Writing guest posts is a longstanding SEO best practice--for good reason. It exposes you to new audiences, gives you a new platform for your ideas, and--let's say the big SEO part--you get a link to your page from a relevant, reputable website.

It is a worthwhile effort--so effective that many writers send out bulk emails with hopes of a yes. My advice: instead of sending out blanket pitches, follow this plan, and you'll elevate your chances of getting accepted:

  1. Reach out to relevant websites with a strong SEO presence.
  2. Pitch a guest post topic that they're 10X more likely to accept.
  3. Be ready with an outline of what you would cover.
  4. Send a well-crafted email that cuts through the inbox noise.

This only feels "easier said than done" if you don't have the steps to back it up. Let's dig into how you can nail each step and get your guest post accepted.

How to Write a Great Guest Post Pitch

A Step by Step Plan to Get Your Guest Post Accepted

Reach out to Relevant Websites with a Strong SEO Presence

The best partner for your guest post will be a topically relevant website with a strong SEO footprint in their space. This gives you a chance to write a post that will reach the right audiences. Don't worry about having to guess who they are. Here's how you can zero in on that list:

Type a wide-reaching industry keyword into SpyFu. Click the tab for SERP Analysis and find domains that rank for that term.

Why wide-reaching? If I type "keyword research" that's too close for SpyFu. I'll get direct competitors. Something wider like "digital marketing" or "SEO strategy" should help me find good partner sites.

Browse for Ideas

Scroll through the domains, and keep noting relevant and attainable websites. You'll notice that I jumped into sites that rank on page 2, because they are relevant to the industry and overall topic. I skipped past sites like Quora and Reddit. You're looking for potential partners. Go deeper into the SERP results than you might think.

Remember that you can keep adjusting the keyword too. SpyFu's unlimited searches mean that you can fine tune these ideas as much as you need. Go back to the Keyword Overview page and look at Related Keywords for a change in direction.

Or Use Your Website to Find Distant Competitors

Still not sure? Type your domain and navigate to SEO>Top Organic Competitors.
Scroll down below the chart and keep going until the overlap is very small.  

That overlap represents your shared keywords. We want relevant websites that are in your ballpark, not your backyard.

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Search any of those domains that you found with the following Google search operator: site:[domain name] "guest post" to see if they have guidelines or a submission page.

If they don't have a dedicated page, search that domain's content manager or marketing manager for your best lead into accepting guest posts.

Pitch a guest post topic that they're 10X more likely to accept

Ideally, you will pitch a topic that you're authoritative on, AND it excites your prospect (the website content manager you are reaching out to). They are more willing to approve compelling topics that work alongside content that is already on their blog. They want pages that help them establish authority and serve their audience. 

We have two suggested methods:

  • Find their top click-earning pages: This tells you the content that resonates for them so you can pitch a topic with the right tone.
  • Find gaps in their topics where your expertise shines: It's hard to say no to this kind of pitch.

Find their Most Clicked Pages

This tells you the content that resonates for them so you can pitch a topic with the right tone.

  1. Type their website into SpyFu, and select the tab for SEO Research>Top Pages.
  2. Browse the results to see which specific pages bring in the most traffic from search results. 
  3. Keep these in mind when you are pitching. Watch for angles they use, what titles say about their content (deep studies, click-magnets?) and any possible companion pieces that could work with one of them.

Find the Gaps in Their Topics Where Your Expertise Shines

This combination packs a wallop, because you are primed to deliver a unique point of view that dives deeper than what they could have offered. This one is a fast-track to an enthusiastic "yes" on one condition--it needs to be a competitive topic in their space.

Here's exactly how you find that combination.

  1. Type their website into SpyFu, and select the tab for SEO Research>Kombat.
  2. This competitor comparison shows you industry-focused keywords that they are missing. 
  3. Scroll down below the chart to see selected keywords from this comparison. Change the segment to "Missing Keywords." These are industry-relevant topics the website does not rank for, but their competitors do. You can even use the filters to narrow your list to high-search volume terms before you browse.

