Guest blogging in 2024 is still a powerful strategy.
When done right.
To make it work, your content needs to be niche-relevant, valuable to the publisher’s audience, and have strong ranking potential.
Just like this guest post written by Kristaps Brencans that we published on Backlinko:
This guide will teach you, step by step, how to do it:
But before we get to all that, let’s review what guest blogging is all about in 2024.
How Guest Posting Works in 2024
Guest blogging is writing and publishing an article on someone else’s blog.
In short, you can boost your online presence, build SEO backlinks, and show your expertise.
However, the blogging landscape has changed.
Marketers have bombarded publishers with low-quality, AI-generated, spammy content, turning guest blogging into a “backlink factory.”
And it’s taken its toll.
Many blogs have closed their doors to public guest post submissions.
Just take a look at this site as an example.
It doesn’t stop there.
Some websites go a step further, flat-out explaining why they don’t want to be contacted for guest posts anymore.
That’s how overwhelming the flood of generic, low-quality content-for-backlinks has become.
On the other hand, some blog hosts have spotted an opportunity to make a quick buck from guest bloggers.
Thanks to the link-building culture, they’re now charging for guest posts. Avoid these “opportunities” and focus on genuine content initiatives instead.
Google has also rolled out guidance to combat spammy, mass link-building.
While it’s smart to follow those guidelines, they aren’t set in stone. It’s debatable how well Google’s algorithm can actually detect and devalue guest post links.
So take these rules with a grain of salt.
That said, don’t take guest post quality lightly.
Focus on creating killer content and building genuine relationships with publishers.
If you’re an expert with unique, hard-to-find insights, publishers might even invite and pay you to contribute.
Bottom line:
If you want to crush it with guest blogging today, you’ve got to be an expert first, link builder second.
With these qualities, guest blogging has many benefits, both for a guest blogger and a blog host.
Guest bloggers have the opportunity to:
Reach a new audience: Expose your work to a new group of readers
Build authority: Establish yourself as an expert in related niches
Build quality backlinks: Improve your site’s SEO by getting solid links from reputable websites
Strengthen community ties: Connect with others in your niche
Drive referral traffic: Attract relevant visitors to your website
Blog hosts get:
Quality content: Gain unique, expert content with minimal effort
Different engagement: Introduce fresh perspectives to your audience
An SEO boost: Improve search visibility with targeted keyword inclusion
A chance to network: Build relationships with industry experts and influencers for future collaborations
Now, off to the practical part.
Step #1: Find High-Quality Blogs for Guest Posting
Your first step is to find a site to guest post on.
Here are six proven techniques for finding sites that accept guest posts:
Technique #1: Use Good Ol’ Google Search Operators
Google Search Operators are special characters and commands that help refine and narrow down search results.
Put simply:
They can help you find guest post opportunities on Google with ease.
Looking for something besides the typical “keyword” + “write for us” search string?
Here’s a list of search strings that you can use to find guest posting opportunities:
Your keyword “guest post”
Your keyword “write for us”
Your keyword “guest article”
Your keyword “guest post opportunities”
Your keyword “this is a guest post by”
Your keyword “contributing writer”
Your keyword “want to write for”
Your keyword “submit blog post”
Your Keyword “contribute to our site”
Your keyword “guest column”
Your keyword “submit content”
Your keyword “submit your content”
Your keyword “submit post”
Your keyword “This post was written by”
Your keyword “guest post courtesy of ”
Your keyword “guest posting guidelines”
Your keyword “suggest a post”
Your keyword “submit an article”
Your keyword “contributor guidelines”
Your keyword “contributing writer”
Your keyword “submit news”
Your keyword “become a guest blogger
Your keyword “guest blogger”
Your keyword “guest posts wanted”
Your keyword “looking for guest posts”
Your keyword “guest posts wanted”
Your keyword “guest poster wanted”
Your keyword “accepting guest posts”
Your keyword “writers wanted”
Your keyword “articles wanted”
Your keyword “become an author”
Your keyword “become guest writer”
Your keyword “become a contributor”
Your keyword “submit guest post”
Your keyword “submit an article”
Your keyword “submit article”
Your keyword “guest author”
Your keyword “send a tip”
Your keyword inurl: “guest blogger”
Your keyword inurl: “guest post”
allintitle: Your Keyword + guest post
Once you’ve found potential sites, don’t jump into pitching just yet.
