Currently "Guest blog spam email" seems to be the bad marketing tool of choice in my inbox.
From which I'm taking lessons on How Not to Get A Guest Blog Spot.
Pretend that this is your last email
Don't send an email pretending that you've sent an email before.
subject: re: blog title scraped from your site
content: I wanted to follow up on this one more time before I move on. Are you ok with me giving you a free article to post on your site? Let me know and I'll send you some topics to choose from. Thanks!
I use gmail so I can easily search to see if you've sent me an email before.
You didn't. You get no attention.
Use the wrong name
subject: guest post for yourwrongname
content: Hi yourwrongname, I'm a big fan of your site and would like to write a guest post. let me know. Thanks!
At least do the basic research to find my name. As a hint, it is in the email address you used.
Research to find out what I write about
subject: Awesome guest post?
content: Hey, Just checking in again to see if you got my last email about our Luxury Watch Guide. Look forward to hearing from you.
Watches? I don't blog about watches.
And just in case anyone is reading, I do not blog about robot vacuum cleaners either.
Did you notice any guest posts on my blog?
subject: Hey, Are You Around?
I sent you an email a few days ago about wanting to submit a guest post to your website, but I have not heard anything back. I'll understand if you are not accepting any more guest posts on your website, just please let me know!
I have never accepted guest posts on my site. Why would I let you know!
Use an email from a domain that works
I received an email from someone and when I used the domain name in their email to see if they were for real, their domain name didn't exist.
Not a good sign.
Main Lessons
If you do want to write a guest blog post for someone:
- figure out what their name is
- read their web site to learn what they write about
- make sure you can actually add value
- make sure they have posted guest posts in the past
- create some unique titles and content proposals
- include the unique information in the email
- pitch like you were pitching for a magazine
- don't spam
- write from a business email
- include links to previous articles and your website in the footer