Writing Guest Blogs: Understanding the Blog’s Audience
As I repeatedly mention, we writers all want to satisfy the end-user, the reader. When we get invited to write a blog for someone else’s website, we have another person to please: the website owner. As a writer, I believe I am in the customer service business, so when I write for someone else’s blog, I want to write to their audience, which may differ from mine, and I want to please the blog owner. (Yes, I’m a pleaser.)
It’s essential that what we write and the blog we offer the site’s owner fits in with the site’s mission and resonates with its core readers. I do this by doing a little homework. Before I accept an offer to submit a guest blog, I go to the blog to see if it aligns with my values. Believe it or not, some don’t. I immediately pass. If I like the site's message, though, I will read several recent blog posts to identify the themes, topics, and maybe points of view. I want to fit in. I want the blog owner to invite me back. I look at the tone and the style. Is it formal? Conversational? Academic? Humorous? Beginner-welcoming? Designed for intermediate readers of the subject? Am I expected to be an expert? The blog owner probably feels I am a good fit, or they wouldn’t invite me. However, I want to be confident I can pull it off before agreeing.
As I read the recent blogs, I’ll keep scrolling down and read the comments section if the post has one. I want to see what the faithful readers have to say. What kind of feedback are they giving? This will guide me to what the readers want. What concerns or questions do they have? Which topics get the most comments, discussions, or shares? This gives me ideas for the blog topic, writing something that directly appeals to what is on their minds right now.
I still haven’t committed. I’ll make notes as I go along and attempt to infer the site’s calls to action. What does the site want readers to do? Subscribe? Ok. Does what they are subscribing to fit my values? Comment? Purchase or download? Am I behind that? If I’m committed to the website’s CTAs, I will note what angle and CTA I will make in my blog. I ask myself if I am good with that. If they’ve got a newsletter, I might look at it if possible. What is its focus? Can I get behind it? Does it show me off in the best possible light? Who probably subscribes? Are those subscribers beneficial to my goals as I try to meet their goals?
I now have what I need to decide whether to write a guest blog. Before I start writing, though, I talk with the blog owner. I want to hit their demographics. I already have a general idea, but I will ask the owner who they view as their primary audience, what content seems to perform best for them historically, what common questions readers ask, and what their readers’ pain points are that I can help address. I should already understand these things through my own research, but if what the owner says and I observe don’t match, I question the solidity of the blog’s targeting. However, I know I’m working with a solid opportunity if everything matches. At this point, I will agree to write, and I probably know what I will write about, including addressing all the data I have collected.
By writing blogs such as this, you bring new readers, hopefully, to your guest blog’s site. This makes the owner of the site tremendously delighted. You’ll be asked back. You’ll also gain new followers for your site, followers who like and are attracted to your voice.
Writing guest blogs is an excellent way to increase your own readership. If you are invited, take it seriously. If there is a blog you follow and they invite guest bloggers, contact the blog owner and ask to be considered. Writing guest blogs opens doors. And all you have to do after the invite is sealed is write just as I’ve written here.
