How NOT To Pitch a Guest Post

Having trouble getting other bloggers to accept your guest posts? Maybe they’re not really as mean and cold-hearted as you think. Maybe, just maybe, it has something to do with your pitch. Just sayin’.

Don’t Use Misleading Subject Lines

Using “Hey!” or making your email look like it’s a reply or using some other trick to make the blogger think you’re a friend or close associate is a clear indication, right off the bat, that you’re not a reputable blogger.
Using “Request for guest blog post” in the subject line just makes it look like you don’t have a good command of the language. Technically you’re asking the blogger to give YOU a guest post – a key indicator that your blog post is probably going to be poorly written.
Google places a lot of emphasis on top-quality content these days, which is causing blog owners to take a closer look at the quality of the guest posts they accept. If you can’t even make it past the subject line you’re not going to get accepted.

Don’t Use A Form Letter

I’ve received countless requests addressed to the wrong blog and the wrong blogger. It’s obvious these are form letters and the person making the request forgot to change the information. If you’re not concerned about this minor detail, you probably won’t be concerned about the details in your guest post, either.
Most bloggers use their name somewhere on their blog, even if it’s only on the Contact or About page. Your pitch will carry a lot more weight if it’s addressed to the right person at the right blog.

Flattery Will Get You Nowhere

Yes, I know I have a great blog. Thank you. But flattery will get you nowhere. All this tells me is that you want a link and in this business, links are like gold. Save the flattery and tell me what your post is about.

Ignore The Rules

Go ahead and ignore the rules and you’ll be automatically rejected. Popular, high-traffic blogs get dozens of guest blog pitches and submissions every week. Most have a page that gives details regarding what they’ll accept and how they want it submitted. It’s up to you whether you follow these rules, but if you want you post to be accepted…
Pay particular attention to whether or not the blogger wants you to pitch the article first or if he wants you to just write it and submit for approval. Many A-list bloggers are too busy to worry about approving a pitch – that’s another email or two they’re going to have to deal with. If they just want you to submit an article, then do it.

Don’t Worry About Being Relevant

The other day I received a pitch email from someone who wanted to write a post about investment opportunities. Really? If you can make that topic relevant to my readers then please tell me how you’re going to do it when you pitch me. If not, why would I even consider it?
Before you pitch a guest post, read the blog, find out the name of the blogger, and craft a professional email that includes your article idea or the edited, ready-for-publication article, where applicable.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Read More

7 Dynamic Goals that Skyrocket Your Subscriber Count

You want to increase your subscriber count so you’ve probably told yourself something like, “I want to have 1,000 subscribers at the end of six months.” Well, you might as well forget about it right now because it’s never going to happen. Why? Because you’ve set a “static” goal. If you really want to achieve something great, set goals that are “dynamic.”

What’s The Difference Between Static And Dynamic Goals?

Let’s go with that static goal of reaching 1,000 subscribers in six months. Here’s what happens:
Every day you visualize your counter inching upward. Every day you make plans or do the research or concoct a new scheme to get that counter to move. As the days tick by, though, you’re not really acting, you’re not doing anything to achieve that goal. You’re just sitting there scheming because, after all, there’s still plenty of time.
Eventually, the clock runs down, your six months are up, and you’re no further ahead than you were when you started. In the end, you’ve achieved absolutely nothing.
A “Dynamic” goal is a goal you set that requires an action. It starts with the words “I Will”, instead of “I Want.” To better explain, here are seven dynamic goals that will help you skyrocket your subscriber count.

1. I will publish at least two top-quality posts each week: If you typically publish five times a week it’s time to amp up the volume and focus on making at least two of those posts over-the-top quality. Readers will only subscribe to content that’s truly remarkable. And don’t forget to include a strong call to action in these posts.
2. I will reply to all comments on my blog: Replying to comments encourages more commenting and strengthens your community. As your readers become more involved they’ll subscribe to your blog because they don’t want to miss anything.
3. I will comment on at least three other blogs each week: Other bloggers in your niche are important. They’re the bloggers who’ll link out to your content, sending you more traffic and link authority. Comment on at least three blogs a week to start building relationships.
4. I will find one new blog in my niche each week: They’re out there, you know they are. Look at them to see what they’re doing to attract subscribers, first, but also be on the look-out for guest blogging or contributor opportunities.
5. I will create a relationship with one new blogger each week: Reach out to other bloggers in the social networks and forums you visit and form a new relationship every week. You can help send traffic back and forth, promote each other’s blogs to your lists and everybody will gain new subscribers.
6. I will craft one guest blog post per week and submit it to another blog: When done properly, guest blogging can produce tremendous results. Make sure you follow any posted guest blogging guidelines, read the other blog and start developing a relationship with the blogger. Then craft your very best blog post for submission. While you’re at it, make sure you have a highly relevant post on your own blog to link to – even if you have to write it.
7. I will use the Social Networks at least 4 times per week to promote my blog: Once you learn how to navigate the sites, social networking takes very little time, and all of the traffic you get in return is free.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Read More

