Guest Posting Facts and Methods That Actually Work to Increase Your Sales and SEO
Are you looking for ways to expand your brand’s reach, establish authority, and attract more leads without breaking the bank🥲? Guest posting is one of the most effective yet underutilized tools for business growth. But it takes time, strategy, and consistency to make it work. In this guide, we’ll dive into the key elements of a successful guest posting strategy, providing you with actionable tips to drive measurable results.
What Is Guest Posting and Why Should You Care?
Guest posting, or guest blogging, is the practice of writing content for another website within your industry or niche. It’s a win-win for both parties involved—the host site gets quality content, while you, the contributor, gain exposure and valuable backlinks.
For B2B businesses, guest posting can generate leads, improve search engine visibility, and build your reputation as an authority in your field. When combined with a robust platform like Selldone, guest posting helps you reach targeted audiences, leading to increased visibility for your brand and a stronger online presence.
How to Build an Effective Guest Posting Strategy
1. Set Specific, Achievable Goals
Guest posting without clear goals is like sailing without a destination. Are you aiming to boost referral traffic, strengthen SEO, or position yourself as an authority in your field? Set measurable goals like:
- Increasing referral traffic by a specific percentage within a set timeframe
- Gaining high-quality backlinks to improve SEO performance
- Building a lead funnel directly from the audience of your guest posts
These SMART goals will provide a roadmap for your efforts, ensuring that your guest posts contribute directly to your business objectives.
2. Choose Topics That Align with Your Business Goals
The best guest posts align with both the host site’s audience and your own business objectives. For example, if you’re an ecommerce platform user like Selldone, you might focus on topics like “How Automation Transforms Ecommerce Efficiency” or “Key Strategies for Scaling a Business Without Plugins.”
Map out a list of topics that align with your target pages, and prioritize those that serve your long-term goals, like lead generation or brand awareness. You can even use tools like keyword research platforms to find content ideas that resonate with both audiences.
To illustrate, here’s a simple topic map for an ecommerce-focused guest posting strategy:
Target Audience |
Topic Ideas |
Keyword Opportunities |
Ecommerce Owners |
Marketing Automation Tips |
"ecommerce automation tips" |
Digital Marketers |
Boosting Sales through SEO |
"SEO for ecommerce" |
Small Businesses |
Inventory Management Solutions |
"inventory management tools" |
This strategy allows you to create content that resonates with potential leads.
Finding and Choosing Reputable Guest Blogging Sites
To make the most of guest blogging, target high-authority sites that align with your industry. Look for websites with:
- High Domain Authority (DA): Aim for sites with a DA of 40 or higher.
- Relevant Topics: The site should publish content within your niche, ensuring the audience will be interested in what you have to say.
- Quality Content: Sites with rigorous editorial processes and high content standards are more likely to benefit your SEO efforts.
Example of Guest Blogging Sites List
Website Name |
Domain Authority |
Topics Covered |
Guest Post Ideas |
Hypothetical Blog A |
75 |
Ecommerce, SEO, Marketing |
"Scaling Ecommerce for Small Business" |
Hypothetical Blog B |
60 |
Business Tech, Automation |
"Automation: The Future of Online Sales" |
You can use advanced search operators in Google to find relevant sites, or analyze competitor backlinks to see where they’ve published guest content.
Preparing the Perfect Pitch
After identifying the right websites, it's time to pitch. Editors receive hundreds of pitches, so make sure yours stands out by being concise and relevant. Here’s a simple template:
Pitch Template:
Hi [Editor’s Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I specialize in [Your Field]. I’m reaching out because I’d love to contribute a guest post to [Website Name].
Here are a few ideas I thought might resonate with your readers:
· Idea 1: [Topic title and brief description]
· Idea 2: [Topic title and brief description]
Here are some examples of my work:
· [Link to published article]
· [Link to published article]
I’d be thrilled to provide a high-quality post that aligns with your standards.
Best,
[Your Name]
Crafting a Winning Guest Post
Writing a guest post requires effort and polish. Follow these tips for creating compelling content:
- Follow Editorial Guidelines: Adhere to the tone and format of the host site.
- Engaging Title and Headings: Titles should be catchy yet descriptive. Use subheadings (H2, H3) for clarity.
- Optimize for SEO: Include keywords naturally, and ensure that your title, meta description, and headers are optimized.
- Provide Value: Offer unique insights, data, or actionable tips. Avoid rehashing the same content that’s everywhere.
- Include Relevant Links: Link back to your website or related articles, and provide sources for any statistics or studies.
Example Guest Post Outline
Here’s a sample outline for a guest post titled “Top 5 Strategies for Scaling Your Ecommerce Business.”
- Introduction: Brief overview of the topic, why scaling is crucial for ecommerce.
- Strategy 1: Using Automation Tools like Selldone’s Trigger-Flow to Streamline Processes.
- Strategy 2: Optimizing for SEO with Content-Rich Product Pages.
- Strategy 3: Leveraging Data Analytics to Understand Customer Behavior.
- Strategy 4: Expanding Product Offerings with Minimal Investment.
- Strategy 5: Enhancing Customer Experience through AI-Powered Chatbots.
- Conclusion: Recap the importance of a scalable ecommerce strategy.
Tracking and Measuring Success
Guest posting isn’t a one-time activity. Track the performance of each post by monitoring:
- Referral Traffic: Analyze how much traffic each guest post brings to your site.
- Backlinks: Monitor the quality and quantity of backlinks.
- Lead Conversion: Track leads generated from your guest posts, particularly those who engage with key pages or products.
