Have you noticed a competitor suddenly getting featured on podcasts, becoming a thought leader, and overtaking you in Google search results?
Their content isn’t necessarily better than yours, so what’s their secret?
The difference often lies in a solid outreach strategy that expands the reach of their content beyond their immediate network. This is where blogger outreach comes in.
Blogger outreach involves collaborating with influential website owners to amplify your content’s visibility.
But it’s not just about writing the occasional blog post. An effective blogger outreach campaign hinges on great content creation skills, an attention-grabbing guest post pitch, and the ability to build long-term relationships.
There’s a lot to understand!
That’s why we compiled this guide to blogger outreach. We’ll show you how to streamline your efforts with blogger outreach tools, an email template, Ahrefs Content Explorer, and more.
What Is Blogger Outreach?
Blogger outreach is a strategic approach that connects you with influential bloggers who can help expand your content’s reach and boost your authority in your niche. For example, a fitness brand might partner with a popular health blogger to review their products.
This approach combines the strengths of content marketing and influencer marketing, which allows you to collaborate on content that provides mutual benefits.
Many link-building processes involve blogger outreach in some form, including:
✅ Guest posts: Writing posts for influential blogs allows you to showcase your knowledge to a broader audience. Guest post outreach involves pitching your ideas to these bloggers. If they publish it, it can drive traffic back to your site, help you get inbound links, and establish you as an expert in your niche.
✅ Content shares: If you explain that your content is new, well-researched, and valuable to their audience, a blogger might share it. When an influential blogger shares your content with their followers, it opens the door to more engagement, new followers, and potential customers who want to hear what you have to say.
✅ Asking for a link: Outreach for links involves demonstrating the relevance and quality of your content to webmasters and asking them to post backlinks to your site. Getting backlinks from relevant blogs makes it more likely you’ll rank on search engines for terms related to your niche.
✅ Building partnerships: Outreach for partnerships involves identifying mutual benefits and building relationships with bloggers. Long-term collaborations can take many forms, such as co-hosting webinars, creating joint content, or cross-promoting each other’s products and services.
This article focuses on the first type of blogger outreach—guest blogging—but the process and steps you’ll learn here can be applied to any of these outreach methods or goals.
| 🤔 What’s In It for Popular Bloggers?
Why would influential bloggers want to share your content? It’s a fair question–after all, they already have a solid content strategy, loyal visitors, and visibility within their niche. The answer is simple: blog owners are always on the lookout for ways to keep their target audience engaged and grow their reach. |
Why Is Blogger Outreach Important?
If you’re already regularly uploading content and sharing it to social media, you might be wondering why you need to add blogger outreach to your strategy.
Besides, all it takes is for one influencer to stumble upon your content and share it, right?
While that may be true, there are billions of social media posts every day.
Relying on chance isn’t the best strategy for growth.
It might not be as trendy as the latest digital marketing trick, but blogger outreach is incredibly effective.
In fact, 64.9% of link builders use guest blogging as their primary link-building strategy.
Here’s why it’s so valuable:
🚀 It helps you build relationships
Blogger outreach isn’t just about one-time collaborations. It’s about building lasting relationships within your industry.
One study by Sprout Social found that 64% of marketers build relationships with other bloggers to create content partnerships.
These connections can lead to future partnerships, collaborations, and a strong network around your brand.
🚀 It helps you stand out from the crowd
While blogger outreach is a great way to build connections, one Backlinko study found that the average response rate for outreach emails is just 8.5%.
So, you need to go the extra mile if you want to beat the odds by crafting personalized outreach emails and following up to build and maintain these relationships.
Most blogger outreach campaigns are generic and lack personalization, which is why they fail to capture the attention of influential bloggers.
By putting real effort into your outreach strategy, you can maximize the number of link-building opportunities you’ll receive.
🚀 It helps you build credibility
When an influential blogger features your content, it acts as a powerful endorsement.
This not only builds your credibility but also fosters trust with new audiences who may not have heard of you before.
How to Launch an Outreach Campaign
Launching your campaign can be daunting and time-consuming. From finding the right sites to crafting the perfect email, the process requires a lot of effort.
