Guest posting has long been the backbone of effective link building. By contributing your expertise to high-authority websites in your niche, you can snag powerful backlinks that boost your SEO rankings.
Not only that, but guest posting also allows you to showcase your knowledge to new audiences and forge valuable relationships with other website owners.
Sounds like a win-win, right? It can be—but only if you play your cards right.
The harsh truth is that not all guest posting opportunities are created equal. Choosing the wrong sites can leave you spinning your wheels with little to show for your efforts. So, how do you find those diamond-in-the-rough opportunities that move the needle?
That’s precisely why we’ve put together this guide. We did the heavy lifting and curated a list of 15 top-tier websites actively seeking guest posts in 2024.
These sites boast high domain authority, engaged audiences, and clear submission guidelines—we provide you with everything you need to know on publishing guest posts to take your link-building strategy to the next level.
Let’s dive right in.
The Top 15 Best Guest Posting Sites
1. Search Engine Land
Source: Search Engine Land
Domain rating: 91
Monthly traffic: 452K
In the digital marketing world, Search Engine Land is a major player. It’s a leading publication that speaks directly to SEO professionals, digital marketers, and business owners looking for the latest SEO tactics.
Search Engine Land primarily publishes three types of articles:
- Feature reporting: They are open to pitches on advanced search marketing tactics with proven results, insights on responding to platform changes, profiles of influential marketers, and breakthroughs in the field.
- News: Briefs covering important developments in search marketing.
- Contributed articles: These are invite-only pieces from recognized subject-matter experts or those who have established relationships with the content team. They do not accept unsolicited pitches for contributed articles.
In addition, Search Engine Land also offers sponsored article opportunities for brands wanting to share insights and reach their audience. If you are ready to write a guest article, check out their submission guidelines here.
2. Search Engine Roundtable
Source: Search Engine Roundtable
Domain rating: 84
Monthly traffic: 49K
Search Engine Roundtable (SER) is a unique platform in the SEO and SEM niche, focusing exclusively on topics discussed within the search marketing community.
SEO Roundtable’s guest post criteria are designed to ensure the content resonates with search marketers. To be considered, your idea must first gain traction in a major search marketing forum, demonstrating its relevance and value to the community.
This approach guarantees that the topics covered are the most talked-about and impactful in the industry.
If you have news, products, services, or insights that interest the search marketing community, your first step should be to spark a discussion in a relevant forum.
Once the conversation has gained momentum, you can submit the thread to SER for potential coverage. This unique model ensures high-quality content and allows you to directly engage with your target audience and gauge their interest before potentially reaching a broader audience on SER.
3. RankWatch
Source: RankWatch
Domain rating: 73
Traffic: 41.9K
RankWatch specializes in the SEO (search engine optimization) and digital marketing niche.
While they primarily focus on SEO, their content often branches out into related areas of digital marketing, such as:
➡️ Content marketing
➡️ Social media marketing
➡️ PPC (pay-per-click) advertising
➡️ Analytics and reporting
➡️ Conversion rate optimization
They also welcome broader tech and business topics if they relate to SEO or digital marketing strategies.
RankWatch is a hidden gem among the free guest posting sites. With a healthy domain rating of 73 and less stringent submission requirements than some top-tier sites, it’s the perfect testing ground for those getting started with guest posting while still offering valuable backlinks and exposure to a niche audience.
Head to RankWatch’s Guest Post Guidelines and pitch your most insightful SEO analysis.
4. Inc.com
Source: Inc.com
Domain rating: 92
Traffic: 800K
Inc.com is a highly reputable publication with a massive readership comprising business owners and decision-makers.
Getting published here can significantly boost your credibility and visibility. In terms of guest blogging sites, you can’t do much better.
