If you have ever read an article on a popular website written by someone who does not work there, you have already seen guest posting in action. It is one of the oldest and most reliable ways to build backlinks, grow brand authority, and drive referral traffic, and it still works in 2026 when you do it right.
In this guide, you will learn exactly what guest posting is, how to judge whether a site is worth your time, and the exact Google search tricks SEO professionals use to find guest blogging opportunities.
What is Guest Posting?
Guest posting (also called guest blogging) is the practice of writing and publishing an article on someone else’s website or blog. It is one of the most powerful and time-tested strategies in SEO and digital marketing for building high-quality backlinks, increasing domain authority, and driving referral traffic to your own site.
By getting your content published on authoritative sites, you gain a “dofollow” or “nofollow” backlink pointing back to your website — which signals to Google that your site is credible and trustworthy, helping you rank higher in search results.
It is a simple value exchange:
- The host site gets free, high-quality content for their audience.
- You get exposure to a new audience, a credibility boost, and a backlink that helps your SEO.
Done well, guest posting helps with three big goals at once:
- SEO – Backlinks from relevant, authoritative sites are still one of the strongest Google ranking signals.
- Brand authority – Appearing on respected industry blogs positions you as an expert.
- Referral traffic – Readers who like your article click through to your website.
The catch is that not every site is worth writing for. Publishing on a low-quality site can actually hurt your SEO. That is why the next two steps matter so much.
Understanding Domain Authority (DA)
Domain Authority is a score (1–100) developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank on search engines. A higher DA means a more authoritative site and a more valuable backlink.
- DA 80–100: Exceptional authority — these are tier-1 publications like The Guardian, WSJ, HubSpot. Very hard to get in, but extremely valuable.
- DA 60–79: High authority — strong SEO value, great for building credibility in your niche.
- DA 40–59: Medium authority — still useful, especially for newer sites starting out.
- DA 20–39: Lower authority — easier to get published on, good for beginners.
Tools To Check DA or DR
You can check these scores using:
- Moz Link Explorer (for DA)
- Ahrefs Website Authority Checker (for DR)
- Semrush Authority Score
- Free tools like Ubersuggest or the Moz Bar browser extension
What is a Good DA or DR for Guest Posting?
🎯 Score Range | 📊 Quality Tier | ✅ Worth Pitching? |
10 – 20 | 🔴 Low | Only if it is highly relevant to your niche |
20 – 40 | 🟡 Decent | Yes, a solid starting point for beginners |
40 – 60 | 🟢 Strong | Definitely yes, this is the sweet spot |
60+ | ⭐ Premium | Absolutely, but expect tougher competition |
Check Traffic
Domain authority tells you about backlinks. Traffic tells you whether real people actually visit the site. Both matter.
A site with high authority but zero traffic is usually a red flag, because it either has manipulated backlinks or its content has stopped performing. You want a guest post that real people will read, not one that sits in a graveyard.
How to Check a Website’s Traffic
Use any of these tools:
- Semrush – Shows organic traffic, top pages, and traffic trends.
- Ahrefs Site Explorer – Detailed organic and referral traffic data.
- SimilarWeb – Good for overall traffic estimates including direct and social.
- Ubersuggest – A free option for quick checks.
What to Look For
When you analyse a potential guest posting site, check these signals:
- Monthly organic traffic – Aim for at least 1,000–5,000 visits per month as a minimum, and ideally more.
- Traffic trend – Is it growing, flat, or falling? A falling line over the last 12 months is a warning sign.
- Top countries – Make sure the audience matches the market you want to reach.
- Top pages – If their best content is in your topic area, your guest post has a real chance of attracting readers.
How to Find Guest Posting Sites Using Google Search
You do not need a paid tool to find guest posting sites. Google itself is the best free database, as long as you know how to search.
The trick is using search operators (also called search footprints) along with your niche keyword. Replace “your niche” in the examples below with your actual topic, such as “digital marketing”, “fitness”, “finance”, “SaaS”, or “real estate”.
