March is nearly over. Bet you thought we forgot about throwing Pitchfest this month, didn’t you? đ
Well, SURPRISE! It’s Pitchfest time again!!
This time we’re looking for your best tips and tricks for getting published. How do YOU make it past the Pitching Editor?!
Let me tell you how I do it:
I follow the Editor’s guidelines.
It’s honestly that simple.
As an editor myself, I know how annoying it is when writers don’t follow the guidelines I’ve set up. Even as a newbie freelancer, I wrote about the importance of following the guidelines here on the BAFB blog. Then, as an editor with years of experience under my belt, I went into full-on RANT MODE on my own blog about this topic.
Following the editor’s guidelines is of upmost importance when it comes to getting your foot in the door. In fact, many editors won’t even read your pitch if you don’t follow the guidelines — forget about actually getting published!
Guidelines are Meant to Be Followed
Editor’s don’t write up pitching guidelines for kicks. They write them up and post them because they want them followed.
The guidelines are written up based on how the editor works. It doesn’t matter if YOU don’t understand them. It’s all about what THEY want.
If they want a pitch first, and then a draft; then send in a pitch. If they want a fully-fleshed draft and an accompanying image; then do that.
By not following the guidelines, you’re telling the editor, right off the bat, that you think you’re more important than they are. That what you’ve written matters more than what they’ve written. And that’s not a good way to make a great first impression.
It’s disrespectful.
You know who else you’re disrespecting? Your fellow freelance bloggers.
The Good People Who DO Follow the Guidelines
By not following the editor’s guidelines, you’re basically spitting in the face of everyone who does follow the guidelines.
If everyone else is sending in a pitch (like the editor asked for), and you send in a full draft, then you’re pushing the entire process back for everyone involved.
As much as I wish I had a time-turner ala the Harry Potter novels: I don’t. I have the same 24 hours a day allotted to me that everyone else does. That means I only have so much time, per day, to read and reply to the pitches that hit my editorial inboxes.
Every minute I waste replying to a blogger who didn’t follow the guidelines takes away my time to reply to the ones who did. And that’s not cool, my dudes.
As a freelance blogger myself, I cringe every time a blogger’s non-guideline-following e-mail hits my inbox.
Not Following the Guidelines RUINS Editors
Great editors know that they have to distance themselves…
It doesn’t matter if their very best friend in the entire world is pitching, or some stranger they don’t know from Adam; they have to treat everyone equally.
By accepting pitches from freelance bloggers who didn’t follow the guidelines, the editor is making an exception to their own rules. This causes a crack in their integrity.
An editor who makes exceptions is NOT a good editor.
Either the editor ends up playing favorites and only their friends get published, or, they end up making exceptions for everyone and the publication goes to pot. Only the sloppiest blogs are run by editors who make exceptions.
If this happens to an editor, it’s YOUR fault, and the fault of every freelance blogger who didn’t follow the guidelines.
No one wants to deal with a compromised editor.
That’s why I always follow the editor’s guidelines when pitching.
As an editor myself, I know how much that’s appreciated. And it usually gets my foot in the door.
So, that’s MY best trick for getting published.
What’s yours?
We Want to Hear YOUR Ideas
In case youâre not familiar, Pitchfest is a blog post pitching contest we run here on Be a Freelance Blogger every three months. You tell us your blog post idea and we choose our favorites, with prizes of up to $100 for the winners.
The contest starts today.
Your theme for this Pitchfest
This time weâre looking for pitches on the theme of âtips and tricks to get a guest post published.â
Interpret that theme any way you like! You could do your own interpretation of what I’ve written above (if it’s VASTLY different), or you could give us your favorite pitching template, or how you write the perfect letter of introduction to an editor — anything!
Weâre looking forward to seeing what YOU come up with.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Your pitchâs theme not only has to involve the âtips and tricks to get a guest post publishedâ theme, but it also MUST revolve around freelance blogging (Be a Freelance Bloggerâs niche). Whatever idea you present to us HAS to benefit freelance bloggers in some way.
The rules
- Anybody can enter the contest by typing (or pasting) their pitch into the comments box at the bottom of this page.
- Only ONE PITCH per person, please.
- Follow the pitch format Iâll tell you in a moment.
- After you submit your pitch, Sophie and/or I will offer feedback to help you optimize your idea for this blogâs audience and improve your pitching skills. You may also get feedback from other entrants, BAFB team members, and innocent bystanders â pay attention, because they represent your readers here.
- After you get our feedback, you can revise your pitch if you like and re-submit it by pasting it into a follow-up comment. And yes, that means you can offer us a completely different idea if weâve told you your first idea definitely wonât work for this blog.
- If you win, weâll ask you to send us a draft of at least 1000 words, so bear that minimum word count in mind when you pitch.
The prizes
- First prize: $100 for your guest post, paid on publication.
- Second prize: $50 for your guest post, paid on publication.
- Third prize: A 3-question mentoring package with Sophie via instant messaging.
The deadline
- Submit your pitch before the end of Saturday, April 7th, 2018.
- Weâll announce the winners on April 14th, 2018.
- If we choose your pitch, we expect you to deliver your first draft to me (Lauren) by April 21st. But if you need a little longer, let us know and weâll work around it.
How to pitch
- Read our general guest blogging guidelines first, then come back here to submit your pitch.
- Suggest at least one headline designed to make freelance bloggers want to read your post.
- Follow the headline with the opening lines youâd use in the post. No less than 30 words, no more than 60. You DONâT need to write a whole post (or even a whole introduction) before you pitch â weâd like to give you feedback on your idea before you write a draft.
- After the opening lines, give us no more than 6 points youâll make in your post, and provide a one or two sentence summary of each point. (If you plan to make more than 6 points in your post, only tell us the most important 6 in your pitch.)
- Then explain in no more than 3 sentences why this is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger and why youâre the right person to write it.
- Put your pitch in the comment box at the bottom of this page.
- Check the little box that says âNotify me of follow-up commentsâ so youâll know when weâve given you feedback.
- Submit your comment and if you followed all the steps above, youâre entered into the contest.
Extra tips
- Itâs a good idea to explain how your pitch reflects the theme weâve set for you â unless itâs blindingly obvious, in which case you can probably assume weâll see the connection without extra signposting.
- Remember to tell us why you think your blog idea will interest the people who read Be a Freelance Blogger.
- To get a better idea of what Sophie and I are looking for in your pitch, study the pitches and responses in previous Pitchfests.
- Save a copy of your pitch somewhere before you post it here â if your comment gets lost in the internet, you donât wanna have to re-write it from scratch.
- Your comment may get held in a moderation queue, especially if it contains hyperlinks. Donât worry if that happens; weâll get to it and reply!
OK, itâs time.
Let the Pitchfest begin!
This contest is closed now.
Itâs NOT just a shot in the dark
Being published as a freelance blogger takes planning, patience and originality. Without these three pieces of the puzzle, you are just another fish in the sea, another egg in the cartoon, anotherâŚ. I think you get the ideaâŚ. you are just not going to be published.
1. Follow the editorâs rules. This pretty much goes for any type of writing. You are given guidelines to follow whether you are writing a paper for school, writing a book for a publisher, or writing a blog for an editor. Your idea may be yours, but the guidelines they give you are there for a reason and you need to follow them.
2. Be authentic. I read a lot of blog posts. Many of them are written by my friends. Nothing makes me want to physically gag more than the forced light heartedness or false sarcasm that is intended to capture a reader. Just be yourself.
3. Write with voice. Some writers might think this is the same as being authentic. It is not. Voice is who you are as you tell your story or propose your ideas. You have a purpose to your writing â it may be to inform, or make your reader laugh, cry or just care about something. Use your voice to elicit this response.
4. Read your blog aloud to check for sentence structure and fluency. No one wants to read robotic writing. Your writing should flow.
5. Edit your writing. You are not going to come off as an effective writer if you have spelling and grammar mistakes in your writing. Editing is not that difficult, and it is important.
6. Spend extra time on your introduction and your conclusion. An introduction should capture the readerâs attention. A conclusion should leave your reader with something to think about.
I have been teaching writing for 21 years to students of all ages. I have been writing for the last 40 years of my life. My passion is writing. Life gets in the way of that passion regularly, but it is still my passion. I just started a doctoral program and so I am learning about writing from an entirely new lens, and it is reawakening my passion for writing. I have wanted to start a blog for many years but have not done it yet. Why not start that journey with a guest post I ask you? Why not.
Hi, Elizabeth!
This is great general advice, and I’m sure it would make an awesome post, but I’m not feeling the theme of the contest really coming through… How do you use what you’ve outlined to make it past a Pitching Editor? I’m not making the connection between how reading your blog post aloud will make an editor say “yes” to your pitch. :\
Headline Ideas (SEO keyword – Guest Post Pitches):
*6 Secrets to Writing Guest Post Pitches that Makes Bloggers Drool
*Pitch Perfect: 6 Secrets to a Successful Guest Post Pitch
(Reframe Idea) *6 Biggest Mistakes Bloggers Make When Sending Guest Post Pitches
Want to pitch guest post ideas that will have bloggers scrambling for you to write for them? In this article, I share my foolproof secrets on how to give bloggers exactly what they want so they won’t be able to resist your pitch. With these pitching tips, you’ll create an endless stream of guest posts to help you grow your audience.
-Secret #1: Read the blog you’re pitching to
There are few things more annoying to a blogger than receiving a copy-and-paste pitch from a writer who clearly hasn’t read a single post on their blog. Familiarize yourself with the blog you’re pitching before you pitch.
-Secret #2: Personalize your pitch
Bloggers are human, so your pitches to them should be human, too. Acknowledge what you like about their blog or their writing, and why you want to write for them. Flattery works, yo!
-Secret #3: Show how you can help their audience
A blogger’s main goal is to get more readers and they do that by putting out content that helps their audience in some way. So don’t make your pitch about you or your writing accolades… make it about how you can help their readers.
