How to Find Guest Posting Sites

Quick answer: There are two reliable ways to find guest posting sites: run Google search operators that surface “write for us” and “contribute” pages in your niche, then verify each site’s metrics; or start from a filterable directory and shortlist by DR, DA and traffic. Combine both — operators for reach, a directory for speed. Start with the GPSitesList sites archive of 63,000+ vetted-for-listing sites.

Method 1: Google search operators (the free way)

Search operators are special commands that narrow Google to pages matching a pattern. Most sites that accept contributions publish a “Write for us,” “Guest post guidelines” or “Contribute” page, and those pages use predictable words and URLs. Combine a footprint with your niche keyword and Google hands you a live list.

Replace KEYWORD with your niche (for example fitness, SaaS, parenting). Put phrases in quotes so Google matches them exactly.

Two power moves. First, reverse-engineer competitors: search KEYWORD "guest post by [author name]" or paste a rival’s domain into a backlink tool to see where they already contribute, then pitch those same sites. Second, stack operators: inurl:write-for-us KEYWORD -"casino" -"cbd" trims the spam that clogs popular footprints.

A few practical notes make operators far more productive. Put multi-word phrases in quotation marks so Google matches them exactly rather than loosely. Swap synonyms for the footprint — “submit a guest post,” “guest author,” “accepting guest posts,” “become a contributor” and “write for us” all surface different sites, so run several. Add a location word (KEYWORD "write for us" "UK") when geography matters. And work down two or three pages of results, not just the first — the biggest sites already have hundreds of pitches, while the smaller, more relevant blogs sit lower and convert better.

Method 1b: mine who already publishes guest posts

Sites that have run guest posts before are the warmest targets, because they have an established process and an appetite for outside writers. Two footprints surface them fast: KEYWORD "this is a guest post by" and KEYWORD "guest contributor". Better still, take a competitor or a well-known writer in your niche and look up their backlink profile in a tool like Ahrefs or the free Moz Link Explorer. Every site where they have a byline is a site that accepts contributors in your exact space — a ready-made, pre-qualified list you can pitch with a warm reference.

Method 2: A filterable directory (the fast way)

Operators are powerful but slow — you still have to open every result, find the guidelines, and check metrics by hand. A directory does the discovery and the first metric pass for you. Instead of guessing, you filter thousands of listings by niche and by DR, DA and traffic, then export a shortlist. Browse by category — for example the general/multi-niche category or any of the fifteen niche hubs — or open the whole archive and sort. If you specifically want authority or reach, collection views that pre-filter for high-DR or high-traffic sites save you a manual sort. The point is the same in every case: the directory turns a day of manual searching into a few minutes of filtering, then hands you a list to vet.

The honest caveat: a directory tells you a site lists itself as accepting guest posts and shows third-party metrics. It does not replace vetting. You still confirm the traffic is real and the audience is relevant before pitching.

The speed advantage is real, though. Running operators one niche at a time and hand-checking each result can take an afternoon to build a list of thirty candidates. A directory lets you filter thousands of listings by category and by DR, DA and traffic in minutes, then hand the shortlist straight to your vetting step. The two methods complement each other: operators find the long tail that no directory has indexed, and the directory gives you breadth and a first metric pass without the manual crawl.

Combine both, then verify

The workflow that scales:

1. Cast wide with operators to capture sites no directory has indexed, especially small, high-relevance blogs.
2. Shortlist fast in the directory for volume and a first metric filter.
3. Verify every candidate — DR/DA are third-party estimates, not Google metrics, so check real organic traffic and topical fit. Follow our how to vet a guest post site checklist.
4. Pitch the survivors with a tailored email — see our outreach email templates.

What to avoid

Skip “1000 guest posting sites” list posts scraped years ago — most links are dead or the sites have changed hands. Be wary of Fiverr-style “dofollow guest post” gigs; a paid link that passes PageRank breaks Google’s guidelines and should carry rel="sponsored" or nofollow instead. And do not measure success by how many sites you find — ten relevant, trafficked, coherent sites beat a thousand scraped URLs.

Two more traps waste time. First, do not confuse a big result count with opportunity: a footprint that returns 40,000 pages is mostly other people’s guest posts and forum noise, so tighten it with exclusions rather than scrolling forever. Second, resist the urge to pitch before you vet. The point of discovery is to build a shortlist you then filter hard on traffic and relevance; a site turning up in a search or a directory only means it can be pitched, never that it should be. Discovery and vetting are two separate steps, and skipping the second is how link budgets get wasted on high-DR sites that no one reads.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Google search string for guest posts?

Start with KEYWORD "write for us" and KEYWORD inurl:write-for-us, then refine with exclusions like -inurl:paid or -"casino" to cut spam. Reverse-engineering competitors’ backlinks often surfaces better, more relevant sites than any single operator.

Is it better to use operators or a directory?

Use both. Operators reach small, relevant blogs that no directory has indexed; a directory gives you volume and a first metric filter in minutes. Whichever you use, verify each site’s real traffic and relevance before pitching.

Can I trust the metrics a directory shows?

Treat them as a starting filter, not a verdict. Directory metrics are usually third-party estimates (DR from Ahrefs, DA from Moz) and can lag or be gamed. Confirm real organic traffic and audience fit yourself before you invest in outreach.

How many sites should I aim to find?

Quality over quantity. A focused list of ten to thirty relevant, well-trafficked, topically coherent sites will outperform a scraped mega-list of thousands. Spend your time vetting the shortlist, not expanding it, and revisit it periodically — sites change hands, standards slip, and a good target this quarter can turn into a link farm the next.