October 1, 2010 25 Comments

The Power of Good Coverage

Lifehacker Features a Post The other day, Lifehacker was kind enough to feature a post I wrote about how to make meetings go better. It was quite a lovely bump in traffic and I was grateful. It made me realize that I haven’t submitted any guest posts to the “big guys” lately, and that it would probably really benefit me if I could land a post with a link or two in it on some of the sites out there with much more traffic than me. Good coverage is pretty golden, it turns out.

The trick, however, and this is the most important part that I want to share, is this: I didn’t submit my story to Lifehacker. Someone just picked it up. They liked it. They went with it. It was a topic that fit their interests. That’s a great way to get it done. And it doesn’t happen all the time. But I’d much rather my posts be “found” than to be “that guy” who submits them all over the place hoping someone picks it up and runs with it. But that might just be me.

Given the choice of slogging my stories around for more coverage or writing guest posts, I’d go with guest posts.

You? What’s your experience been like?

Guest posts work great for traffic

ChrisBrogan.com runs on the Genesis Framework

Genesis Theme Framework

The Genesis Framework empowers you to quickly and easily build incredible websites with WordPress. Whether you're a novice or advanced developer, Genesis provides you with the secure and search-engine-optimized foundation that takes WordPress to places you never thought it could go.

With automatic theme updates and world-class support included, Genesis is the smart choice for your WordPress website or blog.

Become a StudioPress Affiliate

  • http://thesixonefournine.com/ judd6149

    This one was post title, no? That post title was right up LH’s alley. “Look at me”…rightly so. “Big Guys”…you have a massive #2 Ad Age badge on the blog. Point taken (helping hand). Maybe this post should have been about how to write titles to attract targeted, high-traffic blogs.Slogging? Yuk. Guest Posts? cool. Positioning your blog for being noticed. Positioning…by a nose.

  • http://www.sueannereed.com Sue Anne Reed

    I think this also goes back to the theme of consistently writing good stuff. If you consistently write good stuff, things are bound to get picked up without you needing to be out there pitching it yourself.

  • http://www.sueannereed.com Sue Anne Reed

    I think this also goes back to the theme of consistently writing good stuff. If you consistently write good stuff, things are bound to get picked up without you needing to be out there pitching it yourself.

  • http://www.sueannereed.com Sue Anne Reed

    I think this also goes back to the theme of consistently writing good stuff. If you consistently write good stuff, things are bound to get picked up without you needing to be out there pitching it yourself.

  • http://itcustomerservice.com Shannon (@ITSoftSkills)

    I’m with you Chris – I prefer either someone picking up my story because they like it or found it useful or doing guest posts. And I find the traffic uptick to stay around a lot longer that way as well. It just feels more authentic.

  • http://astrofix.net/ Michelle

    Someone just submitted two of my posts to a bigger blog in my niche. I was really surprised and flattered. I haven’t done the guest posting thing yet- I think because I don’t know what my goal for it is. More traffic would be great- but why?

  • http://twitter.com/COGreenHomes Colorado Green Homes

    Hey Thanks Chris,

    As a relative “newbie” to the high speed world of e-commerce and Internet marketing, I have been pleasantly surprised to find several of my articles on many different eco-friendly, “Green” sites.

    I didn’t really even understand the significance of this until I noticed a sharp increase in traffic to one of my blogs.

    Ah, the joy of innocence. ;-)

    Thanks again, and congrats on the coverage!

    Mitchell Dillman
    “the Online carpenter”

  • http://Twitter.com/Ed Ed

    Excellent right here: “…the most important part that I want to share, is this: I didn’t submit my story to Lifehacker. Someone just picked it up. They liked it. They went with it. It was a topic that fit their interests. That’s a great way to get it done.”

    Also, (and I do NOT mean to diminish this crucial post),
    but it’s important to note my sweetheart at #2.
    Especially if she does that for you day after day :)

  • Anonymous

    Grumpy here … I reckon they need you more than you might think. In this declutter time of year I have unsubscribed to certain sites as I tired of their repetition. Such could not be said of the CB approach — all aboard …….I think I am approaching Escape Velocity whilst watching my first webinar; and that’s just this week.

    PS Go Google is so 2009

  • http://reallifemadman.wordpress.com Marjorie Clayman

    I’m a fan of being found as well.

