5 Free Tools to Find Guest Post Opportunities in 5 Minutes

Guest posting remains one of the most effective ways to build backlinks, establish authority, and drive referral traffic. However, finding high-quality guest post opportunities can be time-consuming—unless you know the right tools.

The good news? You don’t need a paid subscription to uncover valuable guest blogging sites. With the right free tools, you can identify guest post opportunities in just five minutes—saving hours of manual research.

In this guide, we’ll explore five powerful free tools that streamline the process, helping you discover relevant, high-authority blogs in your niche quickly. Whether you're an SEO specialist, blogger, or marketer, these tools will supercharge your outreach strategy.

1. Google Search Operators

Why It Works

Google’s advanced search operators allow you to filter results to find websites explicitly accepting guest posts. By using specific keyword combinations, you can uncover hidden opportunities that most people miss.

How to Use It

Enter these search queries in Google (replace "your niche" with your industry):

• "your niche" + "write for us"
• "your niche" + "guest post guidelines"
• "your niche" + "submit a guest post"
• "your niche" + "become a contributor"

Example:

Searching "digital marketing" + "write for us" returns sites like Search Engine Journal and HubSpot Blog—both of which accept guest contributions .

Pro Tip

• Use site:.edu or site:.gov to find academic or government sites for niche-specific guest posting.

2. The Upper Ranks’ Free Guest Post Prospecting Tool

Why It Works

This tool simplifies prospecting by scanning Google for websites that have previously published guest posts in your industry. It eliminates guesswork and delivers a curated list in seconds .

How to Use It

1. Visit The Upper Ranks’ Guest Post Prospecting Tool.
2. Enter your keyword (e.g., "health and wellness").
3. Review the list of sites and check their submission guidelines.

Example:

A search for "fitness" reveals blogs like Breaking Muscle and MyFitnessPal, which accept guest posts.

Pro Tip

• Export results to a spreadsheet and track outreach responses for better organization.

3. Ahrefs’ Free Backlink Checker

Why It Works

While Ahrefs is primarily a paid SEO tool, its free backlink checker lets you analyze competitors’ backlinks—revealing where they’ve secured guest posts. This helps you identify high-authority sites in your niche .

How to Use It

1. Go to Ahrefs’ Backlink Checker.
2. Enter a competitor’s URL (e.g., backlinko.com).
3. Filter by "dofollow" links to find guest post opportunities.

Example:

Analyzing Backlinko shows guest posts on HubSpot and Search Engine Journal, indicating these sites accept contributions.

Pro Tip

• Look for sites with a Domain Rating (DR) above 70 for stronger SEO value.

4. BuzzSumo’s Free Content Explorer

Why It Works

BuzzSumo’s free version lets you discover top-performing content in your niche. By identifying popular articles, you can reverse-engineer guest post opportunities on those sites .

How to Use It

1. Visit BuzzSumo and enter a topic (e.g., "content marketing").
2. Sort by "Evergreen" to find long-standing high-traffic posts.
3. Note the publishing sites and check their guest post guidelines.

Example:

A search for "SEO tips" highlights posts from Moz and SEMrush, both of which accept guest contributions.

Pro Tip

• Target articles with high social shares, as they indicate engaged audiences.

5. Medium’s Tag Search

Why It Works

Medium is a goldmine for guest posting, with many publications openly accepting submissions. Using tag searches, you can quickly find relevant blogs in your niche .

How to Use It

1. Go to Medium and search for a tag (e.g., "startups").
2. Click on "Publications" to find curated blogs.
3. Check their submission guidelines (often listed in the About section).

Example:

Searching "productivity" reveals publications like The Startup and Better Humans, which welcome guest posts.

Pro Tip

• Prioritize Medium publications with 10K+ followers for maximum exposure.

Bonus: Advanced Tactics for Faster Results

1. Use LinkedIn Search

• Filter by "Posts" and keywords like "guest post" to find bloggers seeking contributors.

Monitor HARO (Help a Reporter Out)

• Journalists often source experts for quotes, which can lead to guest post invitations.

Leverage Reddit Threads

• Subreddits like r/GuestPost and r/Blogging share active opportunities.

Conclusion

Finding guest post opportunities doesn’t have to take hours. With these five free tools, you can uncover high-quality sites in minutes:

1. Google Search Operators – Quick, manual filtering.
2. Upper Ranks’ Prospecting Tool – Automated guest post discovery.
3. Ahrefs’ Backlink Checker – Spy on competitors’ links.
4. BuzzSumo – Find trending content and contributor-friendly sites.
5. Medium Tag Search – Access open submission platforms.

By incorporating these tools into your workflow, you’ll save time, improve outreach efficiency, and secure more high-authority backlinks. Start exploring today—your next guest post opportunity is just five minutes away!

Ready to boost your SEO with guest posting? Pick one tool from this list and test it now. The faster you act, the quicker you’ll see results!