Using Guest Posts to Build Your Professional Resume

Whether you have your own blog or not, guest posts are a wonderful way to build your professional resume. Each time you post and each blog you write for gives you one more publication line to add to your professional experiences.

Guest posting is an excellent and relatively painless way to get published. It also is a great promotional tool for bloggers wanting to increase traffic on their own sites.

To submit a guest post for publication:

Do your homework

Research (perhaps through a Google blog search) the type of blog you would like to post for, narrowing your list to specific blogs you’re interested in. Read those blogs, looking first to determine if they accept guest posts. You also should try to understand generally who the audience is and the type of posts the blog runs. Take note of the voice posts are written in and the type of content the blog seems to be missing.

Check the guidelines

Established blogs have a list of guidelines that you can follow to guest post. Here’s an example of guest post guidelines from the 12 Most blog.

Follow the rules

Don’t just read the post guidelines, actually use them. They typically include formatting details and help ensure your post is accepted.

Contact the blogger

Email probably is the best way to contact the blogger. You can either send a blog pitch or the entire post. Again, look at the guidelines to determine what the blogger prefers.

Write great content

Write the best post you can. Remember that the post is a representation of yourself and your brand. The quality of post you write also will help determine whether the blogger uses you for future guest posts.

Follow up

Pay attention to the guidelines, but it typically makes sense to follow up in about a week. Just let the blogger know that you’re checking on the status of your blog proposal. Ask if there’s any further information you can provide or edits she would like you to make.

Explore your options

If the blogger isn’t interested in your post, you should pitch it to another blogger at a different site. However, be upfront about doing this. You can write something like, “I appreciate your consideration of my post. Since you’ve decided that the content isn’t the right fit for your blog, I’m going to send it to another blogger for consideration. I hope to provide content for your site in the future.”

You shouldn’t offer the same post to more than one site simultaneously. Each blogger should get a chance to consider your post as unique content for his or her site.

Use your manners

Make sure that all of your contacts with bloggers are professional and well-mannered. This includes making certain to proofread and edit your email correspondence.

Promote and engage

If your post is accepted, be sure to thank the blogger after it runs. This is an excellent time to send a written thank you note.

You also should promote the post via your social media accounts, engage in comments on the post, and repost the blog on your site according to the blogger’s guidelines.

Once you have successfully pitched, written and published your first guest post, repeat the process. Remember, each guest post you publish is another line on your resume.

What are your “best practices” for guest posting?