We all know the benefit of pitching to bloggers. For example:
- You get your name in their publication.
- Suppose they publish your work/insights; your awareness increases. – This can result in potential clients or recruiters finding you.
- You get their attention. – They might also reach out to you for future collaboration opportunities.
- You get to contribute as a guest author.
- In some instances, you also earn money.
But truth be told, you’re quite possibly not the only one pitching to their editors. You need to stand out from the crowd by creating a perfect pitch.
How do you do that, you ask? Well, that’s simple — just keep reading the article! We’ll guide you through the process of following up professionally, ensuring that your pitch doesn’t get lost in the editor’s inbox.
Here, we cover all the pitching techniques you can consider alongside the best practices for pitching to blogs and publications.
Let’s dig in!
Top pitching techniques
1. Cold pitching
This pitching technique mainly applies when you don’t know the blog editor personally and reach out to them out of the blue to pitch yourself as a potential guest blogger.
For example, this is what a cold pitch can look like. It is from a freelance writer’s perspective:
However, while with a cold pitch, it’s assumed that you and the blog editor don’t know each other formally, it still helps to be acquainted with the blog’s:
- Niche and topics of focus;
- Writing style/pitching guidelines; and
- Customers, sponsors, and readers.
2. Warm pitching
A warm pitch to bloggers refers to writing an email pitch and offering your services to someone you already know.
Many people connect with the blog owner or editor by replying to and engaging with their online posts, sharing/reposting their content, being active in their communities, asking others for an introduction, etc. This process differs from person to person.
But for reference, here’s what a warm pitch can look like:
P.S. Regardless of whatever pitching technique you use (writing a warm pitch email or a cold email), your focus should always be on the reader and not yourself. Always tell them how you can help them in their journey, not what you get out of it or how it’ll impact/benefit you.
3. Applying for guest posts
Some bloggers and publications run guest posting programs.
To prove our point, here’s Exhibit A (a guest posting program being run by a popular blog, Food Dive):
Screenshot provided by the author
Through this program, they invite industry experts or people with certain experiences/expertise within their niche.
For example, guest post ideas for a mom blog could be from other mothers or from people with experience handling children (i.e., fathers, doctors, daycare providers, nannies, teachers, etc.).
Usually, these blogs’ content editors or directors post a callout for pitches on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), or other online channels to inform potential contributors they’re looking for guest posts.
For example, here’s what that could look like:
P.S. Guest posting can apply to guest authors, podcast guests, or guests for other digital mediums.
4. Becoming a registered source
Lastly, another way to get your insights featured within a blog post is to register as a source. What do we mean by this?
Well, when bloggers and publications write articles, they usually need the insights of experts to either back up their statements or discuss a case based on their experience.
You can become this expert if you register as a source (expert) on websites like HelpAB2BWriter, Qwoted, Featured, etc.
You can also find niche-specific sites where the bloggers of your chosen industry frequent regularly.
Best practices for pitching to bloggers
Now that we’ve covered the top pitching techniques let’s explore some of the best practices to apply when pitching!
1. Check the blogger’s digital channels
The brilliance of a perfect pitch to a blogger begins before the pitch was even written — aka, with research. To craft a great pitch, you’ll need to research all the digital channels of the blog editor/publication to find out:
- The kind of content and topics they focus on.
- The topic clusters and pillars they have.
- The topics they’ve previously covered.
- The topics that work well for them.
- Their writing style (e.g., is it research-heavy, backed by SME insights, and written in a journalistic manner?)
Don’t just stick to checking out their blog — go above and beyond. Find out what their customers are talking about. You can find these insights usually on Reddit or community-focused platforms like Superpath.
Identify the type of content they promote on their social channels and newsletters. This approach will help you understand which topics usually perform well for them.
2. Present a few relevant content ideas
Once you’re armed with research, now’s the time to develop a few relevant content ideas you think will fit their blog.
Most blogs have their own guidelines on the topics they’ll usually accept.
For example, here are our (uSERP’s) pitching guidelines regarding topics and keywords.
Screenshot provided by author
Some editors also recommend the following when pitching to bloggers:
- Make your pitches timely and relevant. Example, why are you pitching this now?
- Present what makes the blog/publication special. – Why have you presented it to them and not anyone else?
- Pitch to the editor and not the publication. While most publications cover various topics, the editors have niche specialties. This helps them understand if your pitch is relevant to the industry or not.)
Screenshot provided by author
3. Personalize your pitch
Next, once you have your ideas ready, personalize your pitch. This might be a little difficult if you use LinkedIn DMs to pitch story ideas, so we recommend finding an email address.
Do not find a generic email address (info@ or contact@), but rather the editor’s email.
Also, sending bulk emails to multiple editors from multiple publications is not the best practice. What this can do is put you in a pickle if 2-3 of them accept your pitch at the same time. It can also come across as impersonal, as you wouldn’t be addressing your pitch to a single editor or a single publication.
