Guest posting plays a big role in many content marketing plans, but getting a foot in the door isn’t always easy. Most editors receive up to 10 pitches per day, and with 90% of them being so bad that editors don’t even read them properly, it’s hugely important to make sure that your guest post pitch is spot on.
So how can you stand out from the crowd? Let’s take a look at how to write a perfect guest post pitch:
1. Prioritize the Audience
There are many reasons why a guest post pitch might be rejected — for being too promotional or failing to meet the editor’s guidelines, for example. But the main reasons all revolve around a failure to prioritize the editor’s readership. The following are frequently cited as the main reasons for rejecting guest contributions:
- Creating low-quality content that doesn’t engage an audience
- Misaligned content that doesn’t meet the audience’s needs
- Content that simply isn’t a good fit for the readership
More than three-quarters of editors believe that, in general, the guest content they receive could be a lot better.
2. Write a Killer Subject Line
There are a few easy email hacks that you can use to make your guest post pitch stand out in a sea of similar emails. One is to make sure that your subject line is optimized to boost open rate.
It’s tempting to want to write a clever subject line, or a ‘clickbait’ style subject line that encourages editors to want to learn more. However, research shows that when it comes to guest post pitches, less is more. In fact, more than half of all editors just want something simple and direct.
A subject line is something that’s often overlooked by senders, but with just 13% of editors opening every email they get, it really is important.
3. Learn to Spell
There are lots of things editors hate to see in guest post pitches. They’re not too keen on generalized, mass templates that they’ve already seen a million of, and failing to introduce yourself or your website can be a major turn off. But there’s one thing that editors hate more than anything else: Bad grammar and spelling.
Proofreading is essential. If you pair a well-written, well-structured guest post pitch with some of the things that editors really love to see — interesting topics, engaging descriptions, and excellent examples — you can significantly reduce the chances of your guest post pitch ending up in the trash.
4. Just be Yourself
It’s tempting to try to be ‘perfect’ in your guest post pitch — to act professional and to try to make the editor like you — but in reality, an editor just wants you to be yourself. Don’t really like their website? Then don’t lie about it! Editors don’t want fake, cheesy pick-up lines. They want to know you’ve got your own opinions and aren’t afraid to share them with your audience.
If you love a bit of lighthearted humor, then use it! Most editors don’t mind if you want to pop a funny gif or meme into your guest post pitch, as long as it’s relevant and inoffensive. Honesty is a great foundation for building a relationship.
Overall, editors want to see a guest post pitch that’s interesting, that’s highly personalized, and that gives them a detailed overview of what you could do for them. That doesn’t sound too hard… does it?
The Final Step
Aaaaaaaaand relax. But not for long. Sending your guest post pitch may seem like the final step in the pitching process, but there’s one very important thing you may still need to do: follow up. If you don’t receive a response from an editor, sending a quick follow up email can be a good way to touch base. But don’t jump the gun here — most editors prefer you to wait at least one week before getting in touch.
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CURATTI GUEST