Guest articles are consistently cited as one of the best ways to build high-quality (SEO) backlinks and drive more traffic to your blog. In this ultimate guide dedicated to guest blogging, we will explain exactly How to publish an article guest (strategically) and significantly grow your blog accordingly.
With a high degree of certainty, guest posts will be one of the best strategies to employ if you want increased targeted traffic to your blog, higher search engine rankings, and a better reputation in your niche…all for free.
This may seem like a pipe dream (especially if you don't have started your blog only recently), but this is not the case. You can accomplish all of these feats quickly and without paying a dime with guest posts.
Let's talk about the how to guest post .
What is a guest blog?
Guest blogging, also known as guest posting, is writing a post for someone else's blog with the goal of building your brand, getting exposure to your target audience , generate traffic and create natural backlinks for your own blog.
Although there are some exceptions, a guest post will normally be a one-time piece of content that you have to write – content that you have not yet published on your blog or elsewhere – and you will almost always write for a blog with a larger audience than your own (which is one of the main benefits of guest blogging).
You don't have to pay to be a guest blogger either. If you are asked to pay, it is a sponsored post and not a guest post. In fact, some blogs will even pay for guest posts on their site.
So what's the catch when it comes to guest blogging? Well, there isn't – and everyone still benefits from it.
How to Get a Guest Blog Post in 10 Easy Steps (2023)
Today, over 70 million blog posts are published every month. It is becoming more and more competitive to reach (and retain) a large blogging audience. So, guest blogging is a win for the blog host that publishes your guest post because they get free content that they don't have to write themselves or pay a writer to compile it.
You get your name, words, and links to your own blog highlighted for potentially thousands of readers or more. We'll talk more about including links in your guest blog posts later in this guide, as these are extremely valuable in reinforcing your blog's SEO authority.
Readers of the blog you just posted for are also winners because they can read great content that probably presents a new perspective that they are used to. Guest blogging is a win-win situation, where everyone is better off.
Of all the ways to drive traffic to your blog and build a returning audience over time, guest blogs are by far the most profitable investment you can make. Now let’s dive into my ultimate guest post guide and talk about how to get a guest blog post (for SEO and traffic) this year.
1. Define your guest blog requirements
Some guest bloggers worry that they need to have a ton of blogging experience or a following, before anyone will even consider publishing their posts.
But, that is simply not true.
If you want to get started with guest blogging today and have your work published on someone else's blog, there are only two crucial requirements:
- You have to know how to write well. Be honest with yourself: if you don't speak French very well or have a lot of trouble with spelling and grammar, you may not yet be at the level where you are ready to dive into guest blogging. If you want to go ahead, it's worth finding a friend who can help you with a bit of editing, or you might even consider paying a professional editor to help polish your work before launching an article. guest.
- You need to choose your blog host wisely. This means choosing a blog which is already accepting guest posts. And I know it may seem obvious, but aiming for the biggest blog in your niche on your first try will only disappoint you and create bad expectations when you first get into guest blogging. With this step-by-step approach, you can also gain valuable experience before to launch the blog of your dreams.
You don't need a huge personal brand to be successful in guest blogging
When I started guest blogging about four years ago and started posting my work on other (much higher authority) blogs, I still didn't have a personal brand. nor reputation.
What I had however was the ability to write a blog post that could tell a compelling story, attract readers, and also serve to help my web host's blogging goals.
2. How to find the perfect blogs to guest post on
If you Google "blogs that accept guest posts," you'll find plenty of listings.
Spoiler: This Is not the best way to start guest blogging.
After all, you don't need 150 random blogs that accept guest posts… you just need a high-quality blog to start with, and you can grow from there.
Instead, think about blogs you've read that deal with the same or similar topic as your own blog. These are excellent types of blogs to present, because you already know their style and the types of content they publish very well.
When you contact a blog to accept a guest post, you are looking for a website that:
- Interview with you with some sort of connection. Maybe you have already commented on the blog, chatted with the blogger on Twitter or even a similar blog name. Starting with some sort of simple login can make your guest post review easier.