Basic Guest Post Search Strings
Copy and paste these directly into Google:
- your niche + “write for us”
- your niche + “guest post”
- your niche + “guest post by”
- your niche + “guest article”
- your niche + “guest column”
- your niche + “submit a guest post”
- your niche + “contribute to our site”
- your niche + “become a contributor”
- your niche + “submit an article”
- your niche + “this is a guest post by”
- your niche + “guest blogger”
- your niche + “guest author”
Advanced Search Operators
Once you are comfortable, try these for sharper results:
- your niche + inurl:write-for-us
- your niche + inurl:guest-post
- your niche + intitle:”write for us”
- your niche + “guidelines for guest posts”
- site:.edu + your niche + “write for us” (for high-authority .edu sites)
Find Sites Where Competitors Have Posted
This is a power move. If your competitor has written guest posts, those same sites probably accept yours too:
- “guest post by [competitor name]”
- “author: [competitor name]” -site:competitorwebsite.com
How to Begin Guest Posting: Step-by-Step
Once you know how to find and judge sites, here is the workflow to actually start landing guest posts.
Step 1: Define Your Goals and Niche
Be clear on why you are doing this. Is it backlinks? Brand visibility? Lead generation? Your goal decides which sites you target. Stay strictly inside your niche, because Google rewards topical relevance much more than raw volume.
Step 2: Build a Prospect List
Use the Google search strings above to gather 50 to 100 potential sites. Put them in a spreadsheet with columns for:
- Website URL
- Contact email
- DA / DR
- Monthly traffic
- Editor’s name
- Submission guidelines link
- Status (Researching, Pitched, Accepted, Published)
Step 3: Filter by Authority and Traffic
Check each site’s DA or DR and monthly traffic using the tools mentioned earlier. Remove anything that is clearly spammy, irrelevant, or losing traffic. Keep only the sites worth your time.
Step 4: Read the Submission Guidelines
Most sites have a “Write for Us” page that tells you exactly what they want, including topic preferences, word count, formatting rules, and how to pitch. Follow these to the letter. Editors reject pitches that ignore guidelines, no matter how good the writing is.
Step 5: Find the Right Contact
Look for the editor or content manager, not a generic info@ address. Tools like Hunter.io, Snov.io, or a quick LinkedIn search will usually get you the right email.
Step 6: Send a Personalised Pitch
A good pitch is short, specific, and shows you actually read their blog. Include:
- A quick line on why you are reaching out to them specifically
- 2 to 3 topic ideas tailored to their audience
- A one-line credibility statement (your role, past publications, or sample work)
- A simple closing question
Avoid sending the same generic email to 50 sites. Personalisation wins.
Step 7: Write a Genuinely Useful Article
Once your pitch is accepted, write the best article you can. It should be original, well-researched, easy to read, and genuinely helpful for that site’s audience. This is what earns you a second guest post, a stronger backlink, and a reputation in your industry.
Step 8: Promote After Publication
When the post goes live, share it across your social channels, email list, and team networks. The more traction your guest post gets, the happier the host site is, and the more likely they are to invite you back.
Step 9: Track Your Results
Keep tracking the backlinks you earn, referral traffic they send, and any ranking improvements on your own site. This helps you double down on the platforms that actually move the needle.
The Complete List of 500 Guest Posting Sites
Sorted roughly by Domain Authority (high to low). DA scores are approximate and may change over time.
