#teachingisfun

Guest blogging can help you reach new readers, build authority, and bring more traffic to your website. But first, you need to get your post accepted.

I’ve read, edited, and approved many guest blog posts over the years, and I’ve also rejected quite a few. So, here are my tips for writing a guest post that an editor will actually want to publish.

Key elements

Understand the Audience

Research the target audience of the blog you’re writing for. Tailor your content to fit their interests, knowledge level, and preferences. In addition, read as many posts on the website as possible.

Also, you should be sure that you are going to write a guest blog post that has not been published on the blog.

Furthermore, match the tone and style of the host blog while injecting your unique voice. This helps your post blend in seamlessly with the rest of their content.

Follow Guidelines

Adhere to the guest blogging guidelines provided by the host blog. This includes word count, formatting, tone, and any specific instructions.

Personally, I have received many texts for my blog from people who have not read my guidelines. For example, one of my requirements is that the text should be a minimum of 1000 words. They sent me texts under 700 words. It is a bit irritating as the writers do not bother reading the requirements. Thus, they waste my and their time.

Unique and Valuable Content

Offer fresh ideas, unique perspectives, or valuable insights that haven’t been extensively covered before. Provide practical advice, tips, or solutions to common problems in your niche.

Texts that are practical and provide tips are more helpful to readers. Moreover, they will be willing to share your guest blog post.

Clear Structure

Organize your post into clear sections with headings and subheadings. Use bullet points or numbered lists where appropriate to make your content easier to scan.

Make sure that your text is easy to follow. If you are not sure about it, ask your friend or a colleague to read it before sending it.

Quality Writing

Write in clear, concise language. Proofread your post for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Use short paragraphs and sentences to improve readability. One paragraph should be no longer than 300 words. And one sentence should be no more than 20 words.

If you are not sure if there are any grammar mistakes, you can use these free tools:

Free Online Grammar Checker – Grammarly

Grammar Checker – LanguageTool.

Another key point is to make sure that your text is plagiarism-free. For this purpose, you make use this tool https://plagiarismdetector.net/

How To Avoid Copyright Issues

First, make sure that you do not copy anything from the texts that you find to use for your guest blog post.

Second, write a list of used sources. If you are not sure how to write it, you may use this free AI tool, which will do everything for you. It is called Citation Machine.

If you would like to read more about copyrights and blogging, I have a good blog post for you “Copyrights and Blogging.”

Use of Data and Examples

Back up your points with relevant data, statistics, or examples to lend credibility to your arguments and make your content more persuasive.

Examples help readers to understand your ideas better.

For example, you would like to write about teaching the best techniques for teaching reading. Add some exercises that teachers will be able to use right after reading your text. No doubt, it will also add more value to your text.

What to write about

Some websites show lists of preferable topics. If not, contact the host blog offering your topics. Thus, you can make sure that your topic is suitable.

Consider sharing your opinion, providing expertise, or sharing personal stories.

Do not write about something that you are not an expert in.

Using AI for a Guest Blog Post

You are welcome to use AI when writing a guest blog post for brainstorming ideas, creating an outline, or identifying the strengths and areas to work on in your text. For checking grammar and structure still I’d recommend Grammarly (excellent for texts in English) or LanguageTool (love it for other languages); BTW, the free versions are very good.

However, submitting an AI-generated article without editing it is a very bad idea. Before publishing a text I use an AI-checker to see if the text was written by AI. I use these websites:

https://app.gptzero.me

https://humalingo.com/public/detect

Editors are looking for original and human texts. They stand out!

If you use AI, add something that comes from you. For example:

• your professional experience;
• a real example or case study;
• your own opinion or approach;
• original research or data;
• an experiment you’ve conducted;
• mistakes you’ve made and what you learned from them;
• examples from your work.

Always remember to fact-check AI-generated content carefully. There might be some BS there. 

Don’t forget to check the publication’s guest-post guidelines either. Some publishers accept AI-assisted content, while others may restrict AI-generated content. 

When you write a text, just be yourself! Show your own voice! Some editors help with editing texts, so you may not be alone in this journey. [I do help teachers.] 

Contacting the publisher

One of the most convenient ways is sending an email.

Send an email with a clear subject line. Demonstrating that the pitch was written specifically for the publication and that you have read their guidelines.

Introduce yourself in a friendly and straightforward manner, providing 2–3 ideas for a post, and sharing samples of your writing that have already been published.

It is a good idea to include a link to your website, blog, LinkedIn or social media.

Avoid using an advertisement-like pitch because audiences want to know about your business challenges, point of view, and other human interest stories.

Demonstrate wider expertise by sharing other experiences or relevant credentials, but avoid writing your life story.

Conclusion

Guest blogging is also about building relationships with other bloggers and their audiences. Engage with the host blog and its readers both before and after your post is published.

By focusing on these elements, you can write a guest blog post that not only meets the host blog’s standards but also resonates with its audience and drives engagement.

Reference:

7 steps to create a PR pitch: How to write a guest post. Mailchimp. (n.d.). https://mailchimp.com/resources/writing-guest-posts/

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