Guest post pitch examples that got a yes

The five parts every one of them shares

1. Them first. The first line quotes one of their posts or their own tagline. None of these starts with who we are.
2. One line about you, with the single fact that makes you credible on their topic (here, that we ship the kind of tool their readers build).
3. One working title, written for their readers, with “no sales pitch in it” said out loud.
4. What they get, stated plainly: an outline first, a link back, or a smaller ask.
5. A yes/no question to end. Not “let me know your thoughts”.

Example 1: The engineering blog of a small API company (Domain Rating 48)

No guest-post page. The pitch quotes two of their own posts by title and says why they matter.

Subject: guest article idea for the [their name] blog

Hi,

I read "[their post on preventing points farming]" and "[their post on streak timezone handling]" on the [their name] blog, and I saw your docs listed as an MCP server. The posts go into real engineering detail, which is why I'm writing.

I'm Arthur, founder of [our SaaS], a tool that collects documents from clients. It ships an MCP connector, and I'd like to write a guest article for your blog: designing an MCP tool that must confirm before it acts on someone's behalf. It would be written for your developer audience, with no sales pitch in it.

In return, I'd mention and link [their name] from an article on our blog where it fits. Our blog is young, so this is a fair exchange, not a favour.

Would a guest article like that be of interest?

Arthur

Follow-up 1: a new reason

Hi, following up on my note about a guest article. One more reason it might suit you: the piece would cover what an MCP tool should ask before it acts, and what to leave to a human. It comes from building our own connector, where creating a request asks for confirmation before anything is sent. Happy to send an outline first.

Arthur

Follow-up 2: a lighter option, then stop

Hi, last note from me. If a full article is too much, a lighter option: I mention [their name] with a link from our blog, and nothing is needed from you. Either way, thanks for reading, and no worries if it isn't a fit.

Arthur

Example 2: A developer-tools startup whose homepage states a principle (Domain Rating 38)

The opening line quotes their own tagline back, then shows the same rule in our product.

Subject: guest article: an mcp tool that confirms before acting

Hi,

Your homepage says "The agent proposes. You decide." [Our SaaS]'s MCP connector follows the same rule: an agent can create a document request, but it asks for confirmation before anything is sent. Our AI check on uploaded files also only suggests, and a human approves every document.

I'd like to write a guest article for the [their name] blog: "Designing an MCP tool that must confirm before it acts on someone's behalf". It would be written for people building with coding agents, with no sales pitch in it. In return I'd mention and link to [their name] from an article on our blog where it fits. Our blog is young, so this is a fair exchange, not a favour.

Would you be open to it? If so, I'll send an outline first.

Arthur

Follow-up 1: a new reason

Hi, one more reason I think this fits. [Their name]'s MCP server checks intent through six gates before the agent builds. My article would cover the other end: a confirmation step at the moment an agent acts for someone. Your readers could compare the two designs. Happy to send an outline if that's useful.

Arthur

Follow-up 2: a lighter option, then stop

Hi, last note from me. If a guest article isn't right for you, a lighter option is a short mention of [our SaaS] in one of your articles where an MCP tool with a confirmation step is relevant, with a link back from our blog. If neither suits you, no problem at all. Thanks for reading.

Arthur

Example 3: A security blog with an existing article on the exact topic (Domain Rating 35)

This one asks for a mention in a post that already exists, and offers the guest article in return. The smaller ask comes first.

Subject: an example for your MCP security article

Hi,

I read "MCP Security: Risks and Controls for AI Tool Servers" on the [their name] blog. I'm Arthur, founder of [our SaaS]. We ship an MCP connector that lets an agent create and follow up document requests. Creating a request asks for confirmation before anything is sent.

Would you consider a short mention of it in that article, as an example of a confirm-before-acting control? [Our SaaS] is early stage, and I'd be happy for it to be described that way.

In return I'll write a guest article for your blog, with no sales pitch, on designing an MCP tool that must confirm before it acts. I'll also mention and link [their name] from an article on our blog where it fits. Our blog is young, so this is a fair exchange, not a favour.

Would you be open to that?

Arthur

Follow-up 1: a new reason

Hi, one more reason this may fit. Your post "[their post on running agents without losing control]" is about keeping people in charge of agents. Our connector follows the same idea: a request needs confirmation before it goes out, and a human approves every document the AI checks. Happy to write the guest piece on that.

Arthur

Follow-up 2: a lighter option, then stop

Hi, last note from me. If a guest article is too much, a plain mention of our connector in the MCP security article would be enough, and I'd still link to [their name] from our blog. If it's not a fit, no problem at all. Thanks for reading.

Arthur

What we'd change after the yeses came in

• The article is where most yeses die. Of 23 yeses, we wrote and sent 14 articles and 8 were published. One was refused as “mostly AI-generated”. Write the outline first and get a second yes on it.
• Lead with the smaller ask when a post already exists. Example 3 asks for one sentence in an existing article. That costs the editor two minutes instead of an afternoon.
• Pick sites by topic. Across 757 first emails sent for our Mac app in October, blogs about the product's exact subject replied 26% of the time, personal /uses pages 9%. All our outreach benchmarks.
• Start where the door is already open. 26 tech, SaaS and AI blogs with a live contributor page, checked by hand: tech guest post sites.
• Expect a few to ask for money. 5 of the 50 replies asked to be paid. We said no and moved on.

A blank version to adapt

Subject: guest article idea for [their post title or section]

Hi [first name],

I read "[their post title]" on [blog name]. [One sentence on what in it relates to what you know.]

I'm [you], founder of [product]. [The one fact that makes you credible on their topic.]

Would you take a guest article from me? Working title: "[title for their readers]". No sales pitch in it. [What they get: an outline first / a link back from [where] / nothing needed.]

Would that be of interest?

[Name]
[Company, postal address]
Reply "no" and I won't write again.

Write the follow-ups before you send: one with a new reason, one with a lighter ask, then stop. Space them at least a few days apart; ours were sent too close together, which we've since fixed. The free Skill drafts all three for each post it finds.