Grow Your Copywriting Business with Guest Blogging

Getting started in copywriting can be difficult when you don’t have writing samples and no one knows your name. That is where guest blogging comes into play! Guest blogging can not only help you gain experience, but it can help you to identify some excellent opportunities.

Creating Backlinks to Your Website

Your online website is the perfect place to showcase your blogging and copywriting talent. However, you probably won’t be listed on the first page of Google without backlinks to your website. Guest blogging can help you out with that. Most websites will have a biography to credit to the guest blogger. This is where you can add a link back to your website.

Sometimes, you will use your online Google avatar. The link will direct readers back to your website.

Get Well-Known Within Your Niche

When you start out in copywriting, unless you have been super active in multiple forums across many platforms, most people won’t know your name. In business, people like to hire those individuals that they know, like and trust. When people start to see you participating in groups and forums, they will become familiar with you.

As you gain more experience writing for the niche, you may even build a following. This can help you market yourself even more. When you have followers who read your work, you can charge more for your writing knowing that more people will be reading it.

Get Those Necessary Writing Samples

Business owners like to see examples of someone’s writing before they hire you to write a blog post. Sometimes they will ask for a test piece when you apply for a position. Other times they want to see that you have been published by other companies.

This will give the companies a feel for what your writing voice sounds like. They can see how well you connect with their audience. When you offer to write a guest blog post, it creates a deadline for you. No longer can you procrastinate creating those needed writing samples for your website! You have a deadline to meet!

Earn Some Cash With Guest Blogging

Most guest blogging opportunities are not paid, so don’t expect to be paid for every guest blog post that you write. However, there are some companies that will compensate you for your well-written and researched blog posts.

Brain, Child

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.brainchildmag.com/about/writers-guidelines/
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

Alaska Parent

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.alaskaparent.com/write_for_us.html
  
• -Pay: Negotiated per article. Between $40-200
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

Adoptive Families

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/about-us/writers-guidelines/
  
• -Pay: Varies.
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

Family Tree Magazine

Genealogy related articles.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/writersguidelines
• -Pay: Unspecified
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

MetroParent

Parenting magazine for families in Southeast Michigan.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.metroparent.com/write-us/
• -Pay: $35 for reprints, $35 – $75 for articles
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page:No

The Penny Hoarder

Personal finance website with around 10 million visitors.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.thepennyhoarder.com/contributor-guidelines/
• -Pay: $75 for 700-900 words
• -Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Byline: Yes

Doctor of Credit

For people who need help with their credit.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.doctorofcredit.com/want-to-write-and-get-paid-for-doctor-of-credit/
• -Pay: $50 per post
• -Author Page: No
• -Links allowed in Author Page: No

DailyWorth

Personal finance site for women.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: https://www.dailyworth.com/contact-us
• -Pay: not published, but they do pay
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

The Motley Fool

Finance website. They offer a chance to work for them for pay.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://careers.fool.com/openings/
• -Pay: $100 per article, more if you get hired
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

Elite Personal Finance

Personal finance website focusing on personal loans and credit cards.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.elitepersonalfinance.com/write-for-us/
• -Pay: $100 per article
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

Better Homes and Gardens

Focusing on: health, parenting, travel, and education.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.bhg.com/bhg/file.jsp?item=/help/writersGuidelines
• -Pay: Based on article length and quality.
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

Bless This List

Looks for unusual stories to share.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.blessthislist.com/write-get-paid/
• -Pay: $100 per article
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

Belt Magazine

General interest magazine focusing on the “Rust Belt” of the United States.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://beltmag.com/contact-us/
• -Pay: Unspecified
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

The Kernel

They publish everything from tech to religion.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/about/
• -Pay: Yes, but contact them for amounts.
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

Gawker Media

Gawker is a news site, and they publish reported stories and essays.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://gawker.com/about
• -Pay: Contact them to find out how much.
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: Yes

The Mix

They had out daily writing assignments, so submit a pitch.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://themix.hearst.com/
• -Pay: Yes, but join to find out
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: Yes, but they are not hyperlinked

Eureka Street

Promotes Jesuit spirituality. Topics covered range from the environment to popular culture.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=33927#.VyosqfmDGkr
• -Pay: $200 per post for 800 words
• -Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Byline: No

Narratively

Collection of stories on the human condition.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://narrative.ly/contribute/
• -Pay: Unspecified
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: just a list of posts by the author

ListVerse

ListVerse is a fun website covering any topic under the sun in a list format.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://listverse.com/write-get-paid/
• -Pay: $100 per list post
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: No

The Washington Post

Insights from common people on the street. Everyone has a chance if you can write well.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/05/27/welcome-to-posteverything/
• -Pay: Unspecified, but they do pay.
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: social media only

Cracked

Funny and biting articles.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.cracked.com/write-for-cracked/
• -Pay: not published
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: yes, but they’re not hyperlinked

Upworthy

Offers an alternative view on everything from fitness to business.

• -Apply/Pitch/Submit Page: http://www.upworthy.com/pitch-us
• -Pay: $600 per article
• -Author Page/Byline: Yes
• -Links allowed in Author Page/Byline: Yes

Conclusion

Guest blogging is a great way to get your foot in the door as a copywriter. Get started today by reaching out to some of the above blogs and pitching story ideas.