Content is the key to building a strong online reputation. Creating content on the same few websites over and over again is only going to do so much for your brand. The goal is to maximize your digital footprint and get featured on his many authoritative websites as possible.

To get featured on authoritative websites, the most common approach is to share content. Content can come in all different shapes and forms including guest posts, video interviews, and audio podcasts. Leveraging existing relationships and proactively creating new ones is the best way to get your content or on the web.

Here are 10 ways to use relationships to build a strong online reputation;

Identify LinkedIn Connections That Own or Contribute to Blogs

This is one of the quickest and easiest ways to get a guest post. Conduct a search on LinkedIn for ”blog” and select only first-degree connections. Then sift through the results and identify all of your connections that contribute to a blog. Then send them a message asking if they would allow you to contribute to the blog. In most cases, blog managers are always interested in producing more content on their site, so an article contribution from a trusted source will come as a great welcome. Since you’re already connected with the person, it will be significantly easier to get a response.

Identify Twitter Followers That Own or Contribute to Blogs

While not as personal as LinkedIn, Twitter can also be a great source of existing relations to tap into. Visit the profile of each of your Twitter followers and view the website in their profile link. Take a quick look to see if their website contains a blog and if that blog is relevant to you in your industry. If it feels like a good fit, reach out via tweet or direct message and mentioned that you are interested in writing an article on their blog. Again, many of these people realize the value of creating more content and will welcome the offer.

Identify Business Neighbors That Have a Blog

This method is incredibly easy and often overlooked. Whether your business is located in a downtown area, co-working space, or work from home office, there are likely many nearby businesses that you have networked with. Take a quick look around your business location, and also on Google maps, and see if there are any nearby business blogs that you can contribute to . While it’s unlikely that you’ll find the perfect fit, if you’re creative it won’t be hard to find a topic that will be beneficial to their audience.

Identify Vendors and Service Providers That Have a Blog

Most companies rely on at least a dozen service providers to run their operations. Whether its online software, payroll, accounting, or IT services, there are likely dozens of existing relationships you could leverage to obtain a guest post. One of the most common ways of executing the strategy is to create a “here’s how we use xyz services in the xyz industry”. These types of posts are an easy way to get a guest posts and also provided tremendous amount of value for your vendor or service provider.