There are several ways to appear on major publications online. You can either write for them, be featured on these publications, or get a brand mention. No matter the option you chose, it’s still a win-win situation for you.I still remember the feelings I got when I became a blogger on the HuffPost. Those were the days when Arianna Huffington was still in charge of affairs there. The Huffington Post is the first major publication I ever wrote for before others followed.
Getting published or seen on major publications online is a great way to add value to your online marketing campaigns.
You get benefits such as brand awareness, strong reputation and authority, better referral traffic, increase in your domain authority, and more publishing opportunities. The good thing about this is that you can either do it alone or PR strategist to help you out.
How to appear on major publications online
After working closely with companies to get them published on several publications online, I’ve discovered a lot of things that actually works — not just for me alone but for others as well.
– Build a foundation
This is where most people fail. I also failed in this area when I got started. However, you don’t have to fail at it. There is a strategy to this.
You need to build a solid brand reputation on your website by showcasing your expertise. The best way to do this is by developing a content strategy that showcases your expertise.
Your strategy can be in form of blog posts, videos, infographics, podcasts, or by incorporating all of these elements.
The point is not just to appear as an expert but to actually be an expert in your niche. Your website will serve as your portfolio and also as a way to build your initial audience.
If your content strategy is to use blog posts, aim to start with at least 10 articles. They should be focused on your contributions, insights, and expertise in your industry. I can help you in developing a practical content strategy and calendar if you need help with this.
– Get social
Large followers on social media is a good way to get the the attention of an editor of a publication. You can use LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Quora, and Medium to your advantage.
There is a strategy I use which I’ve found to work well. When you create a content for your website, you can also re-publish them on your social media pages — Facebook Page, LinkedIn Pulse, and Medium.
The keyword here is “re-publish”. This strategy works fine. I ran an experiment on Medium using this strategy and two of my republished contents where picked up by top publications on Medium.
You don’t have to overthink it. If you need help implementing this, don’t hesitate to contact me.
You can do the same thing with Quora but with a different approach. This might require you tweaking your articles to answer the questions on Quora. I’ve experimented with this too and it works fine.
– Learn about publications
All publications have their preferred audience, contents, and guidelines to getting your content featured on them. It’s your duty to find all these things out before you send in your pitch.
You’re to research staff writers, contributors, and editors. They all have different roles to play in your being featured or published on your preferred publication.
Most times, your manner of approach is the only requirement you need to get in as most editors and contributors are open to new ideas. Don’t worry, it’s not as hard as you think. Just work on your approach and give it your best shot.
– Start small with your pitch
Realistically, the term “small” is relative to the requirements of your preferred publication. By small, I mean you should go with publications where their pitching requirements and barrier to being published is low.
For example, you can’t start with HuffPost, Forbes, Business Insider, Inc, Fast Company, and the others. You might end up frustrated. Instead, you can start with publications who are actively seeking for new writers to feature.
You point is to get you started without much stress. So start small and then grow big.
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