Volunteering your time to create content for a company or organization is a great way to get your work published and grow your personal brand. Writing a blog post, guide or event recap can yield new connections and increase your reputation within your industry. Here are four ideas to volunteer your way to a stronger personal brand. 

Does your company have a blog? Chances are, your blog editor or community manager is always looking for content and would be happy to take your articles and publish them on the company blog. Volunteer your time to contribute your knowledge through content and enjoy the engagement it generates for both you and your company.

Last year I volunteered my way into the first-ever Minnesota Blogger Conference by holding signage and making coffee at the event. This year I'm part of the planning team and excited to watch tickets go like hot cakes when registration starts this Wednesday (Watch @MNBlogCon for details). In that time I've made many new friends and connections, all in the name of a great event for the bloggers of Minnesota.

Local organizations often host events, but many fail to take advantage of the content value of these events. Volunteer to write a recap blog post for the organization and there's a good chance they'll say yes. (Bonus: Capture a video interview with the speaker on your iPad and include it on the recap post as exclusive blog-only material.)

Share your subject matter expertise by presenting at and blogging about  events within the business community. You'll provide value to the community and build your personal brand by volunteering to speak at events like these.

I've never seen a website with too much quality content on it. Frankly, I'm not sure such a thing exists. If you take your time to write a quality article, no organization in their right mind will turn down the opportunity to publish free, excellent content. Find a publication that interests you, volunteer your time and see what happens.

Where have you volunteered your time by creating content?