If you’re planning on using guest posting as a part of your content marketing strategy, it’s important to get it right. A lot of popular bloggers and high-traffic websites receive a ton of guest post pitches every single day. Luckily for you, most of them are pretty terrible.
If you spend time crafting the perfect guest post pitch you’ll increase your chances of your post being accepted and hopefully build a long-term relationship with the blogger.
Below you’ll find our tips that will increase your chances of landing a guest post on your dream blog or website.
1. Build Rapport And Show That You Care
Often, people simply ask to write a guest post without taking the time to build up any kind of relationship. Before you pitch, especially if it’s a single author blog, it’s important you take the time to email them, comment on a blog post, or purchase one of their products.
This helps to highlight that you’re an active member of their community and you actually care about the work of the author.
You can even build rapport within your email by mentioning how long you’ve been a fan by referencing a few of your favorite posts.
Some people have even had success by mentioning a shared interest. For example, maybe both of you are very interested in windsurfing. Building a connection that’s outside of the business space can be very valuable and will help you stand out.
2. Be A Case Study
Have you implemented one of their strategies, or frameworks, and found success in your business and life? If so, then mention it.
This can even be the topic of your blog post. A successful case study not only provides value to their readers, but it also provides massive social proof that what the author is sharing actually works.
3. Illustrate Your Value
When designing your guest post pitch make sure you gear your post towards the audience of the blog you’re writing for. It can be useful to take a look through their most popular posts, as these resonate highly with the audience.
When you’re crafting potential titles for your blog posts make sure they mimic past successful post formats.
It can be helpful to mention your background and any other posts you might have written, but make the topic of your email geared towards the value you can bring to them and their audience, not your accolades alone.
4. Give Multiple Options
When pitching potential posts it can be helpful to give them more than one option to choose from. Don’t overwhelm them with post ideas. You can always pitch them again, but give them at least three post topics to choose from.
Never write the post first, unless the blog demands it. Always ensure your idea is approved before diving into the writing process. This will save you valuable time.
5. Realize You’re Dealing With People
In the end, it’s always important to remember there’s another person on the end of your email exchange. It can be all too easy to distance ourselves across the digital landscape. Think about what kind of emails you love to receive and reply to and structure your pitch accordingly.
Give them the needed information and nothing more.
By following the tips above you’ll increase your chances of landing a guest post on a blog or website that has the potential to grow your authority and send traffic back to your website.
Kevin Wood writes about technology and human potential. You can find him at his virtual homes Wooden Writing and Counter Culturist.