Review the quality of the site first.
Here’s how to quickly evaluate if a site is worth pitching:
Check website authority and traffic: You can use Semrush to check the site’s authority and organic traffic. A site with strong traffic and a good backlink profile is a solid choice. (More on this in step 2).
Engagement and content quality: Look for recent posts that have comments, shares, or interaction. Avoid content that gets buried in search indexes. Ensure content is relevant and likely to rank well.
Choose sites with real audience: Avoid domains with inflated metrics but no real audience. Instead, aim to post on domains with strong, engaged readerships.
Technique #2: Reverse Engineer Your Competitor’s Backlinks
Here’s where you reverse engineer the backlinks of a site in your niche.
When you do, you can uncover a GOLDMINE of guest posting opportunities.
For example, we noticed that Sujan Patel’s site was ranking for a lot of keywords in our niche:
So we opened Semrush’s Domain Overview and entered the homepage URL.
Then, we scrolled to the “Backlinks” section and clicked “View details.”
Most of their backlinks didn’t come from guest posts. But a good chunk did.
Take a look at these 10 high-quality sites that they’ve guested posted on:
Why is this helpful?
Now you know which blogs are likely to accept guest posts from businesses like yours.
The best part about this strategy is that you can find sites that aren’t openly advertising the fact that they accept guest posts.
(In other words, sites that DON’T have a “write for us” page.)
But thanks to reverse engineering, you can find these sites with ease.
Technique #3: Identify Content Ideas in Your Niche
To find loads of good ideas for posts, use the Topic Research tool in Semrush.
To start, select “Topic Research” from Semrush’s left-hand menu. It’s under the “Content Marketing” drop-down.
Once you’re in the tool, enter a main topic.
Let’s say, for example, you’re a fashion blogger.
You might type “sustainable fashion” as the main topic.
Select your location from the drop-down menu, then click “Get content ideas.”
After that, you’ll see a screen filled with cards.
Each card represents a broad topic that’s closely related to your initial search.
These buckets are sorted by search volume. This gives you a clear view of what people are most interested in.
Each card dives into more specific content ideas related to your broader topics.
This lets you pinpoint the exact angles and keywords to use.
Say you’re interested in the topics from the “Fast Fashion” bucket. Click on the “Show more” text link to explore them.
This opens a more detailed view of the suggestion below the card.
Perhaps you like the suggestion: “The Myth of Sustainable Fashion.”
To save this topic for later, add it to your favorites. Do this by clicking the icon on the far right side of that specific topic.
At this point, before you get too committed to the topic, you might want to double-check whether it has search ranking potential.
This means: The keyword behind the topic gets organic traffic, is possible to rank for, and has an upward volume trend.
To analyze the keyword, head out to the Semrush menu again. Click “SEO” > “Keyword Magic Tool.”
Now, enter your seed keyword—“Sustainable fashion” and hit “Search.”
Use the “KD” drop-down menu and use “Custom” option to filter for keywords with a low difficulty ranking (0-30%). This will help you find related keywords that are easier to rank for than your seed keyword.
Now you see that keywords like “sustainability fashion projects” or “sustainable fashion jobs” have a decent search volume.
The first one has 1K monthly searches with keyword difficulty of 24.
For the second one, the keyword difficulty is 22 and it has 390 monthly searches.
This means that creating a well-structured and unique guest blog post can get to the first page on Google if you incorporate these keywords. Great!
Pro tip: If you want to get keyword difficulty rankings that are personalized for your specific domain, enter that domain into the purple box in the tool’s top menu.