-Secret #4: Don’t pitch just one idea
Make yourself even more valuable to a blogger by providing 2-3 additional great story ideas. This gives them options in case your initial idea isn’t a good fit for them at that time, and also shows that you’d be good for multiple articles.
-Secret #5: Deliver your post on a silver platter
Once your guest post pitch idea is accepted, it’s not enough to just turn your post in on time. Go above and beyond by carefully editing your post so it’s error-free, offering image options (cropped and sized to match other images on their blog), providing a free gift for their readers (if allowed), or offering to build the post for them in WordPress or their blog platform (they can set you up with author privileges).
-Secret #6: Share the post far and wide
Show your appreciation by sharing the post with your audience, and ask them to comment on the post. Bloggers love when people leave comments on posts, and they’ll appreciate the extra readers you send their way.
This post will be a great post for BAFB because not only will it share practical tips for writing successful guest post pitches that get accepted, but also the psychology behind these secrets. This post will open your readers’ eyes to a more strategic (and human) approach to successfully pitching their ideas. I’ll deliver a fully-edited post to you on a silver platter along with images, a free exclusive gift for your readers (guest post pitch swipes), and I’ll even load the post in WordPress if you wish.
Very, VERY good, Melody!! I was waiting for someone to mention your “Secret #3.” haha. SO important.
Thank you! #3 is one of my favorite and most useful tips! When people pitch me for guest posts on my blog, my #1 question is usually, “But how will that help my readers?” đ
That makes two of us! lol. đ Great job.
I second that. đ Also the promise that you’ll cover the psychology behind your points is a good sign!
Cracking the Editorâs Code: Writing a Killer Guest Post as a Freelance Blogger
-Freelance bloggers often want to spread their talent to outlets outside of their personal website. The editors, or gatekeepers, of these websites are responsible for accepting (or declining) pitches for future articles. These simple steps will help YOU write a killer pitch, impress the editor, and get more blog posts published online.
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1.Research the website where you want to pitch.
Itâs important that you KNOW what kind of content is featured on the website in question. For example, you donât want to pitch about guitars when the website is about freelance blogging. This section will also include tips on HOW to research the blogs efficiently yet quickly.
2. Be professional, be personal.
Odds are, you can quickly find the name of the editor while browsing the website, or on the contact page. If so, address them personally in your pitch. Either way, show the utmost respect in your email. Act professional — you ARE at work! I will also share what to do if the editorâs first name is NOT available for you to access.
3.Read the Darn Guidelines
The guidelines are not there because the editor thought it would be fun to type up a bunch of words. They are strict, specific instructions on how you should submit your pitch — follow them carefully! In this section, Iâll also include how to show your personality while still adhering to an editorâs strict format.
4.Think outside the box.
While itâs important that you follow the guidelines, this doesnât mean that you canât think outside the box. Use your imagination and try to come up with an original idea that will blow the editorâs mind.
5.Double check your work.
When youâre writing for your freelance blog, you double-check your posts before submitting, right? Well, double-check your pitch, regardless of length, to make sure you are sending off your best quality work. In this section, Iâll include links to some programs I use to help me edit more thoroughly that I feel will help other freelance bloggers as well.
6. Handle rejection like an adult and donât give up.
Rejection hurts. If itâs a no-go, thank the editor for their time and move onto the next publication. If you follow the guidelines and are polite, eventually you WILL get a positive response! In this section, I can include a template for my âstandardâ thank you note in response to rejections.
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This post is an excellent idea for Be a Freelance Blogger because this information is going to help people, regardless of how long they have been working on their own personal blog. It will inspire both newbies and veterans to produce high-quality pitches when submitting their ideas to websites. The end result will be happy editors, and happy bloggers — itâs win-win! Iâm a great fit for this piece because I am an experienced freelance blogger who has had success getting guest posts published on various websites.
I may have drooled a little when I read this pitch, Frank. Very well done. You hit all the right notes here. You’re obviously someone who reads our blog! lol. You stuck to the theme, you took your own spin on it, you followed our pitching guidelines, AND you’re offering our readers a crack at not only your personal expertise, but links to apps and — one of our fave things ever — templates?! Yes, yes, double yes!
Thank you for your kind words, Lauren. đ
Guest post pitch
Freelance Blogger or Wanna Be Freelance Blogger “That is the Question”
Sunday, April 1, 2018
6:22 PM
So you have been blogging for a while and, you want to stretch your wings and fly into the world of freelance blogging.
Your thinking it’s not going to be easy,that nothing worth doing rarely is, right? You couldn’t be more wrong but I know that first step is a scary one. So let me give you 6 tips that helped me when I was just starting.
1. Pick a topic that you feel very strongly about. Your excitement will show on the page and will extend outward to the readers. Nothing sucks more than reading a mono-chromatic blog – BORING
2. Get to the point. people hate nothing more than finding an article that they really want to read and there are 20 paragraphs of rambling before they “get to the point” of the blog.
3. Pictures or no pictures. Did the editor ask for pictures? Does the blog use pictures? If so what types of pictures do they use? Entertainment, silly knowledge, or how to type. I love the little information blocks, they are picture size blocks that have extra little tidbits of information in them that don’t really fit into the body of the main blog. They will usually put them into the place where a picture would be.
4. Know the subject matter in which you are about to write an article on. You would think that this would be an easy one to follow, yet for some it is not and as a reader of blogs myself, it is very frustrating when I come across them. You know the ones, they are a paragraph or two long and say absolutely nothing.
5. Do a research blog. Go check out at least 10 different blogs, look for different types of blog to look at. See what you like and don’t like about them, Then turn them likes and dislikes into questions. Then write your research blog and post it on all of the social media sites that you can. Take the answers you get and try to use them in your blog.
6. For crying out loud, FOLLOW THE EDITORS RULES AND GUIDELINES that they have set into place for THEIR blog. No boss likes when a person breaks rules by doing thing their own way. It tends to make them think, that you think, you are better than they are and, that your way is better than theirs. A BOSS IS A BOSS IS A BOSS⌠The editor of the blog you are trying to get a guest spot on is your next possible boss so FOLLOW THE RULES AND GUIDELINES they set up, or, like in the real world you won’t get the job.
I feel these tips will truly help everyone from the “wanna be freelance blogger to the veteran freelance blogger. It is always good to look at a fresh perspective, no matter how long a person has been freelance writing. I would be a good fit with BAFB because I am a fresh face on the scene that not only cares about my own development in blogging, but others as well.
These are all great tips in general, Nikki, and it would make a fab post any other day… But I’m not really feeling the “theme” of this Pitchfest coming through đ How do these tips help you get a Pitching Editor to day “YES!”?
Thanks Lauren, I appreciate what you said. Nothing like getting a burst of happiness and a feeling of uhhhh at the same time.. đ I think what I did was take a readers perspective instead of an editors and that is how it reads. I didn’t see that when I wrote it. I see it now, my problem being, how to make that jump from reader to editor. I took everything that I found that I liked or didn’t like through reading a lot of blogs over the years and, that is what is my list of 6. Except for #3 and #6. At least I think so?? đ All though to be honest, most of the pictures on blogs annoy me. Unless they are actually educational towards the blog itself, them I love. Thanks again, and if I can figure out how to put that darn editors hat on I will try again.
I honestly really like this. I don’t know if it would be a good one for BAFB (even as an unpaid guest post) because it seems to focus on people who have their own blogs (rather than those who blog specifically for clients, like our readers), but I’d be interested in it for MY blog if you’re interested in getting it published elsewhere… http://littlezotz.com/write-for-me
That would not only be awesome but, an honor!! I will definitely be sending it your way!! Thank you! đ
Hey, Nikki!
Stick a pin in that idea for now. đ The contest isn’t over YET and Sophie hasn’t said HER thoughts yet. I’m usually a pretty good judge of what she’ll accept or won’t, but ya NEVER KNOW. It’s not over ’til it’s over. haha. Until Sophie says otherwise, she’s got first dibs on your post. However, if you’re NOT a winner or runner-up for the contest, THEN send your pitch over to me and we’ll see what we can do. đ
đł oops. Emailed it already. Well if ya have to delete it until after the contest Iâd over just let me know. I can always resend it. No worries
No worries! I’ll just keep it as “new” until after the contest. đ
Sounds good Lauren. Thanks again đ
Headline :
5 Steps That Will Make Your Guest Post A Winner.
Opening Lines :
Are you feeling discouraged because your guest posts have been rejected over and over again?
Do you want the secret formula that can help you succeed quickly in your guest posting effort?
As a freelance blogger, you stand to gain a lot when your guest posts are done right.
Six Key Points :
1. Study the blog you want to guest post on âŚâŚ why this is necessary and 3 things to look out for while reading and studying the blog will be explained.
2. Develop a relationship âŚâŚâŚ Why this is essential and 3 possible ways to go about it will be discussed.
3. Read and follow the guidelines âŚâŚ.. The importance and relevance of this will be explained.
4. Have samples of your writing ready âŚâŚ. Why this is important and what to do if youâre a newbie with no samples, will be discussed.
5. Come up with a relevant and original topic âŚâŚ Why this is key and some pointers on how to go about it will be discussed.
6. Craft an effective pitch âŚâŚ What makes an effective pitch and how to go about crafting one will be discussed.
Why This Post?
Because it helps freelance bloggers to learn steps they can take to get their guest posts published plus all the benefits they can expect to get.
Why This Writer?
I believe iâm the right person to write this because iâve used these exact steps to get my guest posts published, more than once.
Not bad at all, Sola! Well done. đ I would have loved to see a bit more of your personality in the intro paragraph, but the tips you’ve outlined are solid!
Wow!
Thank you, Lauren!
You’re welcome! đ And feel free to take another crack at the intro. So long as this Pitchfest is still open, contestants are allowed to make tweaks based on our comments.
Yes, i’ll definitely do that. Thanks a lot!
Headline:
Zombie Post Killer Wanted
Opening Sentences:
Itâs a content graveyard out there! Leads buried deep within posts. Incoherent technical jargon staggering through row upon row of passive voice prose. Itâs amazing any of them actually get read. Sadly, most donât. But you can change their fate. Simply by rewriting these articles you can resurrect their blighted blog and transform an apocalyptic wasteland of posts into an evergreen forest of content and leads.
