s trying to tell me something.
Wow…I can only wish that one day, my blog will get the same kind of engagement that you have here.
Thanks for the great info.
Hi Ana!
I like MyGuestBlog, too. Do you have the premium account or the free one? What would you recommend?
I have a premium account, Matthew. I would start with free and see how you like it first.
Thank you Ana,
This is really helpful. So, should I expect more guest posting opportunities with the premium account? Thanks for you help.
Not necessarily, Matthew. You can post your guest article for other bloggers to view, which is the easiest way to get published.
There is another major benefit to guest blogging IF you clearly understand the proper use of anchor text and plan ahead. First determine the keyword phrase that you would like to be found for in search engines. Then write a post on your blog and use that phrase in the title, the URL and focus on that topic and only that topic in your post. (See the post in CommentLuv in this comment and another on how to use keywords in blog posts for tips.
Now write UNIQUE guest posts about the same keyword phrase but from a different perspective or about another facet of that subject for at least two other related blogs in your niche. The blogs don’t have to be huge for this to be effective, but the more influential the better.
Be sure to use your target phrase in the title and URL of each of those guest posts and to link to your strongest two posts using that phrase as your link. Doing this on only three blogs can often allow you to move to the first page in the search engines for that phrase.
If you have more to say about that subject (and ideally you will), as you write additional guest posts for other blogs link to your primary two or three posts from the new posts using your target phrase.
I invite any blogger who writes about anything related to Social Media, Internet Marketing, Local Search, Blogging or any other topic that would fit on my blog to contact me. I manage content across a dozen blogs – half of them marketing related – and can always use additional quality content.
If English is not your primary language I can edit your posts for you. If this strategy is confusing to you I will assist you in implementing it. As I said in another recent post, collaborating is my “word” for 2011 and if you don’t already know others to collaborate with I can hook you up.
Gail Gardner invites you to read: Building Traffic Using Anchor Text
Amazing addition to my post, Gail – I hope my readers are listening.
I’ve used that same strategy several times and it does work great.
I need to consider guest posting for you.
Ana
Hi Ana,
I hope that you will be able to make the time to write guest posts for me. Over half of the blogs I manage content are are specific to Social Media, Online Marketing or Blogging and the others are in specific niches. That number will be increasing.
My preferred method is to grant author access to trusted bloggers so that they can maximize their productivity and control over the final post and they don’t have to wait for me to do to make the time to get their guest posts ready to publish. Any time you would like some author accesses created just let me know.
If any of your blogging readers are interested in writing guest posts on any of those sites they can reach me using the information on my contact tab in my blog. Those who are not certain they are “good enough” should go ahead and ask. Often the very best are the most critical judges of their own work!
Gail Gardner invites you to read: Small Business Internet Marketing- Where to Start
I was contacted by KISSmetrics yesterday; they want me to add their tool to my toolbox.
Looks like they are some sort of tracking software; I’ll let you know if it’s any good.
Ana
I was blown away when I got a personal message from them; am I in the “big leagues” now? Is it good? Time will tell…
Kristi writes for KissMetrics and if they have an analytics solution for bloggers I would love to hear more about it. Andrew Rondeau has a WordPress plugin but I believe it just pulls data from Google Analytics. (If I misunderstood that – sorry Andrew. I haven’t seen it yet.)
We bloggers definitely need to identify and consistently start using (and teaching each other how to use) the best tracking solution for blogs.
If you want to see how much Social Networking traffic Google Analytics misses go on a blog commenting jag or get something viral going on a Social Network and compare the surge in traffic you can see on Compete with the lack of jump in GA.
Gail Gardner invites you to read: Collaborating is THE Word for 2011
Great article! I’m glad I stumbled on your blog. I have never thought of guest posting until this week. It has been really a fruitful week for me as I learned so much from awesome bloggers. I will check out myblogguest.com and find out who will be interested for my service.
All the best!
Welcome to TGC, Anne – glad you found some useful info around here.
Let me know how your guest posting goes!
Well, like many others people here, I have taken guest-blogging as a new year’s resolution. Funny though my first post was going to be about how to successfully guest blog (the steps I was going to take in order to guest-blog) so I’ll have to write up something as good as yours now
Leo invites you to read: Remove Google Maps InfoWindow scrollbars when it only contains an image
That’s pretty funny, you are right, Leo.
Let’s see it published, that’s what counts.
I wish I had time to do this
Well I’m always looking for guest posters on EpicLaunch, not an A-list blog though..
Ben Lang invites you to read: 3 Things You Should Do Before You Launch Your Business
I don’t think it’s a matter of having time, Ben, rather making time!
You are not an A-list blog… yet. What is an A-lister, anyway? No one truly knows.
