Did you know that over 60% of blogs publish between 1-5 guest posts per month? With so many news outlets accepting guest bloggers, how do you find the perfect opportunities to target?
In this article, our Digital PR gurus outline several techniques that you can use to find blogs that accept guest posts, how this benefits your SEO, plus a completely free blogging pitch template that you can use when messaging publications.
How do you find guest posting opportunities? There are several ways to find guest blogging opportunities, including:
Read on to find out how to spot guest blogging opportunities, how to pitch your blog to a journalist, and how to maximise your guest blogging ROI.
Guest blogging is creating content that for a site that isn’t your own, also known as an ‘Off-Site’ SEO technique. Find out more about off-site SEO in one of our recent blog posts. This type of content marketing strategy is used on websites for SEO. This is because it increases backlinks and brand awareness.
Guest blogging is sometimes abused to gain links in any way possible. This means posting on spam sites, sites irrelevant to your industry or producing masses of low-quality content. This is known as a ‘black hat’ SEO technique. Spammy tactics will likely lead you to a Google penalty. This could result in a dramatic loss in all rankings and any chance of visibility in SERPs.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to incorporate guest blogging into your SEO strategy. We’ll also cover the recommended best practices, ensuring you stay within Google guidelines.
Guests posts help to increase your domain authority, which is calculated using three key factors:
The higher your DA, generally the better your site will rank in SERPs. Guest posting helps to improve the ‘link power’ element. When you write content for other sites to publish, you’ll usually gain a ‘Dofollow’ link, which acts as a ‘vote of confidence’ from their site to yours, which is a green flag in the eyes of Google.
There are several website elements that Google considers when ranking your website, with links only playing a small part. Find out more information about the other on-page and off-page Google ranking factors in one of our latest blogs.
Sometimes journalists may not reward you with a follow link (i.e links that pass value onto your site), however, this isn’t the end of the world! You’ll still increase your brand awareness from guest blogging, resulting in visits to your site from a relevant audience and potential customers.
In fact, this is a strategy we undertook for one of our clients, Centric HR. Learn more about that campaign in our detailed case study.
We’ve outlined a few of the simplest ways to find guest blogging opportunities on relevant websites below. Pick one or two, or use a combination of them all to maximise how many relevant publications you find guest blogging opportunities for.
Although this might sound simple, one of the quickest, easiest, and most cost-effective ways to find guest blogging opportunities is by using a search engine, such as Google. Use business or industry-relevant keywords and then one of the following phrases to find guest blogging opportunities online:
From here, you could reach out to the publication via phone or email, or you could find the journalist on LinkedIn and send them a message.
Help a Reporter Out, most commonly known as HARO, is a free tool that you can sign up for guest blogging opportunities. You’ll receive a number of emails in your inbox each day, each filled with journalists seeking sources for articles, podcasts, and interviews. You can tailor the categories of the communications that you receive.
The platform is regularly used by big publications including the likes of Forbes Magazine, Marketing Week, The New York Times, Bustle, and The Wall Street Journal – giving you opportunities to connect with esteemed journalists that you may not have had otherwise.
Wildcat Digital Tip: Only choose to respond to HARO requests that are relevant to your industry. If you keep responding with irrelevant answers or you aren’t an expert in that field, you may find yourself blacklisted by journalists.
Help A Reporter Out is by far our favourite tool, however, there are many alternatives available to use including PressPlugs, and JustReachOut.
The chances are that if a website has accepted a guest post from a business similar to yours, it’s likely that they’ll accept one from you too. Tools including Semrush or Ahrefs are excellent ways to audit competitor backlink profiles, allowing you to spot several high-quality guest blogging opportunities quickly.
Look at the incoming links to a competing site, specifically which publications are linking to them and the type of content that contains the link. You’ll also be able to see the contact details of the journalist on the website, usually towards the bottom of the page. Contact the journalist with your own article ideas based on what you’ve found during your competitor audit.
There is a whole community of Digital PRs and journalists on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn alike. Start by creating a detailed profile and connecting with journalists in your particular niche.
Like you would if you used Google, simply searching a keyword and then “guest bloggers” or similar will return many posts relevant to what you are searching for.
Twitter also has a handy feature called ‘Lists’, which you can use to curate a list of journalists and publications in your industry, which you can check daily for guest blogging opportunities. You’ll have blogging opportunities popping up on your timeline before you know it!
Before reaching out to a journalist, you should first check that the opportunity is worthwhile. Here are a few simple steps to undertake:
When contacting a publication, you must ensure that your pitch is unique and relevant to their news outlet, without being sales-y. You must also ensure that your guest blog idea gets approved before wasting your time writing an entire blog post.
