Finding websites that accept guest posts is easy. Finding genuine free guest posting sites for backlinks that are active, relevant, and worth your time is much harder.
Large lists often contain a mixture of real contributor programs, outdated submission pages, paid placements, restricted opportunities, and websites that accept almost any topic. That makes the number of listed domains less useful than it first appears.
This guide takes a different approach.
Instead of treating every “Write for Us” page as a backlink opportunity, we look at the publisher’s current contribution process, editorial requirements, topical fit, and approach to links. The goal is to help you identify opportunities where your content can provide real value while giving you a practical way to evaluate additional sites yourself.
Important: A free guest post does not guarantee a dofollow link, ranking improvement, or any particular SEO outcome. The publisher controls its editorial and linking policies, and search engines evaluate links in the context of the content and website.
Verified Free Guest Posting Sites for Backlinks
The opportunities below were checked against current publisher information in September 2026. They are not identical types of guest-posting opportunities, so the table distinguishes between editorial submissions, contributor applications, pitches, and publishing platforms.
| Guest Posting Site | Best For | Contribution Model | Free Status | Link / Editorial Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudways | WordPress, hosting, web development, marketing | Topic + outline approval | Free contributor route | Current guidelines allow up to two nofollow links |
| Analytics Insight | AI, technology, blockchain, data | Article submission | Free submission route | Original content required; promotional content restricted |
| CustomerThink | CX, B2B, leadership, business technology | Practitioner application | Free application | Firsthand professional experience is specifically required |
| eLearning Industry | Education, eLearning, training, HR | Author application | Free author route | Strong topical relevance required |
| Creative Bloq | Design, graphics, creative technology | Editorial pitch | Free contributor route | Focuses on expert ideas and relevant creative content |
| HackerNoon | Technology, startups, programming, AI | Contributor publishing | Free for individual writers | Technology-focused publishing platform with editorial review |
| Insteading | Gardening, homesteading, sustainability | Writer submission | Free contributor route | Best suited to closely related lifestyle topics |
1. Cloudways
Cloudways currently operates an active contributor program for its blog. Its process is editorial rather than an instant article-upload system: contributors choose an appropriate subject, submit an outline, and wait for approval before completing the article.
Its current guidelines specify a minimum article length of 1,500 words and require original, unpublished content. The guidelines also allow up to two nofollow links and require at least one relevant link to a Cloudways article.
Good topic areas include:
- WordPress
- Website hosting
- Website performance
- Web development
- Digital marketing
- SaaS
- Ecommerce
This is a useful example of why a guest-posting opportunity should be evaluated by its editorial process, not simply by whether it has a “Write for Us” page.
2. Analytics Insight
Analytics Insight currently provides a contributor submission route covering technology and related business subjects.
Its published requirements call for original content and provide specific expectations around article length, formatting, sources, and acceptable topics. It also states that promotional and advertorial-style material is not accepted.
Potential topic areas include:
- Artificial intelligence
- Blockchain
- Big data
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud technology
- Technology trends
- Data science
For a technology website, this type of opportunity can be more relevant than a generic backlink directory because the subject matter and audience already overlap.
3. CustomerThink
CustomerThink is an important example of a strictly editorial contributor opportunity.
Its current contributor page says it wants practitioners whose day-to-day work gives them firsthand experience with the subjects they write about. It specifically states that the opportunity is not intended for content marketers, SEO specialists, or digital marketers writing about subjects they do not actually practice. Applications are reviewed before contributors are invited to register.
Relevant subjects include:
- Customer experience
- Customer engagement
- B2B
- Leadership
- Business technology
- Sales
- Organizational strategy
This is not a website to approach with a generic article created only to obtain a link. A genuine expert contribution is much closer to what the publication is asking for.
4. eLearning Industry
eLearning Industry maintains a contributor route for people interested in becoming authors. Its current contact process directs prospective writers toward an author-registration route.
Good subject areas include:
- eLearning
- Online education
- Corporate training
- Learning technology
- Instructional design
- Employee development
- Education technology
The important qualification here is relevance. A website about SEO should not automatically submit to an education publication just because it accepts contributors. The proposed article should have a genuine connection to the publication’s audience.
5. Creative Bloq
Creative Bloq uses an editorial contributor model focused on creative and design subjects.
Rather than functioning like an open article directory, its contributor approach is based around suitable ideas, relevant expertise, and editorial fit.
Potential topics include:
- Graphic design
- Web design
- Illustration
- Typography
- 3D
- Creative software
- Photography
- Visual trends
For designers, creative professionals, and writers with relevant experience, this can represent a more meaningful opportunity than a general-purpose guest-posting website.
6. HackerNoon
HackerNoon is different from a traditional “submit an article to our editor” publication.
It operates a technology-focused contributor publishing ecosystem where individual writers can publish stories without paying a standard publishing fee. Its subject areas include software, programming, startups, AI, blockchain, and other technology topics.
Good topic areas include:
- Programming
- Artificial intelligence
- Software development
- Startups
- Blockchain
- Developer tools
- Cybersecurity
- Technology
Because the platform has its own publishing and editorial rules, it should be treated as a technology contributor platform, not simply as a place to insert backlinks.
7. Insteading
Insteading is a more niche-specific opportunity focused on subjects such as gardening, homesteading, sustainability, and related lifestyle topics.
That makes it useful for writers whose subject naturally overlaps with its audience.
Potential topics include:
- Gardening
- Sustainable living
- Homesteading
- Food growing
- Rural living
- Self-sufficiency
- Environmental practices
A niche publication like this illustrates an important principle: audience relevance can be more useful than simply collecting high-metric domains.
