Pitching guest posts became a breeze, and my success rate skyrocketed.

I've had guest appearances on major platforms and secured numerous niche-focused opportunities, such as 

• 10K-strong Facebook groups, 
• 100K+ subscriber YouTube channels,
•  and popular industry podcasts like Agents of Change.

Now, I rarely need to pitch guest posts because the ones I do pitch get accepted. 

Even with high-traffic websites, I consistently get 4 out of every 5 guest posts accepted.

Here's what readers and influencers said about the last version of this guide

And I know this version is 100X better! 

So what do you say?

Are you ready?

Recently, I had a chat with my friend Tim, a fitness coach looking to boost sales of his online programs.

Knowing that guest blogging is an effective way to build a converting email list, I asked Tim if he had started guest blogging.

Tim hesitated, asking, 

"Don't I need more content on my blog before pitching guest posts?"

I responded, "Why do you think you need content on your site first?"

"Well, having enough content would show influencers that my work is valuable to their audiences," Tim explained.

Although Tim's logic is understandable, it's based on the misconception that influencers evaluate your guest post potential by thoroughly reading your blog.

The Reality:

Most influencers will never read your blog

Imagine yourself as a busy influencer.

 Would you have the time to read every blog from people pitching guest posts?
Most likely not.

In reality, influencers assess guest post suitability based on the pitch itself. If they do visit your site, they typically only look at your home or about page.

Before refining those pages, understand the four key areas influencers assess on those pages to know what needs improvement.

What Influencers Look for in Your Online Presence

When visiting your online platform, influencers evaluate your compatibility in four areas.

① Target Audience

The first thing most influencers assess is who you help. They want to see if your audience aligns with theirs or at least shares some commonalities.

Questions to Answer to Define Your Target Audience:

② Problems You Solve

Influencers also want to know the problems you help your audience address.

Questions to Answer to Define the Problems You Solve:

③ How You Help Your Audience

The third factor influencers consider is how you assist your audience.

Questions to Answer to Define How You Help:

For example, my guest posts often focus on growing email lists through guest blogging. Since most influencers I pitch to don't usually cover guest blogging, the fit is typically apparent. However, it can fall apart if you don't align with the next and final criterion.

④ Your Values

Lastly, influencers assess your values. 

They want to ensure that you don't have any deal breakers.

For instance, one influencer I guest posted with recently had this deal breaker:

Part #3
Identifying the Right Sites for Guest Blogging as an Author

If you're pitching guest posts and not receiving responses, it's not because people dislike you. You're likely pitching to the wrong people.

I recently spoke with Priya, an author who had been trying for months to secure guest post opportunities.

Despite contacting over 20 bloggers, they faced mostly silence, leading to self-doubt about their writing skills.

I've reviewed Priya's content and know it's solid, so the problem was most likely targeting the wrong sites.

When asked about the most crucial factor for finding a guest blogging site, Priya said, "finding a site where your guest post can add value to the audience." 

While important, this should not be the only criterion for selecting the right sites for guest blogging as an author.

It's essential to find the right guest blogging opportunities to maximize your author exposure. 

Here are three key factors to consider when screening potential sites for guest blogging:

① The site may not have your ideal audience

As an author looking to guest blog, it's essential to find a site that caters to your ideal audience. 

While you may have valuable insights to share through your guest post, it won't be effective if the site's visitors aren't your target audience.

Consider the story of Leila, one of my students.
Leila specializes in assisting stay-at-home moms in rejoining the workforce by connecting them with remote work opportunities.

She recently pitched an influencer in the career advice niche, just like herself.

However, this particular influencer's website focused on helping young professionals already employed to secure promotions or raises.

While Leila's expertise in finding remote, flexible work could have provided value to the blog, the young professional audience was not her target demographic.

As a result, this guest blogging opportunity wasn't the right fit for her.

Unfortunately, both Leila and the influencer realized this mismatch only after going through three drafts and numerous disagreements.

To avoid wasting time and energy like Leila, it's crucial to carefully screen potential host sites before pitching your guest post.

By targeting your ideal audience through guest blogging for authors, you'll maximize the impact and reach of your content.

② The guest blogging site’s audience problems might be different than those of your ideal audience

As an author engaging in guest blogging, it's crucial not only to find a site catering to your ideal audience but also to ensure you can address the specific problems that audience faces.

Let's revisit the example of Leila. 

