12 guest post pitch examples, and why each one works

A good guest post pitch is short. It names one specific gap on the editor's site, offers two or three headlines that would fill it, and links to something you have already written. The 12 guest post pitch examples below follow that shape for different situations, from a cold email to a reply when a site asks you to pay.

Is guest posting still a good way to get backlinks? Yes, if your customers read the site and the post is worth publishing. No, if the site exists to sell guest slots. Someone asked exactly that on r/SEO in a thread titled is guest posting actually a good way to get backlinks, and the top reply was measured:

"Guest posting can work if you're posting on relevant sites with high authority, but it's not a guarantee of success." (u/sian-keating, r/SEO)

We wrote these examples as templates for this post. We never sent them, so we don't quote reply rates for any of them. Replace every [bracket] with something specific to the person you are writing to. If your pitch still reads like a template, the editor will treat it like one.

Before you pitch: pick the right sites

Who you email matters more than what you write. Pitch sites that publish for your customers, not your competitors. In an r/SEO thread on how link building is actually done, one practitioner put the targeting rule plainly:

"you don't do it by approaching the websites who are trying to rank for the same thing you are." (u/SEOPub, r/SEO)

Run three quick checks before you write:

1. The blog has published contributor posts in the last few months.
2. People read its posts: they rank for something, or get shared.
3. It isn't a site that publishes anyone's post for a fee. A "sponsored post" price list gives that away.

Our free guest post site finder gives you ready-made Google search operators for finding blogs in your niche that accept contributors, plus a vetting checklist.

The anatomy of a guest post pitch

That comes to roughly 100 to 150 words. Editors read pitches in between other work, and anything longer gets skimmed.

1. The cold pitch with three headlines

Subject: Guest post idea for [Blog name]: [topic]

Hi [Name],

Your post on [specific post title] was the clearest explanation of
[topic] I've found. It made me wonder whether your readers would want
the next step: [related problem].

Three angles I could write:
- [Headline 1]
- [Headline 2]
- [Headline 3]

Here's a recent piece of mine so you can judge the writing: [URL].
Happy to follow your guidelines on length and links.

[Your name]
[Role, company]

This works because the editor gets three decisions they can make on the spot instead of an open question, and the first line proves you read the blog. Make the headlines specific enough that they could publish them as written.

2. The content-gap pitch

Subject: A gap in your [topic] coverage?

Hi [Name],

I went through your [category] archive. You've covered [topic A] and
[topic B] in depth, but I couldn't find anything on [topic C], which is
the question I get most from [your audience].

I'd like to write it for you: "[Headline]". The outline would be:
1. [Section]
2. [Section]
3. [Section]

Sample of my writing: [URL].

[Your name]

This works because you've already done the editor's planning for them. A real gap you point out is far more useful to them than a general offer to write "on any topic you like".

3. The original-data pitch

Subject: New data on [topic] for [Blog name]

Hi [Name],

We recently looked at [what you measured, e.g. "the pricing pages of
200 SaaS companies"]. One finding your readers might care about:
[one specific, true result].

I'd like to write up the full results as a guest post for [Blog name],
with the method and the raw numbers, so your readers can check them.

Working title: "[Headline]".

[Your name]

This works because writers and editors need sources, and numbers nobody else has published are hard to find. Only send it if the data is real and you can show your method. Never round a finding up to make the pitch stronger.

4. The outdated-post refresh pitch

Subject: Your [year] post on [topic]

Hi [Name],

Your guide to [topic] still ranks well, but a few parts have changed
since [year]: [specific change 1] and [specific change 2].

Would you be open to a guest post that covers where things stand now?
I'd link back to your original guide so the two work together.

Proposed title: "[Headline]".

[Your name]

This works because you're protecting a page they already care about. The specific changes show you know the topic, and the link to their original helps them too.

5. The "write for us" page pitch

Subject: Guest post submission: "[Headline]" (per your guidelines)

Hi [Name],

I read your contributor guidelines and I'm pitching a post that fits
your [category] section:

Title: [Headline]
Summary: [2 sentences on what the reader learns]
Length: [their preferred length]
Why your readers: [1 sentence tied to their audience]

Previous writing: [URL 1], [URL 2].

[Your name]

This works because sites with a "write for us" page get a lot of pitches, and most of them ignore the guidelines. Matching their format, length and section names shows you read the page.

6. The newsletter guest-issue pitch

Subject: Guest issue idea for [Newsletter name]

Hi [Name],

I've been reading [Newsletter] since [issue or topic you remember].
I have an idea for a guest issue: [one-line idea], written for
[their audience] and built around [what makes it concrete: a teardown,
a checklist, a short case].