For example, if you enter the keyword “Sustainable fashion” and “Backlinko.com,” you’ll see that the personal keyword difficulty is “Very hard,” and the topical authority of this domain for that keyword is “Low.”
This is because Backlinko’s content focuses on SEO topics. Sustainable fashion a foreign subject for the site.
Verdict: For this website, it would be extremely hard to rank for keywords related to sustainable fashion.
Now that you know how, dig through keywords that make sense for your target website. Use the data you find to decide which ones are a good fit for the guest post.
Technique #4: Google Reverse Image Search
Now, let’s talk about using Google Reverse Image Search to find guest blogging opportunities.
This is cool, too.
Find someone in your niche who writes a lot of guest posts.
For example, Noah Kagan contributes to a lot of blogs in the marketing space.
Grab the URL of the headshot they use in their author bio.
Click on the camera icon to open Google Lens.
Then, paste the image URL into the “Paste image link” field.
Select “Find image source.”
Boom! You get a list of places they’ve guest posted… presented to you on a silver platter.
Technique #5: Search on X
X (formerly Twitter) search is an untapped goldmine.
In fact, you can find some AMAZING guest blogging opportunities on X. (Ones that you would have never found using Google.)
Also, results on X are fresher than Google’s index. This means you can find sites that are actively on the hunt for guest posts.
Here’s how to do it:
First, head over to X’s “Explore” tab.
Then, in X’s search field, enter a basic guest post search string. Like: “[keyword]” guest post.
Look through the results to find guest posting targets.
Bingo!
Within five seconds, you can get a handful of high-quality sites that accept guest posts. Like this one:
Very cool.
Technique #6: Lists of Sites That Accept Guest Posts
Why spend hours searching for guest posting opportunities when other people have already done the hard work for you?
Look for the “Backlink Analytics” tool in the left-hand menu. It’s in the “SEO” drop-down under “LINK BUILDING.”
Paste in the domain you want to learn more about. Then press “Analyze.”
On the default “Overview” tab, you can see the Authority Score equals 48.
It’s tagged “Excellent and niche relevant.”
This means:
The website gets a healthy amount of organic traffic (reliable, good audience exposure)
It feels like it’s designed for people, not search engines (has a real audience)
It has a strong backlink profile with good quality (influential network, no signs of spam)
All good signs.
Next, take a look at the Network Graph.
It looks like this website has a natural profile and is valued by search engines.
General verdict?
The website is of good authority and it would be beneficial for you to land a guest post (and a backlink).
Now compare those results to this other website.
The Authority Score is good.
This domain has a strong brand and a great backlink profile.
However, the Network Graph indicates some red flags.
Bluntly put: “A backlink from this domain can negatively impact your search ranking.”
Let’s dig deeper.
Back in the Semrush menu, go to “SEO” > “Domain Overview.”
Enter the domain name and press “Search.”
Take a quick look at the traffic data. The volume tanks around 2017.
Likely linked to the Medic update, which impacted YMYL (Your Money Your Life) sites focusing on health and finance.
The website never bounced back.
Verdict?
Skip guest posting here.
Now, let’s explore more factors that will help you decide where to pitch your guest posts.
Separate Winners and Losers
Look for sites that are worth writing a guest post for.
Moving forward, it helps to be picky.
You want to publish on sites that:
Are in your niche (or a related niche)
ONLY post high-quality content
Can bring you targeted traffic
Won’t bury your link in a tiny author bio box
Have a significant amount of social media followers
For example, a while back, we got this guest post published on the Buffer blog:
When you look at that site, you realize that it checks all of these boxes:
Strong link profile? Check.
In our niche? Check.
Significant social following? Check.
Then it’s time to…
Step #3: Build Genuine Relationships With Publishers
If you want to guest post on a site with good authority, you want to get on that site’s radar screen. BEFORE you pitch.
That way, when you reach out, they’ll say:
“Oh yeah, that’s Jim, the guy who is regularly posting on LinkedIn.”
Landing the best guest posts is a result of building genuine relationships. If you’re serious about your niche, engage with your favorite publishers in meaningful ways.