S.no | Guest Posting Site URL | DA |
1 | 59 | |
2 | 45 | |
3 | 53 | |
4 | https://www.theguardian.com/careers/guardian-careers-guidelines-for-contributors-and-writers | 95 |
5 | 32 | |
6 | https://www.wsj.com/articles/oped-guidelines-for-the-wall-street-journal-1384383173 | 94 |
7 | 93 | |
8 | 93 | |
9 | https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing-guest-blogging-guidelines | 92 |
10 | https://lifehacker.com/want-to-contribute-to-lifehacker-1174273961 | 92 |
11 | 92 | |
12 | 92 | |
13 | 92 | |
14 | 91 | |
15 | https://searchengineland.com/how-to-become-a-guest-contributor | 91 |
16 | 90 | |
17 | 90 | |
18 | 90 | |
19 | 90 | |
20 | 90 | |
21 | 87 | |
22 | 87 | |
23 | https://www.creativebloq.com/news/write-creative-bloq-contributor-network-612326 | 86 |
24 | 86 | |
25 | 86 | |
26 | 86 | |
27 | 86 | |
28 | 86 | |
29 | 85 | |
30 | 85 | |
31 | 85 | |
32 | 84 | |
33 | 83 | |
34 | https://fashionista.com/2010/04/like-to-write-like-us-want-to-intern | 83 |
35 | https://abovethelaw.com/2016/08/how-you-can-write-for-above-the-law/ | 82 |
36 | 82 | |
37 | https://digital-photography-school.com/write-for-digital-photography-school/ | 82 |
38 | 82 | |
39 | 82 | |
40 | https://www.tasteofhome.com/help/contributor-guidelines-and-faqs/ | 82 |
41 | 81 | |
42 | 80 | |
43 | https://www.additudemag.com/contact-us/contributors-guidelines/ | 80 |
44 | 80 | |
45 | 80 | |
46 | 80 | |
47 | 80 | |
48 | 80 | |
49 | 80 | |
50 | 79 | |
51 | 79 | |
52 | 79 | |
53 | 79 | |
54 | https://www.gettingsmart.com/gettingsmart/guest-submission-guidelines-and-policies/ | 78 |
55 | 78 | |
56 | 78 | |
57 | 78 | |
58 | 76 | |
59 | 76 | |
60 | 76 | |
61 | 75 | |
62 | 75 | |
63 | 75 | |
64 | 74 | |
65 | 73 | |
66 | https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/disney-food-blog-guest-post-guidelines/ | 72 |
67 | 72 | |
68 | 72 | |
69 | 72 | |
70 | 71 | |
71 | 71 | |
72 | 71 | |
73 | 70 | |
74 | 70 | |
75 | 70 | |
76 | 70 | |
77 | 69 | |
78 | 69 | |
79 | https://www.milwaukeemag.com/writers-guidelines-milwaukee-magazine/ | 69 |
80 | https://www.workingmother.com/home/working-mother-magazine-writers-guidelines | 69 |
81 | 68 | |
82 | 68 | |
83 | 68 | |
84 | 67 | |
85 | 67 | |
86 | 67 | |
87 | 67 | |
88 | 67 | |
89 | 66 | |
90 | 66 | |
91 | 66 | |
92 | 66 | |
93 | 66 | |
94 | 66 | |
95 | 66 | |
96 | https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/write-for-us-contribute-to-informed/ | 66 |
97 | 65 | |
98 | 65 | |
99 | 65 | |
100 | 65 | |
101 | 65 | |
102 | 65 | |
103 | 64 | |
104 | 64 | |
105 | 64 | |
106 | 64 | |
107 | 64 | |
108 | 64 | |
109 | https://blog.benchmarkemail.com/marketing-professionals-write-guest-blogs-for-benchmark-email/ | 63 |
110 | 63 | |
111 | 63 | |
112 | 63 | |
113 | 63 | |
114 | 63 | |
115 | 62 | |
116 | 62 | |
117 | 62 | |
118 | 62 | |
119 | 62 | |
120 | 62 | |
121 | 61 | |
122 | 61 | |
123 | 61 | |
124 | 61 | |
125 | 61 | |
126 | 61 | |
127 | https://www.johnchow.com/get-more-exposure-for-your-blog-with-a-guest-post/ | 61 |
128 | 60 | |
129 | 60 | |
130 | 60 | |
131 | 60 | |
132 | 60 | |
133 | 60 | |
134 | 60 | |
135 | 59 | |
136 | 59 | |
137 | 59 | |
138 | 59 | |
139 | 59 | |
140 | 59 | |
141 | 59 | |
142 | 59 | |
143 | 59 | |
144 | 59 | |
145 | 59 | |
146 | 58 | |
147 | 58 | |
148 | 58 | |
149 | https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/about-us/writers-guidelines/ | 58 |