Key Points:
Itâs simple enough. Arm yourself with your zombie-post killing arsonal and get started.
1. Rip off the head
Many subject matter experts turned authors use the introduction as a place to try out ideas or warm up their thoughts or just try out a tactic or two and never properly revisit the content. Of course they edit it, but itâs for spelling errors and grammar, which is equivalent to combing the hair of someone with a huge gash in its forehead. Decapitate it and give blog something beautiful on top.
2. Tear out the heart
The lead or heart of the story is probably buried deep within the post. Extract it and show it some love.
3. Disembowel like your mother taught you how
Somewhere deep within the knotted bowels of prose are some supporting arguments. Find them. Free them. Toss the rest of the guts to the floor.
4. Hack off the limbs
Chances are that deep within the blog are tangential ideas and arguments flaying about like stray limbs. Cut them off at the socket/source. Technical authors are very intelligent people with many brilliant ideas. Attempting to introduce everyone of those ideas within a 1000 word blog, however, is not so brilliant.
5. Bind their feet
Not only are zombie posts unable to communicate their points, they canât draw the discussion to a coherent close. Draw the multiple aspects of the argument together and sum them up into a concise conclusion.
This topic is great for Freelance Bloggers because it explains how their audience can leverage their writing skills without requiring them to do a lot of additional research. Iâm the one to write it because Iâm an experienced technical-post-Zombie killer. Plus, I like my instruction with a little bit of humorous distraction.
Dean – I absolutely LOVE this idea. And I LOVE that you picked a theme and stuck with it throughout!! If you were pitching this to me normally, it would be an immediate “yes” on my end, most likely. Sadly, I don’t think it really “works” for this particular Pitchfest as I don’t see how your zombie-inspired tips apply to the contest’s theme… How do these tips help our readers get past a Pitching Editor to get their guest post published?
Who cares about Pitchfest when there’s ZOMBIES? Lauren’s right, this is totally off-theme for the contest (we were looking for “how to get a yes” rather than “how to improve a post”)… But it’s 100% on topic for this blog, and you chose zombie-loving editors to pitch to. đ
Haha. Totally. My zombie-loving side is gnawing at my brain (heh…) telling me to “FORGET PITCHFEST AND SAY YESSSSSSSS!!” but I’m also a huge stickler for rules and this pitch didn’t follow the theme.
Dean: If you can modify your pitch to follow the theme, then it will still be a contender in the contest. If not, then just send it to me as a normal guest post pitch at lauren@beafreelanceblogger.com — Sophie and I both want your post BAD!
The Power of Once Upon a Time
What made fairytales stand the test of time? Creativity. The phrase, âOnce upon a time,â sparked curiosity in the mind of the audience. These words were the keys to a secret door. A creative world never has never been seen before. A creative approach to a topic is the fingerprint for a great blog.â
Points:
On âtips and tricks for a successful blog,â I argue that a creative approach is a key to getting your blog posted.
1. A strong introduction: A powerful introduction that draws the attention of the audience, âonce upon a time.â
2. A great story. For instance, if the blog is on âhow to introduce a new pet into the family,â donât just write on the âhows.â Give the audience a story from experience. e.g How your friendâs son canât stand the new cat that his father rescued from the streets.â
3. A unique Headline: Headlines have a way of attracting attention. They spark curiosity in the mind of the audience. E.g Rather than writing a headline such as âliving with Cancer.â A creative writer can state, âThe Fractured Life: The Challenge of Living with Cancer.â
4. A different tune: The content needs to follow a unique approach that is not sacrilege on the basis of content writing. Rather than follow a basic format of introduction, causes, solutions, the writer can add creativity to each of these breakdowns.
5. The Extra Mile: Donât just say what everyone is saying. Add your opinions and look for more content from experts in the field. Work hard on your paper.
6. Audacity: The greatest writers in history presented ideas, frameworks, or rhetoric that broke the commonality in the society. Writers such as Toni Morrison, or the recent Black Panther film by Marvel studios all reflect the power of audacity and creativity.
In this blog, I argue that the best approach for getting your blog published is creativity. Whereas we have celebrated creativity in the field of entertainment, music, and pop culture, we have failed to uphold the same respect for a creative approach to content writing. This is a great post for âBe a Freelance Blogger,â as it sheds light on how creativity can make one a successful blogger.
Cute idea, Caroline; but I’m not really seeing the “theme” of this month’s Pitchfest coming through… How do these tips help our readers make it past a Pitching Editor to get their guest posts published?
ALERT! SUREST GIMMICKS TO GET YOUR NEXT GUEST POST PUBLISHED
Think of the best website youâd ever want to get your work featured on as a bloggerâŚ
Since you’ve sent several guest post pitches only to realize you’re not getting any yes, just yet.
Consume these amazing tricks I derived from my experience so far.
This will help you persuasively make your dream websiteâs editor consider your next guest post right away.
TRICK #1 KNOW YOUR BLOGGER
As you sail through the ocean of blogging, one rule you should learn as you saddle on is; knowing your audience -just like a sailor knows his compass.
In this case, your audience is your blogger or editor and their readers.
– I’ll make readers know how to get familiar with their target bloggers’ interests, styles, voice and so onâŚ
TRICK #2 ALWAYS USE ATTENTION-GRABBING HEADLINES
Catchy, flashy and loud headlines? Thatâs the answer when you ask me the features of the headlines when writing a guest post.
No matter how interesting and fascinating your content is, a wrong headline could make your pitch rot in the inbox bottom.
On the average, 5 times as many people that read compelling headline would be willing to just read the post.
I’ll make readers realize headline is their ID about the idea theyâre about to flap down, make them get it done nicely.
TRICK #3 PREPARE A REALISTIC IDEA
Writing exactly what someone else has written somewhere else is a sure way to get you a NO!
Pitch an idea that’ll be practical and real.
TRICK #4 CONSTRUCT LESS FORMAL PITCH
How can you send a pitch and use the oldâfashioned âdear sirâ, âdear madamâ or other jaggy jargons, depicting excessive formality?
Making your guest post pitches too formal will ultimately stimulate lethargy and lack of interest in your reader.
Where did you drop that sweet, Hi, Hey etc. flanked by the editorâs first name? It makes your pitches connecting and friendlier to read and yes always!.
TRICK#5 DONâT JUST WAIT FOR A REPLY ⌠DO THIS
The best way of ensuring your email does not only gets to your recipient but also get the required response, is to MONITOR IT.
There are hundreds of pitches most editors typically receive weekly, there is a likelihood that your pitches may not be responded to, even after the first click.
Monitoring and sending reminder emails is a sure way to cure this bad luck, using email monitoring tools too are perfect in this regards.
You can be so sure youâre getting clicks, reads and even the desired response from the editorâs inbox the next time you monitor your pitches sent out.
TRICK #6 SHARE, RE-SHARE AND PROMOTE
The moment you sent your draft and it became live on your bloggerâs site, one very difficult-to-ignore step is featuring the links on your social media platforms.
Make the noise about it and make sure you donât leave any comment on your post unattended to.
Why this post?
The outline above will make bloggers understand practical ways of constructing and sending guest pitches.
Why me?
I’ve seen it live. How these tricks work for me and other bloggers around, bloggers will definitely find these fascinating!
Not bad đ Though I’d be careful with Tip #5. If you bug an editor too early or too often you’ll just end up annoying them. There’s a fine line between “follow-up” and obnoxious.
Hmmm, I agree with you Lauren.
Thanks.
The ABC of pitching guest posts like a BO$$
Pitch a good guest post can be the difference between being published and probably hired, or that your email will be lost in a pile of spam that nobody wants to read, to avoid this last scenario
Just read and follow this simple steps.
# 1 Read the rules, Read the blog: It sounds simple but many people ignore it so many times, it’s not just about taking into account the rules of the editor, or reading the articles, it’s about studying specifically the language of the blog, how they structure their post, if they use simple words or a very professional language, the specific target, what social networks are used to advertise (especially if you focus on marketing or a related topic) among other basic aspects that will help you correctly structure an smoking hot article.
# 2: Choose the correct topic: If you already researched something of the blog in question make a list of articles that could interest them and of those that may not have had the opportunity to deep in or have not touched at all, in this way you will offer them something that surely cannot be refused
# 3 Be brief: sure you want to tell them why you would be more than happy to work with them, how you started this business or about your dream of being a writer and everything you have to offer, but focus focus, your template needs to be simple and brief.
# 4 Get personal: this goes in 2 ways, if you took the time to read the blog a compliment would help A LOT (something like I like the slogan, the logo, or if the images they use are super cool) so they will know that you took the time to see them, and on the other way it is super important that you give your touch on the samples and on the email you are sending them, even when you structure it in the way that they want show your personality a bit, it will make you stand out from the rest
# 5 Structure a template and customize it: to make a pitching the structure should be simple: a cordial greetings, talk a little about yourself and why you would like to work with them then at least 3 possible articles that you could do and how you would briefly develop each one and in how they would help their audience, then at the end a goodbye with a personal touch, (but stay professional come on) once you consider that the structure is WOW, place it in a document and just personalize it for each potential client, it will help you remember the basic points so that pitching is successful
# 6 Make it about THEM: this is very important, do not focus on how this guest post can help YOU, to reach your goals, but how this post can help them, how could you help them get more traffic and more audience.
If you follow these steps, probably the answer you receive will be a YEEEEZZZ !
===========================================================
This post it’s an excellent idea to âbe a freelance bloggerâ, because when you start in this field of freelance writing usually you do not have even the minimum idea of how to make a guest post or even what is a guest post, and how can it help you, so it is very important to achieve not only explain the correct pitch a good guest post but also to motivate people who are starting and show them that they can actually do it, and be successful. It will also help to the most advanced to be even better of what they are now. I’ll delivery an article with another 2 good points that will help a little more and also where I explain why guest post are so helpfull.
