Leveraging Other People’s Audiences To Create Buzz

Leveraging Other People’s Audiences To Create Buzz

The following is a guest post by Jade Craven.

Recently, I did a guest post at Remarkablogger about hustling. Many people seemed to really enjoy it and Jordan asked if I could elaborate on how people can leverage someone else’s audience to create buzz. Now, I’m nowhere near as awesome as him when it comes to the humor stuff. I’m Aussie. My sense of humor is likely to get me mocked. So, I thought I’d make this post incredibly chillaxed instead!

So, what the heck am I on about?

Typically, people write a piece of content and publish it on their own blog. They then rely on their own network to spread the word. If they are feeling desperate, they will beg for attention. That’s when people DM you asking for retweets and will constantly request social media attention just so they can achieve their attention of viral.

That’s fine, but you can achieve a bucketload more success just by popping that baby on someone else’s blog.

Do you know someone in your niche that always seems to get retweeted? Or a topic that causes people to go nuts? If you guest post on that blog, you will be able to tap into that organize network.

This may be a bit geeky for some, but let me explain. If you are lucky, one action can lead to multiple audiences being leveraged. For instance, I do a number of guest posts on Problogger. Each post gets me exposure via a number of methods.

  • All posts get delivered via the RSS feed. This is the main method of exposure.
  • All posts are delivered to Twitter via Twitterfeed. This can lead to a number of retweets.
  • Because more people see it, more people write opinion posts and mention the person that wrote the original article. This puts my name in front of more readers.
  • Darren links to each post via his Facebook page. People provide additional comments and ‘likes’ via this platform.

One post can lead to five different groups of people reading your content. These are just the ones I remember while simultaneously watching a very long movie.

Tap into the right audience:

To do this, you have to look at relevant blogs in your niche. You have to:

  • Check how much of their content gets retweeted. Read the associated comments and see if particular posts get retweeted more than others.
  • See how many comments are on the post. This is the true sign of engagement and is where you can find fans for your own blog.
  • See where else they promote their blog.

This can give you a fair idea of the potential for that post to spread organically.

You then have to check out what type of content does really well via that network. I’ve found that there are two things that influence this. The first is the viral potential of the headline. I still suck at this – you’re better off going to Copyblogger.

The second factor is how awesome the content is. Now, if you’re working your arse off like many of us you will already have a good eye for picking out the content that rocks the blogosphere. Figure out ways to replicate that.

What do you do if the post goes viral?

Let’s say, your unpolished guest post about 30 Bloggers to Watch in 2010 gets published and goes viral while you’re sleeping. What do you do then?

Firstly, you pay attention to the comment section. Encourage people to contribute to the discussion and respectfully deal with those who are picking fights. Sometimes it’s just a reflection of how much they value the community.

Second, you head straight onto Twitter. Don’t just look for straight out retweets. Look for keywords relating to that post, your name. If someone sounds like they really engaged with your content, follow them. Send a nice DM or @reply and invite them to engage with you elsewhere.

If you are respectful and give back to the community, they are likely to help you out when they see your name pop up again.

Over to you!

I’ve had so much success by leveraging other peoples’ audiences. And, while it sounds totally icky, it’s really not. I provide free content and the opportunity to earn cash in return for getting some exposure. It’s a win/win situation and gives you the opportunity to learn a lot quicker.

I understand that you may still have questions. That’s cool. Leave them in the comments and I’ll help you out.

Jade Craven is passionate about helping small businesses and solopreneurs create social media strategies that resonate with their customers. Visit her blog as she shares her stories. Jade is a guest posting ninja on many of the top blogs, so it’s an absolute pleasure to have her stop by today!

Laugh your ass off *and* educate yourself at the same time! Get the most hilarious free marketing tips for your business sent to your inbox. Stuff that's just too damn good to post on this blog, only available exclusively if you subscribe to my e-mail list now.

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  • Good post. Yes, guest posting I do have to say is the most undervalued tool in our toolbox. It is the most potent of all other tools though. It is a very efficient way for you to attract your audience, then niche into your realm and watch what happens. :)
  • I am a new blogger and my blog is about 2 months old. I plan to do some guest posting. But I believe I need to spend time writing worthy content for my site first. But on the side I have set a side several ideas that I will start researching. Once I finish that I will create and save that work for when I am ready to post that work on a guest post.
  • I think your approach will work out quite well. It's not really about one extreme method or another. Some are like Jade and guest post everywhere as their first priority... and it's working out for her. Some build up months of quality content and then branch out once they have their "home" in order. That'll work as well.

