The short answer
To get backlinks with guest posting, pick one topic you want to be known for, find active blogs in that niche that publish contributors, and email the editor a specific, original post idea. Write a genuinely useful article for their readers with one natural link to a relevant page on your site. Never pay for a dofollow link.
Before you start
By the end of this SOP
A tracked outreach campaign and published guest posts on relevant sites.
- Time
- 8–10 hours per campaign
- You’ll need
- A keyword plan for your site (SOP 092), a Google Sheet, and an email address on your own domain.
- Who does this
- The person in charge of SEO or content. Prospecting can be delegated.
About this SOP: why it matters, where and when
Why it matters: Guest posts put you in front of the right readers, build your name as an expert and send referral visitors. Any link you earn is a bonus, not the goal.
Where: Google search, Google Sheets, your email (or an outreach tool like BuzzStream).
When: Whenever you want to build links to an important page.
Stage 1
Pick one topic
- 1
Choose one search intent per campaign, e.g. “Instagram marketing for small businesses”.
- 2
List 5–10 related keywords. You will use them to find blogs and to pitch ideas.
Stage 2
Find sites worth writing for
- 1
Search Google with phrases like:
- your keyword + “write for us”
- your keyword + “guest post”
- your keyword + “contribute”
- 2
Only keep a site if all of these are true:
- It’s a real blog in your niche, not a page selling “guest posts”.
- Not a direct competitor.
- It published something in the last 3 months.
- It gets real traffic (check with Similarweb, SOP 089).
Watch out
Skip sites with a “guest post price list” or posts on every topic from casino to crypto. Links from them can hurt more than help.
- 3
Find the editor’s email: Contact or Write for us page, LinkedIn, or a tool like Hunter.io. Spend no more than 3–4 minutes per site.
- 4
Log each site in a sheet: URL, site name, editor name, email, status, notes, published URL.
Stage 3
Pitch the editors
- 1
Send a short, personal email:
- Mention a specific post of theirs you liked.
- Pitch one or two specific titles that fit their readers.
- Promise original content written only for them.
- 2
Follow up once after 4–5 days and once more a week later. Then stop.
- 3
Update the Status column: Pitched, Accepted, Rejected, Paid request (decline), Published.
Stage 4
Write and publish the posts
- 1
Follow their guidelines exactly: length, style, images, how many links.
- 2
Make it genuinely useful: real examples, data, short paragraphs, and links to good outside sources, not just your site.
- 3
Add one natural link to the most relevant page on your site, using your brand name or a plain phrase. Never use exact-match keyword anchors like “best digital marketing course in Kerala”.
- 4
If the editor marks the link nofollow, that’s normal and fine. Don’t ask them to change it.
- 5
When it’s live, add the URL to your sheet and share the post on your own channels.
Practice & check
Now do it for real
Reading is not doing. Open your own account and complete this task before you move on.
Practice task (5 min)
Find 10 qualified blogs for one topic and write one pitch email. Don’t send it until your mentor has reviewed it.
Prove it
Two questions. Get both right and this SOP is done.
Common questions
Is guest posting still good for SEO in 2026?
It’s good for reach, reputation and referral traffic. Treat the link as a bonus: Google recommends guest-post links are nofollow, and campaigns built mainly for links go against its spam policies.
What are safer ways to earn backlinks?
Publish something worth citing: original data (for example a Kerala salary survey), free tools or templates, local partnerships with colleges and associations, and answering journalists’ requests for expert quotes.
How many links should I put in a guest post?
Usually one link to your site, placed naturally where it helps the reader. Follow the host’s guidelines.
What reply rate should I expect from outreach?
It varies a lot by niche and how personal your pitch is. Track it in your sheet and improve your pitch based on what gets replies.
Done. That’s a real skill, not a certificate.
Want to do this on real client budgets, with a mentor checking your work? That’s Level 2 at Unlearn. See the Digital Marketing track