PS: I would love a feedback you guys rock!
i will submit the post again, because i just a typo. even when i read it like 5 times
The ABC of pitching guest posts like a BO$$
Pitch a good guest post can be the difference between being published and probably hired, or that your email will be lost in a pile of spam that nobody wants to read, to avoid this last scenario
Just read and follow these simple steps.
# 1 Read the rules, Read the blog: It sounds simple but many people ignore it so many times, itâs not just about taking into account the rules of the editor, or reading the articles, itâs about studying specifically the language of the blog, how they structure their post, if they use simple words or a very professional language, the specific target, what social networks are used to advertise (especially if you focus on marketing or a related topic) among other basic aspects that will help you correctly structure an smoking hot article.
# 2: Choose the correct topic: If you already researched something of the blog in question make a list of articles that could interest them and of those that may not have had the opportunity to deep in or have not touched at all, in this way you will offer them something that surely cannot be refused
# 3 Be brief: sure you want to tell them why you would be more than happy to work with them, how you started this business or about your dream of being a writer and everything you have to offer, but focus focus, your template needs to be simple and brief.
# 4 Get personal: this goes in 2 ways, if you took the time to read the blog a compliment would help A LOT (something like I like the slogan, the logo, or if the images they use are super cool) so they will know that you took the time to see them, and on the other way it is super important that you give your touch on the samples and on the email you are sending them, even when you structure it in the way that they want show your personality a bit, it will make you stand out from the rest
# 5 Structure a template and customize it: to make a pitching the structure should be simple: a cordial greetings, talk a little about yourself and why you would like to work with them then at least 3 possible articles that you could do and how you would briefly develop each one and in how they would help their audience, then at the end a goodbye with a personal touch, (but stay professional come on) once you consider that the structure is WOW, place it in a document and just personalize it for each potential client, it will help you remember the basic points so that pitching is successful
# 6 Make it about THEM: this is very important, do not focus on how this guest post can help YOU, to reach your goals, but how this post can help them, how could you help them get more traffic and more audience.
If you follow these steps, probably the answer you receive will be a YEEEEZZZ !
===========================================================
This post itâs an excellent idea to âbe a freelance bloggerâ, because when you start in this field of freelance writing usually you do not have even the minimum idea of how to make a guest post or even what is a guest post, and how can it help you, so it is very important to achieve not only explain the correct pitch a good guest post but also to motivate people who are starting and show them that they can actually do it, and be successful. It will also help to the most advanced to be even better of what they are now. Iâll delivery an article with another 2 good points that will help a little more and also where I explain why guest post are so helpful.
PS: I would love a feedback you guys rock!
Not bad, Zurima! My ONE complaint is that you called it “The ABCs” and then used numbers instead of letters for the subheadings. lol. Other than that, it looks good. đ
Oh, right my bad haha do you think it is better if a call it just “How to pitch guest posts like a Bo$$” ?
If the focus is on “Boss” (or “Bo$$”), then I would expect the headers to have something to do with “boss-like” behavior or making crazy amounts of money (because of the $ signs).
A simpler solution would be to just call it “The ABCs of the Perfect Guest Post Pitch” or something similar and then making your headers letters. đ
ALERT! SUREST GIMMICKS TO GET YOUR NEXT GUEST POST PUBLISHED
Think of the best website youâd ever want to get your work featured on as a bloggerâŚ
Since you’ve sent several guest post pitches only to realize you’re not getting any yes, just yet.
Consume these amazing tricks I derived from my experience so far.
This will help you persuasively make your dream websiteâs editor consider your next guest post right away.
TRICK #1 KNOW YOUR BLOGGER
As you sail through the ocean of blogging, one rule you should learn as you saddle on is; knowing your audience -just like a sailor knows his compass.
In this case, your audience is your blogger or editor and their readers.
– I’ll make readers know how to get familiar with their target bloggers’ interests, styles, voice and so onâŚ
TRICK #2 ALWAYS USE ATTENTION-GRABBING HEADLINES
Catchy, flashy and loud headlines? Thatâs the answer when you ask me the features of the headlines when writing a guest post.
No matter how interesting and fascinating your content is, a wrong headline could make your pitch rot in the inbox bottom.
On the average, 5 times as many people that read compelling headline would be willing to just read the post.
I’ll make readers realize headline is their ID about the idea theyâre about to flap down, make them get it done nicely.
TRICK #3 PREPARE A REALISTIC IDEA
Writing exactly what someone else has written somewhere else is a sure way to get you a NO!
Pitch an idea that’ll be practical and appealing to your editor and his audience real.
TRICK #4 CONSTRUCT LESS FORMAL PITCH
How can you send a pitch and use the oldâfashioned âdear sirâ, âdear madamâ or other jaggy jargons, depicting excessive formality?
Making your guest post pitches too formal will ultimately stimulate lethargy and lack of interest in your reader.
Where did you drop that sweet, Hi, Hey etc. flanked by the editorâs first name? It makes your pitches connecting and friendlier to read and yes always!.
TRICK#5 DONâT JUST WAIT FOR A REPLY ⌠DO THIS
The best way of ensuring your email does not only gets to your recipient but also get the required response, is to MONITOR IT.
There are hundreds of pitches most editors typically receive weekly, there is a likelihood that your pitches may not be responded to, even after the first click.
Monitoring and sending reminder emails is a sure way to cure this bad luck, using email monitoring tools too are perfect in this regards.
You can be so sure youâre getting clicks, reads and even the desired response from the editorâs inbox the next time you monitor your pitches sent out.
TRICK #6 SHARE, RE-SHARE AND PROMOTE
The moment you sent your draft and it became live on your bloggerâs site, one very difficult-to-ignore step is featuring the links on your social media platforms.
Make the noise about it and make sure you donât leave any comment on your post unattended to.
Why this post?
The outline above will make bloggers understand practical ways of constructing and sending guest pitches.
Why me?
I’ve seen it live. How these tricks work for me and other bloggers around,blog readers (bloggers) will definitely find this post fascinating
Pretty sure I already replied to this pitch above. đ
How (Not) to Get a Guest Post Published
You know it’s easy to publish a post on your own blog ⌠right? All you need is the idea, write and publish. Nobody needs to approve, comission or typo check it â you just do it. I’m going to give you some easy steps on how (not) to get a guest post published, it’s easy as 1. 2. 3……
1. Don’t bother reading the blog you fancy appearing on. Just find an email address, shoot off an email saying you will write for them and what to do they want you to write.
2. Don’t check to see whether or not they accept Guest Posts or it’s your genre, they’ll be lucky to have yours after all.
3. While you’re waiting for a reply (you know they will) write a post anyway on anything you like and as long or short as you like.
4. A day or two at max. after sending your email get in touch again. Ask why they haven’t replied yet and how much are they going to pay you.
5. If you haven’t heard back after a further two days email again. Tell them you are really busy and would they kindly not be so rude as not to reply today. I mean who do they think they are?
6. Meanwhile email some other, any other sites. Offer them your amazing talent. Don’t forget the golden rules of How (Not) to Get a Guest Post Published
Get in their face
Don’t be polite
Dont’ read the guidelines
This is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger because it tells you what not to do to get published â Just do the opposite and you’re in with a chance!
I’m the person to write this post because I’m amazingly good at being negative and have shed-loads of experience at it. As well as not getting Guest Posts Published â not in the way above but by doing nothing at all.
Bio
Rachel writes her own blogs and has written for other publications but no blogs yet!
I have a big ol’ soft spot for “How NOT to…” posts haha. I really like this idea. It’s super cute and funny. So long as you feel confident you can stretch this idea to 1200 words with no filler (hard to do with “gag” posts), then I give this a thumb’s up. đ
Thank you Lauren. I admit 1200 words could be tricky. I thought it was 1000 which I think is doable. My first draft had 380 which I had to cut down to keep within the guidelines.
I’ll leave that up to Sophie then. đ Sometimes our posts are a little shorter (like the one I wrote for this Pitchfest!) and it’s not an issue. Just so long as it’s in that 1000-1200 range, y’know?
4 Reasons Quality is Better than Quantity
Do you pride yourself on the huge number of pitches that you send out each week? Donât. When it comes to getting guest posts published, youâre going to see much more success if you focus on quality instead of quantity, and hereâs why.
–Quantity equals sloppiness. When youâre sending out multiple pitches every day, you donât have much time to spend on each pitchâwhich means your ideas will be messy and/or recycled, and editors wonât accept them.
–Quality stimulates creativity. Cramming so many pitches into your schedule will run you down and dry you outâbut freeing up your schedule will give you more creative energy for when you do pitch a guest post idea.
–Quantity does NOT increase productivity. You might feel accomplished if youâve pitched three publications in the same day, but if you rushed through each pitch, youâll see rejection emails in your inbox.
–Quality brings greater gratification. If you spend hours doing your best on one pitch, youâll feel much prouder of the finished product when the editor accepts it!
This post would interest BaFB readers because it offers a new twist on productivity and creativity as they relate to guest posts. Throughout the post, Iâd dive into the science behind productivity and creativity. Iâm the right person to write this because of my personal experience hereâI spent months churning out obscene numbers of guest post ideas to every publication I could find, but it was only when I slowed down and focused on writing quality pitches that I began to see acceptance emails from editors.
Not bad, Hailey… My one concern is that your post wouldn’t be long enough to meet the 1200-word minimum. Do you think you could think of two more points (totaling six points) for this post…?
Hi Lauren and Sophie,
In addition to tweaking my opening lines, i’m also making a little adjustment on the headline …
Revised HEADLINE :
6 Steps That Will Make Your Guest Post A Winner.
Revised OPENING LINES :
Are you almost giving up because your guest posts have been rejected many times?
As a freelance blogger hungry for the benefits of guest posting, you canât depend on your writing skills alone, to get published. Thereâs more to it than that. Here are 6 proven steps for you to take, to get your guest posts published easily.
Thanks for the update!