    Just don't be scared about doing so. When you think you're ready, go for it.
  • I haven't done too many Guest Posts myself but I think doing them actually saves you quite a lot of work. I always have trouble deciding if an article I write up should be a post on my own blog or a Guest Post.

    How do you decide which to use?
  • My opinion is to put your absolute *best* work as a guest post on a bigger blog with a large audience. That's your chance to showcase yourself and shine in front of a new audience on a grand stage. Use those opportunities wisely.

    As Nathan pointed out, also consider getting your own "house" in order first - if your goal is to generate traffic & new readers to you own blog, there's no point in guest posting in that fashion without having something worthy for the flocks of people to see.
  • Yep, I certainly see the benefit. Guest posting can do so much good for ones site, provided it is done right. But my biggest problem is time. I can hardly keep up with my own posts.

    But I am working hard on doing more and more guest posts. I believe it is a great way to share, engage with other bloggers, and show others what you are all about.
  • frank_in_oz
    Jordan,
    Great choice of a guest poster! Jade, your work just gets better and better.

    Thanks for the great pointers and advice. Yop may not have been overtley funny but I was quite amused by a few of the lines you dropped in there, very Aussie.
  • jadecraven
    :-) That was what I was going for. If I can't be funny then why not be super casual? Guest posting is an experiment and its fascinating borrowing someone elses blog for that experiment.
  • Most important lesson I learned when Guest Posting is to have your own house in order or else the traffic won't stick.
  • I agree completely, but I can see the angle in which Jade is trying to position herself. It's a good tool to network with the bigger fish, provide valuable help and possibly work your way into getting involved with *their* projects. It's definitely a much more unconventional route to take, but who says it can't be as effective as the traditional method of 1. guest post 2. get traffic to your blog 3. make it stick. Right?
  • I can only speak of how it worked/works for me. I speak a lot about JV's, and that's certainly a way to make some quan, but it depends on what your long term goal is...knowing that is probably the most important part.

    For instance, my goal is to get a book deal and move into more "less bloggy" things, so I need a platform in order to sell my proposal to an agent and then to a publisher.

    I don't know what Jade's goal is so I can't speak on her behalf, but in my experience, the guest posting circuit is a lot like affiliate marketing...you're always on the run, if that makes any sense?

    P.S. please don't take this as me bashing or putting Jade down...just trying to further the discussion.
  • jadecraven
    Nathan - its cool mate.

    Ok - I am heavy into the networking scene in Melbourne and australia. These guys are small business types. They don't necessarily read blogs as such. They are more interested in the stats. 'She has 800 retweets? She has guest posted here? He gets so many comments on average?'


    These type of guys are the ones that spend a lot more money than bloggers are willing to do. They also generate work via word of mouth so its just a matter of ensuring the small business types that are savvy about social media know what your doing.

    This is something that I'm rocking locally and guest posting supports this.

    However, on Remarkablogger, Jordan and I got into a discussion about this. I was worried because my home wasn't in order but last year I primarily guest posted to network. Now, I'm connected to a lot of awesome names who have generated work for me behind the scenes.

    I have felt like I have been on the run lately but this was intentional, as I am launching a course about networking with bloggers next month. I plan to fulfill my current obligations than do guest posts that are related to specific campaigns.

    I'll respond to your content above.
  • Jade, that was exactly the point I was trying to make for others - just to have some actual *purpose* to why you do guest posts. Simply "generating traffic" as most would say is just simply too broad of a reason that you really can't grasp on to and focus your energy on.

    If you're leading up to a networking course, Jade... then sure, you've defined your purpose. It may not be one that many other bloggers do, but there's an actual distinct method behind your "madness". :-)
  • jadecraven
    Dude totally :-) I'm a smart, strategic cookie.

    Its not so much leading up to a networking course. I want to double the content of my guest posting guide and I needed more stuff to draw on. Oh, and I have an anxiety disorder and I like the high from guest posting as its a free way of making me happy :-)
  • I had to laugh...bloggers spend less many than the regular public does. It's true.

    I don't think there's a right or wrong way...it's one of those things you just have to feel your way through. You've got your head on straight, so I have no doubt you'll make it work the way it needs to for you :)
  • jadecraven
    Totally :-)

    After my bloggers course, I'm going to be focus on the social media products for Australian Small Business. I'll start doing more networking more locally and possibly experiment with self publishing.

