Guest Posting Outreach: Email Templates and Relationship Building

You can get good guest post placements by combining clear, value-focused email templates with long-term relationship building steps before and after the pitch.

Below are plug‑and‑play templates plus a simple process to follow.

1. Pre-outreach: Warm up and research

Before emailing:

• Identify the right contact (editor/content manager) and confirm they accept guest posts.
• Read several articles to understand topics, tone, and audience.
• Note:
  • 1–2 posts you genuinely liked (with URLs).
  • Content gaps or topics they haven’t covered recently.

You will use these in your email to show relevance and respect.

2. Initial guest post pitch templates

Template A – Direct, value-first pitch (good for cold outreach)

Use when you know they accept guest posts but have never spoken with them.

Subject: Guest post idea for [Site]: [Specific topic]

Hi [First Name],

I’m [Your Name], [your role] at [Company/Project – 1 short line about what you do].

I’ve been reading [Site] for a while and especially liked your article on [Their Article Title] – your point about [specific detail] was very useful for [brief reason].

I’d love to contribute a guest post that’s tailored to your audience. Here are a few topic ideas based on what’s performed well on your blog and what I haven’t seen covered in depth yet:

• [Proposed Title #1] – 1 sentence on what readers will learn
• [Proposed Title #2] – 1 sentence on what readers will learn
• [Proposed Title #3] – 1 sentence on what readers will learn

To give you a sense of my writing, here are a few relevant samples:

• [Sample 1 – Site/Result + short description]
• [Sample 2]

If any of these topics look interesting, I’m happy to send a brief outline before writing, and I’ll follow your editorial guidelines closely.

Would any of these ideas be a good fit for [Site]?

Best,
[Your Name]
[Website or LinkedIn]

Template B – “Are you accepting guest posts?” (when you’re not sure)

Subject: Exploring guest post opportunities on [Site Name]

Hi [First Name],

I’m [Your Name] from [Company], where I [1 short line on what you do / niche].

I’m reaching out to ask if you’re currently accepting guest posts. I specialise in [your niche or topics], and I think articles on:

• [Topic cluster or 2–3 themes]

could be a strong fit for your audience.

Here are a couple of recent pieces I’ve written so you can quickly assess fit:

• [Sample 1]
• [Sample 2]

If you are open to guest contributions, I’d be happy to send a few specific title ideas or an outline for review.

Thanks for your time,
[Your Name]

Template C – “Gap” or “missing puzzle” pitch (position yourself as filling a need)

Inspired by outreach that calls out a gap in their content while staying respectful.

Subject: The missing piece on [specific topic] for [Site]

Hi [First Name],

I enjoyed your article on [Their Article Topic], especially the part where you covered [specific detail].

While reading, I noticed you haven’t yet gone deep on [your proposed topic], which your readers who care about [benefit/outcome] might find very useful.

Since I’ve been writing about this for [X time] and recently published:

• [Your best related article or case study]

I’d love to write a guest post for [Site] on:

[Proposed Title] – a practical guide to [main benefit] that covers:

• [Key point 1]
• [Key point 2]
• [Key point 3]

I’ll keep the tone and structure consistent with your existing posts and provide original, non-promotional content.

Would you be open to taking a quick look at a detailed outline?

Best,
[Your Name]

3. Follow-up email templates

Most replies come from 1–2 polite follow‑ups. Space them ~4–7 days apart.

Follow-up 1 – Simple nudge

Subject: Re: Guest post idea for [Site]: [Topic]

Hi [First Name],

Just wanted to quickly follow up on my guest post ideas about [topic] that I sent last week.

If now’s not a good time or there’s someone else I should contact about guest contributions, please let me know and I’ll adjust.

Either way, thank you for your time.

Best,
[Your Name]

Follow-up 2 – Add extra value

Subject: Extra guest post idea for [Site]

Hi [First Name],

In case my previous email got buried, I wanted to share one more idea that could work well for your audience:

[New Proposed Title] – focused on helping your readers [specific outcome].

Happy to move forward with whichever topic you think serves your readers best, or step back if guest posts are not a priority right now.

Thanks again,
[Your Name]

4. Relationship-building before the pitch

You dramatically increase replies when you’re not a total stranger.

Where possible, 1–2 weeks before emailing:

• Engage with their content
  • Leave specific, thoughtful comments on their blog or LinkedIn.
  • Share 1–2 of their articles with a short note on why it’s useful, tagging them if appropriate.
• Reply to their newsletter
  • If they have one, reply with a genuine compliment or a short question.
• Reference these interactions in your pitch:
  • “I shared your article on [topic] last week – my audience really liked your take on [detail].”

These touches make your email familiar and credible.

5. Relationship-building after the post goes live

Guest posting is most valuable when it becomes a long-term collaboration, not a one-off backlink.

Immediately after publication

Send a “thank you + promotion” email:

Subject: Thank you for the opportunity!

Hi [First Name],

Thank you again for publishing my article, “[Title],” on [Site]. I really appreciate the chance to contribute.

I’ve already shared it with my [newsletter / LinkedIn / X / community], and I’ll continue to promote it so more readers discover your blog.

If you ever need another piece on [your niche/topics], I’d be happy to collaborate again.

Best,
[Your Name]

Then:

• Promote heavily: newsletter, social, communities.
• Tag them when appropriate and send them any positive comments/screenshots you get.

2–4 weeks later: open the door to repeat work

Subject: I’d love to work with you again

Hi [First Name],

I’ve been watching the response to the [Title] article and it’s been great to see [brief positive signal – comments, shares, or feedback].

If you’re open to more guest content, I’d love to suggest a follow‑up piece on:

• [New Title] – a natural next step for readers who enjoyed the first article.

Does that sound interesting?

Best,
[Your Name]

Maintaining this cycle turns editors into ongoing partners who come back to you when they need content.

6. Practical tips to improve replies

• Subject lines: Keep them simple and specific:
  • “Guest post idea for [Site]: [Topic]”
  • “Exploring guest post opportunities on [Site]”
• Personalization: Reference 1–2 specific posts and insights, not generic “I love your blog.”
• Show proof: Include 2–3 relevant writing samples or results (e.g., “this article generated X shares”).
• Offer options: Provide multiple titles so editors can choose what fits the calendar.
• Be easy to work with: Mention that you’ll:
  • Follow their guidelines.
  • Provide original content.
  • Be open to edits and deadlines.

If you share your niche and target sites, I can tailor 2–3 highly specific templates and subject lines for your outreach.