Follow these steps to streamline your efforts and increase your chances of success:
1. Identify guest posting sites
The first step is identifying the right sites.
While there are countless tools, one of the most effective ways to find blogs is by using Google.
Start by searching for specific keywords related to your industry along with phrases that indicate posting opportunities.
For instance, if you run a blog about veganism, you might search for:
- “veganism” + “write for us”
- “veganism” + “guest post”
- “veganism” + “submit an article”
The above keywords deliver a goldmine of potential bloggers and sites to reach out to:
You can also use informational keywords in your niche to find relevant blogs.
For example, use search for terms like:
- Vegan dessert recipes
- Losing weight on a vegan diet
- Are avocados vegan?
- Vegan meal prep
These searches will yield a mix of blogs and authoritative sites. Focus on the blogs that appear in the search results rather than major authority sites:
After a search, scroll down to the “Related Searches” section at the bottom of the search results page.
This provides additional keywords that can lead you to more blogs relevant to your niche:
2. Choose which bloggers to target
Once you have your list, it’s time to narrow it down.
But why should you narrow it down instead of emailing all of the target bloggers on your list?
Not only does narrowing it down save you valuable time in the long run, but it also allows for personalized outreach that shows that you’ve done your homework and value the blogger’s work.
Consider the following factors to choose the most suitable bloggers:
✅ Domain authority
When planning your outreach strategy, prioritize blogs with high domain authority (DA).
Developed by Moz, DA is a score ranging from 1 to 100, with higher scores representing a greater ability to rank on SERPs.
When you get a backlink from a site with high DA it’s like receiving a vote of confidence from a trusted source.
Google considers these high-quality backlinks as indicators that your content is valuable, which can improve your own site’s rankings.
| ℹ️ How to Evaluate Domain Authority
Use tools like Moz’s Link Explorer, Ahrefs, or Semrush to check a site’s domain authority. Each of these tools provides its own authority score along with a comprehensive analysis of the site’s backlink profile and overall SEO health. |
✅ Website traffic
You can use tools like SimilarWeb or Google Analytics to help you estimate the traffic a blog receives.
The more traffic a website that links to you has, the more people your content is exposed to—this can drive a steady stream of visitors to your own website and increase your visibility.
✅ Number of blog comments
Active engagement shows that the audience is interested and interacts with the content. A blog that garners numerous comments per post suggests an active, engaged readership.
This engagement can spill over to your post and lead to more interaction with your content. In addition, an engaged audience is more likely to share your post, which can further increase its reach.
✅ Popularity on social media
Check how many social media followers the blog has and the level of engagement with their posts.
A blogger with a large, active following on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook can amplify your content beyond their blog.
Look at how frequently they post, the engagement rate, and how their audience interacts with them for insight into how well your content might perform when shared through their social channels.
✅ The quality of their content
Read several of their blog posts to get a feel for their writing style, the depth of their research, and the topics they cover.
This will help you gauge whether their audience would be interested in your content.
Collaborating with bloggers who produce high-quality content ensures that your post will be showcased in a reputable context, which will help boost your brand’s credibility.
✅ The relevance of their content
You can have a great post idea, but if your content isn’t relevant, it is very likely that it will be rejected.
Focus on relevant websites but be creative. For example, if your blog is about fitness, don’t just target health and fitness blogs.
Look for lifestyle blogs that cover health and wellness, or parenting blogs that might benefit from fitness tips for busy parents.
This broadens your potential reach while ensuring you only reach out to relevant prospects.
| 💡Make Sure Your Outreach Campaigns Are Realistic
Targeting highly influential bloggers with massive followings might seem like a great idea, but high-authority blogs receive countless outreach requests every day.
If your blog is still growing, your chances of getting a response from a big name blogger are slim.
Instead, focus on small or mid-size bloggers. They are often more open to collaborations with growing blogs, and would probably have more time and interest in engaging with your content and audience. |
3. Find their contact details
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of relevant bloggers, the next step is to contact them. Here’s how to do it efficiently:
1. Send an email
This is the most straightforward method.
Visit the blogger’s website and explore the “Contact” or “About” page. Many bloggers list their email addresses here, which makes it easy to get in touch directly.
