If you’re a creator on Teachable, chances are you’ve spent some time trying to get your work in front of new people. Maybe you’ve posted on Instagram until your thumbs cramped. Maybe you’ve dabbled in ads or hoped your latest email campaign would do the trick. All fair game. But there’s another strategy out there that’s smart, repeatable, and doesn’t require you to learn another algorithm. It’s called guest posting.
At its core, guest posting is writing content for someone else’s blog or website with the goal of introducing yourself to their audience. You offer value in the form of content, and in return, you get visibility, credibility, and a link back to your own site or course.
It’s simple, it works, and it’s often overlooked in favor of trendier tactics. This article will walk you through how to do it well, why it works, and how you can get started… without burning out or sounding like everyone else.
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Why guest posting matters
There’s a lot of noise online. Between social posts, paid ads, email newsletters, and SEO battles, it can feel like you need to be everywhere at once.
But most creators don’t have a full-time marketing team. You’ve got limited time, limited energy, and, I'm guessing, you probably didn’t sign up to be a content machine. That’s where guest posting can be a real benefit to your marketing strategy. It lets you essentially borrow someone else’s audience, ethically, effectively, and without extra overhead.
When you write for a site that already has the attention of your ideal audience, you skip the hardest part of marketing: building trust from scratch. You get to show up in a place your audience already visits, and if you play it right, your article feels like a recommendation rather than a cold pitch.
On top of that, guest posts often give you backlinks, which help your own website show up higher in search results over time. So you’re not just getting short-term eyeballs; you’re building a foundation that helps people find you long after you hit publish.
In short:
- Guest posting gives you SEO & backlink benefits. When your content appears on reputable websites with a link back to your own site or course page, it builds your domain authority, which is a major factor in search engine rankings. This means you’ll get more organic traffic over time, not just a one-time spike.
- You’ll reach new, relevant audiences. Instead of shouting into the void, guest posting puts you directly in front of an engaged audience that already trusts the platform you're publishing on. It's a warm introduction to thousands of potential students who may never have heard of you before.
- You can position yourself as a thought-leader. When your content appears on respected blogs, media outlets, or community sites, it signals credibility. You’re no longer just “another creator;” you’re the expert people seek out.
All of this shows how effective guest posting is as a method to promote your content, grow your personal brand, and drive real results… and you don’t have to rely on social media to do it.
Related: Sell a course without an audience—yes, it can be done
How to pitch effectively
Let’s address the awkward part up front: yes, you’ll have to pitch yourself. But no, it doesn’t need to be uncomfortable.
Editors are people. Most of them are juggling deadlines and inboxes just like you are. So if you’re thoughtful, clear, and genuinely trying to contribute something useful to their brand, you’re already ahead of the pack.
Here’s how to create a pitch that represents you well:
Step 1: Research thoughtfully
Start by identifying websites or blogs in your niche that accept guest contributions. Look for:
- Sites your ideal students already read
- Sites with a high domain authority (use tools like Moz or Ahrefs to find this out)
- Sites that have clear submission or “Write for us” guidelines
Even if a site doesn’t ask for guest posts, a well-written pitch can still break through.
Step 2: Personalize your pitch
Skip “Dear Sir/Madam.” Avoid generic mass emails. Refer to a specific article they’ve published; compliment their editorial voice. Show you’ve done your homework and that you “get” this website.
Step 3: Highlight the value for their audience
Your pitch should answer: “Why should their readers care?” Be sure your pitch makes clear:
- What topic you will cover
- What new angle you will bring
- Why you are the best person to write this
Avoid pitching your online course directly; instead, offer educational content to their audience that aligns with what you teach. Subtle mentions and author bio links are enough to drive interest back to additional offers you have.
Step 4: Include proof
Share previous articles, blog posts, or videos that show you can write well and provide value.
Pro Tip: Consider this pitch formula:
Hi [editor’s name], I loved your recent article on [topic], especially the part about [specific insight]. I’d love to contribute a guest post on [proposed topic], sharing [brief value pitch]. I’ve written for [other sites or your blog], and here are a couple of samples. Let me know if this would be a fit; happy to share a draft or outline!
Keep it short, and don’t try to cram your life story into one email. Share 2–3 topic ideas, a quick sentence or two on your experience, and a couple of writing samples. Your job is to make it easy for them to say yes.
Content strategy tips
Now that you’ve made the pitch and it’s been accepted, let’s talk about how you build your guest post so that it yields maximum return on investment (ROI).