    There are some people who compliment everything, meaning that each of their compliments means approximately nothing. If you are sending everything you write to every person who breathes, how do you know that they aren’t picking that up just so they can get rid of you?

    On the other hand, there are people who don’t compliment often, meaning each of their compliments is worth its weight in gold. If someone asks me to guest post or if someone expresses kind thoughts about a post of mine, I know it’s because they really mean it. Much more meaningful to me, and I would think to them.

    Sidenote: It’s funny to see you talking about sending blogs to “the big guys.” Heh. From the ant perspective where I am, that’s just freaky deaky, yo. :)

    • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

      There’s always someone bigger than you/me. That’s part of the fun.

      • http://reallifemadman.wordpress.com Marjorie Clayman

        So one might wonder who can make YOU dance like a crazy person when they pick up your blog posts :)

  • http://mikewhite.co.uk Michael White

    Do you have any suggestions for guest posting opportunities for those of us in the early stages of building their popularity?

    • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

      There are lots of places that offer guest posts. You could go to blogsearch.google.com and search on “guest post” or “guest author” and find them REALLY fast.

      • http://mikewhite.co.uk Michael White

        Thanks Chris!

  • http://mikewhite.co.uk Michael White

    Do you have any suggestions for guest posting opportunities for those of us in the early stages of building their popularity?

  • http://www.whoisandywarner.com Andy Warner

    Any advice on how you started the blog? I am interested in creating this type of blog in another niche.

  • http://www.whoisandywarner.com Andy Warner

    How do you determine which blogs or websites to write (outside of your main blog)? I have been asked to write in other blogs and websites in my niche, but am cautious because I am not certain of the main objective.

    Do I write for the blog to contribute information? But then, why don’t I just write this post for my blog instead? Or, do I write a post or article for a blog/website other than my own just to report current market information? Many times I feel I must filter my thoughts in the market to conform to the market’s ability to truly process the information.

    Any thoughts would be helpful.

  • http://www.whoisandywarner.com Andy Warner

    How do you determine which blogs or websites to write (outside of your main blog)? I have been asked to write in other blogs and websites in my niche, but am cautious because I am not certain of the main objective.

    Do I write for the blog to contribute information? But then, why don’t I just write this post for my blog instead? Or, do I write a post or article for a blog/website other than my own just to report current market information? Many times I feel I must filter my thoughts in the market to conform to the market’s ability to truly process the information.

    Any thoughts would be helpful.

  • Anonymous

    But Chris, you do both – you write for other blogs and people pick up your posts. I think a balance of both is probably great depending on your goals. I think the model that you use is perfect for those of us who someday want to be published authors, speak more, do more coaching, ect. Inspiring really. And yeah, when Etsy hit on one of my small business marketing posts it made my numbers go through the roof – a delightful surprise. – Jacqueline MoxieWorks

  • http://twitter.com/susangiurleo susangiurleo

    I’ve been going with the “being found” route. I do, however, connect with those “bigger guns” on their blogs and Twitter. And if I do need to submit , at least I”m not a stranger.

  • http://twitter.com/susangiurleo susangiurleo

    I’ve been going with the “being found” route. I do, however, connect with those “bigger guns” on their blogs and Twitter. And if I do need to submit , at least I”m not a stranger.

  • http://twitter.com/susangiurleo susangiurleo

    I’ve been going with the “being found” route. I do, however, connect with those “bigger guns” on their blogs and Twitter. And if I do need to submit , at least I”m not a stranger.

  • http://www.bigjobsboard.com Steve Jobs

    I would go with being found rather than submitting myself to them but on the other hand if your blog is new, chances are you won’t be found even if you have a great post that may suit their interest. Your blog must have some sort of traffic for the big guys to be interested. It works both ways I think.

  • Shawn Rodriges555

    hi the power of good coverage is really great.Because of that you can attract more people at a time.
    ———————————————————————————-
    Earn an Extra $1000 to $1200 per month doing Part Time Data Entry Jobs! Work from home data entry jobs to post simple data submissions on Internet. Make $1 per entry. Easy form filling, data entry and ad posting jobs. No selling, No phone calls, No Marketing. No Investment. Bi-weekly payments. Full Training Provided. Pls visit: [url=http://www.dataentrywork.net/?id=26201] Data-Entry [/url]