Designing pitches that make you cash, green, money, bucks, dollars and a lot quickly.
A freelance blogger has to make ends meet with his/her craft. Crafting what others need and want to read requires a knack for being innovative; not the result of replication of the average intellectual conversation you and everyone around you are used to.
Learn from me: my articles top google’s ranking system because the algorithms love my use of linguistic intuitiveness and how shrewd my grammar emotes a shared vision and often causes increased perceptiveness among readers of my lines.
The perfect use of words is a writer’s best friend when it comes to earning from his/her journalistic acumen. Finding any editors sweet spot and desire to publish starts with addressing this list of individual phonetic needs all humans share and famous people speak:
+Imagery
Decide how to organise the images people love to visualise.
+Mindfulness
Use the words that touch people’s minds when they choose to read you.
+Fun words
6 words that people read over and over for fun.
+Reader Interest
Prolonging the reader’s interest with sentence structure usage that is larger than a single sentence frame.
+Reader focused
Making your reader think of your article after the physical act of reading it is over and the sentences stop.
+Being refined
Picking an opinion on decisive topics that no one else holds makes room for readers to question think and remember you.
I’m not seeing how these tips help you make it past a Pitching Editor to get your guest posts published…
Guess not everyone is addicted to great works. Some people have a mild vernacular and no sense of humor.
Everyone here knows that none of these how-to-blog sites ever get you a gig. Half the sites don’t exist, the other half send a canned response and nothing else after a submission.
These sites are only good for one thing: cheap publicity for blogs you are already on. If you can’t appreciate what everyone here already sees, then I am sorry hon.
I will give 1 million dollars for the next comment on this post that makes sense, just email me kcbaynes@gmail.com https://twitter.com/ASG_ison2nite
Just an FYI for anyone else in the contest reading these comments: Insulting the judges/editors generally isn’t a great idea. lol. Not only did this pitch not follow the guidelines or the theme of the contest, but the writer had the gall to insult us AND every other editor who accepts guest posts. I’m guessing Kerry gets a LOT of canned rejection responses. I’m not surprised.
Though if anyone wants to suck up to Kerry’s nonsense for a shot at ONE MILLION DOLLARS by leaving a comment that “makes sense,” please do feel free. Let us know how that works out for ya! XD
“You, sir, have a mild vernacular” is now officially my favourite insult. I shall use it often.
But my favourite part of this pitch was when it promised that the pitcher’s “grammar emotes a shared vision and often causes increased perceptiveness among readers of my lines.” And then went on in sentences that I could actually FEEL my brain slowing down to parse!
It’s cool if you don’t like that we see some issues with your pitch… but you know, this is a contest with feedback and that’s what we give you. Please don’t be a dick about it.
Truth is my only defence. I can buy two best sellers for what you guys are charging for advice. And you are not on the best sellers list.
@ASG_ison2nite
Hi Lauren and Sophie!
The Art of Blogging: A Strategic Guide to Guest Publishing
The blogging sphere, my dear writers, is war. In war, there is only one victor in the situation. What this means for you is having a skill set that sets you apart from the competition.
Intelligence and Espionage
When youâre considering submitting to a blog, itâs a good rule of thumb to have a quick look-through of previous submissions. This helps you get a better understanding of what the blog wants, and more importantly, what kind of readership they have. Knowing your audience makes a huge difference in your submissions because you can tailor it to what they want to read and what they might find useful.
Terrain
It is vital that you know the submission guidelines of a post inside and out. Editors donât have the time and energy to proofread your work to ensure it suits their required formatting. It also looks more professional on your part if you have understood the guidelines.
Weaknesses and Strengths
Edit, edit, edit! This is essential to delivering on the overall quality of your piece. Read the piece as many times as possible, read it aloud, record yourself reading it, read it to a friend, read it to your pet- this will help you notice any errors you have made.
Tactical Dispositions
Your mother wasnât kidding when she said first impressions are everything. Be polite and respectful, and ensure you get a good idea of the specific submission guidelines so that you know youâre on the right track. If the editor replies to you casually, follow their lead. But remember, donât keep it too casual. Maintaining a professional rapport is essential. Work is work after all. Engage with your editor and create a relationship with them that is pleasant and full of understanding. Youâre going to be working together so itâs important to have an easy working relationship.
Variations and Adaptability
Be open-minded. Absorb feedback like a sponge. Itâs difficult receiving criticism, and itâs too easy to be defensive about your work but itâs a good quality in a writer/blogger to be able to receive and understand any concerns raised by your editor. They donât mean to hurt your feelings, theyâre concerned about making your work the best it can be, and this means you have to accept constructive criticism. Remember, these editors work for the blog and know it like the back of their hand. So, when they give you suggestions to your piece, listen to them and edit your piece. Chances are, youâll find your piece works better with the revisions.
Attacking with Fire
Think of your pitch as a firework. It needs to dazzle, to enrapture, to captivate. You need to have a clear and concise pitch that describes the subject of your work, along with an engaging headline. As a guest publisher, your audience is not limited to the readers. Itâs also the editors. They want to see your potential, and the only way to do that is to wow them.
Not bad, Aalia! đ But you forgot the paragraph telling us a little about yourself.
Oh dear! I apologise for that, I was so focused on putting my pitch up I forgot all about that.
I’m Aalia, and I’m a second-year Creative Writing student in Brisbane, Queensland. So far, my website consists of creative pieces but I have had a guest non-fiction piece published on Entropy Mag. I’m quite new to the blogging sphere so I’m hoping to get as much experience in this area as possible.
Awesome. Thanks, Aalia! đ
6 Keys To Get Your Guest Post Published
You keep reminding yourself (and others) that youâre a natural writer. But youâve been writing for a long time and youâve written post after post. All you ever still hear are crickets chirping. But what if I told you there is still hope and you can get readers to notice your posts? The answer is clear: guest blogging.
1) Your Audience Doesnât Know You
The reason why you donât get any guest-posting gigs is because youâre not pitching to the right audience. Aside from that, you can publish hundreds of posts, but will your audience recognize them?
2) Read The Posts Your Target Audience Reads
Naturally youâll want to get inside the head of your readers by reading their posts. Find out critical information the blog is missing and pitch that idea.
3) Donât Make Your Target Wait Too Long
Once youâre on a roll, start writing. The longer you wait to post, the sooner the chances are someone else will have the same idea and post ahead of you.
4) Expose Yourself By Sharing Your Comments
Sure, youâll have limited time when youâre flooded with comments. But keeping in touch with your readers give them reason to know and trust you.
5) Do A Great Final Draft The First Time
Editors donât want you sending them lousy work where they have to do tons of editing for you. Make sure you go through the final draft with a fine-toothed comb before submitting to the editor.
6) Read The Guidelines
Before you even write a post to your target audience, you must follow the guidelines. Otherwise, youâll anger the editor and a lot of fellow readers.
Why Am I The Best Fit?
Many posts do explain incredible tips including the tips above, but do not always cover all bases. Therefore my headlines above are to expand and explain tips from different angles not previously captured in former posts. My job is to provide audiences with tips that carry value further from what the audiences already knows.
Hey, Paolo!
These tips, other than the final two, seem like they’re for bloggers who have their own blogs… Am I understanding that right?
Hi Lauren,
I’d say you’re partially correct. I’m assuming that anyone who wants to get noticed and get more traffic would have his/her own blog. Hence I’ve stated my key points with the understanding to get published as a guest post to get noticed.
Tips and Tricks to Get a Guest Post Published
Headline: Who You Know Online Matters Just as Much as It Does Offline
Opening Lines: Thereâs nothing like getting the news that the piece you slaved over and submitted to an esteemed platform will be published! Itâs truly euphoric! But we also know the feeling of waiting weeks after a submission only to realize your blog wasnât selected. We experience that more often than not⌠you did everything right: you read and followed the guidelines, you wrote passionate and interesting content, took on the platformâs tone, edited over and over⌠but if thereâs enough competition, your piece may never see the light of day. So, then whatâs a blogger to do? Not all hope is lost. Networking is a critical, but not oft discussed element of the blogosphere. The work starts before you sit down to write your submission.
1. Reach out and create relationships with bloggers before you ever pitch to them â these are not shallow relationships with one agenda; the intention is to grow your networks so that you can keep contributing to them, but also meet other people.
2. Attend local blogging events to meet new people and find out about bloggers you never wouldâve known or thought to contribute to before.
3. Reach out to blogger friends that you already have and see if they have any recommendations for places where your writing would stand out OR fit in. Where on the internet do they think youâd make an impact?
Explanation: This post would be great for Be a Freelance Blogger because itâs a bit of a different angle than working on our writing skills, it takes readers the next level of the hustle. Networking is important in every field and industry when you are the product youâre marketing. Iâm the person to write it because I appreciate the role networking has played in my career and Iâve seen how genuine relationships can lead people to flourish.
Contributor bio: Cornelia Poku is a social media specialist and freelance blogger who loves food. Find her here: twitter.com/lazy pescatarian
Interesting take on the topic, Cornelia! However, with only three points, I’m concerned you wouldn’t be able to meet the 1000-1200 word minimum. Do you have any other points you could make…? (up to six)
Hi Lauren! Thank for your thoughtful response. These three points are pretty much it, but I considered the 1,000 word minimum and how to meet that if I should be selected. Please see below:
1. Adding to the introduction why networking matters
2. Including specific examples of resources AND anecdotes under each bullet point (which would put each point at about 200 words)
3. A closing paragraph
Hopefully this is helpful in making your decision, but if there are any additional concerns, please let me know! đ
How to Win Over an Editor: 5 Stellar Ways to Get Your Guest Post Published.
Trying to get your by-line out there but canât make it past the editor? Read on. Here are my top five tried and true tips to make sure your next pitch is un-ignorable.
1. Be a fan: Iâm not saying brown-nose, but if you genuinely are an avid reader of the blog you wish to write for â donât be afraid to tell them that. Everyone likes feedback. Be specific and say exactly what you like about it. This shows that you are familiar with the blog and therefore you know what the audience wants.