Inc.com primarily posts articles on the following topics:
- How-to guides and practical advice for entrepreneurs
- Profiles of successful entrepreneurs and businesses
- Industry trends and news
- Thought leadership pieces on business strategy and innovation
Inc.com welcomes column proposals from guest bloggers. Your proposal should include:
✔️ Why you will make an excellent contributor to Inc.com
✔️ Topics of interest
✔️ 10 sample headlines
✔️ A 500-word sample article
✔️ Links to existing blogs, books, and other published writing samples
You can pitch an idea by filling out this form here.
5. VentureBeat
Source: VentureBeat
Domain rating: 91
Monthly traffic: 137K
VentureBeat is a leading technology news website that provides in-depth coverage of the latest trends, innovations, and analysis in the tech industry.
It covers various topics, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, data infrastructure, gaming, and more.
VentureBeat has a guest posting channel called DataDecisionMakers. DataDecisionMakers welcomes contributions that tackle pressing questions facing today’s businesses.
They encourage deep dives into emerging tools, techniques, and models shaping the data landscape, providing actionable insights and practical solutions.
However, the bar for acceptance is high. Only articles that tell a compelling data-related story that’s free from promotional content—with clear takeaways for enterprise decision-makers—will be considered.
Writers must adhere to strict guidelines regarding formatting, image usage, and conflict of interest disclosures. For more information, see their submission guidelines here.
6. HubSpot
Source: HubSpot
Domain rating: 93
Monthly traffic: 11.1 million
HubSpot’s blog is a guest blogging holy grail, attracting millions of daily visitors and boasting a stellar domain rating.
Scoring a guest post on this award-winning platform can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and establish you as a thought leader in the marketing, sales, service, or tech industries.
Each of HubSpot’s four main blogs—marketing, sales, services, and website—has its own guidelines, as does their tech-focused blog, The Hustle. All, however, maintain HubSpot’s commitment to high-quality, educational, and original content.
Due to the blog’s popularity and reputation, competition for guest posting is fierce. Only the most exceptional pitches—those that offer thoroughly researched, unique perspectives and actionable takeaways—make the cut. So, if you’re aiming for HubSpot, bring your A-game and be prepared to wow their editors.
7. HBR
Source: HBR
Domain rating: 92
Monthly traffic: 2.8 million
Harvard Business Review (HBR) is the gold standard for business thought leadership.
When you’re published in HBR, you’ll instantly be recognized as an expert. Your ideas will reach the desks of top executives worldwide and you’ll have the potential to influence how businesses operate and evolve.
HBR publishes guest posts on a wide range of topics in the business world, including strategy, leadership, organizational change, diversity, innovation, decision-making, and more.
HBR seeks this kind of content:
✔️ Shows expertise: Deeply knowledgeable in the subject matter
✔️ Evidenced: Backed by research, data, or compelling examples
✔️ Original: Offers fresh perspectives or unique arguments
✔️ Useful: Provides actionable advice or applicable takeaways
✔️ Well-written: Engaging, persuasive, and straightforward
HBR welcomes unsolicited guest post submissions through its online portal, but given the publication’s high standards, a submission must be exceptional.
We strongly recommend reading HBR articles extensively to understand the quality and level of insight required. If you want to submit a guest post, here are the guidelines.
8. HuffPost
Source: HuffPost
Domain rating: 92
Monthly traffic: 3 million
HuffPost is an American news and opinion website that covers a wide range of topics, including politics, news, entertainment, lifestyle, and more. HuffPost boasts a large and diverse audience, providing significant exposure for your content.
They accept guest posts in various formats:
- Opinion pieces: Thought-provoking essays on current events or social issues.
- Personal essays: Sharing personal experiences or stories relevant to a broader audience.
- News analysis: In-depth analysis of breaking news or developing trends.
- Reported features: Original reporting on topics of interest.
- Listicles and how-to guides: Practical advice and tips on various topics.
