Published on February 5th, 2019 | by Bibhuranjan

How Can You Perfectly Pitch Your Guest Post

There is no perfect way to pitch a guest post. Pitching a guest post is more art than science. Every blog owner is different and has his own triggers that tell him you’re worth his time. Your job is to identify them.

How guest posts are beneficial ?

1. Build new connections: They help you build fresh relationships with editors and publishers. This works best when pitching posts to branded websites.

2. Install authority figure: These connections let you establish your expertise and build credibility. They help you spread influence and increase your value, which lets you interact with more readers.

3. Backlinks: The publisher generally includes your link with the content which is a great way to gain new clients and readers.

4. Enhance your portfolio: They support you in improving your freelance writing portfolios.

5. Provide exposure: Growth is very important is any field. Guest posts offer you exposure to expand your knowledge and break into new niches.

Example

12 things to remember while pitching a guest post

1. Research

It is essential to take time and do your background research. You should keep in mind that your research should be unique which makes you different from the rest of the crowd.

2. Personalization is the key

You have to make sure your wavelength matches with the blog owner. This can be done by going through his work beforehand so you can personalize your mail to make it stand out. For example, you can tell him which blog of his you liked the most and why it stood out to you, or you can engage him in a conversation by asking for his opinion on something or inviting them to your website. You should always maintain transparency. No mass outreach template should be too obvious as it lacks personalization.

3. Selecting the right website

This is essential as it can make or break the deal. You should analyze all the guest blogging opportunities and select the ones which fit your content the best. You can go through posts and get a gist of what works for each website. It shouldn’t be a blind pitch. There are plenty of high quality guest blogging services on the web, so you can chose one that fits your profile.

4. Picking the right topic

It is very crucial that your topic isn’t of the wrong niche. Most of the editors don’t pay attention to the pitch once they identify this flaw. Always try to find interesting topics which will pull more audience.

5. Complying to the guidelines

Every website has a section where they list the guidelines that need to be followed. Most of the editors consider it to be a deal-breaker when these guidelines are violated. They invest time in formulating them, this gives the impression that you have no regard for the editors’ request.

6. Subject line is the meat of your pitch

This is the opening line where you get the chance to make your first impression. The subject makes up 80% of a pitch. Editors prefer a subject line which is straightforward, catchy and clever, obeying the guidelines of the website. Every branded website receives at least 10 pitches every day. Your subject line should be able to generate enough interest to persuade the editor to open your mail. You can include relevant statistics, questions, catchy messages or quotes to make it look more attractive.

7. Be creative

Your pitch should be well-written offering something personal, valuable and compelling that would intrigue more people to read it. You can recommend 2-3 versatile title options so the editors can choose whatever suits them best.
A survey suggested that the views increased by 94% by the use of great visuals and examples. In today’s fast moving world, these are really effective ways to raise awareness. These make the pitch much more consuming for the editors, as well as, the readers.

8. Be brief

Short is sweet.

You need to respect the fact that the editor is busy and doesn’t have the time to go through too much of your background and life stories so you should present your pitch in a condensed and organized manner. Brevity is not that easy to achieve.

You have to be brief while being creative and highlight all your research in an appealing way. You can use different text styles for documentation and include detailed outlines so the editor can scan through the mail easily.

9. Proofread

Proofreading should be done at least twice. If there are grammatical and spelling errors in your pitch, editors feel that there is no quality in your content as well. You should never rely on the editors to rectify your mistakes.

10. Make it about them

The focus should be on them, and not on you.

You should ask yourself the question

‘Why you?’

and prove that you’re the right person for the opportunity. You can send relevant samples of your work, tell them why you reached out or provide a link to your website. Never be too promotional.

11. Follow-up

You should understand that you won’t get a response right away. Generally, it takes about a month for the editor to get back to you.

Sometimes, it takes more time than usual but you can never be sure or pinpoint a reason why that could’ve happened.

So it is preferred to send a follow-up mail, usually after a week. It sparks a negotiation and can even lead to a lasting relationship.
It is advised to have a professional e-mail and website to establish a brand name.

12. Be purposeful

Your pitch should have a basic structure which should contain relevant data like an introduction, short explanation, list of ideas, and takeaways that the readers will learn.

Never be too cheesy.

For example, don’t tell them how impressed you’re by their posts in general, but you can talk about some specific blog to spark a conversation.

Always remember one ground rule, your priority should always be the audience, and not the product or you.

Conclusion

Hope these tips have helped you in your guest posting campaign. If you have your own specific tips for guest posting. Kindly feel free to let us know in the comment section. We would be happy to update the article.

Thank you

Tags: approach for guest post, blog, guest post, guest post pitch

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.