Generating High Quantities of Blog Content – Recruit Writers

Very few successful bloggers make their incomes from just one blog. Most have several of their own, they belong to blogging networks, and they publish content all over the web.
Eventually, you’re going to want to follow in their footsteps but you’ve already seen how difficult it is to keep up with one blog, how in the world do they generate such high quantities of high-quality content?
They recruit writers.

Guest Bloggers

Advertising for guest bloggers is a good place to start. If you have a high-ranking high-quality blog you’ll probably end up with more guest posts than you can handle. However, there are several drawbacks:
It’s unpredictable: You might get a few dozen posts one week and none the next, and you definitely can’t predict the quality. Out of the dozen you receive you’ll be lucky to find one or two worth publishing on your blog.
It’s time consuming: You have to read and respond to all those emails, and then read, format and publish those posts.

Compensated Contributors

I could have said they recruit “guest bloggers” but that’s just one small corner of the big picture.
If you have a high-quality, high-ranking blog, chances are you’re too busy to mess around with guest blog posts, especially if you need several each week.
And let’s not even talk about the amount of content you’ll need to support multiple blogs.
A better solution is to recruit long-term contributors.
If you find yourself repeatedly publishing guest blog posts from the same blogger, ask him if he’d like to be a regular contributor on your blog and offer him some compensation. This has several benefits:

• You’ll have that high quantity content you’re looking for
• You already like his quality – now you’ll have it on a regular basis
• You won’t have to deal with all that guest blogging work
• He’ll build a stronger following for your blog than a one-hit-wonder guest blogger
• He’ll have a vested interest in helping promote your blog

Why not just go out and hire an article writer?
Because once that writer delivers your order and you pay for it, they really have no vested interest in what happens with that content.
A contributor who’s compensated for providing regular content will be more likely to make sure that content engages your audience because it’s their audience, too.
Compensation doesn’t have to be in the form of cold, hard cash, either. Offer to allow him to link to his own blog, his own product or an affiliate product. Let him put an Adsense block in each of his posts. Offer to blast his emails to your list once a week.
If you don’t currently have a guest blogger in mind, then it’s time to start advertising. Publish a post letting your visitors know you’re looking for long-term contributors. Run a guest blogging contest to see who your readers like most. Or approach some of the bloggers you visit regularly – the bloggers whose work you like – and ask them if they’re interested.
We all know how important it is to blog regularly and frequently, and it’s also important that every post be the best quality possible.
Eventually, it becomes almost impossible to keep up with all three and continue to grow your business. The solution is to recruit long-term high-quality writers.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Read More

Generating High Quantities of Blog Content – Break Posts Down

Ever wonder how some bloggers manage to publish a high-quality blog post every single day of the week for years on end? They focus on quality.
(You thought I was going to say “quantity”, didn’t you?)
If you’re like so many bloggers I see today and you’re focusing on length, then you’re missing the mark.
If you want to generate high quantities of blog content, break those mile-long posts down to more manageable content.