Using tools like Google Analytics and Ahrefs can help you evaluate the effectiveness of each guest post and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Sample Table: Tracking Guest Post Performance
Guest Post Title |
Site Published On |
Date Published |
Traffic Generated |
Backlinks Earned |
"Top 5 Strategies for Ecommerce Growth" |
Hypothetical Blog A |
Jan 5, 2024 |
2,000 |
3 |
"Automation in Ecommerce" |
Hypothetical Blog B |
Jan 12, 2024 |
1,500 |
2 |
Additional Tips for Effective Guest Posting
- Follow Up: Send a thank-you note to editors after publication. Maintaining positive relationships can open doors for future posts.
- Promote the Post: Share your guest post on social media, and tag the host site. This boosts visibility and may lead to more readership.
- Engage with Readers: If the site allows comments, respond to readers’ questions or thoughts. This shows that you care about their feedback and reinforces your authority.
- Link Back to the Guest Post: Use your other content to link back to the guest post, which strengthens its SEO impact.
Is Guest Posting Worth the Effort?
Guest posting is a powerful way to build authority, strengthen SEO, and generate quality leads, especially if you’re in a B2B market. But it requires patience and consistency. Think of it as a long-term investment in your brand’s visibility and credibility. With Selldone, you can integrate these efforts with your business management system, making it easier to manage and track your guest posting strategy alongside your other growth initiatives.
Guest posting may not yield instant results, but over time, it can be a cornerstone of a thriving content marketing strategy. Start small, track your progress, and enjoy the journey of building a brand that resonates.
Guest posting, done right, can elevate your business and drive sustainable growth. Follow these steps, leverage your platform tools, and approach each post as a valuable opportunity. After all, every word you publish is a step toward establishing your brand as a trusted authority in your industry.
✨ Guest Post on Selldone and Build Valuable Connections
If you're looking to expand your reach and share valuable insights with a new audience, consider contributing a guest post to Selldone. To submit a post, you’ll need to write a concise, informative article under 1,500 words that’s original and crafted by a human—no AI-generated content. Your article can include up to two links back to your website, provided it's a reputable site with a Domain Authority (DA) of 30 or higher. We welcome contributions from websites offering products, services, or trusted news content.
To participate, simply register as a user on Selldone and complete the KYC process. For our part, we’re excited to offer a reciprocal opportunity: publish a guest post from Selldone on your site, and we’ll publish yours for free. If you're interested, reach out to us at [email protected] or connect with us via live chat once your content is ready. We look forward to supporting valuable collaborations and quality content that benefits our community!
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FAQ
What is guest posting, and how can it benefit my brand?
Guest posting involves writing and publishing an article on another website in your niche. This strategy benefits both the guest author and the host site. By contributing valuable content to a reputable site, you can:
- Boost your brand's authority: Sharing expertise on a recognized platform positions you as a thought leader in your industry.
- Drive targeted traffic: Linking back to your website allows you to attract new visitors who are genuinely interested in your niche.
- Improve SEO rankings: Quality backlinks from reputable sites strengthen your site’s SEO, helping it rank better on search engines.
- Expand your network: Guest posting opens up collaboration opportunities, allowing you to connect with other industry professionals.
Overall, guest posting is a win-win strategy to grow your online presence, connect with a new audience, and increase website traffic organically.
How do I choose the right topics for guest posting?
Choosing the right topics is essential to maximize the impact of your guest post. Here’s how to do it:
- Identify your target audience’s interests: Focus on topics that your ideal audience finds valuable. Research popular questions, pain points, and trends within your niche.
- Align with your business goals: Choose topics that relate to your products or services to draw in relevant traffic. For instance, if you’re in ecommerce, topics around product optimization, digital marketing, or inventory management would be ideal.
- Research existing content: Check the host site to see what topics they’ve covered recently and identify content gaps or new perspectives you can offer.
Consider using keyword research tools to pinpoint keywords with good search volume. This way, your guest post has a better chance of ranking well, attracting consistent traffic to your site.
What makes a successful guest post, and how should I write it?
Writing a successful guest post requires planning, quality content, and aligning with the host site’s guidelines. Here are some tips:
- Provide value first: Focus on educating, informing, or solving a problem for the reader. Avoid overly promotional content as it may turn off readers and site editors.
- Follow the host’s style: Each site has a unique tone and style. Spend some time reading their content to understand what resonates with their audience, and mimic that style in your post.
- Optimize for readability: Use headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs to make the post easy to read. Including visuals or relevant images can also enhance the reader’s experience.
- Add references and links: Support your points with reliable sources, statistics, or case studies. Linking to authoritative content builds credibility and increases the post’s SEO value.
Remember, a great guest post is one that benefits the reader and makes them want to explore more of your content.
How do I measure the success of my guest posting efforts?
Measuring the effectiveness of your guest posts helps you refine your strategy and focus on what’s working. Here are key metrics to track:
- Referral traffic: Monitor traffic from guest post links using tools like Google Analytics. High referral traffic indicates your content resonated with readers and encouraged them to click through to your site.
- Backlink quality: Use SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to track the quality and impact of backlinks gained from guest posts. Higher quality backlinks boost your website’s SEO authority.
- Engagement and conversions: Look at engagement metrics like time on site and bounce rate for the referred traffic. Additionally, track conversions from these visitors to see if they are taking actions like signing up or making a purchase.
- Brand mentions and visibility: Guest posting increases brand awareness. Use tools like Google Alerts to track where your brand is being mentioned online, helping you gauge the wider impact of your guest posts.
Regularly reviewing these metrics will allow you to identify which sites, topics, and guest post styles are most beneficial to your brand.