No one underestimates the power of social media and content that took “2†years to get noticed is going viral within minutes. Platforms like Facebook.com and Twitter.com are cashing in on their success with growing numbers of users each year. However, it’s not only them who can cash in on the success because bloggers can do the very same. The concept is slightly different, but, if approached the right way, can be awesome for traffic and ROI. In this series, I’ve been discussing the rules when accepting guest posts, so far covering rules like owning the content and author credibility. Here is another awesome rule I personally believe should be a MUST for all of you bloggers looking to accept guest posts going forward.
Rule #3- Large Social Profiles
Not everyone submitting guest posts is going to be a beginner so you’ll have the opportunity to accept posts from those with credibility. These bloggers will have a social presence and it’s your duty to take the initiative to capitalize on their status. Utilizing others’ social profile is a strategy I learned from blogging jobs posted online. I noticed many of them required content writers, but having over 5,000+ followers was a Prerequisite. Even though the concept made complete sense, I personally didn’t start utilizing it within my strategy until months later. Here’s the reason this “RULE†is so important when accepting guest posts.
First, it’s a great way to get extra exposure to your content because NOT only will it be shared on your social profile, but on the author’s as well. If they have 5,000+ followers, then this can generate enormous buzz quickly across several different platforms. As a matter of fact, one of my guest authors had a partnership with other social accounts and was able to share content across 100,000 followers once they got published. This was awesome not only for generating traffic to my blog, but loyalty, too. On the day the guest posts went live, I received 50 subscribers directly from the page, which I was able to track by adding a unique capture form. It was awesome!
Next, it’s very easy to utilize because it requires absolutely no work from your end other than finding the right author for publishing. You don’t have to promote the content other than when shared on your profile. If the author wants to build content awareness, they’ll take on the task of promoting it and this can double your traffic in no time. I’m a busy guy and don’t want to waste time promoting other people’s work even though it’s published on my blog. I manage 5 projects and don’t have the time to promote content to build traffic. If the author is an expert within the industry, then they know what they’ll have to do to build awareness. For example, one of my authors made sure the content was SEO optimized, included properly formatted images, and even included a video. Next, because I allowed an affiliate link to be placed in the content and worked out a deal to split the profits, he started paid advertising linking directly to the content. They NOT only setup a Facebook.com campaign, but also Google Adwords. The conversion was great! The cool thing is…
Through their own social profile, which, in this case, had 50,000 followers, the viral buzz was enormous and overall success was amazing in terms of return visitors, etc.
To implement this strategy when accepting guest posts, you have to have a clear indication within your writing guidelines. It’s as simple as stating your prerequisites for submitting a post and a simple line stating: “Authors must have a large social profile…†If you’re worried this will throw people off from submitting posts, then think again. If you’re a credible blogger with enormous pull in your niche, you’ll be surprised how many people are more than willing to accept your terms.