Publishers decline most briefs in under a minute. Not because the topic was wrong, but because the brief did not answer the three questions an editor asks: does this fit my audience, will it need rewriting, and is this an advert wearing a costume?
What an editor is deciding
Editors are not evaluating your marketing goals. They are protecting a publication. A brief that reads as if it were written for your campaign rather than their readers announces itself immediately.
The three questions, in the order they get asked:
- Does this belong on my site? Topic fit, audience fit, and whether they have covered it recently.
- How much work will this cost me? Editors have limited time. A brief implying heavy editing loses to one that does not.
- Is the link the actual point? If the topic exists only to justify a link, it shows, and it damages the site.
A structure that works
The angle, in one sentence
Not the topic. The angle. "Guest posting" is a topic. "Why most guest post links stop working within a year, and what the data shows about which ones survive" is an angle. Topics get declined; angles get read.
Why this publication
Two sentences showing you have read the site. Reference a specific post and explain what yours adds or where it disagrees. This single element separates real pitches from mass mail more reliably than anything else.
The outline
Four to six section headings with a line each. This is what lets the editor judge fit in seconds, and it is the part most pitches leave out.
What you bring that a staff writer cannot
Original data, direct operational experience, or access to people worth quoting. If the answer is "nothing", the brief is asking the publisher to accept a link in exchange for content they could have written better themselves.
The link, stated plainly
Name the target URL, the anchor you would like, and where in the piece it fits naturally. Hiding this until after acceptance wastes both parties' time and is the fastest way to lose a publisher permanently.
Practical details
Word count, delivery date, whether you supply images, and whether you are open to editorial changes. Say yes to that last one.
What gets a brief declined immediately
- No evidence you read the site. "I love your blog" is not evidence.
- Three unrelated topic options. This tells the editor you have no angle and are fishing.
- A topic already covered. One search would have caught it.
- Multiple links in the ask. One contextual link is a conversation. Four is a transaction.
- Exact-match anchor text demanded up front. Reads as manipulation, and any editor will change it anyway.
- Content that is really a product page. If your product appears in the first two sections, it is an advert.
Briefing when you are buying a placement
Paying for the placement changes the negotiation but not the standard. The publisher is putting it on their domain, and a piece that damages their site is a problem for both of you.
When ordering, be precise about the things that cause disputes later:
- The exact target URL, including protocol and trailing slash.
- The anchor text you want, and an acceptable alternative if the editor objects.
- The rel attribute you expect.
- Whether the post will be marked as sponsored.
- Who writes it, and what happens if the draft needs revision.
All of these belong on the order record rather than in a chat thread, so that if the delivered post differs there is a factual reference rather than two recollections.
If you would rather not brief each publisher yourself
You can send one campaign brief describing your niche, authority targets, markets and budget, and have a shortlist prepared with pricing and availability confirmed before anything is commissioned.