2. Become a part of their community: Before even sending in your pitch â join in. Like, comment, share, and most importantly – read other comments. Really get to know the audience and get the editor to know you.
3. Make sure that your passion reflects in your pitch. If you are serious about freelance blogging, you probably write for a specific niche â hopefully, one you are passionate about. Let this shine through in your pitch.
4. Shine bright like a diamond: Editors for popular blogs receive tons pitches. Show them what sets you apart from the rest. What gives you an edge? Talk about what qualifies you to blog about the subject and why you are the best person to bring this message to their readers.
5. Structure: Editors love it. Donât just pitch an idea. Show them exactly how you plan to follow it through. Suggest a catchy title and highlight the key points you intend to cover to show them youâve done some groundwork.
Very nice, Rae! The only thing you forgot was the paragraph about yourself. đ
Tips and tricky ways to get guest post published.
Of course, before you can measure your success, you have to get published on other blogs first.
In this post, i’m going to share the top ten tips for getting your content published on popular blogs in your industry. These tips will not only help you get published, but they will help ensure your contentâs success as well.
1. Get an introduction if possible.
To make the path onto a popular blog in your industry easier, see if you can get an introduction from someone who has contributed content to the blog recently. Just take a quick skim through the latest guest posts, and if you know one of the authors, ask them if they can send you a quick introduction to the blog owner or editor. If the blog has a lot of content submitted regularly, this can help you bypass the usual moderation process and make it simpler to get published.
2. Read the guest posting or contributor guidelines carefully.
If you want to ensure that your content is accepted on a popular blog, the first thing you will want to do is familiarize yourself with the blogâs guest posting or contributor guidelines. Most guidelines will cover things like the following.
Topics to write about.
Whether the blog owner or editor wants you to pitch topic ideas first or send in a completed post.
How to submit your post (email, contact form, Word document, create an account on the blog itself, Google docs, text files, etc.).
How long the post should be. If the guidelines do not specify, look at the most popular posts on the blog and see what average length of those are.
How to format your post (image guidelines, videos, headers, etc.).
Information to include with your submission (writing samples, social network links, etc.).
How to compose your author bio. Some blogs are specific to the number of links you can include and whether you can use anchor text for those links.
In the event you canât find guidelines but see that a blog accepts guest posts, review the guest posts carefully and format yours similarly, from topic to author bio. If you canât find guidelines, donât tell the blog owner or editor what your guidelines are in the form of âI am offering you an article of up to 500 words with a short bio and link at the bottom of the article.â Pitch your topic and ask if there are any specific guidelines they want you to adhere to. You are there to please them, not vice versa.
3. Research a unique topic to pitch.
Before you submit topic ideas or a completed post, do a little research to make sure that your topic hasnât been covered before. The simplest way to do this is to do a Google search for site:domain.com in title:keyword or subscribe to the blogâs RSS feed in Google Reader and then do a search for the keyword on that blogâs feed. While you canât prevent duplicating an idea that might be on the editorial calendar for the future, you can prevent getting a rejection for having a duplicate topic and being seen by the editor as someone who doesnât do their research.
4. Address the blog owner or main site editor by name.
There are some curious names out there, but you are not likely to come across anyone whose first name is Sir, Madam, Admin, Webmaster, or Blogger. Go to the blogâs about page and make sure you address the owner or editor by their first name â it makes your request look personalized and not generic.
5. Explain why you would be a great fit for the blogâs audience.
You may be tempted to boast about yourself in your introductory email, but the fact is the blog owner or editor is not going to care about who you are unless you describe yourself in a way that relates to their audience. Explaining that you are a writer representing XYZ corporation isnât going to get you as far as explaining that you are a regular reader of the blog who also loves the outdoors or whatever the main topic of the blog is about.
Along with your introduction, sending examples of some of your best work is a great way to make a good first impression, but only if that work is relevant to the blog you are pitching. If you plan on sending a post about SEO to a top SEO blog, then sending them samples of articles you have written on insurance isnât the best idea.
6. Avoid mentioning links.
Nothing says my content was merely created to build links like including the words âAll I need is dofollow links back to my website in the post.â Your goal is to make the blog owner or editor think you are creating content because you want to contribute something valuable to their blog, not because you must build links. You really donât need to include this or similar requests at all during a guest post pitch â simply look at the latest guest posts and make sure the authors are given bios with dofollow links. If they get them, you can too just by submitting great content â not by asking.
7. Submit unique content.
Another thing you donât need to mention is that your content is â100% unique and copyscape protectedâ as that seems to be a very generic tagline thrown around in pitches lately. It should be assumed that your content is going to be unique â most bloggers are now checking Google to make sure they are and rejecting anything they find duplicated on other blogs or (worse) article networks. So donât submit something youâve published elsewhere, or something that was altered by article spinning software that was published elsewhere. Period.
8. Be prepared for a little wait time.
If you want your content to be published by a specific date, you canât expect that it will be if you submit it the week before. Many blogs, no matter how big or small, have an editorial calendar that could be filled with scheduled post submissions for a couple of weeks up to a couple of months. Be sure to think ahead when it comes to time-sensitive content and submit it in advance to your target blog, just in case they need to schedule it out.
9. Donât be pushy.
The last thing any blog owner or editor wants is to hear your demands when it comes to a guest post. If they say that their next available opening on the calendar is in two weeks, donât try to push for an earlier date. If they donât accept their post, donât insist that they do so simply because you put your time and energy into it. Being demanding or pushy with your request just makes them less likely to want to work with you, now or in the future.
10. Stay committed to your postâs success once the post goes live.
Be sure to get involved with the blog community when the post goes live. This includes sharing it to your social network and answering any comments that come in. Also, follow up with the blog owner or editor to see how your post performed behind the scenes and if they have any suggestions. This shows the blog owner or editor that you want to cement the success of your post and will make them more open to receiving content for you in the future.
Interesting… But is this a pitch or an actual post? Your “pitch” is very long (and went over the six points we asked for). I’m concerned that you’ve written everything you have to say in your pitch and didn’t save anything for your actual post!
Inkling That Gets Your Guest Post A⌠YES!
Guest blogging, done right, follows a couple of different scenarios. The first and best scenario happens when the editor of a high-quality blog recognizes your expertise in a subject and asks you to create a guest post for that blog.
The second scenario mimics what freelance writers do when they want to publish articles in traditional magazines. They come up with ideas, pitch their ideas to an editor, and then, when the ideas are accepted, send an article to the magazine.
Here are six steps that can give you an edge to being published:
***********************************************************
ď Make your thorough Research âWhen you want to guest post, look for blogs that have good reputations, that accept guest posts, and that publish items similar to your guest post idea⌠So you donât get locked OUT!
ď Take a STEP toward guidelines â In order to get your post accepted by an editor, YOU want to make sure every rule given does not pass you by and âYOUâ follow to detail!
ď CONNECT before you pitch â Blog editors get countless pitches from people they donât know. So your pitch could be the best in the world, but itâs no guarantee that youâll land that guest posting opportunity. Well, a great pitch helps, donât get me wrong. But wouldnât you want to do everything you could to land that opportunity?
Hereâs the solution:
People are far more likely to respond in a positive way to folks they recognize.
This could be as simple as:
Sharing content (and tagging the blogger)
Commenting on blog posts
Replying to social media statuses
Replying to email newsletters
ď Be Quite Focused â Ensure to give the Readers what they need to SEE
ď Endorse Your Work â Well, double-check your pitch, irrespective of length, just to make sure you are giving out your best quality work. âNo one expects to do that for YOU!â
ď Share your work â Your work wonât be known âIf you donât make itâ, So⌠donât just sit and wait for that reply, get going and Share! Share!! Share!!! {Social media is a great help}.
This post is going to help freelance bloggers to learn steps they can take to get their guest posts published plus all the benefits they can expect to get, without much ado.
As a ânewbie bloggerâ, I hope to be a good fit with BAFB because I am a fresh face on the scene that not only cares about my own development in blogging, but others as well.
I appreciate a fresh-faced perspective usually; however, I have to ask: since you’re so new… are you sure these techniques work? Have you had many (or any) guest posts published?
WHY ISNâT THERE A âBLOGGERâS MARKETâ GUIDE? 5 HINTS FOR FINDING PLACES TO PITCH YOUR GUEST POSTS
Itâs a pet peeve for freelance bloggers with guest-post aspirations. You have a list of fantastic topic ideas, and a perfect mental portrait of readers whoâd love them. But⌠while thereâs a shelf of market guides for magazines that publish freelance articles, all the blogging world seems to offer is lists of arbitrarily chosen âtop blogsââŚ
(OUTLINE)
1. Visit your local library, bookstore, or supermarket, and see what magazines in your field of interest are displayed on their shelves. Go to those magazinesâ websites and search the article archives for âbest blogsâ listings.
2. Visit the websites of top corporations in your preferred industry. Check their blog pages (every major business has a blog these days, by one name or another).
3. Make a list of major influencers in your favorite blog-topic fields. Visit their blogs, websites, and social media pages to see where theyâve guest-posted and what blogs they recommend.
4. Ask your contacts (especially those who are active in business networking or growing their own businesses) which blogs they follow.
5. Make your Google searches for top-blogs lists more effective: use the most detailed and specific search terms you can think of, and when you get the results, look for those published by influencers and authoritative sources.
WHY THIS POST? WHY THIS WRITER?
You can know every other trick for getting a guest post published, and get your career nowhere if none of your favorite blogs use guest writers and all you can find to pitch to are obscure sites with 20 followers each. Even after years writing guest posts for a half dozen regular clients and BAFB itself, I still bumped my head against this frustration whenever I sought new markets. Hopefully someday someone will publish an authoritative âBloggerâs Marketâ guide, but for now, these tips will help us become more effective and less stressed-out when seeking new guest-posting options.