I agree – guest posting does wonders but it is hard starting off. Google does not frequently update its pagerank so sometimes that makes things much harder. I have been posting everyday on my .co blog and while my alexa rank DID significantly improve, I still have a 0 pagerank. I am going to check out the site you mentioned but do you have any tips on how someone can guest post, or eve get someone else to guest post if they have low pagerank but blog daily?
It’s all about networking and content, Chris. My blog doesn’t have any PR either – it’s still fairly new, but my reputation is such that I do have many guest bloggers requesting for me to publish their posts.
Only 2 months ago I was scratching my head thinking the same thing. Then I simply started to network with people who I thought would make great guest bloggers and asked them to do so. Since my content and readership speak for themselves, I almost always get a yes.
Hey Ana,
I’m focusing on guest posting this year and the tips you are sharing here will definitely help me along the way.
I had never thought I was good enough to do a guest post and I’m grateful that I stepped out of my comfort zone and did it. And for my very first guest post to be accepted here at TGC was a huge bonus
I did track my results on Google Analytics a couple of days after my guest post was published. It was exciting to see a spike in my traffic and to see the actual traffic from TGC
All the best,
Mavis
Mavis Nong invites you to read: My Second Guest Post- How To Get Your Readers Hooked!
I am so glad your first guest posting experience was a good one, Mavis – the feeling is mutual!
Look forward to more from you.
It’s been a while Ana since I last visited here. But as always I found your posts really helpful. Guest posting is really in demand right now to bloggers. And I can say that, it’s always a success. Thanks for making post like this, actually I am encouraged to do the guest posting, just need time.
Good luck!
No problem, Ron – John does a fabulous job filling the gap.
Thanks for coming – always a pleasure.
Great post. Sites under 20K Alexa accepting guest posts are not going to be easy to find, though. And honestly, I really don’t think traffic is nearly as important as social engagement. And it has to be a ratio. A site that gets 50 retweets per post and has 6,000 visitors a day is not as engaged as a site that gets 500 visitors a day at 50 retweets a post.
I like myblogguest a lot, but I also really like BloggerLinkUp. Building relationships in forums takes a long time. My biggest criticism of myblogguest is that newbies are almost always ignored. I think I was there for maybe six months before I noticed any action at all.
Tia invites you to read: First Day of Preschool
Hey Tia! Thanks for your feedback!
Actually, like any community, it does require participation (you are quite right about that). I don’t think you were very active, therefore you probably didn’t notice much action!
Ann Smarty invites you to read: Personal Finance Guest Blogging Contest – Supported by MyBlogGuest
Hey Ann!
You’re probably right. I did a lot of reading and guess I found that my blog didn’t seem to fit the rest of them.
Initially, I was also really discouraged by the rating system. My blog is actually quite active and guests do really well there, but the power was so low I don’t think anyone on the forum was interested, and so I had to find guest bloggers via other means. That was a long time ago at this point.
I do use the Articles Gallery a lot, and I’ve been considering becoming a pro so I can submit articles as well as receive them. I really like networking in forums actually but only have so much time to dedicate to sourcing content.
Tia invites you to read: Confessions of a Chick Blogger – Interview with Kimberly Moore
I agree about engagement, Tia – it’s extremely important.
However, 50 retweets are still 50 retweets. Ideally, I love finding both of course.
I do understand both yours and Ann’s point of view. I still prefer to find my own guest blogging opportunities, since I like to know the blogger before I guest post for them. Works the best for me.
By the way, I’d love for you to join my guest bloggers one of these days!
20K Alexa worldwide or U.S.? GrowMap.com is at 14,825 U.S. as I type this and Kikolani.com is 8,676 U.S. and close to breaking 20,000 worldwide. I am actively seeking guest bloggers for GrowMap and other blogs and Kristi sometimes publishes guest posts.
Publishing on CommentLuv, FamousBloggers or BloggerLuv can be effective. If we make the effort to review each other’s blogs on Technorati, Alexa and major blog directories will move those who support each other up in influence.
PostRank may be the new most important metric and influencers can get free access as I explain in the post I’ll share in CommentLuv. I predict that more bloggers will realize that giving trusted bloggers author access is the more efficient way to publish guest posts and many blogs will publish content by their favorite collaborators more often.
Gail Gardner invites you to read: PostRank Analytics Preview from AdAge Power150
Thank you for the information Ana,
This is the great article I ever read today and I have shared with my facebook friends.
I will start to use guest post. It is an excellent idea
Caroline Engstrom invites you to read: Andrew J Cass Rewiew – The Secret Behind His Success With Carbon Copy
You are very welcome, Caroline, and thanks for sharing!
I used to target all the blogs in my niche and then filter them according to their stats.
And after all these things, I’ll analysis the commentators cum readers responses. That helps me a lot.
Ana,
Fantastic information. I have just started blogging and I am absolutely in LOVE with all of the support fellow bloggers give to each other! Guest blogging sounds intriguing and I’m definitely interested in it!