- Is bigger than yours, but not ridiculously huge. Aim for a blog that's about five to ten times the size of yours. If you have 100 email subscribers, aim for a blog with around 1. If you're aiming for blogs (like Forbes) that are over a thousand times or more the size of yours, that's a bit too ambitious when you are new to guest blogging.
- This is a topic for you. Although you can win certains benefits of writing for a cat blog when your blog is all about gadgets, there won't be much audience crossover, so you shouldn't expect to see much payoff from this time investment.
- Has topics similar to those you deal with. It's fine to tweak your style a bit to suit the blog you're posting to.
- Brings you the pride of being associated with him. Avoid guest blogging on sites that have been heavily criticized in your niche (unless you want to show your support for them) and avoid blogging that doesn't align with your personal moral or ethical values. If you are a convinced liberal.
- Offers a do-follow link. This is usually the case, but read guest blogging guidelines carefully to make sure your bio link (or in-post links) will be "do-follow" rather than "nofollow" (because a nofollow link won't do anything to help your blog's SEO efforts). If there's nothing listed in the guidelines, check out an old guest blog post, scroll down to the bio, right-click on it, and select "Inspect" (in Google Chrome) to see the HTML code for this hyperlinked text snippet. If you see the word “nofollow” in the HTML description of the link, it is a nofollow link. If it doesn't explicitly say the word "nofollow", then you're good to go.
Again, look for any mention of the word "nofollow" in the description. So if it's not mentioned there, then the link is considered a "dofollow" which passes on the benefits of SEO to the destination link (i.e. an article you are promoting on your own blog).
Of course, it's crucial to first check that your target blog actually accepts guest posts and, if so, whether or not it allows clickable links to your own content.
Look for items such as:
- Different authors appear on the blog (bonus points if something like “guest blogger” or “guest post” is used to showcase their work). This doesn't necessarily mean the blog will be open to unsolicited guest blog submissions, so don't automatically assume the floodgates are open.
- A “guest posting guidelines” page. In a moment, we'll cover how to find this page, since many bloggers don't make it particularly prominent.
- A note on the Contact or About page regarding guest blogging. Some bloggers will put a line here to see if they are open/closed to guest posts at any given time.
Read the guest blogging guidelines before submitting a pitch.
If a blog indicates that it does not accept to guest posts, don't expect him to make an exception for you. As amazing as your blog post idea is, you need to spend your precious time elsewhere.
This is also true if a blog says they only accept guest posts by invitation, but in that case you can potentially contact the blogger (if you have an existing relationship with them) and ask if they would be willing to read a blog post. post a preview to get an idea of your style or go through a mutual connection to get an introduction.
3. Find great guest blogging ideas
Many new guest bloggers come up with a ton of clever ideas first, then only search for the good blogs that those ideas are for. could suit.
In my experience, this is not the best way to guest blog.
Instead, you need to come up with ideas that are perfect for every target blog you're going to reach… not just ideas that are half-suited to a hundred different blogs. Think tailor-made.
To come up with a guest blog idea that will work great on your potential site, you need to:
- Read many recent articles on your target blog. If you're not a regular reader (or used to read the blog but haven't recently), you really need to keep up to date with what kind of content they've posted recently. . If your target blog often writes about blogging costs and web hosting related topics, you can feature them on a guest post which covers a more specialized topic like the best cheap web hosting plans, offering a review of the best monthly hosting plan options on the market , or exploring the free hosting plans available, all of which could become a bigger item than they already have on the best web hosting plans for their readers.
- Take notes on these items. What topics did they cover? What is the approximate length of the blog posts? Do their articles tend to be high-level and strategic, or focused on specific tactics? Are the articles for beginners or people with a lot of experience? All of this can help you refine your ideas appropriately.
- Look at the categories covered by the blog, if listed in their navigation menu. You may need to pay attention to categories that haven't had many (or any) posts recently. These could be good targets for content that fills a “gap” on the blog. Keep in mind, however, that a lack of recent posts in a particular category could signal that the blog has changed direction.