    ;) I know the next steps. Its gonna be fun.
  • Jade,

    If there was one mistake I made in the first two months it was not doing enough guest posts. I realized some of my best work would have been better off on another blog where it gets more exposure than on my own blog. Another thing I think it's worth noting however is that smaller blogs often provide really high quality ROI when you guest post for them. So there should be no discrimination about who you guest post for.
  • jadecraven
    Totally! :-)

    It also shows that you're willing to help out the little guy and put in the hard yards for little perceived return. Lemme know about your guest posting efforts.
  • Do you have a set criteria for determining whether to guest post on a site or not?
    Do you ever repackage posts you have done previously on your own site in guest posts?
    If you do a guest post using your best work are you concerned about people going to your personal site and being disappointed?

    Just so you know I really learned a lot about guest posting from this guest post.
    And I spent about 30 more minutes reading your personal site. It's excellent..
  • jadecraven
    I don't currently but I wouldn't advocate guest posting in the same way I am. I guest post for my friends, pure and simple. It doesn't matter their audience. It is my way of saying thanks for supporting me last year. I also do it for new friends, like Jordan, because I learn a lot in the process.

    I am very concerned about people going to be blog and being disappointed but I sorta purposely make the link to my site kinda boring so not many people click through. :P Lately people have been making it more awesome as they think I deserve it. I'm gonna be strategizing with a number of people about what type of content would best serve my audience.
  • What a fantastic read, Jade.
    this all makes perfectly good sense. One of my goals for this year was to increase my guest posting activity and this solidifies the reasoning behind doing so.
    You have a great writing style, thanks for sharing your wisdom.
  • Jade I have been following you since your Guest Post on Problogger about "30 Bloggers to Watch in 2010" and what I have found from your guest posts and twitter interactions is that you have the support and respect of many of the big names. For me, you have shown that Guest Posts have great benefits, but also the potential to be flamed down by an audience who are either jealous of your ability or untrusting of your views.

    Thank you for being a great role model
  • jadecraven
    Thank you. Erg, I've learned that guest posts can get you rapidly shot down :S Like with that bloggers to watch post. I should have done what Darren did and introduce the idea of the group project rather than asking a broad question.

    :-) Most of my communication with fellow bloggers happens in private, but thank you for your lovely comments! Most of my twitter interaction is with locals, or about my personal life. Its more of a communiaction than broadcast tool.

    I really appreciate your comments though. Seriously. Guest posting here was really scaring because Jordan is funny and I'm not.

    Methinks I need Disqus.
  • I wish people would stop telling me this. I know it's all true! But I just hate giving one of my lovingly crafted babies to another site. I really, really need to get over this problem.
  • I hear ya Mike. You write an awesome post, some of your best work. To hand that over to another site, kinda hurts. But I certainly see the benefits of guest posting. It's is a fantastic way to get your own word out and brand on other sites.
  • jadecraven
    You get used to it. I get more of a buzz giving it to someone else. I get to chat to different people and notice that some of that audience transfers to my own blog and twitter account. Honestly? I don't care where the post ends up. I'm addicted to guest posting.
  • I know what you mean Jade, but here's something to think about...

    Guest posting is a great high because you see your name all over the place...but it's much more powerful if you see it because of content on your own blog. That's what I'm working with now...it's a fine line.
  • jadecraven
    Nathan, I see your point. I totally see your point. :-) Its a fine, fine art as you say.

    I appreciate your concern dude and thanks for hat. Seriously, I am thinking so many steps ahead of where I am right now and at the moment, the best thing I can do is be a prolific guest poster.

    I do understand the need to have your home base in order. In the interests of transparency, I'll be brutally honest.

    I've lost my blogging grove but I love blogging. It is so hard to write for my own site. I have to do it late at night when I'm too exhausted to worry about what people will think. I have so much work to do (and pay friends to do) as well as figure out what the heck I want to do with it beyond the next week.

    I know I want to show people how to network authentically.

    Now, my primary motive of guest posts is 1) to learn and 2) to network. Traffic and homebase isn't necessary as such as I know people who make 6 figures via their blog with only 500 RSS readers. Most of the stuff is generated via word of mouth.

    By rockin' it on other peoples' blogs, I show that I am capable of authentic connection. I like guest posting as a portfolio thing also rather than a method of traffic.

    Hope that makes it easier to understand :-)

    - Jade
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