The 3 Guest Posts that Changed My Blogging Forever

I know it’s hard to believe, but sometimes the blog posts we write away from our blogs are more valuable than the ones we publish on them.

Here’s a tweet/question to consider:

What matters more: What people think about you, or getting to the point where it doesn't matter what people think about you?

— Brian Clark (@brianclark) October 8, 2012

Guest post are a great way to get people “thinking about you.” As a few of you already know, I absolutely love guest posting. I’ll talk more on that in my upcoming “how to guest post” guide.

But for now I’d like to share 3 guest posts with you that really moved me.

These might change how you blog forever. In a small way, I almost feel like I should have kept these posts a secret.

The 3 guest posts that changed my life

These guest posts have dramatically helped my blogging and have inspired me to go out and guest post. They’re the kind of articles that you just remember for one reason or another.

I recommend just reading one a day this week, and spacing them out so their points really sink in with you.

#1 The Secret to Crazy Happy Blogging at ProBlogger by Mompreneur Mogul

This post talks about inserting the YOU back into your blog. It targets how bloggers tend you check out other, often larger, more successful blogs and then basically mimic their content.

It’s true reading other blogs is useful; I do about 2 hours a day of research off my blog. But the tendency to envy or even copy other blogger’s style eventually sucks the life out of your own blog.

Lisa really inspired me with this one. I’ll admit, I watched the video too and I rarely watch videos in blog posts. Her topics really are pretty simple, but the way she delivered them made them stick in my mind. And the message is a crucial one to becoming a loved, prolific blogger. Great job Lisa!

#2 The Ultimate Guide to Implementing Facebook Comments on your Blog at WPtutsplus by Thomas Frank

Thomas is pretty good with these “ultimate guides.” This one is no exception, and is actually what I used to design the comments section on a few of my blogs.

You might not think this is a typical guest post because it’s got such a tutorial feel to it, but I’d argue that it’s a quintessential guest post! It stands alone, gets more popular by the day, and ranks 1st or 2nd in Google for most common “comment how to” queries. I’d be Thomas is enjoying that nice thru-traffic!

Thomas seems to know everything about blog comments (actually a wildly important subject if) and you’d be wise to bookmark this guide for the next time you dive into your code.

#3 The Realization that Enabled Me to Make a Living Online on Daily Blog Tips by Glen Allsop

This post resonates. I’ve always wanted to earn a living blogging and have watched guys like Glen run circles around bloggers.

Glen walks us through how he started knowing next to nothing then climbed the ropes in blogging. He also hits on something we bloggers often forget about, return on our time investments.

Blogging certainly takes time, and Glen advocates being a “doer” more than wonderer or observer and seeing our blogs through tough times to the point of profitability. Definitely encouraging stuff, and doesn’t hurt that the post is on a highly respected money-blogging blog.

Conclusion: Why people guest post

I know a lot of you get into the pattern of thinking where it seems like all that’s important is the stuff directly on your blog. That’s natural, it happens to me too.

But writing a great guest post and publishing some of your best work off your blog is well worth your time. Why? Here are 7 reasons:

• Launch: Launch a blog with an arsenal of guest posts and you’ll grow much more rapidly than the old slow method of writing content and sharing it manually
• Link back: The links you attain in the byline or body content act as votes for your own blog, your own posts, in Google. Use the right keywords in those links and you’ll be in business!
• Click thru traffic: Aside from new visitors you eventually will get from increased search rankings, you’ll get immediate click thru traffic. Make sure your blog looks neat and tidy!
• Resume: You can add guest posts to you ongoing resume. Any large employer loves seeing that others have accepted your writing, and you can leverage guest posts on smaller blogs to guest posts on medium blogs to…you get the picture.
• Audience: You’ll attract diverse visitors from all over the world.
• Social: You definitely will get more post likes, tweets, etc, from guest posting but you’ll also earn some social proof. People will trust your content a bit more, and you’ll build your brand name.
• Ever-lasting: Assuming the other site doesn’t go belly up, your post will stand forever! People will keep reading it, commenting on it, and that post will keep getting stronger each day that passes.

So now it’s your turn. Go out and write an amazing guest post, then sit back and watch as it performs for you and your blog. Here’s a tip: to find out if a specific site offers guest posts, just Google the site name with “guest post guidelines”.

Enjoy this post? Have a question on guest posts? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.