150 | 58 | |
151 | 58 | |
152 | 58 | |
153 | 58 | |
154 | https://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/about-2/how-to-submit-a-guest-post-on-lrwc | 58 |
155 | 58 | |
156 | 57 | |
157 | 57 | |
158 | 57 | |
159 | 57 | |
160 | 57 | |
161 | 57 | |
162 | 57 | |
163 | 57 | |
164 | 57 | |
165 | 57 | |
166 | 57 | |
167 | 57 | |
168 | 57 | |
169 | 56 | |
170 | 56 | |
171 | 56 | |
172 | 56 | |
173 | 56 | |
174 | 56 | |
175 | https://www.metroparent.com/write-for-metro-parent-magazine-and-website/ | 56 |
176 | 55 | |
177 | 55 | |
178 | 55 | |
179 | https://serpstat.com/blog/how-to-submit-a-guest-post-to-serpstat-blog/ | 55 |
180 | 55 | |
181 | 55 | |
182 | 55 | |
183 | 55 | |
184 | 55 | |
185 | 55 | |
186 | 55 | |
187 | 55 | |
188 | 55 | |
189 | 55 | |
190 | 54 | |
191 | 54 | |
192 | 54 | |
193 | 54 | |
194 | 54 | |
195 | 54 | |
196 | 54 | |
197 | 54 | |
198 | 54 | |
199 | 54 | |
200 | 54 | |
201 | 54 | |
202 | https://www.heatheronhertravels.com/work-with-me/guest-posts/ | 54 |
203 | 54 | |
204 | 54 | |
205 | 53 | |
206 | 53 | |
207 | 53 | |
208 | 53 | |
209 | 53 | |
210 | 53 | |
211 | 53 | |
212 | 53 | |
213 | 53 | |
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216 | 53 | |
217 | 52 | |
218 | 52 | |
219 | 52 | |
220 | 52 | |
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226 | 52 | |
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242 | 49 | |
243 | 49 | |
244 | 49 | |
245 | 49 | |
246 | 49 | |
247 | 49 | |
248 | 49 | |
249 | 49 | |
250 | https://www.womenonbusiness.com/write-for-women-on-business/submit-a-guest-post/ | 49 |
251 | 48 | |
252 | 47 | |
253 | 47 | |
254 | 47 | |
255 | 46 | |
256 | 46 | |
257 | 46 | |
258 | 46 | |
259 | 45 | |
260 | 45 | |
261 | 45 | |
262 | 44 | |
263 | 44 | |
264 | 44 | |
265 | 44 | |
266 | 43 | |
267 | 43 | |
268 | https://socialmediastrategiessummit.com/get-involved/write-for-us.html | 43 |
269 | 42 | |
270 | 42 | |
271 | 42 | |
272 | 42 | |
273 | 41 | |
274 | 41 | |
275 | 41 | |
276 | 40 | |
277 | 40 | |
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280 | 39 | |
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297 | 35 | |
298 | 35 | |
299 | 35 | |
300 | 35 | |
301 | 34 | |
302 | 34 | |
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305 | 34 | |
306 | 34 | |
307 | 33 | |
308 | 32 | |
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310 | 32 | |
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315 | 31 | |
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318 | 29 | |
319 | 28 | |
320 | 27 | |
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322 | 27 | |
323 | 26 | |
324 | 25 | |
325 | 25 | |
326 | 24 | |
327 | 24 | |
328 | 23 | |
329 | 23 | |
330 | 23 | |
331 | 78 | |
332 | 77 | |
333 | 75 | |
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Final Thoughts
Guest posting is not dead. It has just matured. The days of mass-pitching low-quality blogs for any backlink you can get are over. What works now is a focused approach: pick relevant sites, check their authority and traffic, write content people actually want to read, and build real relationships with editors.
If you follow the steps in this guide, you will not just collect backlinks. You will build a long-term asset that compounds over time, sending traffic, leads, and authority to your brand for years.