2. Look for contact information on their “Write for us” page
Some bloggers have a dedicated “Write for us” page, where they provide guidelines for post submissions and include their contact details.
This page often outlines the types of content they accept, their submission process, and other relevant information. Here’s an example of what this might look like:
3. Use a blogger outreach tool
If you can’t find an email address on the website, don’t worry! Blogger outreach tools can help you find the email address associated with a specific domain.
Just enter the blog’s URL, and the blogger outreach tools will provide the blogger’s email address, which makes your job a lot easier. Some of our favorite tools include:
Once you’ve found all the contact details you need, add them to a spreadsheet.
Create columns for the blogger’s name, blog name, email address, website URL, notes, and any additional headings you wish to add, for example:
This keeps everything in one place, so you can manage your blog outreach efforts and ensure you don’t miss any follow-ups.
| ❗Make Sure They Accept Blog Posts
Before reaching out, make sure the blogger actually accepts posts.
Blogger outreach is all about maximizing your efforts and targeting the right opportunities—targeting bloggers who don’t accept these posts wastes your time and resources.
If you can’t find the blog’s contact form or “Write for us” page, look for recently published guest posts on their site to see whether they accept them. |
4. Get on the blogger’s radar
Influential people often miss or ignore outreach emails simply because they’re inundated with them. Plus, some of your emails may end up in the spam folder.
But don’t worry, there’s a way to avoid this from happening to you.
Successful outreach is all about relationship building, and people are much more likely to respond if they know who you are.
Here’s how to get onto a blogger’s radar:
🤝Follow and engage with them on social media
Start by following the bloggers you want to connect with on their social media platforms.
‘Like’ their content, leave an awesome comment, or share their posts. Genuine engagement shows that you’re interested in their work and not just looking for a favor.
🤝 Add value to their posts
When you engage with their content, add value.
Leave insightful comments, ask thoughtful questions, and contribute to the conversation. This demonstrates your expertise and shows that you’re genuinely interested in their content:
🤝 Share their content
Share their blog posts, articles, and social media updates with your own audience.
When you share their content, make sure to tag them and add a personal touch to your share.
In the example below, the marketer made their post feel more like a personal recommendation rather than a generic share:
🤝 Email them and say you’re a big fan
Sometimes, a simple, genuine email can make all the difference.
Reach out to the blogger and let them know you’re a fan of their work. Be specific about what you like and why.
This isn’t about asking for anything—it’s about making a connection and showing appreciation.
🤝 Build a face-to-face relationship
While not always possible, building a face-to-face relationship can be incredibly effective.
If you have a podcast, invite them on as a guest. Alternatively, if you’re attending the same industry events, suggest meeting up for a coffee.
In-person interactions can leave a lasting impression and make your future blog outreach efforts more successful.
| 💡Effective Blogger Outreach Is a Two-Way Street
Remember, blogger outreach campaigns are not just about what you can get, but also about what you can give. When you build relationships with authenticity and respect, you’ll find that bloggers are much more receptive to your efforts. |
5. Write your outreach email
A popular blog owner might receive hundreds (or even thousands) of outreach emails a week.
To get their attention, you need to craft an email that makes a strong impression.
Here’s how to do it:
✅ Write a strong subject line
Your subject is the first thing the blogger will see, so make it count. Keep it short, intriguing, and promise something useful.
For example, instead of a subject line that says Guest Inquiry, try something more engaging, like Guest Post Idea: Increase Your Traffic with Proven SEO Techniques.
This line is more compelling and hints at the value your post will provide, which makes it more likely that the recipient will open your email.
✅ Personalize your email
Don’t just use their name—show that you’ve taken the time to understand their work.
Mention something specific about their blog or recent posts that you enjoyed. Demonstrating that you’ve done your homework shows respect for their work and makes your outreach more meaningful.
✅ Pitch original, valuable ideas
Your pitch should offer fresh, valuable content that aligns with their blog’s theme.
Explain why your post idea is unique, how it fits in with their other high-quality blogs, and how it benefits their reader.
✅ Provide a clear call to action
At the end of your email, specify what you want the blogger to do next. This makes it easier for them to respond and move forward.