Interesting twist on the topic! I’ll leave it up to Sophie whether or not this is “close enough” to the theme. I love the idea because it’s VERY useful, but I’m also very strict about the contest rules… Maybe you could add a paragraph about how to get past a pitching editor once you find a place to pitch TO? That would make it aces for the contest’s theme. đ
Also… Have you seen this? http://littlezotz.com/2017/07/the-writernomicon/
I was thinking of “getting it published” as comprising everything needed along the path to publication, including market research. (As a freelance blogger, I have a lot of experience starting with one-sentence topics and letting them take me in unexpected directions, and so far no committed client, at least, has complained things got too far off-topic.)
Sorry I didn’t have time to consider editing the pitch. My car had a flat tire, there’s major electrical work being done in my apartment, one client wanted an extra post at the last minute, and my time management skills were stretched to the limit just keeping up with the deadlines where people were already counting on me to fill their post spaces single-handedly!
As for the littlezotz.com link: $50 minimum isn’t enough for my current level of experience. I would expect new clients to start at $200.
How to Win Over an Editor: 6 Stellar Ways to Get Your Guest Post Published.
Trying to get your by-line out there but canât make it past the editor? Read on. Here are my top six tried and true tips to make sure your next pitch is un-ignorable.
1. Be a fan: Iâm not saying brown-nose, but if you genuinely are an avid reader of the blog you wish to write for â donât be afraid to tell them that. Everyone likes feedback. Be specific and say exactly what you like about it. This shows that you are familiar with the blog and therefore you know what the audience wants.
2. Become a part of their community: Before even sending in your pitch â join in. Like, comment, share, and most importantly – read other comments. Really get to know the audience and get the editor to know you.
3. Make sure that your passion reflects in your pitch. If you are serious about freelance blogging, you probably write for a specific niche â hopefully, one you are passionate about. Let this shine through in your pitch.
4. Shine bright like a diamond: Editors for popular blogs receive tons pitches. Show them what sets you apart from the rest. What gives you an edge? Talk about what qualifies you to blog about the subject and why you are the best person to bring this message to their readers.
5. Structure: Editors love it. Donât just pitch an idea. Show them exactly how you plan to follow it through. Suggest a catchy title and highlight the key points you intend to cover to show them youâve done some groundwork.
6. Be original: Take the time to read through the blog to see whatâs missing. If possible, pick a topic that hasnât been covered before. Or reposition an old topic from an entirely new angle.
These are really simple, yet honest ways to get an editors attention and to build trust â which goes a long way. They reflect that you know your niche, you are willing to go the extra mile, and that you understand exactly what their readers want.
As an environmental writer, most of the work that comes my way is pro-bono, so I really have to make sure my pitches shine for paid projects â and this is how I do it.
Headline: 6 Genuine Ways to Pitch an Editor without Looking Smarmy
Opening Lines:
You spent hours writing that well-crafted piece and canât wait to see it out in the world. You are excited and armed with a list of potential publications and donât think twice about moving to the next task. Though pitching editors is no rock science, if not an art, it’s a skill one needs to master to increase exposure in the blogging world.
Six Points Outline:
1. Familiarize yourself with the publication guidelines
Each publication has its own set of requirements. It is important to follow those guidelines not only to increase your chances to have your piece accepted but also to avoid wasting the editors time.
2. Donât bombard the editor with follow-up emails
This is directly tied to the first point, but it goes back to the say that âtime is precious,â especially that of an editor.
3. Donât use the same one-size-fits-all approach to pitch different editors
You should never, ever use the same template, without modifications, to send a barrage of pitches to any publication.
4. Show personality
Inject your own personality to the piece and donât be afraid to show who you truly are.
5. Tell how you can be helpful to his/her readership
Editors want to know how what you have to say can help their readers.
6. Donât lose faith
The importance of keeping positive, be gracious, and move on.
The Why:
Although some may not admit, we all know that pitching an editor is an intimidating task. And this pitch is a good fit for Be A Freelance Blogger because it will help its readers (bloggers, writers, or authors) to face this task with ease. I have had my share of hurdles in this process, so I can write for my own experiences, being a great fit to tackle the subject.
Point #2. Yes. Preach!! I sometimes get a follow-up e-mail mere HOURS after the initial e-mail/pitch and all it does is clutter up my inbox. Thank you for bringing that up!
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Inkling That Gets Your Guest Post A⌠YES!
Guest blogging, done right, follows a couple of different scenarios. The first and best scenario happens when the editor of a high-quality blog recognizes your expertise in a subject and asks you to create a guest post for that blog.
The second scenario mimics what freelance writers do when they want to publish articles in traditional magazines. They come up with ideas, pitch their ideas to an editor, and then, when the ideas are accepted, send an article to the magazine.
Here are six steps that can give you an edge to being published:
***********************************************************
Ă  Make your thorough Research âWhen you want to guest post, look for blogs that have good reputations, that accept guest posts, and that publish items similar to your guest post idea⌠So you donât get locked OUT!
ĂÂ Â Take a STEP toward guidelines â In order to get your post accepted by an editor, YOU want to make sure every rule given does not pass you by and âYOUâ follow to detail!
Ă  CONNECT before you pitch âBlog editors get countless pitches from people they donât know. So your pitch could be the best in the world, but itâs no guarantee that youâll land that guest posting opportunity. Well, a great pitch helps, donât get me wrong. But wouldnât you want to do everything you could to land that opportunity?
Hereâs the solution:
People are far more likely to respond in a positive way to folks they recognize.
This could be as simple as:
Sharing content (and tagging the blogger)
Commenting on blog posts
Replying to social media statuses
Replying to email newsletters
Â
Â
ĂÂ Â Â Â Â Be Quite Focused â Â Ensure to give the Readers what they need to SEE
Ă   Endorse Your Work âWell, double-check your pitch, irrespective of length, just to make sure you are giving out your best quality work. âNo one expects to do that for YOU!â
Ă  Share your work â Your work wonât be known âIf you donât make itâ, So⌠donât just sit and wait for that reply, get going and Share! Share!! Share!!! {Social media is a great help}.
This post is going to help freelance bloggers to learn steps they can take to get their guest posts published plus all the benefits they can expect to get, without much ado.
As a ânewbie bloggerâ, I hope to be a good fit with BAFB because I am a fresh face on the scene that not only cares about my own development in blogging, but others as well.
When You Get Strung Out & Addicted To Pitching Youâll Never Worry About Getting Published.
——————————————————————————————————
Lede:
Getting published for the first time is an exciting time for you as a freelance blogger.
Not getting published can lead to discouragement.
I say this from experience.
When I first starting writing my system for marketing and pitching was quite glib.
There is only one solution to getting published and its STARTING.
Stop waiting for you to feel perfect, timing, or your muse to show the eff up and start marketing yourself.
1. Leverage your experience
When you first start out writing doesnât make it hard on yourself. Write about what you know. Your knowledge and personal experiences can add depth to the article adding a sense of personality or relatable story.
2. Build a system of marketing. Marketing is not a dirty word. Business wants to hear from you. Donât fool yourself into believing otherwise. If you havenât made prospecting a daily practice, do it now. Make marketing a daily habit and youâll be getting published.
3. Harvest freelance writing gigs on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool to find writing gigs if your profile is properly written. Using LinkedInâs search a writer has access to business owners, marketing managers, and directors.
Another way to use the search function is to look for full-time writing gigs. Connect with the job poster and add a message (always add a message!) The message can be…
4. Warm email prospecting.
Use Ed Gandiaâs warm email prospecting as a way of getting published. Unlike cold email, warm email prospecting is more personal.
Iâll break down a warm email to show how it differs from cold email prospecting.
5. Query Letter
Unlike a warm email, a query letter is a bit longer referencing more detail about you as a writer, where youâve been, the value you provide, and what to expect when working with you, such as …
This post will help new freelance bloggers to several ways to get more blogging gigs, ways to pitch their skills and writing services to business blog owners.
The post will not only list ways of getting published, but it will outline the specific steps freelance writers should follow to secure more writing gigs.
I will use relevant personal experiences to efficiently break down the barriers blocking your readers from getting published.
Hmmmm… This seems like it could be very useful. However, it also seems like you’ll be teaching our readers how to pitch to potential business clients, rather than editors (the contest’s theme). I’ll leave this one up to Sophie to determine if your pitch is “close enough” to the theme’s topic. đ
5 Steps to Nailing the Perfect Pitch
Most freelance bloggers come up with good ideas but often struggle to get their posts published. A few simple tips and tricks can help them figure out why they havenât been getting the hits they would like and how they can get their posts accepted and published at a higher hit rate:
1. Read the blog regularly
This section would explain why a regular blog-reader stands a better chance than one who stumbles upon a blog and dispatches a query within minutes of perusing the blog, and how to absorb the feel and tone of a blog quickly
2. Absorb the guidelines
This section would contain tips and strategies on how to check the editorâs requirements, including word counts, topics, tone, style. Most blog editors are swamped with pitches and will reject if you give them a chance to do so.
3. Pitch / Tailor a post specifically targeted to the blog
In this section, Iâd like to show how to come up with ideas to make sure the post you pitch is targeted for the blog, as even blogs that have the same theme have subtle variations in their posts.
4. Identify the key learnings that your post will impart to the reader
In the pitch, it is crucial to establish the key points that the reader will learn from reading the post. This section explains how.
5. Tailor the bio towards the blog
If a blogger has credentials in blogs or magazines or any avenues similar to the one they are targeting, they must mention those in the cover letter. This section shows how, and what to do if they donât have relevant past experience.
Why this is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger:
This article will help freelance bloggers iron out the wrinkles in their pitch and become (dare I say it) pitch perfect!
Why Iâm the right person to write it:
My guest posts and articles have appeared in several writing-related blogs and websites including FreelanceWriting.com, the SFWA blog, The Review Review, FreelanceWriting.com and Walrus Publishing
Very nice, Gargi! đ
6 bullet-proof tips to force your way into having you guest post published (or possibly into becoming a convicted felon)
Freelance blogging is a merciless warzone, where even the most despicable, heinous acts are fair game (it really isn’t, but I need this ludicrous preamble to give this post a modicum of sense). Therefore, your best option is to fully commit to shady, borderline illegal methods that could get you and the blog you pitch for into serious trouble.
