This is the last piece in the series of articles we’ve done about Guest Posting. You’ve known what Guest Posting is, how it will help your website and/ or your blog, as well as what and where to guest post. But once you’re ready to try the opportunity given by guest posting, what will you do from there?

Three words: “Content is King”.

Websites and bloggers who accept guest posts, while willing to host articles, obviously want well-written, well-researched, entertaining pieces – in short, great articles. As a writer, you know that you just can’t submit a sloppily made article and hope that it gets accepted, having your link posted on the host site and in turn, getting hundreds of subscribers. One blogger put it aptly: “If you write good content for other sites, you’ll have your posts approved and you’ll receive the benefits that guest posting has to offer. If, however, you put in minimal effort and produce sub-par content, then you will have done nothing but waste your time. Even if your post gets published, nobody will take the time to check your website. They certainly won’t subscribe for future updates”. In short, the basics of all good writing apply (more so) in guest posting.

Here are some tips:

1. Do a little homework.

Research the site that you’ll be writing for. You’ll have greater chance of appealing and being better received by the site owner / blogger as well as their visitors if you satisfy their needs. Some guide questions:

• What is the site all about?
• Who visits/ reads the site?
• What is the industry or niche the site is in?
• What are the usual topics covered?
• What articles get the most comments?
• What are the rules (both written and unwritten) of the site?
• In what style/ perspective/ voice does the site owner present the website/ blog’s content?

Knowing the answers to the above questions would help much in your ability to write an article that meets the needs of the reader and the host site.

2. Look for “missing pieces”.

While researching the site you want to write for, it is most advantageous for you to also note the portions of the site/ topics of the blog that “needs improvement” or needs further pushing to the spot-light. Think of yourself as someone who can provide either an “expert” view on some topics within the site, or someone who can bring a different skill set, or someone who can give a unique and/ or complementary perspective about the topic under discussion.

As a guest writer, you can get yourself noticed when you add value to the site you are posting. Strive to have each of your post become the best of your work. Remember: articles to a writer are like paintings to an artist. They are mirrors to your soul. They show the world how you view things, and oftentimes, like it or not, you get judged as a person by the quality of work you produce.

So, that’s it. Good luck with landing your first guest post!