Homework Challenge: ONE traffic and backlink opportunity

Every now and then, I like to challenge you with a quick and somewhat straight-forward homework assignment. Please listen to the podcast or watch the video for instructions 🙂

Here’s the homework in podcast format:

or listen on \\ iTunes \\ Stitcher \\ Google Play \\ Overcast \\ Spotify

Here’s the video:

Here are my personal notes for this assignment:

Get a guest piece of content. Post or podcast or whatever YOU want.

But DO IT THIS WEEKEND.

1 – Target the right blogs

NOT the huge ones, use mid-tier bloggers in the same niche.

A few different ways to do this:

1. Head to detailed.com and check out who’s linking to the top 50.
2. Google “best [your niche] blogs.” Look for round-up posts highlighting the bests.
3. Pick the non-obvious ones.

2 – Find gaps in their content (semi-optional)

This is actually easy.

1. Look for the blog’s categories if you can find them. Click through each and look at how often or when the last post was published in that category.
2. Or, scroll through their 20-25 most recent blog posts, noting the headlines and topics. What topic in their niche HAVEN’T they covered recently?

3 – Jot down 10 topics and/or headlines

Stop being a NON-go-getter, and actually write down the damn headlines and ideas.

Don’t be that internet wannabe person. Do the work.

Once you have 10?

Focus on the top 3.

4 – 2 methods of outreach:

1. Permission marketing
2. The cold ask

Permission marketing – reach out NOT via email (preferably Twitter, Twitter DM, FB message, etc etc), and ask something similar to what I revealed in the podcast.

I won’t be sharing copy and paste templates here 🙂 🙂

Important things to include though:

1. Make the message/email SHORT
2. Get the point across quickly! Make sure “I’d love to write a guest post for you.” Is bolded and stands out quickly, etc.
3. Follow that up with PROOF that you know what you’re doing: “I’ve already done a bit of research, and came up with 3 post ideas that I feel covers a few gaps in your topics as of late,” for example.
4. End with a question: “Can I send you the pitches?” Or “Which of these topics strikes you right now? Can I send over more info for that one?” etc.
5. Sign-off with your name
6. Include a “P.S.” with some social proof if you’d like. “Oh, And my blog is doyouevenblog.com, and I’ve written guest posts here and here and here and here, and they’ve all turned out really well for those bloggers.”

Stay accountable, and come join us in the Facebook group:

It’s here.