1. Do not use a pitch template.
Random word association is the best way to make a coherent argument and get a point across. Structure and consistency are overrated.
2. Be arrogant and disrespectful.
Do not follow guidelines, explain why they donât make sense to you and how terrible the blogâs editors are.
I call it the âI like thatâ trope. Itâs often used in bad fiction: the protagonist insults or assaults a random character who, for whatever reason, ends up admiring him, impressed by such an assertive, self-confident and fearless guy (I must insist on the word âguyâ here, because, âstunningly,â it always involves a male protagonist. Probably because women are all weak, insecure cowards unable to stand for themselves. Thanks for yet another invaluable lesson, Hollywood).
This strategy always works in real life. The editor will love you and respect you for using it. Perhaps to the point of deleting your submission right away. Everyone doesnât deserve your talent, after all.
3. Be clear about the fact that content doesnât matter and that SEO is your only god.
Insist that Google adwords is way more relevant than actual words and that you will have no qualms about dipping into black hat SEO to promote your post.
Communicate your willingness to write entire paragraphs devoid of actual sentences and containing only a string of keywords that youâll separate by more keywords typed in a white font to keep them from being visible.
Furthermore, inform the editor that you will buy clicks and spam backlinks, she/he most likely wonât be concerned in the very least about the website risking to be removed from search engine results and disappear into oblivion.
4. Offer bribes.
It clearly doesnât make a whole lot of sense for a blog post that youâre probably either writing for free or for a modest pay rate but, at this point, youâre already eager to purchase clicks and links (see 4.).
Youâve already stooped so low that rational financial decision making doesnât really matter anymore. Do not let anything or anyone get in the way of having this damn thing published, whatever the cost.
5. Use threats (veil ones if necessary, youâre already acting like a lunatic. Truth and facts are the least of your concerns by now).
Make it known that if your pitch isnât accepted, you wonât hesitate to launch smear campaigns, widespread bashing and character assassination against the blog and everyone even remotely connected to it.
Donât forget to mention that youâre a Gamergater and an avid Breitbart reader. Thatâll establish your credibility as a massive misogynist and a racist troll, well versed into doxxing and swatting.
You might not find work ever again and be reported to the authorities, but the benefits definitely outweigh the risks.
6. Be pushy and obnoxious.
If you donât get an answer within an hour, harass the hell out of the editor, ask for updates, berate her/him for being unprofessional, unreliable goon and resend your pitch over and over (maybe the internet was broken when you did it the first time). Thereâs a small chance that your e-mails might go straight to the spam folder, but that seems highly unlikely. Stalking is usually a sound marketing strategy.
The reason why I think this post would be great is that there are already so many quality articles about how to send a good pitch out there (even in the few comments I read, some experienced guest bloggers gave extremely helpful advice on how to find the perfect, persuasive angle).
Therefore, I figured that, if I wanted to stand out and have a chance to be somewhat on par with those talented, veteran writers, I had to take a radically different approach and rely on one of my strong suits, which, in my humble opinion, makes me the right person to write this post: versatility and humor. I read a few of your blogâs articles and noticed that some of them were actually âhow not toâ lists and were written in a witty tone (while not as surreal as the one I used) and chose to adopt a comedic voice to write and absurd âhow not toâ post, which, in a (very) weird way, could also be somewhat helpful.
Darn it just spotted a typo, in the first sentence of the 6th point, I obviously meant “AN unprofessional, unreliable goon.” Sorry about that.
It’s Not About You: Six Tips For Successfully Pitching A Guest Post
There are many good reasons to publish guest posts on other people’s blogs. Brand new freelance bloggers need portfolio clips. Experienced writers may want to expand their range of expertise or land a more prestigious byline. Whatever your motivation, it’s important to check your ego at the door before you begin the pitching process.
Point 1: Target blogs that match your experience level. If you’re a new blogger, look for recently launched blogs that will be more willing to take a chance on a newbie. Only approach the more well-known sites (HuffPost, Babble, and so on) after you have some good clips to share.
Point 2: Find the right editor to pitch to. Put on your sleuthing hat and do some digging on the website. Even if the submission guidelines are easy to find and offer a general email address, you’ll have a better chance of getting out of the slush pile if you contact the appropriate editor.
Point 3: Be Specific. Everyone can tell if your pitch is a generic spam pitch you’re sending to 20 blogs at once. Make sure to tailor it their blog and audience and explain why you’re interested in this website.
Point 4: It’s not about you. Beyond sharing your qualifications for writing the post, don’t make your pitch all about you. So you lost a loved one to cancer–that’s sad but no one will care unless you can glean universal truths and actionable strategies from your own experience. The same thing goes for parenting blogs and other topics.
Point 5: Don’t be a puppy dog. Writers are naturally insecure and in search of affirmation. But find it from friends and family, not blog editors. It’s not uncommon for an editor to turn down your pitch with encouragement to try them again in the future. If this happens, do not write back immediately with another pitch. Wait a few weeks, preferably months, to show that you’ve grown as a writer and returned with a thoughtful follow up idea.
Point 6: Behave well so you will be invited back. This point would cover basic etiquette such as only following up once (after enough time has passed), sending a complete, proofread draft before deadline, not inserting shady links, etc.
This is a great post for BAFB readers because it provides specific advice on a topic that can feel mysterious to new and established bloggers alike. Readers will come away feeling encouraged, with a list of things they can do right now to land their next guest post. As an experienced blogger who also publishes creative writing and has worked on two literary journals, I have a lot of good examples to share and perspective from both sides of the editor’s desk.
After the opening lines, give us no more than 6 points youâll make in your post, and provide a one or two sentence summary of each point. (If you plan to make more than 6 points in your post, only tell us the most important 6 in your pitch.)
Then explain in no more than 3 sentences why this is a great post for Be a Freelance Blogger and why youâre the right person to write it.
Hi Lauren and Sophie
ASPIRING TO BE A FREELANCE BLOGGER? CHECK THIS OUT.
Being a freelance blogger requires a lot from you. You don’t just write what comes to mind. It requires creativity, Imagination, good language and precision.
Keypoints to writing captivating guest posts:
1) You have got to have a catching introduction: Everyone has an innate ability to be creative. To write a nice guest post you have got to have a catching introduction. First impression matters. Your introduction is meant to make your readers want to read on.
2) A gripping headline: Your headline either makes your readers want to check out your post or just move on. In my lifetime as a reader I have come across writeups or newspaper articles that I generally would not want to read but when I read the headline it gets me wondering what the writer has to say that I don’t already know. Like once when I came across a newspaper article titled “God is not a Christian”. That headline made me want to read the article because I wanted to know why anyone would say God is not a Christian and after reading it I got to understand where he is coming from.
3) Just write: A mentor once told me “you stop being special when you stop doing what makes you special or unique”. Well, you are a freelance blogger yeah or you are aspiring to be one, you have to write always to hone your skills; look for opportunities to write because practice they say makes perfect. So when you keep at what you love doing you get better along the way and why not try to get paid for what you love doing; cause there’s this pleasure derived from getting rewarded when you do things.
4) Follow the rules: In life, there are rules and principles surrounding everything even Christianity, and if you don’t follow the principles or rules per say you just might never get what you are searching for. So before writing a guest post take your time to check out the rules, guidelines and requirements and work on tailoring your post to meet these requirements.
5) Diction: It is taught in literature that diction is a writer’s choice of words. I tell you this applies to real life and even writing a great guest post. Choice of words is key, your choice of words is essential to getting whatever you want even getting your editor to love your post.
6) Never underestimate the power of creativity
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!!!
Big thanks to everyone who entered this time around! I know this was a tougher topic than usual, and we were EXTRA picky about your pitches.
We appreciate you!
For lurkers: be sure to enter our next contest in June 2018! đ
Winners will be announced on April 14th at the latest. Keep an eye on this page for the results!
THE WINNERS ARE:
1st prize:
Melody – http://beafreelanceblogger.com/pitchfest-editor-tricks/#comment-221362
2nd prize:
Frank Spear – http://beafreelanceblogger.com/pitchfest-editor-tricks/#comment-221378
3rd prize:
Elizabeth Spencer – http://beafreelanceblogger.com/pitchfest-editor-tricks/#comment-221658
Other people whose pitches we feel are ready to draft:
(If your nameâs on this list, we encourage you to either pitch your idea to one of the sites in The Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs, or write a full draft and submit it to lauren@beafreelanceblogger.com for publication as a traditional, unpaid guest post on Be a Freelance Blogger.)
*Rachel – http://beafreelanceblogger.com/pitchfest-editor-tricks/#comment-221504
*Dean Liscum – http://beafreelanceblogger.com/pitchfest-editor-tricks/#comment-221452
Congratulations and well done to everyone who entered!
Congrats to Melody, Frank, Rachel, and Dean! I enjoyed reading all the entries and look forward to seeing the finished pieces.
Great job, Elizabeth! I’m sorry I didn’t get around to replying to your SUPER LAST MINUTE pitch, but we obviously liked it lol.
Hey Elizabeth, email sophie@beafreelanceblogger.com to arrange a time for our “3 questions” mentoring session! đ
Congrats to winners, Melody, Frank, Elizabeth S. Dean and Racheal ! I canât wait to read your completed blogs. Lauren and Sophie, thank you for such an awesome learning experience!!
You’re so welcome! đ At its core, I think learning is what Pitchfest is REALLY all about…
I AM SO EXCITED!!!! Thank you SO much for the awesome opportunity.
I loved reading the other pitches and learned a lot from them (and from reading Sophie and Lauren’s feedback).
Lauren – you’ll have my first draft next week by your April 21st deadline. đ
Thank you again!!
We’re excited too! haha. Congratulations on winning. đ Looking forward to reading your draft.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Congrats to all the winners!
Congratulations to winners party….dear
winners party
I never saw an announcement re the winner of this pitchfest.
Okay. Now I see it. Lol.