Getting published on Forbes—or any other high-authority publication—is a dream for many writers, entrepreneurs, and marketers. But breaking into these elite platforms isn’t just about writing well; it’s about strategy, persistence, and knowing the right moves to make.
After pitching dozens of times, refining my approach, and learning from both failures and successes, I finally cracked the code—not once, but twice. In this post, I’ll share the seven guest posting hacks that helped me land features on Forbes and how you can replicate this success for your own brand or business.
1. Reverse-Engineer the Perfect Post
Before pitching, I spent hours studying Forbes’ most popular articles. I analyzed:
- Headline structure (character count, use of numbers, trending keywords)
- Word count (long-form vs. short-form preferences)
- Tone (formal vs. conversational)
- Subheadings and formatting (how they break down complex topics)
- Backlinks and data points (how many external sources they cite)
By reverse-engineering their best-performing content, I crafted a pitch that matched their style—not mine. This data-driven approach increased my chances of acceptance .
Example:
If Forbes frequently publishes "How to [Trending Topic]" articles with 1,500+ words, I’d pitch a similarly structured piece with fresh insights.
2. Skip the Pitch—Send a Finished Article
Most guest bloggers make the mistake of sending vague topic ideas. Instead, I wrote the full article first and attached it to my pitch.
Why? Because:
- Editors are overwhelmed with pitches—they want ready-to-publish content.
- A finished piece shows you’re serious, professional, and capable of meeting their standards.
- It eliminates the back-and-forth of topic approvals .
Include a brief note: "I’ve attached a draft tailored to your audience. If the angle doesn’t fit, I’m happy to adjust."
3. Leverage Trending Topics (With a Twist)
Forbes loves timely, relevant content—but so does every other contributor. To stand out, I paired trending topics with unique angles.
Example:When AI was dominating headlines, instead of writing "How AI Will Change Marketing," I pitched:
"Why 80% of AI Marketing Tools Fail (And How to Avoid Them)"
This approach combined trend relevance with contrarian insight, making it irresistible to editors .
4. Build Relationships Before Pitching
Cold pitching works, but warm outreach works better. Before submitting, I:
- Engaged with Forbes contributors on LinkedIn/Twitter.
- Commented thoughtfully on their articles.
- Mentioned their past work in my pitch ("Loved your piece on X—it inspired this take on Y").
This positioned me as a collaborator, not just another random writer .
5. Use Strategic Backlinks (But Don’t Overdo It)
Forbes allows author bio backlinks, but I also included 1-2 contextual links to high-quality sources (including my own research).
Key rules:
- Link only to credible sources (studies, Forbes archives, industry reports).
- Avoid self-promotion—links should add value, not advertise.
- If citing my work, I framed it as "As I explored in [my study]…" rather than "Check out my site!" .
6. Follow Up (Without Being Annoying)
Editors miss emails. My rule:
- First follow-up: 7 days later (polite + concise).
- Second follow-up: 14 days later (if no response, I moved on).
"Hi [Name], just circling back on my submission below. If it’s not a fit, I’d love feedback to improve future pitches. Thanks for your time!"
Persistence pays, but respect their inbox .
7. Repurpose Success Into More Opportunities
Once published, I:
- Shared the article across all social platforms (tagging Forbes).
- Turned key points into LinkedIn posts/Twitter threads.
- Added "As featured in Forbes" to my website/bio.
This social proof led to invites from other major outlets—creating a snowball effect .
Conclusion
Landing a Forbes feature isn’t about luck—it’s about strategy, research, and execution. By reverse-engineering their content, sending finished articles, leveraging trends, and building relationships, I turned a long-shot dream into a repeatable process.
Pick one hack to implement in your next pitch. Consistency beats perfection—start small, refine, and keep pitching. Who knows? Your byline could be next.){kind=link}