I’ve worked for various sites as an editor and had to decline thousands of pitches over the years. It doesn’t matter how good your company is, if you don’t make the right pitch, you will not get a positive response.
If you’ve written to numerous blogs but have had no success, it might have more to do with your pitch and less to do with your products or services.
It’s time for an overhaul. There are some tricks that can help convince even the most difficult bloggers to write about you:
#1 Create a pool of influential bloggers
Revise your list and make sure to stick to your niche. If you sell makeup products, you should look for a blog that covers health and beauty. Pitching to a blog that has no space for such content would result in disappointment.
Do a bit of research as well. You don’t have to spend hours reading all their blogs. Have a look at some of the content to understand the quality of content published on the blog.
You must make sure to match the standards or your content will get rejected. Also, check if they have written about your competitor or not. Not all blogs like to talk about other companies, so don’t waste time.
Many bloggers also offer giveaways. They are interested in rewarding their readers. It can be a nice way to convince a blogger into publishing your post. However, do remember the risks associated with a sponsored post.
#2 Make a move – connect first
You can get in touch with a blogger via email, social media, or the website. However, I suggest that you use the ‘Send a Post’ or similar option to speed up the process.
If you hit them up on social media you will most probably get asked to contact via website. It’s the easiest way.
Moreover, some major blogs follow a hierarchy. You cannot directly pitch to the editor. The content is first approved by team members before it’s pitched to the editor. So make sure to respect that.
#3 Make a pitch
Read your rejected pitch and understand why it was rejected. Think from the perspective of an editor and ask if it had real value.
Go through some templates and rewrite your pitch but make sure to personalize it. Nobody wants to read a generic pitch. You must tailor it according to the blog and start by introducing yourself. But, do not get into the details. Keep it short and avoid fluff and talk more about how your piece will benefit the readers.
Also, use real names to build a connection. It can make a lot of difference. Gone are the days when ‘Mr. Editor’ used to do the trick.
#4 Create quality content
Do not use what was already rejected. Create new content from scratch but make sure to keep the requirements in mind.
Most blogs have guidelines and quality standards. Plus, some would like you to send a ready-to-publish article instead of sending a pitch.
Gather all these details and then create your content. The article should be well structured with quality subheadings.
Also, make sure to link to sources to make it appear credible. Articles that lack authority often get rejected.
Do not worry about SEO and keywords. Concentrate on quality. Moreover, if you include a link to your site, try to keep it subtle. If an article looks too promotional, it will most probably get rejected.
#5 Follow up
Wait for about two weeks to hear back from the blogger. In case you don’t, write another email to ask about the status of your blog post.
The follow-up email should be respectful, sweet, and short. Remember to not spam the blogger with dozens of emails. Also, avoid calling the person. It’s considered rude.
Wait for a response and be professional when you receive one. Do not show anger or frustration if your pitch gets rejected. Instead, ask for a feedback and show your willingness to improve.
Grow resilience, it will improve your thinking ability and reduce stress as well. It’s a must have trait if you want to succeed in the world of online marketing where rejection is a common occurrence.
What to do with a rejected article?
Don’t be disheartened. Improve it and send it to another blogger for consideration. You may also revise and resend it to the same blogger if that’s an option.
Bloggers do not always want to make edits. They may often reject a piece due to minor issues. Asking for possible revisions can do the trick.
A golden tip:
If possible, build connections before you make a pitch. Social media can be a good tool for this purpose. Twitter appears to be famous among bloggers. Try to join a conversation by using #hashtags. Do not send inboxes or DMs.
Commenting and liking posts can also do the trick. But, again, do not show desperation. Know where to draw a line.
Conclusion
If you have a big business like Fbabee that you wish to promote then chances are your post would get accepted easily. However, if you’re promoting a small business then you’d have to work even harder.
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