HOW TO PROMOTE A BLOG POST

Writing is only the beginning. If you want exposure to a big audience, you need to find a way for your content to be discovered. This SlideShare will

outline the four phases I went through to get over 1000 social media shares in 3 days. Apply what works best for you and start taking the

guesswork out of getting your content shared, on a large scale.

bloggersidekick.com

Created by @BloggerSidekick

PHASE 1 FINDING YOUR PLATFORM

bloggersidekick.com

ENGAGE AN AUDIENCE

Writing great blog content is time consuming. Coming up with consistent ideas, engaging an audience around them and regularly producing valuable content is extremely difficult. What I’ve found is the best way to mitigate these challenges

and get the best bang for your buck is to find a platform with an already engaged audience.

Guest blogging is a tactic that has skyrocketed many people to online stardom, but one that has picked up a tainted reputation along the way. Keyword stuffing, blogging for backlinks, duplicate content and Google penalties have tarnished the

once reputable practice known as guest blogging. But don’t give up hope. If you’re smart about it, guest blogging can still spread your reach, accelerate your

development and help you build an online asset that will flourish over time.

bloggersidekick.com

GUEST BLOGGING

1. Don’t duplicate – Don’t write a blog and simply distribute it across as many platforms as you can find. Google will penalize this. If you absolutely have to syndicate content make sure you leave a grace period between posting it on your blog before posting it elsewhere

2. Quality not quantity – Guest blog quality content that increases your credibility, not just as a way to get backlinks

3. Choose wisely – Don’t just blog anywhere, make sure you are targeting a specific audience who see value in your content

bloggersidekick.com

3 PRINCIPLES FOR GUEST BLOGGING

PHASE 2 WRITING SHAREABLE CONTENT

FREE DOWNLOADDo you want to start creating better blog content? Download this checklist to optimize a blog post for readers, search engines and social sharing and take out the guesswork.

Think about the last time you shared a blog on social media. The chances are the blog you shared either had a fantastic headline, or you tailored it so that the link to the blog was accompanied by a catchy one liner. As scary and in-authentic as it

is, most people share blogs without ever reading the content in them (Buffer created an iPhone app on the back of this concept, called ‘Daily by Buffer’). So

the next time you are crafting the world’s best blog, spend a little bit of time on the headline otherwise it may go unnoticed.

bloggersidekick.com

NAIL THE HEADLINE

If your reader makes it all the way through your blog, and implements something you have suggested, they will share it with others. This is why you should come from the mindset of being helpful. What is the biggest challenge your reader is

facing right now? Why have they found your content, and what can you offer that will make their life easier?

Here are a couple of sources to discover the challenges your readers face;• LinkedIn Groups• Quora• BuzzSumo or Topsy

bloggersidekick.com

SOLVE A PAIN POINT

Much like the headline of the blog, sub-headings and dot points throughout make it much easy for people to skim read your content. For those that decide to go beyond the headline of your blog before sharing it, there is a second group of

people who will browse over the sub-headings to see if the content underneath them is worth reading.

Remember you are trying to help your reader solve a problem. If they can easily digest the information you are trying to convey through dot points and sub-headings they are much more likely to continue reading, digest the content,

implement your insights and inevitably share it on social media.

bloggersidekick.com

USE SUB-HEADINGS AND DOT POINTS

Think back to the last time you had to write an assignment (Perhaps in University or High School). Remember how important everyone said first drafts were? If you

are anything like me, despite that advice you would still submit an assignment after just one writing session.

On that odd occasion you actually took the time to write a draft, seek feedback and re-write a better version of the assignment I guarantee you achieved better

results. The same goes for blogging. The harsh reality is that great blog posts aren’t created by sheer luck, they are created using a clear process and

dedication.

bloggersidekick.com

WRITE IT LIKE AN ASSIGNMENT

If you go beyond writing your own thoughts and share the work of other bloggers within your post, it adds a level of depth that your readers will value. All of a

sudden they have access to all of these other fantastic resources, and you were the one to provide them. Another, quite deliberate, reason for including the content of other influential people in your industry is a key reason you can

skyrocket social shares.

bloggersidekick.com

SHARE OTHER CONTENT IN THE POST

PHASE 3PROMOTING YOUR BLOG

If you write a post, mention a bunch of other bloggers in that post and then spam them asking for a re-tweet or share it’s unlikely you will get much traction. Build a community by engaging on social media, and creating a genuine relationship with people. Share their content first, comment on their blog, review their book… And let them know about it! Once you’ve done that, maybe they’ll share your content.

bloggersidekick.com

CONNECT WITH INFLUENCERS BEFORE

YOU POST

Use a tool such as Buffer or Hootsuite to schedule promotional content over the week following your blog being published. I find a great approach to this is to

change the commentary you pair with the link, take some key points from the blog and use them instead of the headline. Not everyone is looking for the same thing.

As well as Twitter and Facebook, make sure you post on LinkedIn and Google+. These platforms allow for a much more targeted approach to promotion by posting in ‘Groups’ on LinkedIn or ‘Communities’ as they are called on Google+. People are already scanning these pages for valuable content they can share, arm them with

yours.

bloggersidekick.com

SCHEDULE SOCIAL SHARES FOLLOWING THE POST

This is where you capitalize on sharing other people’s content in your post. Reach out to thought leaders in your niche using their @handle on Twitter or +1 them

on Google+ thanking them for their great content and letting them know you shared there’s.

bloggersidekick.com

SCHEDULE SOCIAL MEDIA REACH OUTS

E-mail marketing is a fantastic way to encourage social media shares of your best content, but be careful not to over-promote. If someone has signed up to your e-mail list it is because they think it will add value to their day, solve a problem they face or help them do their job better than they do currently. My suggestion would

be to focus a minimum of 80% of your e-mail (make this the top half) on improving your readers day. We do this in our newsletter by collating the top

blogging content we’ve found across the web, with easy-to-share links. By doing this the reader really feels like you are there to help THEM, therefore when you

ask them to share your content they are willing to lend a hand.

bloggersidekick.com

EMAIL YOUR NETWORK

PHASE 4 RE-PURPOSE YOUR CONTENT

Re-purposing your content is an important part of the process, and many people miss this opportunity. If you’ve put hours of effort into creating a great blog post

then why not get every last bit of value out of it. Here are a couple of ways you can re-purpose your blog post;

• Mention it in future blog posts, or e-mail campaigns• Create a template or E-Book• Create something visual. Such as a presentation, infographic or video

bloggersidekick.com

RE-PURPOSE YOUR BLOG POST

HOW TO PROMOTE A BLOG POST

bloggersidekick.com

Created by @BloggerSidekick