Thanks for all of the great tips!!
Best,
Jackie Christiansen
Jackie Christiansen invites you to read: Integrity- the MOST Important Virtue
Yes, Jackie, we are a very friendly bunch – for the most part.
Ana,
Your thoroughness never ceases to amaze me. Just as I was asking myself where I would find people to guest blog for, you give me the perfect resource.
Jordan Schultz
Jordan Schultz invites you to read: Qualities Of A Good Leader- Are You Good Or Bad
I don’t think you’ll have a shortage of websites you can guest post for, Jordan – it’s narrowing them down is the problem!
Thanks for coming by.
Great post Ana, I only hope that, one day I will be a good enough writer to have a guest blogger spot here on TGC. Thanks for the info Ana, you rock!
Why wait? you can give it a shot and then we’ll see.
I will have to come up with a good one to be worthy of TGC.
Hi Ana,
I’m signed up to MyBlogGuest but find the format of having to go to their website each time to search for threads about guest posting in your niche a bit of barrier.
I’ve used BloggerLinkUp with great success. It’s free. They email you with a list of guest posts wanted and offered 3 times a week. I’ve hosted a high quality guest post from one of their subscribers and when I offered my guest post to the list I got some great responses, one of which from a huge blog.
Caroline Mukisa invites you to read: 7 Savvy Ideas and Comments from Maths Insider Readers
Sounds like a good resource, Caroline; thanks for sharing.
I agree with your problem with MyBlogGuest. I generally don’t use forums, I just post my guest posts up “for grabs”.
Ana
Hey Caroline! We actually the variety of subscription options that allow to be notified of new offers via email.
Besides, my firm belief is that those who don’t want to network, miss the largest advantage of guest blogging. Our community was built not to let you find guest blogging opps easily: its main purpose is to let you build connections through great content – that’s why we have a forum.
Ann Smarty invites you to read: Personal Finance Guest Blogging Contest – Supported by MyBlogGuest
Ana,
I like your criteria for choosing blogs to post on. I have a list of posts that I would like to write…now just to put that into action. There is no doubt that it would pay off. Once you have established your self with one blogger it would be easier to get more posts on their site and build upon the work you have done.
Definitely, Sheila. My goal for the year – one guest post per week, at least.
I think having your own business means growing tough skin by definition, Andy.
You can start practicing by writing a post for me.
Great guest posting tips, Ana. I’m terrible about guest posting. Meaning I never do it. I probably should stop dragging my feet and get back on the horse.
Wes invites you to read: SEO Goals for 2011
Not SHOULD, Wes, MUST.
You are SOOOO right about point No 1 right off the bat. It MUST be your niche.
I guest posted on a giant social media site (several times) but all I had at the time was my dog blog. Granted I wrote about SM related crap, but SM readers dont want to sift through dog crap to find SM nuggets.
Anyways, mama didnt raise no fool. That issue has been corrected.
Also, I see a lot of articles on how to guest post and the frame is always one sided. How about an article on how to be a good host blogger. Maybe I’ll go write that one
thnx for the inspiration. Ive had both good and bad caretakers of my guest posts, and patterns emerge 
Dino Dogan invites you to read: What’s Holding Your Business Back and a Simple Fix You Can Implement Right Now
I would definitely read your post, Dino – hurry up and write it!
I suppose in the end we all learn from our own mistakes, huh? That’s what all our mamas wished we avoided.
Guest posting! A very good idea, I’ve seen many blogs that succeeded with the help of guest posting, very effective indeed. I just hope I have the ability to do that guest posting. A little bit pre-occupied and I cannot concentrate. Anyway, good luck to your guest posting thing! I will definitely watch for that, I think I will be satisfied for this point of time to be your reader.
All the best Ana!
John from Electricians in Paddington invites you to read: Electricians Paddington – Great Local Electricians Vs Average Local Electricians
If only you knew how much traffic that brings, I think you wouldn’t found time, John.
On the other hand, you are in a niche market – there might not be too many electrician blogs around to guest post for.
Thanks for the comment anyway!
“If only you knew how much traffic that brings” this line gets me Ana. Anyway, it’s just that, I want to find first my passion before doing it. My passion is not really writing. Writing somehow make my head hurts, but I keep on trying, practicing like that. Cause practice makes perfect right?
Welcome and thanks too for always being accommodating.
Funny you said writing is not your passion, John. Just you wait till next week; I wrote a post on how I hate writing or used to, anyway.
It’s not easy to be a blogger who doesn’t like writing, but there’s a fix for that! (no app though
)
I have been planning to write a post for a while now. I have a reminder for it beeping several times a day.
I even have an idea what I wanna write.
But for what ever reason it is so hard to do it. I guess it is a little bit of fear from being rejected
Although, after reading this one (and so many related posts in last week or so) I just have to do it. And I will start today.
