UPDATED All about blog collaborations

Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up...

Wow, I have had a great response since I first send out a call for guest posts six months ago. And there have been a few lessons learnt since I began opening up All About Digital Marketing to blog collaborations.

Some Q&As/learnings from blog collaborationsYou can link as much as you want

When doing a blog collaboration with me, you can have as many backlinks as you want! Honestly, I am not precious, I might add extra links to other articles in this blog, and if required I’ll link a site or video to explain something for the readers.

I have a day job

And I look through blog submissions as they come in. Due to working full-time, and promoting my book How to Leave a Group Chat, I will usually get around to submissions at weekends. One blog collaborator recently sent me a submission, and less than 24hrs later emailed again to say that as I hadn’t responded he had posted it on his own blog!!! And we were in very different time zones!!! If you don’t hear back too soon, it just means that I am getting round to your submission, so don’t panic. I haven’t left anyone hanging yet.

There is no word limit

I have been asked about word limits, and there isn’t one. Every blog I have had has been perfectly adequate. If you have the time to do your SEO keyword research, you are more likely to get found on the web, so food for thought there. I’d also love to feature audio blogs and videos as well if you want to submit them.

Don’t forget that you’re human

When I do a blog collaboration, I always include a short author bio about my guest blogger. I want to know a bit about you as the professional, I also want to mention something about you as the human. Tell me something about your family, pets, plants, a few hobbies or your deepest darkest secret.

The more specific the pitch, the better!

I’ve had a few general Digital Marketing pitches, but now I want the nitty gritty. I want case studies and posts that go in depth (that doesn’t mean that they have to be complicated). Also, as much as I love and want marketers and businesses, I’d love to hear from people from other disciplines - how do authors, podcasters, chefs, florists, schools, etc. get noticed and promote themselves? I’d also love to hear from PR professionals, website developers, content writers, freelancers, graphic designers and anyone who can provide some valuable information about a skill that compliments marketing.

This blog reaches a global audience

I absolutely love it when I receive submissions from a cultural perspective, but please ensure that general references are understandable to a global audience. I have collaborated with talented marketers and businesses from England, Australia, Malaysia, Dubai, India, America, and Canada so keep’em’coming - it makes my life more exciting!

Keep the ARBVs to the MIN

Abbreviations might make sense to you, and to you only. Include some, but always clarify what they mean. A reader who understands you is more likely to check you out.

Please, please share!

So many collaborators put so much effort into the post, but then don’t share it on social media. The best way to increase our reach is together, so if you want to collaborate with me, I want you to share that post! And I don’t just mean Like - I mean share! Also, if you claim to be a social media expert, well…

Check your grammar and content thoroughly

The guest bloggers who send their submissions in good shape will be published more quickly.

And here are my other tips for blog collaborations

To make the most of an opportunity to collaborate on a blog (or any other medium such as a video, podcast, social promotion etc.) do the following:

Follow any instructions that are given

If you don’t follow the instructions for blog collaborations set out in the content request there is a high chance that your content will be rejected.

Check the blogger’s existing content

Have a look at their blog, website, social channels. See what has been written already so that you are not writing about a subject that they have already covered recently. Looking at their topics and style will also help you decide what would be a good fit to compliment the existing content. Writing in the format given will also speed up the process.

Add a personal touch to the content

You are the expert in your field. Telling your story or delving into your area of expertise makes your content stronger and much more interesting when doing blog collaborations. You have a perspective that no one else can have, so share it and captivate your audience at the same time.

Use SEO keyword research

If you are able to learn some SEO and include a keyword or two in the text, this will really help people to find your blog when they search for a related topic using Google or another search engine.

Assume you are writing for dummies

The easiest way to make your content understandable is to imagine that you are writing it for someone who has absolutely no knowledge of the subject that you are discussing, because that will probably be the case.

Ensure that any assets that you provide are legally available for use

Anything that you provide (text, images, video etc.,) for blog collaborations should be legally available for use both by yourself and the blogger because there is nothing worse than a blog being pulled due to the legal owner demanding that it’s taken down (I have seen this happen).

Don’t use AI to write content

For now at least, AI is not a content writer. The content produced by it is mediocre, there is a high chance that the text could be at least partially stolen because AI is trained on existing content - it doesn’t create text from thin air and there is a chance that it could make up facts. I personally want high quality content written on my blog by people who know what they are talking about.

Share the result on your own social, ensuring that you tag your collaborator

It’s also good manners for the blogger to let you know that they are posting the content and to tag you as well.

Finally, enjoy. This is a great opportunity for everyone involved!

Are you a Communications or Marketing professional, business owner, author, Writer, Graphic Designer, PR expert or SEO Professional who would like to contribute to my blog All About Digital Marketing? Contact me at louisaguiseauthor@gmail.com with your suggested topic or put your contact details in the comments.

Please note that this blog is a project that I do in my spare time. I usually get around to going through the blogs (in order) at weekends. So if you don’t hear from me straight away don’t worry, I will get back to you.

Share

All about Digital Marketing is brought to you by Louisa Guise, a Communications Professional and author of How to Leave a Group Chat, a book about you and your smartphone. Subscribe for free to receive more gems like this.