Did you know that, according to a survey by SEM Rush, guest posting is the number one way professional marketers build their backlinks? What’s a backlink — it’s a link back to your site from somewhere not on your site. So to help build backlinks and spread the word about your website, you want to have a guest post here or want me to write something for your blog, magazine, newspaper or website? My answer is a very loud YES. I am more than happy to provide something, assuming it fits within the topics listed below. Because I know the importance of backlinks to both Google ranking and domain authority as well as to general findability, I prefer that for every guest post I write that I also receive one, and for every one I receive that I also submit one. I call this reciprocal guest posting. Essentially, I’ll give you a spotlight and a linkback if you’ll do me the same kindness in return. My goal is that everyone wins, and working together helps us both do just that!
At this time, I do not plan to publish more than one guest post per week and it will likely be on Monday. I will narrate the post for inclusion in the podcast version, but if you want to narrate it yourself I encourage that. Send me an MP3 recording of your post including the title, your name and your blog, and the content of your post. I’ll add my intro, provide a lead in, and the outro.
Content
Your post needs be on one of these topics, or closely related:
- Personal Growth
- Emotional Intelligence
- Leadership
- Owning Personal Value
- Professional Development
- Financial Independence
- Financial Management
Please, no product advertisements or sponsored posts. Those will be rejected.
Guidelines
As is typical of guest posts, I expect original content which has not been previously published in any form. You can revisit a favorite topic, but have a new spin or point to make. The same will be true of the post I provide to you.
Once accepted into Stepping Up, you agree not to publish the post anywhere else, including your own blog or Web site. That said, I entirely encourage you to post a brief “tease” or summary on your site and social media outlets that link to the actual post. I will be doing the same for the post which will appear on your site.
Credit for your work will definitely be given in the form of your name as the contributing author, a brief bio to appear at the end of the post, and a link to your blog or web site. A guest author account will be created to ensure that proper credit is given, so if you have a Gravatar icon with your image on it that would be ideal.
Your post should be at least 500 words long and no more than 1500 words.
I also ask that your site be technically optimized. Need some help with this? There are tons of resources available, but this one will get you started. Essentially, if you’re serious about your blog this step will be critical for you to enhance the effectiveness of your backlinks.
Editing
I always proof read submitted posts. Basic copy writing errors such as grammar, punctuation, spelling, duplicate or missing words, etc, will be corrected as a matter of course and will not returned for approval. Any substantive changes, however, will be sent back to you with change requests for rework.
It’s possible that I’ll provide an brief intro or other addition as needed. I’ll do so in a manner that makes it clear the addition is mine and not part of the guest writing.
Disclaimer
Please contact me BEFORE sending me anything. Remember, I prefer reciprocal posting and this means I’ll need time to write something specifically for you and your audience just as you’ll need time to write something for me. Contacting me with a query is no guarantee that I’ll have the bandwidth to work with you at that time.
Once we have mutually agreed to support each other, then I WILL be posting your article and tell you the date it is scheduled to appear. I expect the same courtesy in return. Posts submitted without pre-approved reciprocity may or may not hear anything back from me. If the post is really strong and it fits really well, I’ll contact you about returning the guest post favor.
Submissions
Once everything above has been met, it’s time to send me your stuff. Email it to me in the body with only an MP3 audio as an attachment, if you want to narrate your own post. I will email you my post to you in the format that you have requested during the initial contact phase.
This is where I come to wrestle with what it means to actually live what I say I believe. It’s not about being perfect or enlightened—it’s about being real, being willing, and being in process.
I believe we are soul first, human second. And in this life, that means our emotional messes, identity crises, ego structures, and old patterns are the curriculum. I don’t have all the answers. But I do know that the only way out is through—and I’m committed to doing that work out loud.
This podcast is part of that process. It’s where I share the insights that come from deep dives, emotional gut punches, and the occasional cosmic slap. If you’re walking your own version of this path, you’re not alone.
Come as you are. No masks required. Just curiosity, courage, and a willingness to grow.
Let’s walk it together.