I have a question for you, and I am sure it is not the same for every blogger. How do you react, reply when the post is not good enough? I know you are busy but if I sent you a post, and you thought it wasn’t good enough, do you just say, sorry it won’t work or do you point to the mistakes?
Also, I wanna say that I joined Ann’s forum and had luck with one post for another blog. The post wasn’t wow but it was good enough to serve my purpose of wanting a fresh author and the author’s purpose of getting some traffic and a link.
Some authors were offering posts but they were completely different from what I do on my blog that I had to refuse them. Yes, I know my blog is small, but if I want it big I have to play the big game.
Thanks for the push you gave me!
Brankica invites you to read: How to use StumbleUpon Don’t bury yourself…or your fellow bloggers
Well, I never had anyone say No to me.
Yet, anyway.
I usually study the blog I submit to in advance to make sure my guest post would fit right in and then research the topic till death. After that putting it all together is an easy thing.
The number one rejection reason for my guest posts is the fact that people right something off topic, something that doesn’t fit my blog, or simply very generic and not providing any originality.
I would never accept a guest post with information you can find everywhere else.
And yes, I always say why the post won’t be published on my blog and how it can be improved.
I do sometimes submit my “not-so-incredible” posts to My Blog Guest and still get good offers. I wouldn’t do it for blogs that I REALLY want to get published on though.
“Well, I never had anyone say No to me.” Ana, that doesnt surprise me!!!
Anyways, wanted to offer up a piece of advice for those wanting to submit guest posts. Since I have traveled that road over here in TGC…scars and all!
If a post gets rejected, take the advice of the blog owner and fix what you have to. Don;t walk away dejected and ticked off. Figure it out and work towards writing such fantastic-ness that they can’t refuse you!
Okay, that was my 2 cents…
Lisa
Love it, Lisa – great advice!
Hi Ana,
Thank you for recommend MyBlogGuest.com.
Do I have great blogs to guest post on in mind? Yes.
One is yours, but I will need more time for better writing.
Other will related to my niche.
From personal experience, the only way to better writing is writing more, Rose.
Look forward to seeing your guest post one of these days!
Ana:
First, thank you for the inclusion.
Secondly, I really want to try and do more guest posts this year. I have done a few, but seeing the actual criteria that will bring results will make my selection easier. Also, thank the skies above you explained that Google Analytics segmenting…my brain freezes sometimes and everything is gibberish…so thanks for the diagram and I think I can manage it now!!
Enjoy the day~~
Lisa
You are very welcome, Lisa – glad you brought this to my attention; it was definitely a great post idea.
I love guest-blogging – it gives me access to a whole new audience, and I’ve seen some good traffic spikes as a result.
One problem I have with posting a guest-post offer on sites like My Blog Guest is that some of the sites who want me to write for them are not [trying to be tactful here] up to my standards. I don’t care if a blog is new or old or even how much traffic it gets; but poor quality writing, advertisements in bad taste, and recommending products and techniques that encourage copyright infringement (or worse) are all things I don’t want my name associated with.
Cindy Bidar invites you to read: How to Write Articles that Don’t Suck
I do agree on your analysis of My Blog Guest, Cindy – you definitely have to pick and choose who you’d like to associate yourself with.
However, I still found quite a few good quality blogs there that I wouldn’t have thought writing for otherwise.
Ana
Thanks for the info Ana. Loved the part about tracking guest post results. (Because without tracking, it’s just a hobby). The instructions were very clear and concise. I implemented it right away (before I finished reading the article), and it works.
CoffeeWriter invites you to read: My DailyShotOfCoffee guestpost
Hi Ana great post. Glad I found my way over here.
I’ve been doing a few guest post recently and one of the things I’ve found helpful is to personally reply to every comment on my post. For the blog it’s great as it doubles the comment count, and for me it’s great as the likelihood of someone to come back to my blog is increased as well.
Question – can you create these segments after the fact and get the data? I’m thinking yes but having confirmation is always nice.
Thanks again!
Welcome to my blog, Robert.
Replying to all comments is a GREAT way to establish yourself even further with the readers – be it on your own blog or the one you guest post for.
I can’t believe some of the bloggers are still not getting it.
Yes, you can track your guest posting traffic after the fact as well.
Ooooo…. Haven’t dipped my toe in that pond yet Ana, but you speak so highly of guest posting as a traffic resource. I’ve certainly enjoyed reading guest posts and met some very good bloggers through their guest posts on yours and other blogs.
Who knows, one day I may put something forward for your consideration here. If I’m still speaking to you after Friday that is
Enjoy your week
Jym Tarrant invites you to read: The Most Essential MLM Tip Of Them All…
Friday is a-coming, Jym – we’ll see.
I think you should give it a priority, not just consideration.