- Brainstorm a list of ideas. Don't just come up with one or two blog post ideas… aim for at least five. Some of them might not be great: it doesn't matter. You have to keep going until you come up with an idea that you think would be a perfect fit for this blog.
- Perfect your titles. Make sure you take care to learn to write a title for your guest post that is in a style and tone that will resonate with your target site. If not, they're likely to reject your submission (because your guest post doesn't seem to fit) or rewrite it extensively before publishing.
Only after meeting these criteria will you be ready to implement a guest blogging strategy that will get you published.
4. Find and follow guest blogging guidelines
Most blogs that accept guest posts will have clear guidelines that they ask guest bloggers to follow. Be sure to research and follow it carefully before submitting your articles for review.
You will most likely find the guest post guidelines:
- Linked to blog post submission, contact or guest post page
- With a link from the blog sidebar or footer
If they aren't in any of these places, search the site for “guest post guidelines,” “write for us,” “submit an article,” or “guest posts.” To perform this search on the site, you can enter the following phrase: in Google, for example “ guidelines for guest articles site: [nomdublogcible.com] " and get more accurate results.
Guest post guidelines vary from blog to blog, but most will cover:
- The type of content they accept/do not accept.
- Whether they want you to send them an idea and a plan, or a complete draft.
- Who to send your draft to.
- How to format and submit your guest post.
A successful guest post requires following the instructions
There may also be other instructions (i.e. some blogs will ask you to submit your guest post using a specific form or use a specific subject line on your email). mail.
5. Learn how to submit your guest blog post
Some blogs are happy to be contacted with a full draft of your guest post, but many want you to "pitch" the idea first. This is where smart blogger outreach comes in.
This normally means writing them an email in which you introduce yourself briefly along with your credentials, share your suggested guest blog idea or prepare a great blog title and describe the topic of your post.
Here's a copy-and-paste email template you can use for your guest post submissions:
Subject line: Guest post for your blog
Hello [First name],
Would you be interested in a guest post titled [proposed post title]? I thought it would cover: [three to five points covering the key points of your article].
If that's okay with you, I'd be happy to send you a full project for you to take a look at.
I also thought of two other articles, namely [second article title] or [third article title]. Let me know if either is better for you: I can make you a quick draft and send it to you if you're interested.
I blog at [your site name] on [topic], and [details of your references, if any – eg, “I have been a WordPress developer since 2016“]. If that sounds good to you, I would of course promote my guest post to my (growing) audience on [social media channel you frequent, or approximate size of your email list].
Let me know what you think,
[Your name]
While this guest blogging proposal is pretty simple and straightforward, there are certainly more nuanced and longer-term approaches to building relationships that you can take for your outreach as a whole.
Always try to write a simple guest blog introductory email.
You don't need to complicate your guest post submission any further. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point.
The hosting blogger won't want to skim through five paragraphs of your own story, no matter how intriguing, before you get to the details about them.
Likewise, there's no point in sending an incredibly detailed outline at this point: if the blogger wants you to go deeper, they'll just ask you.
6. Write a Guest Post Your Host Can't Resist
No blog host will give you a definitive “yes” based on a pitch alone.
Even if your guest blog idea was amazing, they need to see that you can deliver solid content that is relevant to their target audience, fits their style and achieves some sort of strategic goal of Content marketing for them.
When you submit your draft guest post, it goes without saying that it should be your best work, especially if that guest blogging opportunity is on a site that can really make a difference for you.
Your guest post must be blog-worthy
One way to think about how you should feel about the quality of your guest post is to use a bar to make sure it meets the standards to be a fully-ready, top-notch post that you would happily post on your own blog too.
Yes, you call your guest post submission a "draft" in your pitch, but that's because you want the blog host to feel free to ask for significant edits if they feel you don't have everything they need. fact achieves the goal. From your perspective though, it should be a neat piece of work that's ready to be released as is in your mind.
