Yes, guest blogging is a great opportunity. Yes, guest blogging is beneficial. You know what else guest blogging is? Popular. As the popularity of guest posting has increased, so have the emails requesting consideration. So how do you stand out as the MVB? It’s all in how you play the game.
First things first, you must know the rules, and a lot of blog owners help by posting guidelines for submission. What are their preferred word counts? How do they feel about affiliate links? Being able to follow laid-out details is both as important and basic as tying up your laces. But the warm-up doesn’t stop there. In order to score, your pitch is going to have to round the bases.
Get to first base by skipping the formalities
If your goal is to get your pitch glazed over, then by all means start your email with a lengthy introduction.
I am a huge fan of your blog; I’ve been reading ever since you posted that article about –blah- and it really got me thinking about -blah, blah, blah- and ever since then, I haven’t been able to –white noise-.
While it is important that you care about the site you’re pitching to, spare the webmaster all of the intimate details. A lot of blog owners are flooded with inquires and they simply do not have the time to decode your well crafted letter for the actual pitch. This is not to imply editors are robots, on the contrary they are very busy humans who are open to the idea of doing you a favor… just don’t make them work for it.
Instead, reach for personality in your greeting and be sure to address the editor by name. From this point on, the body of your pitch emails should start with these 5 simple words: My guest blog idea is: (enter title).
Slide into 2nd as a title holder
If one thing is going to get your pitch noticed, it’s a well crafted title. When blog owners read pitches of course your topic has to be relevant to their readers, but they also are trying to imagine your voice as a fit for their audience. This is where research comes in.
Maybe the site you’re pitching to likes numbered/list blogs (4 Simple Ways to Increase Web Traffic), maybe they have an affinity for posing questions to their readers (What Makes Web Traffic Move?) or maybe they like pop culture paired with an edge (Lessons on Driving Traffic from J-Lo’s Booty).
I’m not quite sure how that last one would work out, but you get the point. Picking a pitch is like picking a mate. Those in the editorial seat have to be both excited about what you’re offering and comfortable enough to introduce you to their friends. Remember to also let editors in on your thought process by including subheadings or a one sentence summary of your piece.
Steal 3rd and prove the fit
Rather than gush over why you like the site, save your expository to explain why this will be something his/her readers will want to read. For example:
I really enjoyed last week’s article “How to Manage Your Site’s Booming Traffic.” I noticed some of your readers made comments/asked questions on how to get their traffic going in the first place. My aim for this post would be to update readers on the latest traffic trends, and give them simple tips they can put into practice right away.
Bring it home with your bio
You’ve made the pitch and explained the fit, now is the time to introduce yourself – quickly.
To tell you a little bit about myself… Follow up in one sentence summing up your writing/blogging experience.
Click to see a sample of my work… Leave the editor a link that represents your best and most relevant work.
If you are interested in pursuing this post, I can get a draft to you by… Finish up with your turnaround rate, review your email for any typos and feel confident when clicking -send-.
Now, get out there guest bloggers and make us proud!
Hey, editors! What other tips do you have for securing a pitch?
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