Tip #1: Align your guest post with your funnel
Not every guest post needs to be a masterpiece, but each one should have a purpose. Ideally, your post should connect to your course topic or the kind of work you want to be known for.
If you teach email marketing on Teachable, don’t write a post about fitness routines; write something like “The top 3 Subject Lines That Increased My Open Rate by 45%.” Your guest post should be useful, specific, and aligned with what you do.
Tip #2: Connect your guest post to the buyer journey
Consider where people are in their journey when they read your content. Some readers are brand new to the problem you solve, while others are actively looking for a solution. Your guest post should speak to one of these groups.
For example, a beginner article might explain common mistakes, while a more advanced piece might offer a unique tactic or insight. Choose one of these general stages and align your content accordingly:
- Awareness: Educational content that introduces the problem you solve
- Consideration: Strategic tips that show your method or approach
- Decision: Case studies or behind-the-scenes looks at your teaching style
And remember that the purpose of a guest post is to attract new audiences to you, not necessarily to hard sell with this particular post.
Tip #3: Include subtle promotion
Now, be sure to always follow the guest site’s guidelines… but when possible:
- Add 1–2 contextual backlinks to your site or blog
- Include a compelling author bio with a link to your course or free resource
- Suggest a lead magnet tied to the post (checklists, guides, mini-courses)
Make it easy for interested readers to enter your world and stay a while!
Tip #4: Repurpose like a pro
Unless you’ve made an exclusivity agreement, don’t let your guest post live in one place only. Consider:
- Turning it into an email newsletter
- Recording it as a podcast or YouTube episode
- Adding it as a module inside your Teachable course or bonus content
This is how guest blogging supports your entire content promotion strategy, not just your traffic numbers.
Related: How to increase website traffic for your online business
Measuring success
One of the best things about guest posting is that it gives you trackable results. You’re not just hoping people saw your Instagram Reel; you can actually measure what happened.
Here’s how you can track if your guest posting efforts are working:
1. Check your referral traffic metrics. Use Google Analytics or Teachable’s built-in analytics to see how many people are clicking from your guest post to your course site. Set up UTM parameters on your links so you can attribute clicks and conversions.
2. Assess the backlink quality. Use SEO tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush to check the domain authority (DA) of the site that published your post. A higher DA means more “link juice” for your site.
3. Check your subscriber growth. If your guest post leads to a lead magnet, track how many new email subscribers joined your list as a result. Make sure your opt-in page is simple, benefit-driven, and aligned with the guest post content.
4. Track your course enrollments. Track whether new students are coming from referral traffic. You can ask during checkout: “Where did you hear about this course?” or tag your leads based on the source.
5. View your SEO performance. Check if your domain authority is rising or if your blog/content is ranking higher in search over time.
Track what you can, look for patterns, and don’t expect every post to be a home-run. Guest posting is a steady strategy, not a flash-in-the-pan trick.
Related: Google Analytics for beginners: How to use it for your business
How guest posting differs from sponsored posting
Guest posting and sponsored content are often confused, but they’re fundamentally different strategies. Here are the key differences.
Guest posting:
- Unpaid (no money is exchanged to create the guest post)
- You pitch the idea
- You provide educational, editorial content
- You build SEO value and trust
- Typically includes a short bio or link back to your site
Sponsored posting:
- Paid (you pay to be featured or to write advertorial content)
- More transactional and brand-driven
- May have limited SEO value (some links are marked “nofollow”)
- Can come off as self-promotional
While both types of posts have their place in a marketing plan, guest posting is better for long-term brand authority and organic traffic. You’re earning trust, not renting attention.
Make guest posting part of your content strategy
Guest posting isn’t flashy. It won’t get you trending on social. But it works. It helps you show up in front of new people who actually care about what you’re teaching.
Guest posting helps you:
- Get discovered by new audiences
- Establish trust and authority in your niche
- Drive traffic to your Teachable course, long after the post is live
So if you’ve been relying solely on Instagram, TikTok, or email blasts to grow your audience, guest posting may be the missing piece in your marketing strategy.
And best of all, this strategy doesn’t require dancing, trending audio, or fighting for likes. Hallelujah! Visibility doesn’t have to be exhausting. It can be intentional, strategic, and evergreen… just like the courses you’re building on Teachable.
If you’re a creator looking for more consistent traffic and a better way to grow your course, guest posting might be worth your time. You don’t need to do it every week; even one solid guest post per month can start to make a difference.
So make a short list of blogs or newsletters that speak to your ideal students, come up with three post ideas that connect to your course, and send that first pitch. You might be surprised where it takes you.
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