In addition to doing a great job with writing the article itself, you need to make sure that:
- You have made your article as valuable as possible to readers.
- You have made it as valuable as possible for the hosting blog.
Either way, if you can successfully tie your guest blogging efforts to a clear win for the blog host and its readers, you're much more likely to get an accepted pitch.
7. Tastefully include links to your own content
Almost all hosting blogs will allow you to write your own bio, where you can at least include a link (often several) wherever you want.
If they won't allow you to even include a bio link to your own blog in a guest post, I recommend that you not blog as a guest because you probably won't get anything in return for creating content for them. Guest blogging should be a win-win in my opinion.
We'll talk more about bios in a moment, but when it comes to the body of your guest post itself, you might be wondering if it's okay to link to your own content.
Can you link to your own blog in a guest post?
The answer is yes you can usually link to your own content from a guest post when done tastefully and has a clear purpose other than just giving you a random link. But, it comes with a bit of nuance.
Most blogs will be happy for you to link multiple times to your own content, as long as it's:
- Relevant
- High quality
- Non-competitive:
- Has added value
How many times can you link to your blog in a guest post?
There's no hard and fast rule on how many links you can include in your content, but somewhere between 2 and 4 (if your guest blog post is between 2 and 000 words) is usually fine.
You should also make sure that you include links to other reputable blogs and articles in your niche. If you link only to your own content, it will look pretty self-serving (and even if the hosting blogger leaves all your links intact, it may seem biased to readers).
Important: Some blogs say in their guidelines that you shouldn't link to your content at all if you're invited to blog for them, or say they at least discourage it.
If so, and you've already committed to guest blogging for this site and want to include a link, report it to the hosting blogger (i.e. with a comment in Google Doc ) and make it clear that you'll be happy for them to remove the link if necessary.
More importantly, you don't want it to look like you're trying to pass them a link.
As I've said before, if you're in serious doubt about getting a link or two from the blog host in question (and that's the main goal of your guest post campaign), then I recommends that you take your guest post elsewhere instead of leaving underused content.
8. Create a smart guest post bio yourself
Your bio is the one place where you're guaranteed to link to pretty much anything that supports your blog's SEO strategies.
Although some blogs still have specific bio link requirements, for example, you may not be allowed to directly link to your own products, use an affiliate link, or direct readers to a site. directly competing with your hosting blog.
How to write a successful guest blog bio
Your guest blog bio should be relatively brief, but achieve these four goals:
- Enter your full name (or blogger handle)
- Be fairly brief (around 100 words is common, but check guest blogging guidelines, as some blogs have strict word limits on bios)
- Write in the third person
- Include 1 link to your blog or website (most often your homepage, but not always)
How to choose the right link to include in your guest blogging bio
Instead of just including a link to your homepage (where most guest bloggers stop), try linking to specific content that you're linking to and giving readers a call for feedback. much stronger action.
For example, here's a much more compelling guest post bio you can use:
If you enjoyed this article by [AuthorName] check out Ten Incredible Tiny Houses from Around the World (especially #7, which has to be seen to be believed). To learn more about the small houses, as well as the course of [AuthorName] towards thefinancial independence, be sure to follow him on Twitter at @[AuthorName].
Ideally, you should tailor your guest post bio link to a piece of content on your blog that is
(1) very relevant to the guest post you just wrote
(2) a key page you want to build more quality links to.
So this link would make perfect sense in the example above if you were invited to post about tiny homes, but wouldn't fit so well if his guest post was about thefinancial independence or something more specific like how to pay taxes on your blog income.
9. What to do after your guest post goes live
Almost every blog host will give you an early post date for your post, so be sure to be there that day to post your guest post and respond to comments.
If the release date isn't working for you, just say so, they'll usually be more than happy to change it.
Once your guest post is live, there are three essential things you need to do to make it a success (for everyone else):
1. Respond to incoming comments
You will normally be encouraged (even expected) to respond to comments on your guest post. It's worth taking a look at the number of comments each post tends to get on the blog ahead of time, so you know how much time you'll likely need to spend on this on the day your post is posted. online.
