Part of the Goals 2010 Challenge Series, Goal 9
One of my long-term goals is to post more guest pieces on other websites or blogs. I love having my writings published on other websites. Writing a guest post improves your writing in numerous ways, because naturally many of us hold ourselves to higher standards when we are guests. The wonderful part is you do not even have to be a blogger in order to write guest posts. Some of the most prominent members of our Personal Learning Network (PLN) do not have blogs, but guest blog regularly. These include @nmhs_principal and @tomwhitby. Guest posts help you gain a positive web presence, help distinguish you as a subject matter expert (SME), help you gain exposure to a wider audience, and boost your portfolio.
Tips
Here are some useful tips, I learned from my experience:
- Have a short bio prepared- In your bio you may want to include your job position, related experience, a link to your portfolio or website, and a link to your Twitter or LinkedIn accounts.
- Have a nice profile picture prepared- Most people recommend having a picture of your likeness versus an avatar or logo.
- Write the best types of posts- Remember this will be your first impression on many new readers.
- Grammar check your posts!
- Ask the guest blogger for specific guidelines and keep to these guidelines- format, length, whether images are necessary, and what type of topics they are desired
- Reply to those who comment- at the end of all the comments you should be able to see a button that gives you the option to subscribe to comments so you are notified each time a person comments. Leaving comments is important for engaging readers in the discussion.
- Study the audience!
Where to Submit
Here are a few places that welcome posts from guest bloggers. Contact these websites through their contact pages or through Twitter. Introduce yourself, send them a bio, and your ideas for a guest piece.
- Guest series- contribute to a blog’s guest posts focused on a theme
- Investigating Global Edtech Issues- I am looking for contributors from various countries, please check here to make sure I do not have a post from your area.
- Cool Sites- I accept posts that lists favorite education technologies with examples of how you used them with your students.
- What Did They Tweet?- Choose your favorite tweets of the week and provide pics, video, and descriptions.
- Stories From the Front Lines of EFL- Barbara Saka’s series on teaching young learners English.
- 52 Teachers, 52 Lessons- Provide advice to new teachers
- Any ning site you are a part of has an area for blogging, but you can try these as well.
- Second Life is Life ning- Are you a part of Second Life, we are always looking for posts.
- Educator’s PLN ning
- Prestwick House, @PrestwickHouse
- The Educators’ Royal Treatment
- The Lesson Machine blogezine, @MyschaTheriault
To see some examples, you can visit the guest posts I have made.
If you are new to the 30 day Goal challenge then you may want to read this post with more details!
Challenge:
Choose a profile picture for your upcoming guest post. Write a short bio.
You may want to subscribe for FREE to receive regular updates!
This is goal 9 of this series! If you’d like to join the challenge, please read this post!
Don’t forget to leave a comment that you accomplished this goal using the hashtag #30Goals!
What are you passionate about writing?
Guest blogging would also be a newly formed long term goal. I really didn’t think about it until I begin blogging about your #30Goals challenge though. You have truly given me some “wings!”
Terrific Tips and am big fan of nmhs_principal, so I’m glad to see him here. Am building the conversation about branding education as a means of culture and student achievement. I welcome guests to my NYC blog.www.theedventuresgroup.blogspot.com and guest bloggers!
Thanks for the mention, Shelly! And thanks for the tips and goals–they’re motivating me to be more active, too!
I’ve started another blog series that teachers might be interested in writing for–Stuff All EFL Teachers Should Know. This is a chance for EFL teachers to share one thing (methodology, technique, tool, activity) that they’ve found helpful, and that they think other teachers might find helpful as well.
More details are here, on my “Guest Author” page: http://www.teachingvillage.org/would-you-like-to-write-a-guest-post-for-teaching-village/
Looking forward to learning even more from you in 2010!
Great and very true tips if you are asked to write as a guest blogger! You’ll need them all.
and thank you for providing us new goals, with your #30 goals series, you keep me updated and inspired! What a good idea!!
So true!
As far as guest blogging is concerned, I recommend joining this forum: there are plenty of awesome guest blogging opportunities there! http://myblogguest.com/
I just liked the idea of guest blogging but I think I need much more knowledge before starting this project.Blogs like you present necessary knowledge and in a short time,I would start this..
Dear Shelly,thanks for suggestions and inspirations !
You are welcome to guest post for me any time, I would be honored! (iLearn Technology http://ilearntechnology.com). I need to get better about setting aside time to guest blog!