Not only does Google still love all the fresh content coming its way (and reward you in rankings for regularly uploading relevant, informative, high-quality content) but social media absolutely thrives on the stuff. Blog content is everywhere!

Some might argue that with so much content out there, it must be incredibly difficult to stand out and get traction. Thankfully it is still absolutely possible to set yourself apart in our content-laden world. One of the best ways of providing insightful and unique content is to collaborate with guest bloggers who your audience will find interesting and engaging.

Read More: How To Get Your Content Noticed Online

How to Find Guest Bloggers

There are a number of different places and ways to track down the perfect contributors for your blog. Many would-be writers and bloggers actively seek out editorial and guest blogger opportunities (you might want to check out HARO if that’s you). Whilst other candidates can be found by approaching them directly – a good method for building contacts.

INDIRECT

Website
Post a ‘Guest Bloggers Wanted’ ad on your website or blog, detailing the kind of articles you are looking for and how to get in touch with you.
Social
Post your ‘Guest Bloggers Wanted’ ad on your social media channels and email marketing campaigns, including a call-to-action on how to sign-up.

DIRECT

Your Network
Reach out to individuals in your network (customers, suppliers, collaborators etc.) who already know your industry and naturally would be a good fit.
Blogs You Like
Seek out relevant blogs you already like and look at the authors. Many posts will include their websites or social media handles, making it easy to contact them directly.

Read More: What’s The Difference: Blogging And Content Marketing

Guest Blogger Guidelines

Not only do you need to find potential guest bloggers, but you should look for a few key qualities too. Finding high-quality collaborators at the outset will help to ensure you have the right fit and best possible reach.

Social Following

What social platforms are they active on and what kind of following do they have? Is the subject of their posts aligned with the values of your brand? Are they an influencer, even on a micro scale? Klout can help you to figure this out.

Relevancy

What is their professional background? Do they have expertise, reputation and credibility within their field? Can they back up what they say with qualifications, research or experience?

Digital Presence

Do they have their own website or blog? How high-quality is it? Would they be willing and able to link to your site or blog? What it their writing style like? Having to excessively edit a post before publication is often more trouble than it’s worth.

Guest Blogger Agreement Template

Once you’ve found good guest bloggers and checked out your candidates’ credentials, it is prudent to create your own guest blogger agreement, outlining the rules and expectations around your guest blogging relationship. We’ve created a helpful guest blogger agreement template for you, which you can use as the basis to create your own.

By determining your requirements on each of the points above and setting them out in a guest blogger agreement, you can ensure quality and consistency in your guest blog posts, as well as clear expectations. If you need support to strategise your blog, plan out its content and find quality writers, then get in touch.