How to Get Published on Major Web Publications

There could be a whole course on getting guest posts on third party publications. There’s a lot to learn about list-building, pitching, and maintaining editor relationships.

At the risk of oversimplifying, today we’re just going to tackle the basics.

1. List-Building Publications

The first step to getting published is to know the places you want to target.

If you already have some ideas, jot them down now. Is there an industry blog you’re particularly fond of? Could you publish on your company blog? What about the blog of an organization you’re involved with? A publication you have a connection to?

Get your ideas down and then it’s time for a little external research.

Do a quick Google search for the best blogs in your industry that accept guest posts. I might try “the best reputation blogs that accept guest posts” but I could also try marketing, social media, or something similar.

Then, do your due diligence. Once you find a list of sites, look them up to make sure they’re legit and their content fits in with your brand (and the content you want to pitch them!) You might want to check the sites out on compete.com to learn how many monthly unique visitors they get. You can also check them out on mozrank to figure out the authority of the page (i.e., how valuable it is for you to be on there.)

Of course, remember that getting on a decent site in your industry is better than none at all. Baby steps.

2. Find Pitching Requirements

The next step is to look up the requirements for pitching to particular publications. Some places ask for a specific subject line or certain formatting requirements. Ignoring these directions is the easiest way to get rejected.

This is easier than it sounds. When I search “techcrunch post guest post requirements,” the first thing that comes up is A Guide To Guest Columns On TechCrunch, a whole page on this written by TechCrunch for bloggers like us.

3. Building a List of Editors

Muckrack is a tool we use at Brandyourself to get access to email addresses of editors, reporters, and writers. I find this tool invaluable, but if you don’t have this kind of access, there are a couple of things you can do.

• Look up the masthead. Do some investigation online to find contact info of the editors. Some publications will have names and email addresses right there on the Team page. Others will just have the names, but you can search them online and often find their contact info no problem. It’s not as if publications are exactly hiding from .

• Use submission forms. Some publications, like the Huffington Post, have submission forms where you can pitch your blog post without having an editor’s contact info.

4. Draft your pitch.

The last step is to draft the email you’ll be sending out.

Here are some best practices I’ve learned from experience:

1. Use an engaging and simple subject line. I like GUEST POST: Name of the Title Here.

2. Address the person by name.

3. Explain quickly what the article is about and why it’s important for the publication. Maybe it hasn’t been covered yet. Perhaps it’s super timely. Or it’s right in their wheelhouse.

4. Keep the email short and sweet. Imagine if you had to sift through hundreds of these every week.

5. Copy and paste the article (with copyright free, cited images) directly into the email. I attach the word doc too but this extra step is useful because I’ve had editors tell me they don’t open attachments.

5. Send ‘Em Out

Once you have your list of editors, your publication requirements, and your pitch, then it’s time to send out your emails. Even with a terrific piece, this is primarily a numbers game. Remember that this is basically the email equivalent of cold-calling until you start developing some real relationships with these people. Try following up several days later and don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a nibble on your first try. It might take a few more articles and a longer list of editors before you begin forging those editorial connections.

Time to Write Your 3rd Blog Post!

Writing day!

Run through your list and find another topic you’d like to speak about. If you’ve come up with some new ideas since you made that list, feel free to add them -- that’s what the list is for!

IMPORTANT: This time, do not publish your article on your blog after you are done. Keep it as a saved document and we will revisit it in a couple of days when we are ready to pitch your article to third party publications. Many won’t accept an already-published article.

Third party publications?

Yes, that means we are going to try to get this article placed somewhere besides your blog. It might be an authoritative industry publication, your company blog, or something else entirely.

This is killer for your brand -- you’ll become a published author on a credible external blog -- and the article (or your author page) will have a chance to rank independently in search results.

So, try to write about something that would have broad appeal in your industry. Something that would fit in well with prominent niche blogs in your industry. 

Here are your assignment goals:

• At least 500 words (aim for longer if you can)

• An engaging style that matches your brand

• At least one interesting image

• An engaging headline

• Try to link back to previous articles if appropriate

Tips

• Need help finding free images? You can always use the Creative Commons filter when searching on Google, or just use this free image resource.

• Read your work over OUT LOUD as if you’re speaking to your target audience. You’ll be surprised at the things that sounded fine in your mind but sound weird as hell when you speak it out loud.

• Make sure you cite sources when appropriate. All you need to do is hyperlink to the site when you would typically footnote.

NOTE: Again, do not publish this article yet. Many third-party publications won't accept already-published content and we don't want to ruin your chances.