I'll match your usual format and length. Here's something similar
I wrote: [URL].

[Your name]

This works because many newsletters keep a web archive, so a guest issue often comes with a link. Referring to a past issue shows you read the newsletter and didn't just scrape it from a list.

7. The warm-intro pitch

Subject: [Mutual contact] suggested I get in touch

Hi [Name],

[Mutual contact] mentioned you're looking for contributors who know
[topic]. I've spent [time] working on [relevant experience].

One idea: "[Headline]", covering [2 to 3 points].

Happy to send an outline if it's a fit.

[Your name]

This works because a name the editor trusts gets your email read. Only use it with permission from the mutual contact, and name them in the subject line.

8. The customer-story pitch

Subject: How [customer] solved [problem]: guest post idea

Hi [Name],

Your readers are mostly [audience]. One of our customers, [customer],
went through [specific problem] last quarter, and they've agreed to
let us write up what they did, step by step.

It would be a practical how-to rather than a product pitch.
Working title: "[Headline]".

[Your name]

This works because a real story beats general advice. Get the customer's written permission first, use only the numbers they approve, and keep the post about their method rather than your product.

9. The integration-partner pitch

Subject: Co-written post for [Partner] users?

Hi [Name],

A lot of our users connect [your product] to [Partner product].
We'd like to write a guide for your blog on [specific workflow that
uses both], with screenshots from a real setup.

You'd have full edit rights, and we'd publish a matching piece on
our side that links to yours.

[Your name]

This works because partners want content that helps their own users, and integration guides do that. A link from a partner's blog is relevant by definition.

10. The follow-up

Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hi [Name],

Bumping this in case it got buried. If [topic] isn't right for
[Blog name] at the moment, I'd be glad to pitch something else.
Just let me know.

[Your name]

This one works because it is short, gives the editor an easy way to say no, and offers an alternative. Send one follow-up about a week later, then stop.

11. Confirming the details after a yes

Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hi [Name],

Great, thank you. To make sure I deliver what you need:
- Length: [their number] words?
- Deadline: does [date] work?
- Links: is one link to [your relevant page] in the body OK, or do you
  prefer it in the author bio only?
- Images: should I supply any?

I'll send the draft by [date].

[Your name]

This works because asking about link placement up front heads off the most common disappointment: a post that goes live with your link removed. It also shows the editor you'll be easy to work with.

12. Replying when a site asks for a fee

Subject: Re: [original subject]

Hi [Name],

Thanks for getting back to me. We don't pay for placements, so I'll
pass on this one. If you ever accept unpaid contributions on [topic],
I'd be glad to write for you.

[Your name]

This works because it is polite and leaves the door open. Paying for a link that passes ranking signal is what Google's spam policies call link spam unless the link is marked rel="sponsored". We don't sell paid links ourselves. Our page on buying backlinks explains the safer route.

Guest post examples: what the finished post should look like

A pitch only gets you in the door. Guest posts that get published and keep their links tend to have a few things in common:

• They teach one thing the site's readers want, written in the site's tone.
• They link to your site once, in the spot where it helps the reader, rather than three times in the first paragraph.
• They include something specific, like a screenshot, a number or a worked example.
• They link out to other sources, including the host site's own posts.

How guest post pitches fit with your other outreach

Guest posts are one tactic. Resource pages, roundups and broken-link pitches are often quicker, because you ask for one line instead of a whole article. For outreach email templates that cover those, see backlink outreach templates. For where guest posts fit in the overall order, see how to build backlinks. For how a guest post differs from other link sources, see types of backlinks.

FAQ

How long should a guest post pitch be?

Around 100 to 150 words. That gives you room to name a gap, offer headlines and link to a sample, and an editor can still read it in under a minute.

Should I send the full article with my pitch?

Usually not. Send headlines or an outline first. Editors want to shape the piece, and writing a full post for a site that says no wastes your time. If the site's guidelines ask for a draft, send one.

How many follow-ups should I send?

One, about a week after the first email. If that gets no answer, move on.

Is it OK to ask for a dofollow link in a guest post?

Ask where the link can go and whether the site has a link policy. Don't make a dofollow link a condition of writing, and don't pay for one. If a site wants payment, the link should be marked sponsored.

Can I use AI to write guest post pitches?

You can use it for a first draft. The parts that get replies (the specific detail from their site, the real gap, your proof) still have to come from you. Editors spot generic pitches easily.

Let the agent find the people to pitch

Writing the pitch is the quick part. Finding sites, tracking down the editor and keeping up with follow-ups take longer. BacklinkBot's AI backlink outreach agent finds pages already ranking for your keywords and the person behind each one. It drafts a pitch about that specific page and sends it from your inbox once you approve. It starts at $49/month.