When responding to comments, keep in mind that to readers, you are a representative of the blog. Don't use salty language (unless it's 100% acceptable on the blog in question), don't get angry or defensive, and contact the hosting blogger if there are any comments you don't don't know how to answer.
2. Share your guest post on your network
Even if your social media following is low, you should still share your guest post with your audience. Besides potentially sending some traffic to your hosting blog (which is a good thing to do), posting your work on a larger blog will often impress your existing subscribers.
If possible, tag the host blog account when you share your article. They may end up retweeting you and, at the very least, they will be able to see that you made the effort to share your article. Just make sure you're sharing on social media that makes the most sense to you. blog niche, like Twitter for startup-centric content or Instagram for travel blogs.
3. Thank the host blog (and submit your next guest post)
A few days after your article goes live, send an email to the blog host to thank them for allowing you to be invited to their blog. Try to make this email very personal. You could mention how nice and welcoming their readers were, or tell them that you've dramatically increased traffic to your blog.
This is also the perfect time to pitch your next guest post if the first one seemed like a hit. Once you've guest-posted on a blog (especially if it's been well-received), it's almost always easier to get a second one.
You can simply write something like:
I would love to write for you again! I was wondering if you would be interested in an article on [title/subject]? Happy to send you a preview or a full draft if that sounds good to you.
If the host blog isn't accepting many guest posts, or you're not ready to pitch and write another post yet, you can write something like this:
Thank you so much for having me on [blog name]! Your readers were so lovely and welcoming, and it was a real pleasure to see my article live on your site. I would love to write for you again – would you be open to another guest post in a few months?
Unless something seriously went wrong during or after your post was published, the blog host is almost certain to say Yes .
10. Clever ways to get even more from your guest posts
When you write your first guest post, just publishing it is a big achievement. But once you have a bit of guest blogging experience under your belt, there are a few things you can do to get even more out of each new guest post that goes live.
1. Link to other notable bloggers in your guest posts
A very simple (but often overlooked) way to use your guest posts to your advantage is to link to content from other notable bloggers. If you want to build a relationship with someone, or just want to help out a blogger you like, this is an amazing way to do it.
This backlink will really benefit them, especially if you are writing for a fairly large blog. They are also likely to get at least some referral traffic from the post.
Then, after contacting the blogger whose content is featured in your guest post, you can gauge their responsiveness and even offer to have you as a guest blogger, which results in even higher quality links (and traffic) to your blog.
2. Write multiple guest posts at once
Although it takes a lot of work, getting multiple guest posts (think ten or more) on many blogs in your niche in a short period of time can be an amazing way to get your name and your blog out there.
If you write a guest post, people will probably forget about you almost as soon as they read it. Once they see four or five articles from you in a single week, they will start paying attention and will likely subscribe to your mailing list if you post regular content.
Several other prominent bloggers have risen to prominence through guest posts very prolific.
Publishing ten guest posts in the space of a week or two is likely to do a lot more for the growth of your blog than writing ten posts in a ten month period.
3. List the best blogs you've written for on your site
Many bloggers have a section » as seen on or similar section on their homepage or other prominent location.
This is a great place to list blogs or publications you've written for – using their logos normally works well. Most blogs will be fine with using their logos for something like this, as it also builds their own reputation, although you can always email and check if you're worried.
Once you've accumulated a bit of experience as a guest blogger and have written for some larger blogs, including their names or logos on your site makes it clear to new readers that you're credible and worthy of attention. to be read.
Troubleshooting: 4 common guest post issues fixed
As with all blogging ventures, there will be challenges, obstacles, and blogging mistakes. But it is okay. We are all here to learn and grow.
Hopefully, the blog host will love your draft guest post immediately upon receiving it, and they'll get back to you right away with a " It's perfect ! I will post it on Monday.