How to Write Your First Blog Post

If you don’t already have a list of blog topics and ideas, please go back to Day 7 and put your list together before starting here.

I’m going to keep this one nice and short because, well, you’re the one doing all the writing today.

First, go through your list of blog topics from Day 7 and find one that you’re most excited about. Then, use the following parameters to guide your writing.

And don't forget to have fun!

Here are your assignment parameters (and why):

• At least 500 words (aim for longer if you can)

  • Why: Quality is the name of the game here. Length is just one consideration of a quality blog post, but it’s still a factor. If you can say everything in 100 words, then you probably didn’t choose an appropriate topic. Plus, all else being equal, longer articles are more likely to be shared on social media than shorter ones. I usually go for 700+ if I can, but again, quality is most important here.

• An engaging style that matches your brand

  • Why: You may know I’m a fan of conversational content, but this won’t necessarily fit everyone’s brand equally. Consider who you’re trying to reach with your content and write with them in mind.

• At least one interesting image

  • Why: Content with relevant images gets 94% more views than content without.

• An engaging headline

  • Why: A failed headline is a failed article. If your headline doesn’t encourage anyone to click it, then nobody sees your article and where’s the fun in that? Spend at LEAST a few minutes drafting up headlines and finding your most engaging one. If you need tips for writing a great headline, read my article, “Don’t Waste Another Headline -- 4 Psychological Tricks To Get You Clicks.”

Tips

• Need help finding free images? You can always use the Creative Commons filter when searching on Google, or just use this free image resource.

• Read your work over OUT LOUD as if you’re speaking to your target audience. You’ll be surprised at the things that sounded fine in your mind but sound weird as hell when you say it out loud.

• Make sure you cite sources when appropriate. All you need to do is hyperlink to the site when you would typically footnote.

Activity Recap

→ Go through your list of blog topics from Day 7 and find one that you’re most excited about.

→ Spend the next 60m researching, writing, and editing your blog post.

→ When you’re done, go post it on your Blog! Remember to embed your image(s) and fill in the SEO information in your plugin.

No, Conversational Content Doesn’t Mean Unprofessional. Here’s Why.

What’s the main goal of your written content?

No, really. Think about it. Is it to build brand loyalty? Generate leads? Sell your product?

Unless your goal is to come across like your 7th grade English teacher, then conversational content will be your friend as you attempt to connect with your readers. Formal writing is great for essays, academic papers, and the like. But it’s not ideal for engaging and captivating readers. (For tips on captivating readers with your headlines, read my previous post.) Conversational content will give you the best shot of breaking through all the noise and making a lasting impact.

Want to transform your writing from boring to bold? Try the following changes:

Ask Questions 

Let’s face it -- most readers are flying through emails and articles on autopilot. Anything you can do to stop them in their tracks is worth its weight in gold. Asking questions is one of those tactics.

Questions are a natural part of any conversation. Notice the questions I posed at the beginning of this post? They force you to actually stop and think for a second. Suddenly, you’re not just a passive reader but an engaged part of the conversation.

Keep it Short and Sweet 

Short sentences are snappy. They kick you in the eyeballs. They make an impact.

They’re also a normal part of everyday conversation. Long-winded sentences and huge blocks of text are a turnoff because they appear overwhelming. Take advantage of white space and shorter sentences and you’ll appear more engaging to the average reader.

Cut the Vocab Words 

Don’t use words like “utilize” when “use” will do. Don’t use “million-dollar words” for the simple reason that nobody talks like that. Simpler words make your writing a little more natural and captivating. They’re unimpressive, but they get the point across without sounding pretentious.

Break the Rules

Stop worrying about ending sentences in prepositions. And don’t worry about starting a sentence with “and” or “but.” Formal writing rejects contractions but they’re used all the time in everyday speech. Rules are important because they give structure, but they can make your writing unnecessarily rigid. Take some selective liberties and break the rules to give your writing some personality.

Don’t Write to the Masses

Your email or post may reach thousands of people, but you’ve got to write to the individual to keep it personal. Nothing turns a reader off more than hearing “Thanks to all of you who…” Write your content to the individual (“Thank you for your…”) and it’ll feel more casual and heartfelt.

Closing Note

Of course, you must always remember your audience. Conversational writing will be more appropriate in some cases and less appropriate in others. The best thing you can do is develop an engaging tone and stick with it consistently across your mediums. Read your writing aloud -- if it doesn’t fit with your brand, cut it and start over!