There is no submission form for guest posts. The best way to pitch your article is by directly emailing the relevant section editor. You can find their contact information on the HuffPost website.
| 💡Key point: HuffPost is open to receiving contributions from a wide variety of sources. However, it is important to remember that HuffPost’s editorial team is highly selective, so be prepared for possible rejection. But don’t feel entirely discouraged; if your article is well written and fits their needs, you have a good chance of getting published. |
9. Forbes
Source: Forbes
Domain rating: 94
Monthly traffic: 67.1 million
Forbes, a leading business publication with a global reach of 67.1 million readers, offers unparalleled exposure for thought leaders.
It covers many topics, including business, finance, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, lifestyle, and more. But becoming a contributor is notoriously challenging.
The Forbes Business Council offers an alternative path—a fast track to guaranteed publication on Forbes.com. However, it comes with a few caveats.
The perks
- Guaranteed publication: Your articles receive the prestigious Forbes stamp of approval (provided they meet quality standards).
- Massive audience: Reach a vast and influential readership of business executives, entrepreneurs, and investors.
- Elite networking: Connect with other industries’ top-tier professionals and thought leaders.
The catch:
- Membership qualifications: You must meet stringent criteria, including holding a senior executive position or having a substantial income.
- Steep membership fees: Annual fees range from $2,500 to $5,000.
- No direct SEO boost: Unlike other guest post sites, links from Forbes Council articles are ‘nofollow,’ which means that they won’t directly improve your website’s search rankings.
- Limited social reach: Articles may not be shared on Forbes’ main social media channels.
- Slow publication time: Your article can take 1-2 months to go live.
10. Entrepreneur
Source: Entrepreneur
Domain rating: 91
Monthly traffic: 555K
Entrepreneur.com welcomes guest posts from entrepreneurs with unique insights on startups, business growth, leadership, and practical advice.
To become a contributor:
- Join the Entrepreneur Leadership Network (ELN): This paid membership costs $3,000 annually and includes an Entrepreneur+ subscription and a dedicated editor.
- Familiarize yourself with their guest posting guidelines: Follow their specific requirements for topics and style.
- Pitch a unique idea: Submit an idea based on a topic you know, and then write an article of under 1,000 words that contains actionable advice, inspirational stories, and multiple examples to support your points.
- Write a compelling article: Follow the guidelines, provide evidence, and cite sources. The review process takes about 2-4 weeks, and be ready to revise your work.
- Submit regularly: You can submit up to four articles per month.
11. ReadWrite
Source:ReadWrite
Domain rating: 84
Monthly traffic: 272K
ReadWrite is another online publication in the technology space. They look for original, insightful content that explores emerging technologies and trends that impact business and society.
Articles should offer a fresh perspective, even on established topics, and may be provocative or controversial as long as they are substantiated and lead to a clear conclusion.
The goal is to inform and engage their target audience of entrepreneurs, tech professionals, and tech-savvy consumers.
Specifically, ReadWrite is interested in content on:
➡️ Emerging technologies: AI, smart cities, fintech, connected devices, etc.
➡️ Industry trends: How technology disrupts various sectors (transport, health, etc.).
➡️ Business impact: How businesses can leverage technology for growth and innovation.
➡️ Social implications: Technological advancements’ ethical, societal, and economic effects.
ReadWrite is less interested in:
- App reviews
- Individual crowdfunding campaigns
- Video games and VR
- Repetitive or unoriginal content
Here is a brief overview of the publishing process:
- Guest writers can choose between a free guest contribution (longer wait) or a paid expert contribution (faster, but more rigorous vetting).
- Create a detailed author profile.
- Submit your article for review, and be prepared for editorial revisions.
- Expect a waiting period of 2-3 months for publication—due to the queue.
For more details, you can find their submission guidelines here.
12. Outbrain
Source: Outbrain
Domain rating: 89
Monthly traffic: 104K
Outbrain is a native advertising platform that connects advertisers with audiences across the web. It helps businesses promote their products and services through native ads that appear on thousands of publisher sites, blending in with the surrounding content.
