Creating and maintaining a blog is not for everyone (it actually shouldn't be an option at all for most people or businesses). It is the mother of all time commitments, and worse, could take years—if ever—to bring substantial traffic to your website. However, while building your own blog might not be such a hot idea, creating blogs and columns for other outlets, ones with niche communities and strong track records, can help get your brand in front of tens of thousands of potential clients.

Look no further than past articles that I've written for various outlets, and you'll quickly see the benefits of guest blogging just by looking at how many times each article has been shared via Facebook and Twitter. And let's not forget the inherent credibility, SEO, and marketing value. When you guest blog for sites such as Mashable, outlets will offer you "credit" in exchange, posting your bio information and providing you with link backs to your website. While guest blogging will rarely lead to straight-up cash payments, the right article hitting the right audience with a well-written piece has the potential to attract swarms of leads to your website—turf where you can then work to convert them into paying clients or referrers.

However, before you even consider emailing a single editor, remember this: In order to be given the honor of guest posting for any of the big dogs, you must first craft a solid, no-fluff pitch that shows the editor what value you can offer their readers and what qualifies you to be the messenger. Sales speak, jargon, and bs will get you nowhere fast except caught in a spam filter, so be authentic, because you may only get one chance to present your case. If you get the go-ahead to write a guest post, keep the content as rich in material and information as possible. Avoid talking about yourself or your company unless it's directly related to lessons learned or high-quality information and advice. The better the content, the better your return on investment will be.

I asked the Young Entrepreneur Council for their best tips on how business owners can attract strong readership, encourage sharing, and increase the possibility for click-through conversions when guest blogging for well-trafficked media outlets and websites. Read below for their advice and click to follow their Twitter feeds and read their blogs.

1. Incentives and Great Content

The key is writing a killer article. You're on stage; make it a great performance. You might also consider taking the conversation into the comments or a social-media channel to widen exposure. If you can offer some incentive to give you feedback or share the article, do so.

—Derek Shanahan, Foodtree

2. Get to the Point

Long, aimless articles quickly get skimmed and rarely result in a click-through. Be sure your articles are well written and to the point to help readers get the information they want.

—Lisa Nicole Bell, Inspired Life Media Group

3. Get the Buzz On!

One of the best ways to get buzz for your guest blog is to rally a team of brand ambassadors to promote the post. Find 20 Internet-savvy friends or fans who dig what you do. Ask them to post an authentic comment and share the link with their tweeps and Facebook friends. Watch the blog blow up.

—Gabrielle Bernstein, her future

4. Stir a Debate

Engaging the readers of your guest post is an excellent way to increase the chances of conversion. One of the best ways to do so is by being controversial in your post. Spark a debate that allows you to connect with these potential readers, and chances are they'll click through.

—Benjamin Lang, EpicLaunch

5. Email Your "Fan Club"

Once in a while I get a mass email from a friend asking if we'd all share his or her newly published link on Facebook or Twitter. These people don't abuse the ask, and when it's truly a major outlet, a breakthrough achievement, who wouldn't be happy to publicly give props? So start with those who are already invested in your success—don't be shy to be your own best publicist!

—Tammy Tibbetts, She's the First