Why Those Mile Long Posts Don’t Work

Over the last year or so I’ve noticed more and more bloggers creating these massive, mile-long blog posts filled with links and sub-headings and quotes and… well, everything but the kitchen sink.
Personally, I just leave the blog when I land on these and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
Remember: Most online readers scan your post first. I do, too. If they don’t like what they see on the first pass, they don’t go back to the beginning and read it again – they leave.
How do I know this? Because, I do, too.
You can’t keep up the pace: Those massive posts are fine every once in a while but you can’t keep up the pace and continue to provide high quality content.
As your traffic grows you’re going to need time to focus on other areas of your business, like creating your own products and building up a business network.
The first thing you’ll do is start spending less time on developing quality content. Oh, those posts will probably still be long, but quality? Not so much, because you won’t have time to focus.
You’re providing TMI: Your visitors come to your posts looking for one answer to one question. If they have to scroll through a mile of dreck to find it… well, they just won’t.
All of that information you’re providing might be top-notch and relevant and interesting, but if it distracts the reader and he can’t find his answer then you haven’t helped him a bit.
Too much to absorb: I’ve seen more than one commentor who said the mile-long post they just read was wonderful and informative but it was just too much to absorb in one sitting, and they always say they’re bookmarking it so they can come back.
I say that, too, but I never do.
If it didn’t hold my interest well enough to keep me on the page the first time, then it probably won’t the second time, either, so why bother?
The result?
I got nothing from that mile-long post because it was just too long.

How To Break Down A Post

Write your title first and then answer the question. That’s the most important thing. Everything else is just extra. Always put the most important information at the beginning of your post for those readers who just want to scan.
Stick to the subject at hand. If you find yourself veering off onto a different keyword or a different topic, that’s the time to break your post down.
Use internal linking for more information. Instead of including definitions and details that you’ve already covered in previous posts, link to those older posts. If you haven’t already covered that content, do it now – in a different post.
If your readers need that information they’ll follow the link. At the same time, you’ll be building up your internal linking structure which helps your SEO.
Those long posts are great bookmarkable content, but if it’s just too much information for your readers to absorb in one sitting then you’ve wasted your time.
Instead, break your posts down, use internal linking to create a series of posts, and encourage your visitors to subscribe to your feed so they don’t miss the next informative installment.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Read More

Money Comes From Traffic? Wrong! It Comes From Targeted Traffic!

Read most blogs or guides that walk you through some super secret method for making mega-bucks blogging and you’ll find that 25% of the content is devoted to the method and the other 75% talks about traffic generation. Why? Because without traffic it doesn’t matter what you’re selling or how you’re selling it. But you don’t just need “traffic”, you need targeted traffic. Otherwise, you’re just spinning your wheels.

What’s the difference between traffic and targeted traffic?

Traffic is everyone who visits your blog, and that could be anybody, especially if your getting your links out there. Targeted traffic is the traffic that visits your blog that would be interested in whatever it is you’re promoting. It’s a much smaller group of people but you’ll see in the following example why targeted traffic is the only kind that matters.
Judith owns a baby boutique and so far, she hasn’t been getting much business. Her only customers have been women who are expecting babies. Knowing that sooner or later most women need a gift for a baby shower, Judith decides to expand her marketing efforts and include the words “baby shower gifts” in her promotional materials.
So far, Judith’s on the right track. She’s getting more traffic and sales are increasing, but Judith wants more.
Judith also knows that all women can’t resist a good shoe sale, and she carries shoes in her stores. They’re baby shoes, but they’re still shoes. So now she includes the keywords, “Shoe Sale” in her promotional materials. What’s the harm, right?
As predicted, the traffic pours in. However, because Judith neglected to mention that she’s selling baby shoes, nearly all the women who walk through the door turn right around and leave. They came to Judith’s boutique looking for shoes, not baby shoes, and since there are none in sight, and they’re not looking for baby clothes or gifts, they’re not interested.
Judith succeeded in bringing in the additional traffic, but since it wasn’t targeted traffic, her additional marketing efforts and expenditures were wasted.

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Judith’s erred in assuming that more traffic would mean more sales. Whether she blatantly misrepresented her product or whether she just didn’t know is beside the point. The point is, she had already proven that by zeroing in on one specific keyword – baby shower gifts – she could increase traffic and sales. It was a small increase, but an increase nonetheless.
Her next step should have been to target the buyers in her marketplace that would be interested in purchasing baby shoes, not just shoes in general. Again, it would be a small increase in traffic and sales, but any increase is better than none.
After that she could have promoted baby bonnets at Easter time, baby buggies in the Spring, baby snowsuits in the Winter, and so on. Each keyword she focused on would bring in another small increase in traffic and sales.
As it was, Judith had to work harder trying to sell something to all of that additional non-targeted traffic and in the end, she didn’t see a sales increase at all – because none of them were there for baby products.
Work smarter, not harder. It takes a lot of content to attract traffic to your blog, but it takes a lot less to attract targeted traffic – and those are the people who turn into buyers.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Read More