Guest blogging 101: How to Pitch to Publications [Tips + Templates]

To be a successful blogger, one needs to stay on top of trends and say the right thing at the right time, in the right place, and in the right format. Doing so can be a challenge. This article is a detailed guide to guest blogging, focusing on tips and tricks for pitching the perfect blog to publications using suitable templates. 

How to Approach a Publication?

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1.Tips for submitting

To be a successful guest blogger, you must remain relevant with your topics and input. Publications receive up to 10 pitches every day, which means that you must stand out from the very onset of your subject line. 

Due to the volume of pitches, a survey by Point Visible indicates that 20% of these editors put little to no effort into reading all the pitches carefully. Keep following up with the editor of the publication you have submitted to after creating a catchy title for your blog. 

It is entirely possible that due to the number of applications, yours could get lost in all the noise. So, a follow-up email after one week can help your blog stand out and bring the editor to notice your piece more closely. While being enthusiastic about your acceptance, ensure to not write to them too frequently, as it can cause further irritation. 

2. Reasons why your blog isn’t getting accepted

The number one reason your guest blogs are not accepted for publication is usually a misalignment of the pitch with the article’s content. 

Editors do not have time to read unsolicited articles, and the subject line should be convincing of the substance within it. Low-quality content can put one-off, and 39.5% of blogs get rejected due to this, says a survey. It is no surprise that editors want quality content for their publications. 

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3. Things to keep in mind when pitching to a publication

When submitting a blog for publication, ensure that your blog aligns with the brand you are submitting to. For example, if you are writing for a lifestyle publication, a blog on the misuse of fast fashion may not be the right fit for the publication. 

Ensure that your blog can represent the publication and is a good fit. Write to please. Make sure you follow the publication’s guidelines when formatting your blog. It’ll be sure to impress and get approved sooner than if your blog did not follow any of the publication guidelines. 

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Most publications don’t want their content to seem too promotional, and it is unlikely that it will allow a guest blog to do the same. Having a blog that is informative and fun to read is better than a blog that seems too promotional.

How to Write the Perfect Pitch?

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1. Have a notable subject line

The subject line sells your article and your writing ability from the get-go. It represents who you are as a blogger, writer, and individual. 

A good subject line combines cleverness and interest. It is the most straightforward way to represent a brand and decide your blog’s value. While clickbait has a bad reputation in blogging circles, having a subject line that piques interest will leave people wanting more. A good subject line conveys what you want to say about a particular topic in a glib and concise manner. 

Having a good subject line also makes it easier for the editor to go through your email without feeling overwhelmed seamlessly. When you write a simple subject line, it conveys why you are writing to them, helping you avoid getting lost in the clutter.

2. Have the right elements on your pitch

A hustling blogger must do everything to ensure that their pitch gets noticed. Some essential elements that can help you achieve just that include: 

• Introduce yourself: The editor reading your email will feel more connected to you as a person and will read your blog with attention. An anonymous submission will not make the editor feel connected to the piece and will also be unaware of who you are and what you can represent. 

• Mention the publication and its website: doing so will help the editor have faith in your commitment to the publication and take it as a sign of your attention to detail. A personal mention of the publication/ website can make your email feel well researched and important. 

• Structure your email well: Nobody likes reading long paragraphs with no start, middle, or end. Structure your email to facilitate the thought process of the person reading your email, and is clear about who you are and your pitch by the end of it. 

• Spell check your email: Don’t be in a hurry if you are serious about guest blogging for a publication. We don’t have to spend much time rechecking every word, thanks to technology. So take the help of the tools available at your disposal and rectify spelling and grammatical mistakes to the best of your ability. 

• Mention your website: Being accepted to a guest blog is mainly about selecting your brand and style. Ensure that your website is sleek and up-to-date. With your website, you are not only pitching an idea but also a brand. Your pitch should reference your website, representing you and your abilities well.