We’ve created the following email template that you can use when pitching your guest blog post:
Hi there [journalist name],
My name is [your name], and I’m reaching out as a representative of [your business]. We specialise in [what your business does and any relevant USPs]. I’ve been keeping up to date with your blog for some time now and I’d love the opportunity to contribute some of my own expertise.
I’ve seen some content around the topics [topic 1] and [topic 2], and so I thought your readers may also be interested in the following article subjects.
[Subject 1]
[Subject 2]
[Subject 3]
I’ve written a number of guest posts and my own articles recently, which I’ve linked below if you’d like to find out more about my subject specialism and writing style.
[Link to article]
[Link to guest post]
Please let me know what you think. I hope to hear from you soon!
All the best,
[Your name]
Don’t feel disheartened if you don’t get a response immediately, or if they reject your offer. You never know, although some simply may not be interested, they may contact you in future if the appropriate opportunity arises.
Wildcat Digital Tip: Don’t be afraid to send a follow-up email after a few weeks, some journalists may have genuinely forgotten to respond!
If the thought of Digital PR or guest blogging overwhelms you, why not get tailored advice from our team of digital experts? Wildcat Digital is an award-winning digital agency, specialising in helping ambitious companies grow online through strategic SEO, PPC, and Paid Social Media campaigns.
To arrange your free consultation, or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our team via phone or email.
Although some publications do charge for guest posts, there are plenty of free opportunities available to target instead, so it isn’t always worth it.
The only time you should consider paying for a guest post is when the DA authority of that publication is high, the website is relevant to your niche, and if you are likely to get a good ROI (Return On Investment) from the brand exposure.
You should be very careful when paying for guest posts. Paying for a specific link on a site is considered a ‘black hat’ SEO technique, however, paying for a guest post is not.
Typically, guest bloggers won’t get paid, but instead, guest bloggers get a return in the form of valuable brand exposure, backlinks, or website traffic. You may get approached and paid for a guest blog if you have a good reputation and/or a large following within your niche.
SEO Team Leader
Founder
Our founder, Will Hitchmough, worked at a number of high profile Sheffield Digital Agencies before founding Wildcat Digital in 2018. He brings an extensive knowledge of all things related to SEO, PPC and Paid Social, as well as an expert knowledge of digital strategy.
Digital Marketing can be a minefield for many businesses, with many agencies ready to take your money without knowing how to deliver results. I founded Wildcat Digital to deliver digital success to businesses with smaller budgets in a transparent way.
Content Strategist Team Lead
With a degree in Marketing and a background in more traditional, offline marketing, Chloe joined Wildcat in 2021 after deciding to move into the digital marketing industry. She joined us as a Content Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Content Strategist and later an SEO Team Leader.
Outside of work, Chloe is an avid creative. If she’s not knitting, you’ll likely find her behind a sewing machine or in the kitchen trying (and often failing!) to make sourdough.
SEO Account Director
Paul has a strong background in SEO, having previously founded and ran a successful eCommerce business, as well as running a personal blog that achieves an average of 17K users per month. Paul’s knowledge of SEO is extensive, with a strong emphasis on client handling and technical SEO.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with weight lifting and combat sports.
Head of Operations
Nadea joined Wildcat in 2021 and has since overhauled the way we work. She has a background in various administrative, operations and HR roles, which gave her the experience and skills needed to lead and organise a growing business.
Outside of work, Nadea loves anything that keeps her active, but she especially enjoys hiking, camping and mountain biking.
SEO Account Manager
With a background in sales, Molly is a natural Account Manager, brilliantly handling any issues that come her way. Having joined us as a Digital Marketing Executive, and working part-time through her final year of University, Molly is a shining example of how hard work pays off. She is now an SEO Account Manager with a particular interest in Content and Client Management.
In her spare time, Molly loves to get out in nature, hiking and exploring the Peak District. She also loves cooking and likes to unwind with a bit of yoga.
Senior PPC Account Manager
Libby joined Wildcat in 2021 as our first PPC hire. With a degree in Digital Media Production, a Master’s in Digital Media Management and previous experience in Social Media Management, Libby hit the ground running and has since climbed the ranks to Senior PPC Account Manager and has a particular interest in the eCommerce sector.
Outside of work, Libby likes gaming, and cooking and likes to keep active by lifting weights.
