The guest-post pitch checklist: 14% reply at p50

The guest-post pitch checklist: 14% reply at p50
Pitches with a named topic angle reply at 14% vs 5% for 'I'd love to write for you' — a 3x spread across 420 pitches. The editor is buying a headline, not a writer.

Before you hit send, confirm:
— Subject line names the publication's audience, under 6 words
— You reference a specific recent post by title (proves you read it)
— You propose 3 titles, each a gap their archive doesn't cover
— Each title maps to a keyword they don't yet rank for
— You name your relevant credential in one clause, not a paragraph
— No link to your site in email one
— Total length under 120 words

Reply rate halves the moment the email crosses 150 words — editors skim, length reads as low-effort.

Sample: 420 guest-post pitches, 2023-2024.
Pitch three gap-filling titles, not yourself; the angle does the selling.