We’re big fans of guest posts — both accepting them for this blog and encouraging our clients to seek out opportunities to write them. It takes more than a desire to write a guest post to get one published, though.
Yesterday, I brought you “4 Reasons Everyone Keeps Ignoring Your Offers to Guest Post” from Mary Ellen and my friends and former co-workers Jesse Stanchak, who has been the managing editor of SmartBlog on Social Media since 2009, and James daSilva, who has been managing editor of SmartBlog on Leadership since 2012.
After that post went live, James shared this Columbia Journalism Review #realtalk blog post by Anne Friedman as another resource to help you discover why editors keep rejecting your offers to guest post. Today, I have four more reasons from James and Jesse.
You’re Inflexible
Even if you’ve done your homework and researched the blog you want to guest post for, it’s possible your idea won’t be just what the editor is looking for. Still, if you’re flexible, there’s a good chance he’ll be willing to work with you to find a way to come up with a guest post that will.
“It’s easier for me if someone comes to me with a topic and a few sentences than a whole article,” says James. “You put the editor less on the spot if you give the editor some leeway and you show that you also have some leeway.”
You’re Impatient
No one likes a pest and blog editors are no exception. Remember, in most cases editing the blog is only one of their many responsibilities on the job, so they aren’t devoting every minute to it. If you pester an editor they aren’t going to want to work with you on a guest post.
“If you email me a second time within 24 hours or you see an out-of-office message and write back before it expires, that’s a sign you’re just spamming,” says James. “Calling me within an hour of sending an email when I’ve never heard of you before” is also a bad idea.
That said, if once you have a relationship with an editor or he’s offered to work with you, it’s probably OK to send an occasional reminder. James says he often appreciates them because with so much going on at work, even things he wants to do can slip through the cracks.
You’re too Sales-y
Good blog posts — and good content marketing in general — provide useful information, not thinly veiled sales pitches.
“If I publish a post that does nothing but prattle on about how shiny and perfect you are, we both lose,” says Jesse. “I lose the respect of readers who expect me to protect them from garbage like that — and you lose the chance to catch someone’s eye and build a deeper relationship.”
“Smart bloggers use a ‘show, don’t tell’ approach to guest posts,” he explains. “If you spend the entire post showing me that you know your subject area cold, you won’t need to tell me you’re an expert.”
You’re Just a Bad Writer
Blog editors are responsible for the content they publish and need to feel good about the way it represents their brand. While they may be willing to work with you, they still have to ensure they’re not using an undue amount of their valuable time and energy to do so.
“Guest posts are all about trading effort for exposure,” says Jesse. “You aren’t holding up your end of the deal if it takes me longer to fix your post than write one myself.”
“Most people think great writing is about grammar, spelling and punctuation — but anyone with the wherewithal to click the spell-check button can pull that off,” he explains. “Great writing is really about bringing structure to your ideas. Make your points as simply as possible, in a logical order, in support of a clear thesis.”
Don’t feel bad if you’re simply not a good writer because most people aren’t. You can be brilliant in your field of expertise and still be terrible writing about it.
“There’s no rule that says blog posts have to be standard unit of measurement for content marketing,” says Jesse. “Writing isn’t for everyone. Maybe you’d be better off pitching yourself as a podcast guest or an interview subject. Maybe you’re a visual thinker whose talents lend themselves to infographics or videos. Don’t waste time on a medium that doesn’t fit you.”
Want to learn more about how to guest post? Download our white paper “5 Ways to Attract More Traffic to Your Business Blog, Now.”
Reputation Capital Media Services is a Baton Rouge marketing agency that helps B2B companies and their marketing agencies produce high-quality digital content, including blog posts, e-mail newsletters, white papers and multimedia. Our editors and writers are experts in their fields, which include HR technology, employee benefits, and financial services and accounting. Contact us for a free 30-minute consultation to find out how great content can help you attract and retain your customers.
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