• Use a distinctive template: Many people write to editors. Many of them use mass templates from popular search engines to reduce the burden of appearing more professional. You can likely be written off as uncreative using a popularly available template. So try to use a distinctive template that helps set you apart from the masses. 

• Pitch to the right audience: Having the right niche for your blog. Choosing to align your blog with the right publication is the right step for the publication and you in the long run. If you are pitching something that does not suit the publication’s target audience, it is likelier that you will face rejection rather than acceptance. 

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Elements for a distinctive email pitch 

To increase the chances for guest publication in your target publication, there are a few things you can do to set your pitch apart from the competition. They include:

• Choose interesting topics: Being trendy doesn’t necessarily have to mean blogging on an issue that thousands of others are also doing. Find innovative ways to reinvent a trendy topic that is interesting and fresh. 

• Describe your topic in detail: This will demonstrate your commitment to the publication and the effort into thinking about it. It also gives the editor a better idea of your pitch, even if you fail to capture the full essence of your blog in your subject line. 

• Write beautifully: Using informative formal language is very common and even expected. If you want to seem different, try stringing together words that are beautiful to read and keep the editor invested in what you have to say because of the way you are saying it. 

• Personalize your pitch: The higher you cater to the publications’ particular needs and image, the likelier it is for you to be a success. Do your research and personalize your pitch to the greatest extent possible without being too promotional. Pitch your belief in them and their message, and you are likely to see a positive outcome. 

3. Craft the Perfect Guest Post Pitch

There is rarely a right answer to this. Every blog has its way of operating and working within the paradigm. Some bloggers have succeeded by conforming to the norm, but others have succeeded by disrupting it. 

If you want to have a successful guest pitch, you must know who you are and what your blog stands for. If you believe that the way things must be done and the way things are done are two different things and conforming to the latter will bring you more success, then, by all means, commit to the approach you genuinely believe in. 

There is no one-trick pony to do things correctly, and there is more than one point of view. However, some broad tips and tricks that you can try in your approach to test which works for you best are enumerated here: 

1. Topic truly matters; A quality topic that suits the blog’s theme is in line with the current content being published on the blog and suits the audiences’ needs is the golden triangle that makes the dream work. 
2. Personalization is key: Make the editor and their work feel seen and known, and they will likely make your work more serious. 
3. Pitch yourself: To be chosen among many, you must prove that you/your blog is the right fit for the job and that you can handle the assignment with poise and panache. 
4. Short is sweet: a short, concise pitch conveying your vision and commitment is the easiest way to get you noticed and remembered. 
5. Confidence is the key: to win a pitch, you have to pitch like a winner, and confidence can go a long way in representing your ability. 
6. Email signature: have a good sign-off. It shows your worth and demonstrates value to the editor. Be it using your socials or a catchy phrase, try to stand out.
7. Don’t praise yourself: It is more believable when someone else praises your work. So network well and try to get people to vouch for you or get your readers to amplify your worth. 

Consider your guest post an artistic endeavor that will be lucrative and enriching. Tips and tricks will only get you so far but believing in your content is the key. Using the above suggestions, you can arrive at a successful approach that works best for you. 

While the above elements add some tried & tested methods to getting accepted, the actual test is the quality of your blog and how appealing it can be on a personal level. Use these tips, tricks, and templates to craft something unique and representative of you and your work. 

 Key Takeaways

1. Prove your value be the right fit as a guest post/blog for the publication. 
2. Produce good content: Make content that is hard to ignore.
3. Do your research: For your content and your pitch to the publication.
4. Don’t send a blind pitch: Know who you are writing for and why you want to write them, and make those reasons known.
5. Subject lines are half the effort: Persuade in 20 words or less how your article/ blog is the right choice. Offer something valuable and compelling in a short and sweet sentence. 
6. Be respectful of time: The editor will appreciate a short email that is concise, provocative, and not generic. Follow up after a week and try to convince and convert in a short span without harassing them and being aware of their time and efforts. 
7. Don’t be in a hurry to send out the email. Write once and edit twice. 

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