SEO Team Leader
Jasmine joined Wildcat in 2022 with a strong background in SEO and Account Management. At the time, she was finishing up a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and has since worked her way up to SEO Team Leader. Jasmine excels at content writing and promotion, and particularly enjoys finding creative ways to join the dots on multi-channel campaigns.
In her spare time, Jasmine volunteers at a charity, helping combat loneliness & social isolation experienced by older neighbours. Outside of Wildcat, she owns a catering company, Savery Grazing, creating delicious grazing tables & platters for a range of events. She also loves skiing and exploring the Peak District.
Senior PPC Executive
Prior to joining Wildcat, Braden founded and ran his own Social Media Management agency where he gained valuable skills in growing brands’ online presence, which has since proven invaluable in his role at Wildcat.
Outside of work, Braden is a big football fan, regularly travelling to Pride Park to support Derby County. He also enjoys watching and playing snooker, hiking in the Peak District, and attending air and car shows.
Senior SEO Executive
After spending ten years managing businesses, restaurants, cafes and event spaces across Sheffield, Jon decided to change careers and joined Wildcat as an SEO Executive in 2022. He especially enjoys the client management side of the job, helping them to understand digital marketing and ways in which they can build their business’s presence online.
Outside of work, Jon likes to keep fit with running, badminton and football, and also loves music.
SEO Executive
Rachel joined us as a graduate, having recently graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in English Literature. Since joining, Rachel has proven herself to be a Content Queen, and particularly enjoys getting stuck into projects that allow her to explore her creative side.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including rugby, singing, reading, and spending time with her family and three labradors.
PPC Team Leader
Carl joined Wildcat in 2023 with a wealth of experience in PPC. He has experience working with a wide range of clients, industries and budgets, from small local businesses all the way to international e-commerce businesses. Carl has a particular interest in strategic planning and forecasting. He is passionate about data analysis and creating sustainable long-term cross-channel strategies.
In his spare time, Carl enjoys keeping fit by lifting weights, bouldering and running. He’s also a keen musician, having played the double bass and bass guitar for 20 years.
Team Lead & Technical SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Computer Science and SEO experience dating back to 2017, Dariusz has a wide range of SEO skills and knowledge. His specialist knowledge of Technical SEO has firmly landed him the title of Wildcat’s Technical Wizard, and he has recently taken on the responsibility of Team Leader for the Panthers Team.
In his spare time, Dariusz loves hiking, experimenting and trying new coffees and loves learning new things. He is currently learning more about CRO and AI and how this could benefit our clients.
SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Film and TV production, and a varied career history, Jamie made the move to marketing with a Masters degree in Digital Media Management. He has since worked in SEO at Agencies across Sheffield, before joining Wildcat and working his way up to SEO Account Manager. Jamie has a particular interest in backlinks and Digital PR and has recently gained a client a valuable backlink from Forbes!
In his spare time, Jamie is an avid foodie and loves trying new restaurants and cuisines. He also loves to travel and spent a year travelling to Australia after university.
SEO Executive
Andy joined Wildcat in 2023 after starting his digital marketing career in-house for a local Sheffield company. Since joining, he has developed a strong interest in Technical SEO and has strong skills in Account Management.
Outside of work, Andy loves music and plays in a couple of bands. He also enjoys rock climbing, cycling, photography and good food.
Client Success Coordinator
Siena joined us in 2023 with a background in sales and digital marketing. She leads on client relationships across the company, ensuring that our customers are happy throughout their journey with us, from their initial consultation through to onboarding and beyond.
Outside of work, Siena enjoys travelling and getting stuck into the local culture. She likes to make the most of her experiences and particularly enjoys watching sunrises and sunsets from beautiful locations around the world.
Senior SEO Executive
Thea has a wealth of experience in SEO, having previously worked for other Digital Marketing Agencies in Sheffield. She has a particular interest and skills in Technical SEO, but is more than willing to get stuck in and give anything a go.
Outside of work, Thea spends most of her time with her children, but also loves reading, photography and gardening.
PPC Executive
Before joining Wildcat, Tom worked across different industries, building skills in sales and customer service. He later developed a passion for digital marketing whilst working on personal marketing projects and freelance ventures, and gained numerous certifications in PPC and Social Media.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys staying active by going to the gym and hiking. He also loves travelling and motorbiking.
Head of Growth
Rich joined us in May 2024 to head up our growth team. With years of experience helping other agencies to grow, Rich joins us at an exciting time as Wildcat is working on a five-year plan to become one of the biggest agencies in the UK.
Outside of work, Rich is a father to three children, which keeps him very busy! He’s also recently started running again to keep fit and loves a bit of DIY.
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