It’s a no brainer that you would want to become a contributing blogger for a media outlet. You gain exposure for yourself or your business and the media outlet gets quality content produced to their website. Did you know that you can become a contributor for high trust sites in minutes? Read on to figure out the easiest and most effective way to become a contributor today.
Step One: Be A Good Writer
If isn’t obvious enough already, you will want to make sure you are a great writer if you want to become a contributor. While there are some media outlets that don’t really check your grammar or spelling, having poorly written articles with incorrect spelling can tarnish the reputation of your brand. You don’t want to look unprofessional or untrustworthy. Even if you do decide to post an article that you haven’t proofread to those sites, they will still take it down if it is hard to read.
If you’re not naturally a good writer or don’t have the time to craft a well-written article, then hiring a ghostwriter might be a great option for you. Websites like Fiverr and Upwork allow you hire people to ghostwrite stories for you. Just make sure you’re choosing an experienced ghostwriter who is knowledgeable on your topic of choice!
Step Two: Figure Out What You’re An Expert In
Those high-tier media outlets that you eventually want to write for don’t just choose anyone. When applying to these media outlets to become a contributor, you will need to think from the outlet’s point of view. Why would they want you to be a guest writer for them? What is a topic that you have expert knowledge or experience in?
Maybe you’re a business owner and can write about the ways you have managed a successful business. Perhaps you have a Master’s degree or Phd in something and you can write about that. Or maybe you didn’t pursue higher education but you are an expert in supply chain management because you’ve done it for so many years.
Don’t be afraid to get creative when discovering your topic of choice. If you’re even considering becoming a contributor for a media outlet, you know you’re an expert at something.
Step Three: Apply, Apply, Apply
Now that you’ve assessed your writing skills (or hired a ghostwriter! Whatever works for you!) and determined your area of expertise, it’s time to get to applying. The secret to applying to become a contributor is to apply to the easiest platforms first. Forbes or Entrepreneur most likely won’t accept you as a contributor if you don’t have previous experience writing for other platforms.
There are platforms that will accept your application in minutes! A popular website is Medium. Start writing there and then share your work with your friends, family, colleagues, etc. Spread the word that you have work on this platform and that you’re trying to get it seen!
Once you have gained enough credibility on Medium, you can move to a higher level platform like Thrive Global. Though not quite the same level of popularity as Huffington Post, it is owned by them. Thus, it’s a great idea to start posting there now before it gets harder to become a contributor later. From there, you can move on to an even higher platform, like Business Community.
The idea is to start small and then gradually move yourself up to bigger and bigger names. As you do this, you will be able to create a portfolio of articles to showcase to those key platforms like Forbes or Entrepreneur that are harder to apply to. Having a portfolio of about five to six well-written articles will really help you stand out as a legitimate contributor.
Some Important Tips To Keep In Mind
- Each site has its own terms of service for what they allow to be published. Read through these carefully and tailor your content to each site accordingly. You don’t want to run the risk of being banned from posting to a site because you couldn’t be bothered to read their rules!
- Create a website for your portfolio. Having a website to show off all of your work in one place is a great idea because it is a convenient and professional way to view the articles you’ve written. Having a website can also help you stand out and solidify your personal brand.
- However, no matter how good your website looks or how fancy your portfolio of work is, to become a contributor to those bigger names like Forbes and Entrepreneur, you still need to have expertise on a topic. Having genuine experience and knowledge on your topic is the key to becoming a contributor. Never stop educating yourself!
- If you’re having trouble becoming a contributor on your own, hire a PR agency (like Otter PR!). Public relations agencies can expedite the process of becoming a contributor by generating positive press for your brand or business! The more positive press you have, the more credible you will look, and the higher your chances of becoming a contributor for larger media outlets.
In Conclusion
Becoming a contributor is not some mysterious, hard process, even though it may seem like it. With these three simple steps and important tips in mind, becoming a contributor is actually a pretty straightforward path that will do wonders for yourself or your business! Watch our newest YouTube video to learn more:
