10 Guest Post Email Templates to Get Featured
Building links to your website is hard, even for seasoned SEOs and bloggers. And guests posts are one of the most effective ways to ask for links.
The reason?
A high-quality guest post has value for your recipient. They get a high-quality blog post that they'd usually have to spend days writing. In exchange for a simple link, it's not a bad trade.
This guide will show you a proven cold email process for landing guest posts. By the end, you'll be landing guest posts on high-authority sites with ease.
We’ll discuss:
Ready? Let's jump in.
What Is Guest Blogging?
Guest blogging, also known as guest posting, is a valuable content marketing tactic that involves writing and publishing blog articles on other sites or blogs. It generally offers benefits for both publishers hosting the guest content (as it engages wider audiences) and guest bloggers who get to put their content on another site to promote their content or brand.
In general, guest bloggers create content for websites related to their industry. This allows them to:
Increase exposure, credibility, and brand awareness
Help build relevant backlinks and improve SEO authority
Generate more traffic to their website and generate quality leads
Relevant Subject Lines for Guest Post Outreach
Does your subject line matter?
It does, but not that much.
As long as your subject line is clear, concise, and reflects what your email is about, you're good to go.
Here are some email subject lines that can help you outreach for potential guest posts:
High-quality content for your blog
Guest blog posts that get views
Great content ideas for your website
Review these 5 blog post ideas for [Website]
Grab your reader’s attention with this content
Want an amazing blog post? We can help!
Guest Post Email Templates That Get Positive Replies
These guest post outreach templates are all designed to make it clear to your prospect why you're emailing, what's in it for them, and the benefits of replying to you.
You'll notice that these are a little longer than the usual cold email templates we recommend. But, because guest post outreach isn't aiming to generate sales, the rules are different.
Here are the templates:
Guest Post Email Template #1: Pitch to Editors
This template is for pitches where you know a company accepts guest posts.
Despite that, you still want to add extra value. In this case, the example is that you're telling someone that you'll promote the content using your newsletter.
Depending on your company, this might look a little different. For example, share it in a private community, with your engaged Twitter following, or something similar. Either way, you need to show them there's something in it for them.
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
Big fan of the content that {{company.name}} is creating around [topic]. Love the podcast you're creating to compliment the blog, too.
Saw you're accepting guest posts, and I'd love to contribute some insights we've learned at [your company].
If you're interested, here are some topic suggestions:
[Topic suggestion #1]
[Topic suggestion #2]
[Topic suggestion #3]
We could deliver the post in a week and can help you promote it using our newsletter (5k subscribers).
Do any of those topics stand out?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Guest Post Email Template #2: Open to Contributions?
If there's a popular website you'd love to be featured on, but you can't find information about their guest post requirements, you can still reach out.
As long as your email is polite and clear and promises to deliver value, there's no reason you can't secure a guest post opportunity.
Here's a template you can steal:
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
Just finished reading your recent post, [article title]. Can't wait to test those strategies at {{company.name}}.
I'm currently working on an article titled [blog post title], and it's looking for a home.
Are you currently accepting guest contributions on your blog?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
P.S. We're also accepting guest posts if you'd be interested in an exchange.
Guest Post Email Template #3: The “Guestographic”
Brain Dean of Backlinko coined this technique and used it to grow his website traffic by over 175%.
The concept of a “Guestographic” is that you pitch a guest post that includes an infographic linked back to your site.
It's interesting because the site you pitch can use your infographic as a link-building tool in the future, so it's instantly attractive.
So, there's clear value for both parties.
If you follow this strategy, here's a template you can use:
Hi {{prospect.first_name}}
Loved your recent post on [topic]. I was looking for advice on [topic], and you answered all my questions.
I'm reaching out because I saw you're accepting guest posts and wanted to throw my hat in the ring - but with a twist.
I've created and prepared a custom infographic on [relevant topic], and I'm writing an article to go with it.
Is that something you'd be interested in publishing on {{company.name}}'s site?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Guest Post Email Template #4: The Rewrite
Now, this tactic is less common but can be highly effective.
The idea is that you spot an out-of-date article on someone's website and offer to update it.
For example, if a post from 2-3 years ago isn't ranking for many terms (you can check using Ahrefs or Semrush) but:
Has scope to be improved
Is on a topic relevant to your business
You'll reach out, offering to rewrite it.
The twist is that you get a link back to your site from the new post like you would in a traditional guest post.
You just need to be careful that you don't offend the site owner when reaching out.
Make sure it's clear that you're not criticizing the post but looking to help them capitalize on the opportunity. Here's the template:
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
Saw your post on [topic] from 2017. Noticed it hasn't been updated since you published it in 2018, and there are some quick wins available, like [suggestion #1] and [suggestion #2].
If you'd like, I'd be happy to re-write and update it for you.
We've seen some quick wins by doing content updates on [your company]'s blog.
Is that something you'd be interested in?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Guest Post Email Template #5: Collaboration Opportunity
When it comes to guest posts, it’s all about collaboration. You don’t want to appear that you want something without giving anything in return. That’s not a good way to build a solid relationship.
