I view guest blogging, e-mail Q&As that are published on blogs, recorded Zoom and Skype interviews, and other invitations that fall out of the internet and land in my inbox as bonus opportunities for information sharing.I realize, though, that not everybody sees it that way.

Writing a guest post or answering questions for someone else’s blog takes time — and time can be hard to come by.

Guest blogging goes both ways

That applies whether you’re writing for someone else’s site, or you’re inviting a person to write for your site.

In the same way that you might hesitate to write for another site, you might be reluctant to ask someone to make that same commitment to you.

But guest blogging — whether you’re contributing to someone else’s blog or inviting them to contribute to yours — is a powerful book marketing tactic. Here are four reasons why:

1. You will reach people you might not reach on your own.

When you contribute information to someone else’s blog, you’re sharing your message with people in your target audience who might not know about you.

If there’s overlap with some of your other marketing efforts — for example, if some of the people who read that blog also follow you on Twitter and Pinterest — all the better. That boosts your credibility while you get the benefit of message repetition.

2. The person who contributes to your blog will bring their fan base to your site.

When you invite another author to write a guest post or do a Q&A on your blog, the people in that person’s network will follow that author to your site. They’ll learn more about you and possibly become fans of yours, too.

That’s a real two-fer — you get content for your blog that you don’t have to create while you help expand your audience. What blogger doesn’t want or need both?

3. You will create and solidify important relationships that will support your activities over the long run.

Do you think that Nina Amir is my new BFF after inviting me to contribute to her site? You bet she is!

We are now connected in a way that isn’t superficial. I will go out of my way to support her as much as I can as a way to repay her for the opportunity to share information with her followers.

4. Providing Information on your blog from other sources is a reader service.

You’re giving your blog subscribers and followers access to information and insights they might not get elsewhere. Isn’t that the point of your blog?

Any time you can draw in helpful information from other sources, you’re providing your readers and followers with a service. They appreciate that.

Be open to the potential of guest blogging. It could open doors that have been stuck shut; it could expand your reach in new and exciting ways.

And, to become the kind of guest blogger who gets invited back, be sure to download our free Guest Blogging Cheat Sheet. It’s your shortcut to success.

What other reasons to guest blog would you add to the list?

(Editor’s note: This article was first published in October 2012. It has been updated and expanded.)

Reader Magnets

That doesn’t mean that nonfiction authors can’t learn from it, though. It just means that if you write nonfiction, you’ll have to fill in a few blanks on your own. (More on that later.)

Use free books as reader magnets

The premise behind the book is that fiction writers can attract the right readers to their email lists by giving away their first book, which contains a link to a page on the author’s website where the reader can download a second book for free in exchange for providing their email address.

It seems that the detailed instructions provided in this 50-page book apply to fiction authors who have written at least two books. Because of that, it would be easy to conclude that the advice in Reader Magnets won’t help a novelist writing that first book, or who has written just one book so far.

But that’s not the case.

Approach this strategy with an open mind and creativity, and you will see that you can still use Stephenson’s approach and helpful how-to information with different “ethical bribes” to get readers on your list. Instead of offering a free e-book, offer a short story, novella, printable illustrations from a children’s book, and so on.

What do you have in your files already that will give readers a sample of your storytelling skills?

If you write nonfiction

If you write nonfiction and have authored just one book — and perhaps don’t intend to write another — you can use other content for your ethical bribe. Consider offering a collection of blog posts on a specific topic or a special report, checklist, template, audio interview, demonstration video, and so on.

Here’s what I really like about this book: Stephenson shows you how to do it with screenshots and detailed instructions. While most content of this sort says, “Create an account with Mailchimp and follow the instructions to add a template to your site and create a list,” expecting you to figure out the specifics on your own, Stephenson says, “Here’s what you will see on your screen when you take this step.”

He explains how to set up what’s called a “landing page,” a web page with a single purpose: to offer that reader magnet in exchange for an email address.

Using Mailchimp as an email list management service example, he shows how to set up your email system.

Finally, he explains what to send to your mailing list, and when, so that you stay in touch with readers in a way that’s rewarding for both them and you.

Naturally, because this book is just 50 pages, it isn’t the only resource you’ll ever need to truly understand email marketing best practices or landing page design. Still, it offers enough details and specifics to get you up and running while you learn more.

I recommend it for any author of fiction or nonfiction who understands the importance of email marketing to book sales and author success.

Have you started building an email list?

That’s because guest blogging is one of the best ways I have of introducing authors to the helpful material I provide in the newsletter and on this site. When I share some of that information on someone else’s site, a percentage of the host’s readers come here for more of it. Some inevitably subscribe to the newsletter so they receive more how-to information in their inbox every week.

It’s an easy — and effective — way for me to reach and help more authors with the how-to book marketing advice I offer.

“Reach More Readers Through Guest Blogging”

That’s one reason why I jumped at the chance to speak on how to “Reach More Readers Through Guest Blogging” at the Reach More Readers 9th Annual Book Marketing Conference Online taking place next month.

As part of my speaker commitment, I wrote a guest blog post, “Guest blogging for authors is alive and well,” for the public portion of the conference site. (The private section, where you can get access to bonus materials that include my guest blogging best practices and guest blogging checklist downloads, is available only to those registered for the event.)

To learn more about why guest blogging for authors is alive and well in spite of what you might have read elsewhere in the past year or so, just click on over to the Reach More Readers conference site. You’ll discover five ways guest blogging helps authors and three tips for making sure you get the power of Google behind your guest post.

I’m also talking about guest blogging on the “Reach More Readers” podcast on iTunes this week, too. As of today, it’s the first recording on the list, but later, look for the September 13, 2015 release date.

Download guest blogging cheat sheet

Most importantly, make sure you read our free “Guest Blogging Cheat Sheet” that details nine best practices that will keep you from making mistakes that undermine your guest blogging success.

This cheat sheet, which you can download as a PDF file immediately, will help you deliver the guest post your host expects. It’s your short cut to looking — and acting! — like a guest blogging pro.

Download your free copy of the Guest Blogging Cheat Sheet now. Then begin looking for topic-specific guest blogging opportunities that will help you connect with more of the right readers.

(If you like the download, please share this link with your author friends so it can help them, too: https://buildbookbuzz.com/guestblogging.)

Do you guest blog on other sites? Why or why not?