7 Tips On Choosing And Evaluating Guest Posting Sites
Not all guest posting sites are created equal. While some cater to your niche, they don’t have much traffic, or they’re packed with biased opinions. This, sheds an unfavorable spotlight on your brand, by association. The key is to choose and evaluate the right guest posting sites that are worthy of your content. After, you invest a great deal of time and resources into your articles. Your platform-of-choice should further your marketing efforts and build credibility for your company. Here are some tips for finding the perfect guest posting platform for eLearning authors.
1. Evaluate The Site’s Target Audience
They may have millions of visitors every month, but they don’t align with your niche. Which presents two significant obstacles. The first is that they probably won’t accept your submission because it falls outside their purview. The second is a matter of reader reception. Even if you can post on their site, are visitors interested in what you have to say? The secret is to find a site that already caters to your target audience. Who reads them on a monthly basis? How many visitors do they have and what are their demographics? Does their readership fit your customer profiles? If not, is there a way to tap into a new market by putting a creative spin on your articles?
2. Only Consider Platforms With Posting Guidelines
Posting guidelines might seem like a limitation. You aren’t able to exercise complete creative freedom, and you need to play by their rules. However, you should only consider platforms with posting requirements. Such a thing eliminates sales pitches, re-posts, and promo posts that don’t offer any value to the reader. Look for sites that accept best practice guides, honest reviews, troubleshooting articles, and eLearning trend forecasts. If there’s any ambiguity about their posting restrictions, contact them directly to verify what’s off-limits.
3. Take A Closer Look At Their Traffic Stats
You may not be able to log into their site and view the analytics. However, guest posting sites should mention their monthly site stats and readership demographics. For example, how many visitors read articles monthly? Who is their primary audience? What are the average page views? Transparency is key. Sites that don’t publicize the metrics are a major red flag. Granted, you can’t expect them to divulge their company accounting figures or other sensitive data. But reader engagement is a must.
4. Analyze Other Posts On The Platform
An excellent way for eLearning authors to determine if the guest posting site is right for them is to analyze other content. Are there any similar topics? What is the overall style and tone of the content? Who is their primary audience or niche? Has someone already covered the subject matter? If so, can you put a creative spin to create something unique and value-added? Another thing to consider is the accuracy of the content. Does it seem like all the posts are hearsay or based on personal opinions? There’s always room for personal input—to a certain extent—but reliable posting sites should be free of slander and untruths.
5. Look For Sites With Built-In Analytics
The top guest posting sites include built-in analytics so that you can track reader engagement. Are you able to see how many people visited your post? What about their geographical location? Can you view the source of the traffic to verify referrals? Where did your visitors click? It’s the best of both worlds. You’re able to reach their audience and still gather valuable analytical data that you would collect from your site.
6. Scope Out The Social Media Reach
Some guest posting sites now include social media as part of the package. Your submitted eLearning marketing article is not only posted on their website, but they also share it on their social network. Once again, they should be fully transparent about their social media presence. How many followers do they have on Facebook? Are they active on LinkedIn? Check out their social media profiles for yourself to gauge their level of interactivity. Has their Twitter profile been dormant for a month? Or do they have at least one post per day? Dig deeper to see what followers have to say about the site. For example, do multiple people leave comments about the inaccuracy of posts or biased viewpoints?
7. Evaluate The Posting Perks
Their site’s reputation is valuable, but so is your content. You shouldn’t have to settle for a platform that doesn’t have standards or posting perks. For instance, some sites include a URL to your author profile, which allows readers to learn more about you and your brand. As well as access your landing page. You’re also featured as a top author, and they launch a social media marketing campaign on your behalf. Sharing your eLearning insights and expertise should not only benefit your SEO but help you become an industry authority.
eLearning authors certainly aren’t starved for choice. There are plenty of guest posting sites to consider. And that’s part of the problem. You might be tempted to extend your reach and post on every platform. However, you must bear in mind that their site’s credibility impacts the perception of your brand image. Do they have controversial topics or opinions? Have they posted articles in the past that you don’t necessarily agree with? Above all, do their values align with your own? You should never have to compromise your moral beliefs just to market your eLearning company on a guest posting site.
Becoming an authority in the eLearning niche does require a commitment. Download our eBook How To Become An Authority In The eLearning Industry By Guest Blogging and discover how to stay on top of trends and find a platform that suits your style and target audience.