That's part one of the combination. Let's find some ideas.

Use the left side menu to flip to Topics. This will help you browse the ideas faster. Look for high-level topics where you can offer some helpful insight. 

For example, a number of artists and designers are skilled in color selection but would never think of the Home DIY category as their niche.

When you drill into the topics, though, you can find untapped connections to your talents like "paint." A DIY website would welcome a new guest post on color theory for painting your new bathroom so that it evokes the right mood. This is your sweet spot.

Write a well-crafted email that cuts through the inbox noise

You could be one of a dozen people asking for a link, a guest post, a phone call, or anything that takes a commitment. You need to cut through the noise in their inbox with professionalism and the best email to pitch a guest post so you get a yes.

Write Better Pitch Emails That Cut Through the Noise

Read the guide that I linked above, and remember these takeaways: leave the gimmicks behind, be respectful, and be brief. Don’t hesitate to follow up at least once if you don't hear anything.

Give Them More Reasons to Trust You

A few more details add to your credibility without padding the email to much. Add these bullets to your email:

  • Links to some of your past writing examples (2-3 are great)
  • Keywords you plan to target

They Said Yes. Now What?

Nice! Now that you have the green light, make sure that you follow through with good practices that make for a smooth experience.

You'll need to respond to their approval email. Thank them for the opportunity, and get on the same page about how you will share the post. Here are some important points to cover.

Agree on Timing

Content managers usually work with content calendars, and there is an expectation that you can help fill a hole. If they haven't told you their preferred timeline to see your first draft, suggest one.

Two weeks is a reasonable amount of time to turn over an original draft.

Confirm Deliverables

General practice for a guest post is that you deliver a draft for them to comment on for edits or approval. You might be asked to send an outline of the topic first– especially if it's your first time working with a new team.

You might be asked to send a bio and photo for your author page. Some excellent guest post authors I've worked with have their photo available as a shareable link. This is a helpful practice for both of us. Always keep a bio ready that is 35-50 words long.

Ask if they have a Preferred Format

You should write your article on a platform you are comfortable with, but you will need to deliver your final draft in something that works for the content manager, too.

Google Docs is a shareable platform that's widely used, easily accessed and comment-friendly. It also retains formatting so that your headers, links, and bold type easily carry over into most CMS platforms. It's my top choice for sharing and commenting on drafts. Notion is a runner-up.

Direct to CMS?

Most likely you will send a draft for them to load into their CMS. However, they might grant you author-status in their CMS where you can drop your final draft into the editor directly. Be sure to ask in case you need to set that up ahead of your deadline.

This seems like a lot to cover, but the content manager might include it all in their confirmation email. Here's a checklist to make sure that these details get covered between the two of you:

  • Deadline for the draft
  • Whether they need to approve an outline (and a deadline for that)
  • Do they prefer a certain platform?
  • Length of the post
  • What they need for your author page

Guest Post Best Practices Inside the Article

When you write the post, this is your chance to reach a new audience, build a reputation for reliability, and plant some seeds to write future posts. Remember these guest post best practices to help you lock those in.

  • Create detailed, high-quality content that would be useful for the target site’s readership.
  • Support your claims with relevant, high-authority sources to gain more credibility.
  • Browse the website's blog and include at least one relevant internal link with descriptive anchor text. (Use the SpyFu Top Pages trick to search their pages by keywords and topics.)

That last step lifts that writer a few notches in my eyes. It shows me that they're invested in this article being successful for us, too. I strongly recommend that you look for internal links as well as external links in your guest post.

Guest posting as an SEO strategy is both effective and popular. While you're asking another site to accept your guest post, you will have plenty of company. Let that be your motivation to put your best foot forward. With these guest post best practices, you'll ramp up your chances of getting published on great partner sites.