The Story Reading Ape

How to Optimise your Guest Author Blog Post Promotional Opportunities

While I cannot speak for other bloggers on this topic, I suspect that similar advantages may be gained by using the following tips and suggestions when invited to appear as a guest on any blog:

1.

Always read any conditions and/or requirements pertaining to the host blog, follow them and check everything before you send your submission. Especially any hyperlinks you provide.

This will minimise any research and correspondence time between you and your host.

Some blogs (like mine) schedule their posts in advance (up to two months in advance in my case), so requests to change your article, even only slightly, can be problematic.

2.

Never forget that a guest post is your opportunity to touch base with potential readers, other authors and even possible future friends (WordPress visitors are especially friendly and I have found them to be always willing to help other authors and bloggers, as well as me)

3.

Never, ever consider using a guest post ONLY as a “Buy My Book” advertisement – there are other vehicles you can use to do this, e.g., Book Promos, Giveaway Announcements, Freebie Day Announcements, New Book Release Announcements, Book Tours, etc.

After all, if you are being introduced to a stranger by your party host, or a mutual friend, do you immediately wave your book in front of the new face and scream “BUY MY BOOK” instead of saying “Hello” and allowing a little time to get to know each other a little better?

Of course you can (quietly) mention your books, but only after they’ve got to know you a bit better 😀

4.

Never, ever share a personal secret online. Ambitions, hopes, things that inspired or comforted you are OK for public consumption, but never, ever, a personal secret. It could be just as damaging as sharing an embarrassing photo of yourself on Twitter.

5.

Respond to any comments made on the host blog about your published guest article, especially thank the folks who have re-blogged your post, they are helping spread your fame further afield.

Visit the blogs of commenters and re-bloggers, you might like what you see there, become a follower, gain a friend and maybe even appear on that blog in future 😀

6.

Share the published blog post in as many media groups you are a part of, not just by re-blogging it, or doing a quick tweet, or even uploading it onto your Facebook page.

Many bloggers (like me) provide as many sharing facilities as their blog format gives, so visitors can share posts they like with their friends (and even their online groups).

7.

Take full advantage of these sharing facilities, not just once or twice, but revisit and use them again and again over a few days or weeks.

Share with your Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ Groups, and respond to any and all comments made there as well, especially thank the folks who have re-shared your article (see point 5 above).

8.

DO NOT SPAM

Overdoing the sharing will have a negative effect on your popularity and your books.

9.

Definition of Spam

NAGGING – i.e., repeating the same thing over and over and over in an almost automatic way till the point is (quickly) reached that you lose followers, friends (and possibly even family)

10.

So how often SHOULD you share?

Ask yourself how often you would care to see someone else’s repeated messages, then divide it by two 😀

It has been suggested not more than twice per day twelve hours apart and vary the timing by an hour each day thereafter.

STOP SHARING AFTER 12 DAYS – it is now stale and old news – even if you change the introductory headline each time!

11.

Offer to either interview your host on your blog or just generally promote their blog to your readers. Whatever you do, make sure you reciprocate in some way and keep up the association, whether the blogger is also an author or not, the worst thing they can say is “No”.

SO my fine author friends, there you have it.

Good Luck in your endeavours and don’t forget DO NOT SPAM.

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Published by The Story Reading Ape

I am what my name states, an ape of the primate species called Homo Sapiens Sapiens. My blog is intended to present New (to me) Authors, whose stories or books I have read and enjoyed, so that anyone who happens to stumble onto this blog, while searching for a book to read, or, a new (to them) author to try, may find what they seek, or, at least, inspiration. I have also made the blog an Author Promotions Enterprise to be a platform for authors to introduce themselves to potential readers and to provide advice and tips resources information they can use to improve and enhance their story telling efforts. Please be advised that I reserve the right to remove, or decline to publish, any comments that I deem inappropriate.

42 comments

  1. One of your best post, Chris– not that your others aren’t good. These are rules to live by on social media. Guest bloggers should consider it a privilege to get the chance for others to get to know you. Depending on the blog it’s okay to mention one of your books, but as you say, don’t push it down readers throats. I’ve found ‘passive advertising’ is the best policy. To me passive is writing something that interest other readers and then they will have an interest in what else you do.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. Thank you for these tips and all the knowledge that you collect and share here.

    I especially appreciate your advice to offer all share options. When I began blogging, I read that doing so makes us look desperate, but when I go to a website that I want to share, and the option that I want to use is not available, then I feel frustrated, and sometimes move on, thus they lose the opportunity for growth. So, I fixed this in my Dashboard>Settings>Sharing

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Glad to have been of help Grace 😀
      Providing share buttons under your article is NOT seen as desperate by visitors.
      The LACK of share buttons however, can cause frustration when a visitor comes across a great article they’d love to share with others.
      After all, that’s one of the reasons for making, reading and following blogs.
      I provide every sharing facility that WordPress makes available, so the authors featured can be given recognition beyond what I can give them alone 😀
      PS – Love YOUR blog 😀

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      • I agree that sharing is what “it’s” all about. A friend guest-blogged, and the site owner demanded that my friend remove all links to the host blog’s post. The objection cited concerns about competition! That experience raised my appreciation for your generosity as I see your posts frequently reblogged in my Reader.

        I am glad that your blog has so much steam behind it, and I don’t mean hot air. I hope to advance my writing to the point where I can refer to many of your “old” posts for guidance.

        Thank you again for this post as I urge myself to accept the personal invitations that I received to be a guest blogger. I especially appreciate your suggestion to connect with the other blog’s readers. My biggest question to myself is, “what do I want to say there to that audience?” Thanks for helping me to focus on this question, and let go of concerns about protocol and customs.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

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