By Diana Gomez
The internet is a great place to build a community. Take an aspiring musician, for example. If she performs for only 15 people at Open Mic Night at The Lazy Dog Café, that doesn’t mean she’s not being heard. Music fans get the latest news and tips on “what’s hot” by reading popular digital magazine sites and blogs. If she sends her latest mp3 to a few popular sites, and one posts a favorable review, her fan base increases. They “like” her Facebook page, and are now subscribers. It’s that simple.
When it comes to building an audience for your brand, you’ve got to be proactive. While posting regularly on your own company’s blog and social media accounts is great for your established client base, how can you reach the broader audience of folks who are interested in what you have to say, but are not hearing you say it?
Guest blogging  simply put, posting on other sites’ blogs  is a great way to increase your brand’s visibility, readership, and client base. If you can establish yourself as a high quality guest poster, your relationships with blogs will flourish and you will see the results in your readership. Here’s how:
1. Create a pitch cache.
It’s always better to go to the grocery store on a full stomach. Otherwise, you might feel (and look) desperate. Before you start soliciting blogs, have a stock of several guest post pitches of a wide (but relevant) variety. Don’t feel constrained by the specificity of your brand; your reach is broader than you might think. If you are a florist, for example, you can generate pitches on a variety of subjects:
 How to keep your floral arrangement fresher, longer
 5 underrated occasions to surprise her
 How to have a smooth hospital visit
 How to make a greeting card feel personal
2. Find blogs that fit like a glove.
If you build it, they won’t necessarily come. When it comes to guest blogging, actively seeking out an existing audience  say, vegan moms  is much better than convincing some general group of people to buy your organic baby toys.
To find relevant blogs, search for “[your specialty] blog” or, better yet, “[your specialty] guest post.” The latter will lead you to sites that have accepted guest posts in the past, which bodes well for your pitch.
If you use your imagination, the possibilities for blog searches may be endless. Beyond searching “organic baby toy guest post,” think about expanding to “eco-friendly guest post,” “day care guest post,” “aunt blog,” and on and on!
3. Choose blogs that have a posse.
Use a discerning eye when perusing blogs you are thinking about approaching. The big two to look closely at are:
a) Number of subscribers b) Number of commenters
If a blog has a low number of both, you may not get a lot of attention. If it has a high number of subscribers but few commenters, it’s hard to tell whether people are truly reading the posts or just have nothing to add to the conversation. If the blog has a high number of comments but few subscribers, this is an intimate but engaged audience.
Depending on what you’re going for, either of these scenarios could benefit you. Of course, a high number of both is ideal.
4. Approach with personality.
When you’ve found a blog that seems like a good fit, choose and specialize a few pitches to send over. Be sure that you’ve researched the site enough to know that they haven’t already written a post on your proposed topics.
When e-mailing or approaching the blogger through social media, writing in the tone of the blog is a great way to show your synchronicity. It is key that you make the approach feel personal and not a boilerplate that you are sending out en masse  guest blogging has been spam-tastic in the past, and bloggers are over it.
And remember, flattery will get you everywhere.
5. Post with quality and dignity.
So you’ve been invited to guest post! As you write the full (600 word+) article, continuously whisper this word out loud: quality. Never plagiarize yourself for multiple blogs. Remember, you are representing your company to a brand new audience: do it with style.
Don’t be tempted to hop on the Hyperlink Highway. Including links to your own site in the body of your post is too tacky for any blogs with credibility to consider. That being said, including a short bio at the end of your post is totally acceptable, and an ideal spotlight to reference your company, website, and expertise. This is how you increase your own traffic, so don’t forget it!
6. Foster your new relationship.
After you’ve had a guest post published on a blog, keep in close touch with the site.
Swapping guest posts, becoming a regular and reliable contributor, and collaborating with sites that aren’t in direct competition to your business will expand your visibility and credibility. Integrate your brand into a community of like-minded people, and growth is inevitable.