Here are a few ways you can personalize your pitches:
- Always refer to your editors by their names.
- Provide context on why you’re pitching this topic to this publication now.
- Showcase how it is relevant to their audience and how it can help them.
- Format the email according to the editor’s preferences. (Some editors mention if they’d like to read a short or a long pitch in their pitch callout.)
- You can also reference shared connections.
MarketingScoop reports that personalized pitches drive 40% higher open rates and a 60-70% boost in CTRs.
4. Show some social proof
Social proof, like your testimonials, social media mentions, and client list, might show the blog/publication editor why you’re fit to take on the job.
For example, if you’re a freelance writer, you can mention the publications where you’ve written as a guest author. (Or testimonials from past clients or case studies about past work would do the trick, too.)
Oftentimes, editors of specific blogs seek experts or people with certain experiences to contribute to their blogs. For example, here’s what a pitch call-out with a niche reference could look like:
They’ll assign you the job if you can fit the bill and write from experience/expertise. However, if you cannot convince them of your credibility, even if your idea is excellent, they won’t be able to assign you the topic.
Your job is to present them with relevant ideas and demonstrate why you would be the best person to cover these topics.
5. Always check the pitching guidelines
Before sending your email, review the pitching guidelines again to ensure you have ticked all the requirements.
For example, while most guidelines cover the format, tone, topics, keywords, and structure of your pitch, others may have different requirements.
For reference, certain pitch callouts or pitch guidelines can contain the following:
- Requirements from the final draft (content grading, SEO score, etc.).
- Use of an “X” word in the subject line so the editor knows you’ve read the pitch callout requirements.
- Editorial considerations (exclusivity, uniqueness, etc.).
- Potential working headlines.
6. Be short, crisp, and succinct
If there’s no mention of how long or short the editor would like the pitch to be, then it’s best to always be succinct in your emails.
Just cover the basics:
- Formal greeting and your introduction.
- Pitch topic + context on why you’re pitching it.
- Your credentials (if you’re a doctor or a psychologist, for example).
- Email signature.
And that’s about it! You don’t have to include irrelevant information. You can also help the editor scan your email quickly by bolding key phrases.
7. Don’t forget to follow up!
Last but not least, never forget to follow up on your correspondence! Why do we say this? Well, because editors are busy.
As we previously mentioned, you may not be the only person pitching to them, so you’ll need to exercise some patience.
Here are some best practices you could follow while you’re following up:
- Provide the editor with a deadline to accept your pitch. (E.g., “I’m available to hear a response about this pitch until XXX date before I send it to another publication.”)
- Follow up thrice! A little less than that can cause your pitches to go unnoticed. You might come off as desperate if you send more than three follow-up emails.
- Don’t follow up too quickly. Wait at least two business days to receive a response.
- Always be polite and professional in all correspondence!
P.S. Need help with following up? Leverage a blogger outreach tool to help you with the heavy lifting.
Example of a successful cold pitch to a blogger
Here’s an example of a cold pitch:
Subject: Pitch for [Blog Name]: [Idea Title]
Hi [Blogger/Editor Name],
This is [Your Name], a [Title; e.g., writer], based in [Place], specializing in [Your Expertise].
I’m reaching out to you because [insert certain observation about their blog and/or the reason for you reaching out; e.g., “I saw you covering XYZ topics on your blog, and I thought I could lend my expertise”].
For the same reason, I would love to contribute to your blog, and here’s my proposed idea:
Proposed Topic: [Your headline]
[Describe the article in one sentence; e.g., a data-backed piece exploring X with actionable strategies to help readers achieve Y].
Why is it fit for your blog at this time? [Write your reasoning; e.g., “Your XYZ competitors are covering this topic on their social media channels, but I believe an in-depth explanation on your blog owing to XYZ changes would benefit your audience”].
A little about me: I’ve written for [Name of Publications] and have expertise in [Specific Field]. You can find my portfolio and testimonials here: [Link].
Let me know if you’d like me to adjust the angle or provide additional details. I’d be happy to work with you to shape it for your readers!
Best,
[Your Name]
[Link to Your Website/Social Media]
P.S. You don’t necessarily need to mention your place of residence in your pitch, but certain publications have limitations on partnering up with folks from X countries, either due to taxation reasons or other legalities.
Wrapping up
Writing a winning pitch to bloggers can take a whole lot of time and patience. Not to mention years of experience!
However, you can cut the time and patience short by learning how to write like a conversion copywriter.
Becoming a conversion copywriter is something we can help you out with: Learn how to write convert-ready pitches and landing pages with Jeremy Moser’s Copywriting Course!
The course has been taken by marketing and writing experts like Kjell Vandevyvere, Amanda Natividad, and Brice Trophardy. It can help you out, too!
And, if you need help with your content plans, our team at uSERP can handle up to 30 articles per month, including keyword research and topic prioritization. Book an intro call today!