But with a template like the one below, it positions you as a giver and not only a taker. It shows you want to build a relationship and are ready to give something.
The other reason why it works is that it directs the reader on how you can partner with them, and it easily gets to the point and focus of the email.
If you want to establish a solid working relationship built on collaboration, try this template:
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
I wanted to reach out because I really enjoyed the content and resources you have on your website, including [link].
Given that we share the same audience, I wanted to reach out to see if you are willing to discuss a beneficial partnership where we could spread the word about our product through your website. We could write content on any of these topics:
Topic #1
Topic #2
Topic #3
Please let me know if you want to work together on this!
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Guest Post Email Template #6: Promote Before You Publish
One of the biggest mistakes content marketing companies make is not to promote their blog posts and content. High-profile influencers have mentioned they tend to spend more time on promotion than even creation, with the time spent being 80/20.
But you need to find influencers who are interested in promoting or including your content on their website to get an early promotion. The best way to find out if an influencer is interested is by sending an email to determine their interest.
Once you have a list of influencers, you can send out an email using this template:
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
I wanted to reach out because I’m a huge fan of your content. I especially loved the [link to recent blog post].
I definitely learned a lot and connected with [key takeaway or point of video]
I’m planning to publish a post on [topic] next week. Having a lot of knowledge on [topic], I thought you might connect with it.
Can I send you the link when it goes live to see what you think?
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Guest Post Email Template #7: Ideas for Your Blog
If you are trying to outreach your blog posts for backlinks, there is one clear way to do it. You can reach out to niche sites or others within your industry and identify content gaps.
After you identify a content gap, you can pitch guest post ideas that can fill it.
Here’s what you can say:
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
My name is [name], and I’m reaching out from [company]. I’m a huge fan of your content and work, and I really enjoy your website. One of my favorite pieces is [link], and I learned so much from it, like [description]
That said, I think there are some content ideas your audience would enjoy. I was wondering if you’d be open to having some guest posts on your blog.
Here’s what I had in mind:
Topic #1
Topic #2
Topic #3
I hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Guest Post Email Template #8: Provide Value to Your Audience
With the above template, the idea is to pitch a few specific topics to get a company’s attention. This template focuses on providing one specific pitch.
You can go so far as to give a company or influencer a sneak peek into what the final blog would look like or an overall synopsis of the content. Make sure to discuss the value it’ll provide to their audience.
Here’s what a guest post pitch template could look like:
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
I was going through your blog, and I came across a post I liked [post link]. It got me thinking that your general audience might be interested in this blog post my team has been working on:
[Content summary in bullets]
I’d love to have it posted on your website exclusively if it’s something you’re interested in. Let me know what you think of the idea.
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Guest Post Email Template #9: Resource Page Link Building
A great way to get backlinks to your website is to reach out to authors or creators of resource pages. With this method, you might even get a few links from .edu websites.
The best way to track down resource pages is through a Google search. You’ll want to include a few key searches when looking, including:
inurl:resources and keyword
Inurl:links and keyword
After you’ve found a few resource sites to reach out to, consider using this template:
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
I was searching for information on [topic], and your resource page came up on the topic: [link to resource page]
The page was so helpful and included a fantastic list of resources that I was unfamiliar with.
I actually wrote an article on [topic]. If you’re interested, I’d happily send it to you.
Let me know! Thanks for your time.
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
Guest Post Email Template #10: Fixing Broken Links
It’s no secret that backlinks are important to SEO. You’ll have a hard time getting your content to rank without them, as Google flags your content as important when other websites point toward it.
One constant and well-known strategy for getting backlinks is through broken link building. It’s pretty straightforward — you find broken links on a site you’d like a backlink from, then email the owner to let them know about it. At the same time, you can suggest they add your own working link.
After you’ve found a broken link or two on a website you want to get your content on, reach out with this template:
Hi {{prospect.first_name}},
I was looking for information on [topic] and came across your post: [link]
It was super informative and offered a lot of good advice. I even [learned about…]
However, I did find some broken links in the article. Let me know if you’d like me to send you a list I made, along with some posts on [topic] that might be a good replacement!
Either way, hope this helps!
Best,
{{inbox.name}}
How to Find Guest Posting Opportunities
The first challenge is finding sites to guest post on.
You might already have an idea of 2 - 3 sites you'd love to be featured on. I'd recommend building a larger list than that.
While it's nice to aim high and only aim to guest post for companies with a huge audience and strong domain authority, it's a risky strategy.
The reason?
If those sites reject or ignore you, you're out of luck. You'll need to go back to the drawing board.
To find guest post opportunities, you can use Search Operators.
These let you find web pages by the text included on them.
For example, if you wanted to submit guest posts on email marketing, you could use the following search operator:
You'll see a list of results of pages with “Write For Us” in the title.
Test out a few variations, for example:
[Topic] “Guest post”
[Topic] “Contribute”
[Topic] “Write for us”
You'll quickly build a list of qualified sites to reach out to. Ahrefs has a great guide on using search operators listing all of the combinations, and you can read that here.
Most companies will list their guest post criteria on those pages, so pay attention and ensure your email outreach is relevant to that. If you suggest topics that they don't accept posts on, it'll be clear you haven't read their guidelines.
