I decided I wanted to jump on the guest posting band wagon. I read blog after blog and have to admit, I was petrified. These people are so good at what they do, how in the world can add value to their blogs? What would I do if I had to handle a rejected post? Armed with what I thought was pure genius in my head, I sat down to begin my first guest post.
I worked on it and worked on it hoping to provide added value to this person’s blog. I reviewed it 50 million times and then did it. I hit submit. Then I began to sweat and shake. Clearly I was having blog anxiety. Feel free to use that. Anyways, the email came. RE: Guest Post. I got a little queasy, clicked open and BAM! I was denied! What? How can that be? I am a genius for crying out loud. Well not really, but I can dream. So now what?
The best thing this blog owner did for me was reiterate their blog’s mission and point me in the direction of their guest posting requirements. I have to say, I was disappointed in myself and I felt a little defeated. A little I said. I took a few moments to beat myself up and thought, NO! You can do this. It can be a blow to your ego to get your post rejected and it can make you just throw in the towel and say never again. I do not advise that. Here are some tips to handle that rejected guest post submission.
- Stay focused. Remember why you wanted to guest post in the first place. You wanted to build links, become more engaged in the community, get your blog noticed. Quitters never win and winners never quit.
- Listen to the blog owner’s advice. You submitted to a particular blog because you like what they do and what they have accomplished. They got to where they are now with hard work and dedication. They started a blog with specifics in mind and you need to align your content with their purpose.
- Read Requirements. Most blog owners who allow guest post have pretty specific requirements about what will be approved or rejected. Don’t brush these aside as it is the fastest way to be denied. Bloggers need specific information on their sites and their hope is to gain more quality content focused on their audience.
- Delve into their blog. Go back and really see what type of material is being presented on their site. Notice the style, intent and mood of their posts. This was the first thing I did after being rejected. I needed to go back into their archives and really get to know the mission of that particular blog.
- Ask questions. Do not be afraid to respond to the owner and ask for specific information in regards to the type of content they are looking for. I emailed back and told the owner I welcomed any and all feedback. I want to know where I went wrong because I will get better with their help.
- Try again. This is so very important. I can tell you that if I am rejected 10 times, I am going to keep trying. If you want to make this online venture of yours work, you can not give up at the first sign of difficulty. Remember this all takes time. Do not, I repeat, do not let this defeat you. This is only an obstacle for you to overcome. Every successful person has encountered roadblocks and then busted them down.
I have to add this. Do not become rude and aggressive with the blog owner if your guest post is rejected. That will get you no where. And word of mouth marketing is a huge thing…one person tells another and so on and so on….Becoming a jack ass because YOU didn’t follow the guidelines will guarantee you will not be approved with that site, ever. I think there are great leaders out here who can teach us, guide us and maybe even call us friend. in order to accomplish all of this, we must work to motivate each other and keep people from giving up. Pay It Forward. Blog owners are doing just that in allowing guest posts, so do the beat you can to accommodate their requirements. That’s it, that’s all I have to ramble on about today! But, have you ever had a rejected post? How did you handle it?
