Entrepreneur Guest Posts: A Real-World Playbook for Founders

If you’ve ever thought, “I should be writing on other people’s sites to get my name out there”, you’re not alone. Guest posting has been one of my go-to growth levers for founders for more than 15 years. But here’s the thing: the internet is full of bland “guest post” advice that sounds like it was written by a bot or a PR intern. This isn’t that.

I’m going to walk you through how I approach guest posting for entrepreneurs  the good, the bad, and the surprisingly simple things that actually move the needle. Imagine we’re having coffee and you’re picking my brain about how to get your ideas published on bigger platforms. That’s the tone you’re going to get here.

 

What a Guest Post Really Means for an Entrepreneur

A guest post isn’t just a blog article you put on someone else’s site. Think of it as stepping on stage in front of someone else’s audience. You’re borrowing their credibility for a moment  if you deliver value, you earn a slice of that trust for yourself.

When I guest post, I’m not thinking “backlinks first.” I’m thinking:
Will this teach someone something they didn’t know? Will it make them curious enough to check out my brand? The links, the SEO, the traffic  those come naturally if the piece is genuinely useful.

 

The Mistakes I See Over and Over 

Here’s a quick reality check from the trenches:

Writing for the wrong crowd. A SaaS founder pitching a lifestyle blog. A coach pitching a fintech site. Happens constantly.

Recycling generic content. Editors can smell it. Readers bounce.

Sending “spray and pray” emails. No personalization, no clear value. Straight to trash.

Forgetting the follow-up. Even great pitches get buried. A polite nudge often makes the difference.

I’ve made all of these mistakes myself. Learning to avoid them has saved my clients weeks of wasted effort.

 

Choosing the Right Platforms 

Guest posting is a relationship, not a transaction. Before you pitch, ask:

Does this site reach the kind of people I actually want to talk to?
Do I respect their editorial standards?
Would I be proud to show this link to an investor or client?

One well-placed guest post on a mid-size but highly focused site can outperform five on giant, generic blogs. Quality trumps quantity every time.

 

How I Research and Pitch (The Simple Framework)

Listen first. I’ll read a host blog for a week before pitching. What’s trending? What’s missing? What angles haven’t been covered?

Brainstorm unique hooks. Instead of “How to Grow Your Business,” maybe “How I Tripled My Client Base by Speaking at Micro-Events.” Specific stories beat vague tips.

Write a short, human email. Subject line: clear and direct. First line: show you actually read their site. One paragraph on who you are, one on why their audience will care, a couple of topic ideas. Done.

Follow up kindly. After 5-7 days, a gentle reminder. No guilt trips, no spammy tactics.

Editors are drowning in bad outreach. A respectful, thoughtful note stands out more than any fancy template.

 

Writing the Post Itself (What Works)

When you get the green light, treat it like you’re writing for your own customers:

Open with a hook. A story, a surprising stat, or a bold question.

Share personal experience. “Here’s what happened when I…” beats “Experts say…” nine times out of ten.

Give actionable takeaways. Don’t just talk about the “why”  show the “how.”

Link with intention. One or two genuinely useful links to your site is enough. Fill the rest with high-quality references and links back to their own content to show goodwill.

Edit ruthlessly. Short paragraphs, clear subheads, visuals if allowed.

Remember: you’re a guest in someone’s house. Bring your best manners and your best work.

 

After Publication: Don’t Just Walk Away

This is where most entrepreneurs leave value on the table:

Promote it. Share on LinkedIn, Twitter, your email list. Tag the host site.

Engage with comments. Answer questions. Thank people for reading.

Measure results. Use UTM links, check referral traffic, track sign-ups or inquiries.

Nurture the relationship. Send the editor a thank-you. Offer another idea later. Over time, you can become a regular contributor instead of a one-off guest.

 

A Quick Story from My Own Work

A few years back I worked with a tiny productivity-app startup. They had zero press, zero SEO authority. We pitched a mid-tier business blog with a piece called “How Solo Founders Can Automate Away 10 Hours a Week.” It got accepted. In the first week they saw 600 qualified visitors, 80 new email sign-ups, and a couple of partnership inquiries. Not life-changing numbers, but a huge credibility boost for a two-person team. All from one thoughtful guest post.

That’s the kind of result you’re aiming for.

 

Key Takeaways for Entrepreneur Guest Posts

Treat guest posting as audience-building, not link-dropping.

Pick sites like you’d pick partners  with care.

Pitch human-to-human, not template-to-template.

Share real stories and give actionable tips.

Promote, engage, and measure after it goes live.

Do this consistently and you’ll see not just traffic but trust  and that’s the real currency for an entrepreneur.

 

FAQs

1. How often should I try to publish guest posts?
Even one quality post per month can outperform a scattershot approach. Focus on value, not volume.

2. Should I pay for guest posts?
If a site charges for “sponsored content,” treat it as advertising, not organic guest posting. The real wins come from editorial placements.

3. What’s better: guest posting or building my own blog?
Both. Your own blog is your home base; guest posts are you visiting other people’s living rooms to meet new friends.

4. How do I find good opportunities?
Search “[your topic] + write for us,” study where your competitors publish, and network in LinkedIn or niche communities.

5. What kind of content works best?
Specific, experience-based, actionable content. Think case studies, frameworks, lessons learned not vague motivational fluff.

6. How many backlinks can I include?
Usually one or two to your own site, plus relevant external references. Anything more looks spammy.

7. How long should my outreach email be?
About 100–200 words: enough to show you did your homework but short enough to respect their time.

8. When will I see results?
Referral traffic can come instantly; SEO gains usually take a few months. Relationships and credibility pay off over time.

9. Should I insist on an author bio?
Yes. That’s your chance to introduce yourself and give readers a path back to you.

10. Can I repurpose guest posts on my own site?
Only if the host allows it. If they do, change it up or use canonical tags to avoid duplicate-content issues.

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