Here is an example of native advertising:
Image courtesy of Wishpond
They have a dedicated section on their blog for guest authors to contribute their insights and expertise on various topics related to digital marketing, content creation, and advertising.
You can find more information on how to submit a guest post here.
13. Clutch
Source: Clutch
Domain rating: 90
Monthly traffic: 2 million
Clutch is a B2B rating and review platform that helps businesses connect with the right service providers.
Clutch’s blog is a valuable resource for B2B businesses, covering marketing, web development, business operations, emerging technologies, DEI, and thought leadership. They welcome guest contributors with fresh perspectives and original insights on these topics.
Clutch prioritizes high-quality content with data-backed research and gives preference to businesses listed on their platform, but they are also open to considering articles from other experts.
If you have valuable B2B insights to share, you can find their guidelines on how to create high-quality guest posts and how to submit your pitch here.
14. Cloudways
Source: Cloudways
Domain rating: 90
Monthly traffic: 287K
The Cloudways blog covers a wide range of cloud hosting, web development, and online business growth topics.
It’s a valuable resource for developers, agencies, e-commerce businesses, and anyone interested in leveraging cloud technology to improve their online presence.
For anyone with relevant experience in this niche, Cloudways actively encourages guest posting on their blog.
Here’s how you can contribute:
- Visit their “Write for Us” page: You can find detailed guidelines and a submission form on their website.
- Choose a relevant topic: Select a category that aligns with your expertise from the list provided.
- Submit your pitch: Fill out the form with your details, chosen topic, website URL, and a brief pitch outlining your article idea.
15. Fast Company
Source: FastCompany
Domain rating: 91
Monthly traffic: 962K
Fast Company is a media brand that focuses on innovation and technology, and it covers business, technology, and creativity.
From what we can tell, they accept guest contributions from knowledgeable leaders for their Work Life and Impact sections. Topics include productivity, creativity, career development, work culture, and entrepreneurship.
They prefer op-ed style articles (600-900 words) introducing new ideas with actionable takeaways for professionals. They lean toward a lively writing style that includes research, anecdotes, and examples.
Fast Company is different from other free guest blogging sites in that they don’t want you to send them a pitch. To submit, email complete, unpublished articles to the appropriate editor. While they don’t offer payment, they actively promote engaging and valuable contributions.
What Makes a Good Guest Posting Site?
Here’s a breakdown of the critical factors that make a guest posting site genuinely worthwhile:
High domain authority (DA)
A site’s DA or DR is a metric that predicts how well it will rank in search engine results. The higher the DA, the more valuable the backlink you’ll receive. As a rule of thumb, aim for sites with a DA higher than yours.
Here’s how to check domain rating on the Ahrefs site:
1. Go to the Site Explorer tool and enter the website’s domain (e.g., “Forbes.com”) and click “Search.”
Source: Ahrefs
2. In the overview section, you’ll see the DR score prominently displayed:
Source: Ahrefs
Niche relevance
The site’s content should align closely with your industry or expertise. This ensures your guest post reaches a relevant audience and that the backlink you receive is contextually appropriate.
High-quality content
The site should consistently publish well-written, informative, and engaging content. This signals to Google that it’s a trustworthy source and that a link from this site is worth having.
Decent traffic
While traffic isn’t the most crucial factor, it gives you a sense of how engaged the audience is. A site with a good amount of traffic means your guest post will be seen by more people, increasing your brand visibility and potential for referral traffic.
You can find the traffic of your chosen guest posting site with the Ahrefs Site Explorer tool:
Source: Ahrefs
Active engagement
Look for sites with a vibrant community. This could be reflected through comments, social media shares, or a lively forum. An active audience means your guest post is more likely to spark discussion and further your reach.
Other factors to consider when looking for a guest posting site
✅ Clear guest blogging guidelines: Reputable sites will have clear guest posting guidelines outlining their requirements. This shows they’re organized and serious about the quality of the content they publish.