How to Find Contact Details
Websites with a public guest post or contributor page will nearly always have a contact method listed.
If there's a custom email, like contribute@company.com, you should use it. After all, they've given you a clear way to reach out to them.
If you're pitching sites that don't have a public page with details about how to contribute, there are various ways to find people's email addresses.
You can use email-finding tools like:
These will let you quickly identify verified emails for your guest post prospects.
If your prospects' emails don't show up there, use our guide to finding anyone's email in this guide here.
Elements of a Successful Guest Post Pitch
1. The Opening Line
We cover the art of the cold email opening line more in this guide, but to summarize, it needs to:
Be unique to the recipient
Prove you care about building a relationship with them
If you skip the custom opening line to save five minutes, your recipient will think you're only in it for the link and your chances of success will go down.
You need to open every email with a custom opening line. If the opening line isn't personalized, ensure there's personalization elsewhere.
Showing someone you've spent time customizing your email outreach to them is table stakes today. If you haven't, it'll be instantly clear that you're just sending as many emails as possible, without thinking about the person you're emailing.
2. Clarity Over Why You're Reaching Out
The person you're emailing is busy. You need to respect that by making the reason why you're emailing clear and concise.
Your email body should explain:
Why you're reaching out
What you're offering
What's in it for them
You only have a few sentences to get that across, so it's vital that your email body is clear and straightforward to read.
One powerful way to get more replies is to suggest guest post topics. Adding suggestions about the post topic makes life easy for the person you're emailing as they don't need to go back and forth with their team or with you to clarify a topic.
You can include a section that says:
Based on your audience being [sales reps/recruiters/marketers], here are three topic suggestions:
Title suggestion #1
Topic suggestion #2
Topic suggestion #3
If one of your topic suggestions resonates with your recipient, they'll be able to quickly get back to you with: “Topic #2 sounds good - look forward to reading it!”.
By putting in effort upfront to suggest topic ideas, you'll get more positive replies and more guest posts published.
You can repurpose ideas you're sending to multiple recipients to reduce the time it takes to come up with topic suggestions, but this part shouldn't take more than a few minutes per recipient.
3. What's In It For Them?
With any cold email campaign, you need to offer something of value to the recipient.
There's already some inherent value in guest post outreach because you're offering free content to someone.
But that's not enough to stand out. A company's head of content or marketing manager will receive multiple guest post pitches per day, and all of those emails promise great content.
To stand out, offer something extra in exchange.
For example:
Offering them a guest post on your site
Adding a link to their site from an article
Sharing their content on your social media channels
By offering something in exchange, you increase the value of your pitch. If you have a well-established website, most people will be happy to collaborate with you.
4. A Clear Call-To-Action
Finally, you need a call-to-action.
If not, your recipient will read your email and be unsure how to reply.
Make your call-to-action a straightforward question that someone can reply to. Ideally, it'll be open-ended rather than require a clear' yes' or ‘no' answer.
Example call to actions include:
Which of these topics do you prefer?
Interested in working together?
Want me to coordinate with someone on your team?
Make it simple to reply to and relate to the rest of your email content. There's no need to overthink it.
Organizing Your Guest Post Outreach at Scale
If you want to save time handling manual email outreach and follow-ups, you can send your campaigns using cold email software like QuickMail.
I'd recommend compiling your outreach targets into a spreadsheet.
First, include the relevant details you'll need to reach out with a completely custom email.
Name
Company
Personalized opening line
Guest post topic suggestions
Once you have these organized in a spreadsheet you can import them into QuickMail.
When you're writing your template, you can add these custom attributes in and they'll automatically populate.
All of the fields inside the curly brackets can be populated with custom information for every person you reach out to.
I'd also recommend including the whole first line in an {{Opening_Line}} attribute to make things even faster.
Here's what the final email template would look like:
As long as the custom attributes in your spreadsheet match, you're good to go.
Your template is ready to go.
If you don't get a reply, don't worry.
Our data shows that over half of replies come from follow-up emails.
Simply add extra steps in your campaign with a delay, and you can automatically follow-up with anyone who doesn't reply.
A friendly reminder after a few days will improve your response rate, and ultimately, help you get more guest posts.
Make your follow-up email short and friendly. Summarize the first email in a new way, and make sure there's a clear call to action.
I'd avoid sending one-line emails like: “Bumping this up to the top of your inbox.” They don't add new value to the email thread.
Treat your follow-up as a way to add new value to your recipient — suggest new topics, highlight a recent study they'll find interesting, and aim to start a conversation.
Wrapping Up
These templates will help you quickly get started with your guest post outreach. But, it's important to note that you should always customize them to your unique situation.
As soon as any template is posted online, it'll start being used by other marketers or SEOs looking to land guest post opportunities.
The key is to take the lessons around personalization and making it a simple process for whoever receives your email.
They will receive your guest post pitch and start nodding their head because your post ideas are an exact fit for their site.
To avoid repetitive work, make sure to schedule your emails using QuickMail.
You can send automated emails and follow-ups to ensure you get more replies, with less effort.