For example:
- Please confirm whether you’re able to publish my proposed article?
- What is the deadline for submission?
- Could you please send me your posting guidelines?
💡 Blogger outreach email template
While each outreach email should be personalized, the reality is that fully personalizing each one can be incredibly time-consuming.
To balance efficiency with personalization, use a template that allows you to quickly customize key details.
You might even want to create multiple email templates that cater to different types of bloggers, topics, or tones of voice.
Here’s a template to get you started:
| Outreach Template Email
Subject: Guest Post Idea: Boost Your Engagement with Unique Wellness Tips
Hi [Blogger’s Name], I hope this email finds you well. I recently read your post on [Specific Post Topic] and was particularly impressed by your insights on [Specific Point]. It inspired me to reach out with an idea for a guest post.
I’d love to contribute an article titled [Title of the Post]. This post will cover [Brief Overview of Key Points] and provide actionable tips that can help your audience [Specific Benefit].
I noticed that this topic hasn’t been explored in depth on your blog, and I think it would be a great addition to your already fantastic content.
Would you be interested in this guest post? If so, could you please let me know your submission deadline and any specific guidelines you have for guest contributors?
Thank you for considering my proposal. I look forward to the possibility of collaborating with you!
Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Blog/Website] [Your Contact Information] |
6. Follow up
Bloggers are often very busy and may miss your first email, so a polite reminder can increase your chances of getting a response.
Send one follow-up email if you haven’t received a response within a week or two, and keep it concise and polite.
Remind them of your initial email and reiterate your interest in collaborating.
| ❗Don’t Hound the Same Bloggers
If you still don’t receive a response after your follow-up, it’s time to move on.
Avoid bombarding the blogger with multiple follow-ups because this can come across as pushy and unprofessional. Instead, redirect your energy toward other potential collaborations.
Persistence is key, but respecting their time and space is equally important. |
✅ Create awesome content
Congratulations, a blogger has just accepted your offer to write a guest post—now what? It’s time to create some truly awesome content.
Here are some tips for making an impact:
⬆️ Research thoroughly
Before you start writing, dive deep into research.
Use Ahrefs Content Explorer or other tools to analyze top-performing content in your niche:
This will give you insights into what works well and help you identify the gaps you can fill with your post. Look at the keywords used, the structure of successful posts, and the engagement they generate.
⬆️ Align with the audience
Tailor your content to fit the style and preferences of the blog’s audience.
Review previous posts on the blog to understand their tone, format, and the topics that resonate most with their readers.
Matching your content with the blog’s established voice will make it a good fit and more likely to engage their audience.
⬆️ Optimize for SEO
Use SEO best practices to ensure your post ranks well in search engines.
Incorporate relevant keywords naturally throughout your content, use clear headings and subheadings, and include internal and external links where appropriate.
Tools like Ahrefs Site Explorer can help you identify the best keywords to target and analyze your competitors’ SEO strategies.
⬆️ Edit and proofread
Spelling or grammar mistakes leave a bad impression.
Edit for clarity, coherence, and readability. Tools like Grammarly can help you catch grammatical errors and improve your writing style.
⬆️ Promote your post
Once your post has been published, don’t stop there.
Share it across your social media platforms, email it to your subscribers, and engage with readers in the comments section.
Content marketing doesn’t end with publication—promotion is key to maximizing your reach and impact. Plus, promoting the blogger’s website benefits them too, which encourages future collaboration.
There’s an Easier Way to Perform Blogger Outreach
Blogger outreach is key for boosting your content’s visibility and credibility, but let’s face it—it’s a lot of work.
From researching the right bloggers to crafting personalized emails and following up, it requires time, effort, and expertise to be effective. In addition, successful blogger outreach demands a deep understanding of influencer marketing and content marketing.
If the thought of managing all these tasks feels overwhelming, there’s an easier way: hiring a link building agency.
At Authority Builders, we offer specialized services that take the burden off your shoulders. Because we’ve refined our influencer marketing strategies over time, our success rates for securing guest posts and link insertions are high.
Ready to simplify your outreach and achieve better results? Let us handle the hard work while you reap the benefits of increased visibility, credibility, and traffic.