Guest posting on popular blogs is a lot more effective than referral traffic, according to HubSpot.
A few weeks ago, I reflected on some of the most common types of pitches I get.
And I could talk for hours about my own experiences with guest pitching.
Challenges of guest posting
When business owners and creatives give guest posting a try, the hard part is the pitch.
And getting it wrong will do nothing but annoy the sender, and inspire them to hit the delete key.
But What do others find impressive?
Recently I took some time off from my online business, and I asked some of my favorite bloggers about their ideal pitch.
And the responses I got were pretty insightful…
“Having guest bloggers who are in my larger community/niche, or with whom I have mutual biz friends is always preferable.
You can trust them more quickly knowing what others in your community already have.
I’ve been working with guest bloggers for a long time and have seen some shady stuff, so that trust is really important.
Secondly, while the blogger doesn’t need to talk just like I do or about my exact ‘corner’ of productivity, making an effort to match the overall tone of my site is important.
Finally, I love me some detailed content!
A lot of times, you see people ‘throw together’ guest posts just to get their name out there.
But those posts should be some of your best stuff if you’re just starting out.
Researching the topic, including examples, and referencing related posts I’ve already published are a quick way to my heart.”
“I love when guest post pitches have some personality to them. They let me know a little about who they are as well as their idea for a post.
I am intrigued when guest posters include actual titles of posts they are working on and would like to send over. This way I know exactly what the post will be about.
It is also important to actually read the blog and look through some of the posts on the site you want to guest post on.
I love when a pitch includes some of my posts they found interesting or inspiring.
This helps me know they will generate a post that will fit my audience.
I also ask for original images as much as possible in the post.
I am a beauty blogger so this is important to me.
If not original images, at least high-quality stock photos.
Images are so important in my niche and really all niches.
Finally, I really love when a guest post pitches mention that they will include a Pinterest image that I can tweak to my branding.
I almost always accept these offers.”
- Know who they’re pitching and address them accordingly.
- Do a little bit of research about who they’re pitching and show they have by offering an authentic compliment.
- Make the pitch about the prospect, not themselves.
Lastly, make sure to follow the pitching guidelines to a “T” if they have them.
“A perfect guest post pitch includes who you are, what you do, your prior guest posting experiences, and why you want to write for a particular blog.
Before sending the guest post pitch, ‘stalk’ the blog’s editor, join their e-mail list and follow them on social media channels.
It is easy to spot those people who are reaching out just for the exposure from those who have a genuine interest in the publication.
Before sending the guest post pitch, ‘stalk’ the blog’s editor, join their e-mail list and follow them on social media channels.
Once you do reach out, mention something they wrote that you found interesting, or comment on an Instagram post that made your laugh.
Many blogs that accept guest posts have a guidelines page, so make sure that you follow that accordingly.
Even if they do not mention they accept guest posts, do not hesitate to e-mail and ask.
Just make sure to include some sort of connection that you have with the blog, at least three guest post pitch ideas, and end on a note that you are open to other ideas and suggestions.
If you do not get an answer a week from the day you sent the e-mail, it is okay to send a follow-up message.
Also, just because one publication rejected your pitch, does not mean that another will too.
Keep trying until you get a positive response.”
-Marina Lotaif, Yes to Tech
“There is only one element that I must see in a guest post pitch:
The post you’re pitching must be relevant and useful to my readers.
It’s amazing how many people fail to nail that. Here are a few ways to make sure your post gets accepted:
1) You know my blog and my audience.
The biggest reason why I reject guest post pitches is that it’s abundantly clear that the person pitching has no idea what my website is about.
They haven’t read a single page or blog post, so they are pitching a blog post idea that is completely unrelated to my niche.
I never accept unrelated posts because they won’t help my reader.
In order to help my readers, you need to have a basic understanding of who I write for and what I write about.
Read a few blog posts and follow me on social media to see what content I share.
2) It includes clear, actionable tips.
Most of us read blog posts to get new ideas or inspiration.
With that in mind, make sure your post is teaching my reader something useful.
Don’t just write about why bloggers need an editorial calendar, show us how to create an editorial calendar.
If you can do those two things, then I would love to publish your post on my blog!”
“On our blog, we offer guest features for our #BoldBossTribe series.
The pitches that really stand out to us are people who have taken the time to add some detail to their submissions and aren’t afraid to be raw with their stories.
There is so much fluff online these days about starting businesses.
So we appreciate people who share that owning a business isn’t always a clear path to success and sometimes your path will change along the way.
When we accept features, we’re really looking for stories that will inspire our audience.
You may be approaching guest blogging to expand your reach, but your content needs to be mutually beneficial to the person you are pitching.”
“Be thoughtful about your pitches!
I think this is the single most valuable tip for guest blog pitches.
When someone takes the time to look through my blog and the topic I write about it really shows.
This may sound simple but you’d be surprised of how many people blast out pitches that are obvious they’ve never looked at your website.
I suggest providing a few blog ideas in your pitch and mentioning where they may fit into their blog.
Not only does this show you’ve done a little homework, but it will help the blogger decide if your content would be a good fit.
Another suggestion I have is to be specific.
I get a lot of pitches of people who want to “collaborate” but they don’t elaborate much on what they have in mind.
This ends up leading to several emails or calls back and forth to decide if it’s a good fit.
Being direct will make the process easier for everyone involved and increase your chances of securing opportunities.”
– Anna Osgoodby, co- founder of Bold & Pop/ founder of annaosgoody.com
“The perfect guest post pitch isn’t something you copy, paste, and send.
The perfect pitch requires thought, personalization, and a connection with the person you’re pitching.
Always start your email by saying something about the person’s blog, business, or social media presence.
Saying something meaningful and genuine is a must.
If you can’t think of anything to say to the person you’d like to pitch, take a few weeks to get to know them.”
“The ideal guest blog post pitch to T1International is one from someone who clearly understands what is important to us.
Someone that shows they are willing to incorporate themes we are passionate about into what they have to say will almost always get us excited, even if they don’t have perfect writing skills.”
“Perfect guest blog post pitches explain how the writer’s idea can provide value.
They’re also focused, detailed, and follow the target blog’s editorial guidelines.
If a blog doesn’t make their expectations for guest content public, then reach out and ask how they’d like to be pitched.
The vast majority of pitches fail because they don’t follow basic directions.
If you can get past that hurdle, you’ll be ahead of most of your competition.”
” I do like inviting guest bloggers to post on my site.
But I’m not sure about the whole ‘pitching’ thing.
I usually just email and ask someone to write a guest post for me, and suggest a topic.
They check out my site and respond.
What is ‘pitching’ all about?”
