Guest blogging is gaining some serious traction these days and you may be wondering what it’s all about. As planners (with like-whoa busy schedules), the thought of blogging for our own platforms can be tedious, let alone the thought of doing it for others. But, not to fear, fellow planners — there are plenty of reasons you should share the love and try out guest blogging. Here are just a few:
Reach a wider audience
This one seems obvious, but is often overlooked. People tend to focus on the followers they’ve already built on their own social platforms — how to keep them coming back, what types of content they respond to, etc. — but there’s always room to expand your base. Also, when people think about ways to gain new followers, they tend to think about how they can do it from their own platforms — what changes they can make or what content they can post to gain more followers — but that, we’ve decided, is like going to the same bar in a new outfit hoping to have a new experience. It may just work, but why not just try a new bar? (We could have gone with “library” here, but “bar” felt more appropriate.) Guest blogging, my friends, is that new bar. You’ll expose your writing, your ideas and, most importantly, your business to a completely new audience. Make sure, though, that you’re finding guest blogging opportunities that are in or related to your niche (writing for a wedding photographer’s blog, for example, is a great way to stay in your niche while reaching a new audience).
Build your online influence
When it comes to your online presence, the more (appropriate) platforms you can feature your work on, the better. By sharing your expertise on a number of different sites in your niche, you’ll begin to make a name for yourself online and, ultimately, become known as a thought leader on certain topics. And, when it comes to online influence, don’t forget about SEO—build your backlinks to help boost your credibility with Google.
Practice your writing skills
Most people I’ve spoken to in the wedding-planning industry tend to have a love-hate relationship with writing. It’s so important for, not only ours, but so many industries, yet it takes. So. Much. Time. If writing doesn’t come naturally to you, you can find yourself staring at a blank screen for hours and struggling, for days, to get out a 500-word post. What better way to conquer your fear (and gain some practice), then to dive in head first? Guest blogging really is a great way to help you overcome, what we’ve dubbed, writer’s paralyzation. (Sounds so much more intense than “writer’s block,” doesn’t it?) Overall, guest blogging is such a great way to network amongst professionals in your industry, build your follower base with those who may not otherwise find or seek out your work and practice that thing we all love to hate—writing. Have you had any personal success stories when it comes to guest blogging? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
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