Although both stay-at-home moms and young professionals may be interested in remote work opportunities, the challenges they encounter in finding such opportunities differ significantly.

Stay-at-home moms often grapple with doubts about the existence of profitable remote work options, while young professionals might be worried about the potential negative effects remote work could have on their career advancement.

If Leila were to guest blog on a site catering to young professionals, she would need to invest considerable time and effort tailoring her solutions to suit an entirely new audience. 

Moreover, even if she succeeds in helping them and attracting them to her platform, retaining them may prove difficult. 

They would likely realize that her work is primarily geared towards a demographic they don't belong to and eventually lose interest.

For authors pursuing guest blogging opportunities, it's essential to find sites that not only target the right audience but also address their specific concerns. 

This way, you can offer meaningful solutions that resonate with your readers and build a lasting relationship with them.

③ You may not get enough people joining your email list

When participating in guest blogging for authors, it's essential to choose sites with audiences whose problems align with your expertise. Otherwise, your guest post may not help you attract many subscribers to your email list.

Let's refer to Leila's example one final time. Suppose her guest post had been published on the site targeting young professionals. Would her story and advice have resonated with that audience? 

Most likely not.

Mothers identify with Leila because they see in her another mom who has already faced the doubt and rejection they currently experience. She represents someone who, despite these challenges, discovered how to make remote jobs work for her.

Would a young professional resonate with Leila's story in the same way? 

Unlikely. As a result, Leila would not have gained many email subscribers from that guest post.

You may be wondering, "So, what should I look for when searching for guest posting opportunities?" I'm glad you asked! Here's what you should consider.

Key Factors to Consider When Searching for Guest Posting Opportunities

When considering guest blogging opportunities, authors should evaluate potential host sites based on four key factors. By ensuring these factors align with your goals, you can maximize the effectiveness of your guest posts.

① Audience Fit

Spend a few minutes understanding who the site is focused on helping, and make sure it includes your ideal audience.

② Values Fit

Take some time to ensure that you agree with the influencer's most passionately held core values. It is not only unethical to guest post with an influencer whose values you disagree with, but you're also unlikely to see the list-building returns you desire.

For instance, 

If you disagreed with an influencer's core values but still managed to guest post on their site, your content might not resonate with their audience, resulting in few email list sign-ups. And even if people did join, they would likely unsubscribe upon realizing your values don't align.

③ Strong Audience Relationship

Verify that the influencer has a strong relationship with their audience. 

A strong relationship means the influencer's audience views your guest post as an endorsement of your work, which can inspire them to join your email list.

If the influencer doesn't have a strong connection with their audience, your guest post may not attract many subscribers.

One of the best indicators of a strong relationship is the level of engagement with the influencer's content. However, engagement should not be measured solely by comments.

Ensure that the site promotes the author's work or giveaway gift. 

If not, you might end up with a guest post that does little for your business, like Sam's experience:

By evaluating potential host sites based on these four factors, you can increase the success of your guest blogging efforts as an author.

Action Steps

Part #4
One Common Mistake to Avoid When Pitching Guest Posts

Recently I was doing a Pitch Perfect session for my student Logan. Pitch Perfect a chance for students to work one-on-one with me on their guest post pitch emails.

Logan signed up because she felt she wasn't selling herself well enough in her guest post pitch emails, believing her lack of impressive credentials was the issue.

To compensate, Logan packed her pitch with as many credentials as possible, hoping to convince influencers of her expertise and secure guest post opportunities. 

However, her pitches received no response, a result that didn't surprise me.

Credential-packed pitches often indicate a failed approach. Let's discuss why such guest post pitch emails are ineffective.

Why Credential-Packing Your Guest Post Pitch Emails Does NOT Work

Most people assume that loading a guest post pitch email with credentials is the best way to convince influencers of their value. However, this approach rarely works.

Before an influencer can assess your pitch logically, their emotional brain needs to approve it first. Unless the credentials you've included in your guest post pitch email hold personal meaning for the influencer, their emotional brain is unlikely to give the green light.

A busy influencer's emotional brain may perceive your credential-packed pitch as a distraction from their goals. Distractions can trigger a fight, flight, or freeze response, resulting in your guest post pitch being harshly rejected, silently ignored, or placed in a deal-with-it-later pile.

By avoiding this common mistake and carefully selecting the right site to pitch, guest blogging for authors can be a successful strategy for building your email list and expanding your reach.

Recap + Next Guest Blogging Steps for Writers

Pin it!