There are plenty of options:
Attend a conference or event where they’ll be present
Join their webinars
Participate in Slack communities and discuss topics related to what you’d like to cover
The best opportunities often come from these organic connections.
Of course, you still need to write something they can’t find anywhere else.
But the great thing about building these relationships is that you already respect and like each other.
And this gives even better alignment going forward.
Here’s how to start engaging with your potential publishers:
Share on social media. Want to get your name etched on a blogger’s brain? Share their stuff on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Leave a blog comment: Take a few minutes to leave legitimately insightful and helpful comments on their site. Here’s a real-life example:
Email them. If you’re feeling frisky, email the site owner a week or two before your pitch just to tell them how a specific piece of their content helped you. Like this:
Hi [Name],
Your recent post on [Topic] really helped me out.
Specifically, I used [Technique or tip from their post]. And it [Results]!
So I just wanted to send you a quick email to say: “Thank you!”.
Thanks again,
[Your First Name]
Now that you know WHO to reach out to, it’s time to decide WHAT to reach out with.
Step #4: Find the PERFECT Guest Post Topic
Here are a few ways to find the perfect guest post topic.
Check Featured Posts
One great way to find topics is to check out the site’s featured posts. These are sometimes listed in the blog’s sidebar.
Like here:
Go to the blog where you want to guest post.
Look for a section labeled “Featured Posts” in the sidebar or main navigation.
Analyze their content and note common themes and subjects.
Then, check whether these topics align with your expertise and are relevant for your audience.
Analyze Top-Performing Content
Another cool way to find topic ideas is to use a tool (like Semrush’s Traffic Analytics) that lists any blog’s best-performing stuff.i
Any content manager or site owner will appreciate your efforts to find topics that complement their best posts.
Estimate Traffic Potential
Showing traffic potential of your topic will make your pitch way more enticing.
Fresh voice: They seek contributors with project management experience
Significant Quality Contribution: They want someone who will bring non-obvious insights and practical tips
Unpopular Opinions: Over “me-too” content, they’re open to diverse viewpoints and a bit of controversy
Seems like a quality website with a defined audience.
Where you need to bring some cool stuff to the table.
Like real data.
Or your own case study.
Or an antithesis based on your professional experience.
Content quality isn’t all you need to concern yourself with. The website has specific submission guidelines, too.
This definitely smells like a good quality website to guest post on.
Step #5: Send Your Pitch
Imagine for a second that you’re the owner of a growing authority site. You’ve got posts to write, social media to manage, and an overflowing inbox.
How are you going to react when you get a generic guest post pitch?
Yup! You’re gonna hit the delete button as fast as possible.
That’s why you need to create an out-of-the-box pitch.
And the best pitches are the ones that are sent to the right person.
So before you even think about crafting your pitch, make sure you’re targeting the right contact.
For example, you can use tools like Apollo to find the most accurate contact information for website owners or editors.
This ensures your pitch lands in the right inbox and boosts your chances of getting noticed.
Now, let’s talk about great pitches.
Here’s a battle-tested email template to use:
Hi [Name],
I’m a long-time reader. You may have noticed my comment on your post on [Article] (awesome article by the way).
I’m writing to you because I’d love to contribute a guest post on [Website].
I’ve been brainstorming some topics that I think your readers would get a ton of value from:
[Idea #1]
[Idea #2]
[Idea #3]
I’ll make sure the piece overflows with information that can’t be found anywhere else.
To give you an idea of the quality I’ll bring to your site, here’s a link to a guest post that I recently published on [Other Website].
Cheers,
[Your First Name]
Here’s what makes this email template so effective:
It starts off with something genuine about THEIR SITE
It’s short and sweet (
It gives them three specific topics that you are expert in
It’s a soft sell
It touches on your experience and published work
Once you get some bites on your pitch, it’s time to…
Step #6: Write Your Guest Post
So a website accepted your pitch.
Awesome.
Now you need to actually send them something.