✅ Editorial standards: Look for sites that maintain high editorial standards. This means they vet content for quality and relevance, adding further credibility to your guest post.
✅ Promotional opportunities: Some sites offer additional promotion for guest posts, such as social media shares or newsletter features. This can give your content an even wider reach.
✅ Open to ‘dofollow’ links: While some ‘nofollow’ links can still be valuable for brand awareness, prioritize sites that allow ‘dofollow’ links in guest posts. These pass on valuable link equity, directly benefiting your SEO.
How to Write a Compelling Guest Post
Guest posting isn’t just about securing a backlink—it’s about building relationships and providing value to both your audience and the hosting website. Here’s a step-by-step guide to doing it right:
Use Google to find guest posting sites
Use Google to find potential guest posting opportunities. Try searching for terms like “[your niche] + write for us,” “[your niche] + guest post guidelines,” or “[your niche] + contribute.” Using these search operators will reveal a wealth of potential sites.
Don’t just jump on the first site you find. Use the criteria we discussed earlier to assess each website’s authority, relevance, content quality, traffic, and engagement.
Understand the audience who will read your blog post
Dive into the site’s content and social media channels to understand its target audience. What topics resonate with them? What questions do they ask? Tailor your pitch and content to their specific interests.
Craft a killer pitch
Your pitch email is your first impression, so make it count. Here’s what a winning pitch looks like:
🏆 Personalized: Address the editor by name and reference their specific site or a recent article you enjoyed.
🏆 Concise: Get to the point quickly. Explain who you are, what you offer, and why you’re a good fit for their site.
🏆 Unique value proposition: Highlight your unique expertise or angle. Offer original research, a fresh perspective on a current event, or a solution to a common problem.
🏆 Call to action: Clearly state that you’d like to contribute a guest post and suggest a few potential topics.
Here’s an example of a pitch email tailored for Search Engine Land, focusing on SEO search trends during the recent solar eclipse:
Subject: Data-Driven Guest Post: Solar Eclipse’s Impact on SEO
Dear [Editor’s Name],
I recently read your article on “Creative ways to source content ideas from UGC” and the section on trending topics resonated with me. The recent solar eclipse presented a unique opportunity to study real-time search behavior around a major event.
My team analyzed real-time search data around the eclipse, uncovering fascinating insights into how interest shifted before, during, and after the event. We’d love to share our findings with your audience.
The proposed article would delve into:
- The surge in eclipse-related searches and specific trending keywords.
- Impact on industries like eyewear, travel, and health.
- Actionable SEO strategies for leveraging real-time events.
We believe this data-driven analysis offers unique value and will spark discussion within the SEO community.
Would you be open to discussing this guest post further? I’m happy to provide more details and an outline.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Company Name]
[Your Website/Portfolio Link]
Follow the rules
Carefully read the site’s guidelines for publishing guest posts. Failing to adhere to their standards could lead to your pitch being ignored or your article being rejected.
Write exceptional content
Your guest post should be well-researched, engaging, and provide genuine value to the site’s readers. Consider hiring a professional copywriter to ensure top-notch quality.
Remember, a stellar guest post not only drives traffic to your website, but also makes a lasting impression on the guest post website, opening doors for future collaboration.
Best Guest Blogging Sites: Final Thoughts
Choosing the right guest posting platform can significantly impact your brand’s visibility and establish you as an authority in your niche.
Remember, quality trumps quantity. Carefully research each platform, tailor your pitches, and focus on delivering exceptional content that truly resonates with the target audience.
By strategically leveraging guest posting, you can expand your reach, build valuable backlinks, and drive organic traffic to your website.
Not sure where to start? Authority Builders’ guest posting service can help you craft compelling pitches, and secure placements on top-tier websites. Let us help you amplify your brand’s message in 2024.