Chances are, however, that at some point in your guest blogging journey, you will encounter one of the following obstacles:
Guest Post Problem #1: You're Not Getting Your Pitch Answered
Bloggers are busy people, so if you send out a pitch and you don't hear anything after a week or so, that's normal. If it's been two weeks or more, you may need to check that your submission has been received.
You can send an email like this:
Hello [First name],
Just checking to see if you received my guest post a few weeks ago? Here it is again, just in case it got lost:
Let me know if you think this would be a good fit,
[Your name]
Try using one of my favorite blogging tools (like Gmail's Snooze Reminders) that handles automatic email follow-up reminders. You can also try messaging the blogger on Facebook or Twitter.
Don't do it publicly, however, it may seem insistent and pressing.
Guest post problem #2: You don't get a response after submitting your draft
Sometimes you can get a positive response to your pitch, only for the blogger to shut up after sending your draft.
It can take a while for busy bloggers to evaluate your guest post, especially if they're unsure whether or not to take it, or if they're thinking about potential changes. Don't be too quick to follow up (but also don't just wait weeks or months, in case they get away with it).
If you haven't heard anything after about a week, I recommend sending a follow up like this:
Hi [name],
I was wondering if you had a chance to take a look at my draft guest post? (If not, no worries – I know you're very busy!) If you want any changes or additions, let me know.
The thank you box
[Your name]
If you still don't get a response, wait another week and try again.
After that, it's fair to take your guest post and try to pitch it to other blogs it would be suitable for.
Problem n ° 3 guest posts: the host blog wants to make many changes to your draft
In some cases, the blog host may want to publish your post, but with a ton of changes.
Sometimes the blog host can make these changes; other times they might ask you to rework your draft. It is unusual for you to be asked to do rewrites thorough for a guest post (the blog will probably just reject if it feels it needs a lot of work), but you might just be asked to add sources, edit a paragraph or two, and include more details .
At this point, it's up to you to answer.
In most cases, it makes sense to just accept the changes since you're already invested in this guest blogging adventure, even if it means a little extra work for you. Once your article has gotten this far, it's almost certain to get published if you take the final step of editing.
If there are specific changes you wish to push back, that is normally acceptable. If the blog host wants so many changes that you think your guest post won't be something you'll be happy to have your name on later, you can remove it altogether.
Guest Post Problem #4: Hosting Blog Removes Your Links
What happens if the blog host removes all (or most) of the links you included to your own blog?
This probably indicates that you've gone a little overboard with linking to your own content, and as long as at least one or two of your links stick around, it usually makes sense to move on. guest post anyway, because that's always a significant plus.
However, if you want to push back one or two specific links you want to add, you should write an email like:
I noticed you removed the link to [page]. I know this is my own content, but thought this would be very useful background documentation for your readers. Would it be acceptable for us to include it again in the article?
Prepare for the answer to be “no,” but as long as the link isn't directly competing with a piece of content on your blog host's site, I recommend you at least give it a try.
While you can certainly opt out of your guest post at this point in the process, it will likely hurt your chances of landing a guest post on this blog in the future. If you're ok with that, then no worries, move on.
Most bloggers will expect you to provide a guest post in exchange for a bio link (and perhaps an additional link in the body) – but usually with no guarantee of other links in the post.
Please note: It is normal to ne not use your own affiliate links in your article (and this will probably be perceived as ignorant, presumptuous or greedy). The blog host may very well use their own affiliate links if you mention specific products/services that have an affiliate program, so you have to be ok with that.
What does your guest blogging strategy look like now?
Guest blogging can be one of the best things you can do for long-term blog growth…but it can also be a lot of fun. This is one of the most successful blog promotion strategies I have ever employed.
It's a real thrill to see your guest post posted on a site you've admired and read for years. Once you have some experience, you can move on to bigger items.
Imagine having your articles on some of the top blogs in your niche (or even major global publications).
But let’s take this guest article guide home now…
Your first step is to find a handful of blogs (ideally ones you've read before) that accept guest posts.
Go find them now, formulate a pitch that it will be easy for them to accept.
Write your first guest blog post today.
