6 Reasons Why Aspiring Thought Leaders Should Guest Post

By Nyerr Parham

The theory on thought leadership through guest posting goes back to our days on the playground. If the cool crowd said they thought you were cool, then you were cool by association. Because of the in-crowd’s large network, you meet more people, make more friends, and influence the network of people following you around the lunch room, hanging on your every word.

That’s essentially what guest posting can do for anyone looking to position themselves as an expert. By guest posting, brands and leaders in your organization can reap a number of benefits, including an increase in traffic and publicity. Let’s dive a little bit deeper into the perks:

A Little Exposure

One of the best reasons to pursue guest post opportunities is to get free exposure with your target audience. You’ll not only get your content in front of people you haven’t reached before, but you will also gain more exposure for your brand. This will help  prompt new readers to share your link with their network, sending more visitors your way. Aside from promoting your website, you are also driving awareness to your brand and your name.

Showcase Your Expertise

Guest posting is also a way of positioning you or your company as an expert on a particular subject. Publishing content on influential outlets within your industry or niche will help you catch the eye of other influencers and may even open the door for other opportunities – other guest posting opportunities, media interviews, speaking gigs and yes, even business.

For a good example of how this works, check out this article on what Forrester Research is doing (along with several other brands).

Backlinks, Baby

Publicity from a relevant and well-known third party leads to sharing. And sharing is where those lovely backlinks come from that boosts your SEO. The more guest posts you write, the bigger your advantage for link-building on your site, and ultimately ranking for key search terms. What thought leader doesn’t get excited about getting new referral links to their site?

Traffic Jam

If readers of your guest post find your content interesting, thought-provoking, or just plain funny, they will be curious about you and will want to check out your blog. This means an increase of traffic for you! And, if your blog is filled with worthwhile content they are interested in, they may come back for more and become one of your regular readers.

Toning Up

Writing guest posts gives you more practice with content management, including tightening writing skills and learning what designs and format are the most appealing to visitors based on their activity over time. Because guest post writers often feel pressured to write their very best for other sites and bloggers they admire, thought leaders will be more concentrated on providing smart, concise, and meaningful content for new readers. It’s the internet version of making a good first impression, and often evokes the same kind of nerves. In this case, practice makes perfect, and aiming for perfection will certainly win over new readers.

Connecting in the Comment Section

Writing for another site also gives you an opportunity to engage in conversation with the new audience via the comment section. All too many times, guest bloggers forget to check back at the comment section and leave thoughtful responses to the feedback left by visitors. By inviting conversation and cultivating it, you’re building camaraderie with readers that will encourage them to keep in touch with you on your blog, and hopefully, convert them into longterm readers.

Lastly, it’s also a chance for you to network with potential partners for cross-promotion. If you found the blog you’re guest posting on to be beneficial to your brand, others who could be helpful in getting you to the next level will most likely be visiting that site too.

Have you tried guest blogging for your clients or brands? What benefits have you discovered?

Image credit: Satinflame