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Choosing to guest post on a blog that has a high page rank is key.

Internet Marketing

Guest blogging

It's good for your brand

By John Boudreau

It's no secret that guest blogging has become one of the most important content marketing tools, but how can it benefit your insurance agency? You've already set up a blog and update it regularly, so isn't that enough? The reality is, if you're not taking the time to guest blog, you're missing out on several key benefits that could be a huge boost to your agency's online marketing strategy.

Guest blogging defined

Writing content for a blog that is owned and operated by another blogger is referred to as "guest blogging." You can either contact the blogger in advance to propose an idea or submit an article to the blogger for review.

It's important to seek out blogs that are relevant to the insurance industry. You may also want to consider those run by auto dealerships, real estate agents, and even local contractors, since you can create content based on insurance products for each of these niches.

You may ask yourself, "Why would I spend valuable time writing content for someone else when I could be updating my own blog?" Here's why: Guest blogging provides a mutually beneficial relationship where both you and the blog you're writing for gain advantages.

The blog owner gets quality content for the blog, and your agency gets the following benefits:

1. Exposure and brand awareness

The goal of guest blogging isn't to spam the blogging world with links to your agency. It's about creating high-quality content that generates brand awareness, building your audience through exposure. Readers may overlook a single post linking to your agency, but they will start to recognize your name after being exposed to multiple articles from various sources that showcase your agency in a positive light. This is what branding is all about.

Focus on writing content that will plant a positive association in the minds of blog readers, even if the only mention of your name or insurance agency is listed in your author bio.

2. Credibility

Positive brand awareness automatically leads to increased credibility. Just think of the authors you have seen frequently published on About.com or Huffington Post, for example. Those writers who have multiple postings are viewed as more credible than others in their respective fields who haven't focused on exposing their brand.

Increased credibility can also lead to other opportunities, such as posts for other Web sites, guest video blogs, speaking engagements and, of course, increased insurance sales.

3. Networking

Guest blogging can help drive conversations on your agency's Facebook page, generate new leads, be a great source of support from other insurance agents, and allow you to meet other bloggers who may be willing to contribute guest posts on your own blog.

Once your guest blog is live, share a link to the content on social media sites and with any e-mail subscribers. You may be surprised to see an increase in followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, or even find fellow agents wanting to connect through LinkedIn.

4. Targeted traffic

Guest blogging is an affordable way to promote your name, your insurance agency, and the products you sell. When you write a guest post, you aren't spending money on advertisements designed to increase traffic to your Web site.

What's more, when you guest post for popular blogs in your own niche, you're targeting traffic. This means that visitors to your blog or agency Web site are already interested in the content you've made available, or are even looking to purchase insurance, because they have clicked on an inbound link. Some of this traffic may even become regular readers of your blog.

Keep in mind that link building should be done in a thoughtful manner without detracting from the valuable content. Many guest bloggers choose to do this in the author bio. You can also include a couple of relevant links in the content, such as linking to your agency's page about RV insurance in an article that discusses the insurance needs of retirees.

5. Honest feedback

Reading the comment section under your blog post may cause a few cringe-worthy moments, but it's important to find out what others think of you and your agency. Maybe a former client was unhappy with his customer service experience and isn't afraid to say so. Someone else may find your writing style lacking or your links irrelevant. Rather than shake your head and move on to the more positive feedback, take those critiques to heart and see how they can be addressed.

You won't always find honest feedback on your own blog because regular readers feel a sense of loyalty. This isn't so with another blogger's audience. Guest blogging is an invaluable tool for gauging how people outside of your own readership view you, which can help improve your writing, your Web site and, ultimately, your business.

6. Domain name and search engine authority

Guest blogging allows you to focus on building your online presence, which improves your search engine authority and builds your domain name. Domain authority is the power of your domain name, and it may be lacking if you're just starting out or haven't spent much time adding valuable content to your agency's Web site. Search engines also work on the simple rule that readers want to view Web sites that can be trusted, so domain age comes into consideration. Since search engines like Web sites that have proven longevity, how can your Web site be successful when it's so far down in the search results that no one can see it?

This is where guest blogging really helps. Choosing to guest post on a blog that has a high page rank is key. A blog with a high page ranking sees a lot of regular traffic, so more interested readers will be likely to visit your site when they see your post on such a reputable blog. This, in turn, builds up your own authority.

7. Build a positive online influence

More than just credibility or brand awareness, your influence is how you choose to impact your readership. Ask yourself what type of online influence you wish to create. Do you want to advise as many people as possible or focus on educating young college students about important insurance coverage? Are you concerned with current events that could affect future insurance premiums or do you want to focus on the needs in your own community?

Guest blogging gives you a bigger audience that allows you to spread this influence beyond your own blog, helping you touch a wider range of readers.

So where do I start?

Choose a topic that has never been discussed on your own blog and do your research before contacting the blog owner. He or she may have a page detailing the contribution process, especially if competition for guest posting is fierce. It helps to follow the blogger for a while, both on the blog and via social media, to get a better idea of the type of content that would work best as a guest post.

Once you've done your research, written an outline, or even completed the entire article, approach the blogger in a professional manner that shows you've done your homework and are an authoritative voice that would be a valuable contribution to the blog. It's really as simple as that.

Also, remember, there's more to online marketing than guest blogging alone. It takes a blended strategy involving the right tools and technology to help you succeed in finding new consumers and customers online.

The author

John Boudreau, CEO and co-founder of Astonish, works closely with local insurance agencies across the country to help them increase their share of the digital landscape through technology, marketing, and training solutions. Astonish has ranked on the Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest growing private companies in the U.S for the past two years and recently ranked among the top five fastest growing private companies in the insurance industry.

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