Here’s how to do it…
My Patented “2-Tier System”
There are only so many hours in a day.
You can’t write a 3000-word ultimate guide for every site out there.
That’s why you should separate your targets into two tiers:
Tier one: These are the top 10-20 undisputed authority sites in your niche. Sites that you can name off the top of your head. Sites you actually visit, read and follow.
Tier two: Tier-two sites are blogs that are acceptable enough to warrant a high-quality guest post. But they’re not big enough to spend a week writing mind-blowing content for.
With that in mind, let’s cover what to send to tier-one and tier-two sites.
Tier-1 Content, Explained
Content for tier-one sites should be as good or better than what you post on your own blog.
I’m talking about mind-blowing thought leadership content that forces the hand of the site owner to hit “publish.”
Content that changes minds, sparks conversation, and spurs action.
Content that could appear on the homepage of Life Hacker or The Huffington Post.
Remember: Authority sites with great audiences are authorities because (among other factors) they mostly only post high-quality stuff.
They’re not going to drop their standards just because you interacted with them a few times.
You really need to bring it.
How to Create Tier-1 Content
Wondering how to make your content really stand out?
Here are a couple of cool ideas.
One is to create an actionable system.
If you look at the best content on any site you’ll notice that they have one thing in common: They lay out a complete step-by-step system for reaching an outcome.
Why does this work?
Systems have a MUCH higher perceived value than a set of random tips.
For example, with our Buffer guest post, we showed people the exact steps we used to increase our blog’s conversion rate by 134%.
That way, people could follow the steps from the post. And improve their conversion rate.
No theory. No BS. Just a step-by-step process that anyone could follow.
Another suggestion for stand-out content? Match and exhaustsearch intent.
Search intent is the purpose behind a user’s search query.
It’s far more important to address this than to focus on the length of your content itself.
For example, this Buffer post is 2,993 words.
But as you can see, this isn’t a bunch of fluff. It’s 2,993 words of insanely actionable content that matches what people are searching for.
Whatever your topic, make your constant stand out by including lots of screenshots and other visuals.
These add lots of meaty value to the post.
For example (already mentioned Kristaps Brencans) included A TON of screenshots in his post.
Another idea for rich content?
Make sure to link to some of the site’s other content in your guest post.
This helps their SEO. And shows that you went the extra mile to make your guest post as valuable as possible.
For example, we linked to a handful of other posts on the Buffer blog:
Yes, it took some extra effort to find posts from their blog to link to. But in the end, it showed the Buffer team that we actually cared.
Tier-2 Content, Explained
Tier-two sites deserve some love too.
If they’re on your list of targets, the blog must have something going for them.
While you shouldn’t be going crazy for these sites, you should still send something of value.
Similar principles (as tier one) applies: Craft something that their readers can get excited about.
To differentiate tier-two content from tier-one content: Focus on slightly less intensive but still high-quality and engaging material.
For instance: a case study that showcases your experience in managing an SEO campaign.
It doesn’t have to be a super detailed step-by-step guide (that’s tier one).
But still, it should highlight practical levers that you applied.
And showcase results to inspire the audience.
Step #7: Follow Up
Here are two things you can do to get the most from every guest post:
First, promote your guest post on social media.
The site you guest posted on gets some traffic. And you share an awesome blog post with your community.
Another easy follow up? Send a thank you note.
We usually send both tier-one and tier-two sites a quick follow-up email letting them know we appreciated the opportunity.
This is just a great way to build good community relationships.
It also keeps the line open for the next time you want to guest post on their site.
Next Steps for Guest Blogging in 2024
That’s the practical, step-by-step guide to modern day guest blogging.
Now it’s your turn:
Which tactic from this guide are you going to use first?
Are you going to use Google Reverse Image Search to find blog hosts open to guest content?
Or identify potentially high-ranking content ideas with Semrush Topic Research?
Either way, the path will take you to the same place: writing high-quality blog content.
When you get there, be sure to check out our SEO Copywriting Guide. That way you’re equipped to create standout content.