What Counts as a Free Guest Posting Site?
“Free guest posting” can describe several different publishing arrangements.
Understanding the difference prevents misleading prospect lists.
Free editorial submission
You can submit an article or pitch without paying a publishing fee.
The publisher still has the right to reject the content.
Free contributor application
Some publications require you to apply before you can contribute.
The application itself is free, but approval is not automatic.
Free publishing platform
Some websites allow individual writers to create and publish content through their own contributor systems.
This model is different from pitching an editor.
Free does not mean free backlink
This is one of the most important distinctions in guest posting.
A publisher can allow you to contribute without charging a fee while still:
- limiting external links;
- using nofollow attributes;
- allowing only relevant references;
- removing commercial URLs;
- restricting author-bio links;
- or deciding whether a link belongs in the final article.
Therefore, free publication and free SEO backlink are not interchangeable terms.
Why Large Guest Posting Lists Can Be Misleading
A list containing hundreds of domains may look impressive, but the quantity of domains doesn’t tell you whether those opportunities are currently usable.
A large database can contain:
- outdated contributor pages;
- websites that stopped accepting submissions;
- paid placements labelled as free;
- sites requiring memberships;
- unrelated publications;
- abandoned blogs;
- websites dominated by promotional content;
- and pages copied from older guest-posting lists.
That is why a smaller list based on current publisher information can be more useful than a huge unverified database.
The objective should be to find qualified publishing opportunities, not simply more URLs.
How We Evaluated These Opportunities
A useful guest-posting list needs a repeatable verification process.
1. Check the current submission route
The first question is whether the publisher currently provides a contributor, author, pitch, or submission route.
A page saying “Write for Us” is not enough by itself.
2. Check the publisher’s requirements
Look for information about:
- acceptable subjects;
- article length;
- originality;
- author requirements;
- external links;
- promotional content;
- images;
- citations;
- editorial review.
Detailed requirements are generally more useful than a page that simply says “send us your article.”
3. Check recent publishing activity
Open recent articles and determine whether the publication is still active.
A contributor page that has existed for years does not necessarily mean that new submissions are being accepted today.
4. Check topical relevance
Ask whether your proposed article belongs on the website.
A website can be legitimate and still be the wrong prospect for your campaign.
5. Review existing contributor content
Look at several articles rather than one.
Check:
- article quality;
- author information;
- topic consistency;
- external links;
- promotional language;
- editorial formatting.
6. Examine the link policy
Don’t assume that an accepted article automatically gives you a particular type of backlink.
Read the publisher’s current rules.
7. Separate editorial opportunities from paid placements
If a publisher offers sponsored articles for a fee, don’t automatically classify the site as a free guest-posting opportunity.
The editorial and commercial programs may have completely different terms.
What Makes a Free Guest Posting Site Worth Using?
A useful prospect normally passes several tests.
Topical relevance
The publication should reach people who could reasonably be interested in your subject.
Editorial quality
Read recent articles and assess whether the site publishes useful, well-structured material.
Active publishing
A currently active publication is generally more useful to investigate than a dormant website with an old submission page.
Clear contributor process
A defined editorial process gives you a better understanding of what the publisher expects.
Sensible outbound linking
Review how existing articles link externally.
If almost every article contains unrelated commercial links, that is a reason to investigate further.
Real audience value
Ask whether the publication could provide readers, exposure, credibility, or subject-matter relevance even without the backlink.
That question helps prevent link-first prospecting.
How to Find More Free Guest Posting Opportunities
Once you understand what a legitimate contributor opportunity looks like, you can discover additional prospects yourself.
Try search patterns such as:
"write for us" + niche"become a contributor" + niche"contributor guidelines" + niche"submit an article" + niche"contribute an article" + niche"guest contributor" + niche"author application" + niche"submit your story" + niche
For example, a SaaS writer could search:
"become a contributor" SaaS
A technology writer could search:
"contributor guidelines" technology
A gardening writer could search:
"write for us" gardening
The important part is what happens after the search.
Don’t immediately add every result to your spreadsheet. Open the website, inspect its recent content, read its requirements, and determine whether the opportunity is genuinely relevant. For a broader approach to researching and evaluating guest posting opportunities, see our guest posting sites for backlinks guide.
How to Verify a New Site Before You Submit
Use this quick qualification process.
Step 1: Open the official contributor page
Don’t rely solely on a third-party list.
Find the publisher’s own submission or contributor information.
Step 2: Check whether the page is current
Look for current requirements, active contact methods, recent contributor activity, or other signs that the program is still operating.
Step 3: Read five recent articles
This quickly reveals whether the site is:
- genuinely editorial;
- heavily promotional;
- inactive;
- broadly topical;
- or primarily built around guest submissions.
Step 4: Inspect external links
Look at how links are used in existing articles.
Ask whether references support the content or appear mainly to promote businesses.
Step 5: Confirm the cost
Check whether the publisher requires:
- payment;
- membership;
- sponsorship;
- advertising;
- or another commercial arrangement.
Don’t assume “contribute” means free.
Step 6: Check the audience
A relevant audience is usually more useful than an arbitrary metric.
Step 7: Record the result
Add the prospect to your spreadsheet only after it passes your qualification criteria.
Free Guest Posting vs. Paid Guest Posting
Free and paid publishing opportunities should not be treated as automatically good or bad.
The important difference is how the content and links are being used.
Google’s current spam policies identify link practices intended primarily to manipulate search rankings as link spam. The guidance specifically discusses paid links, excessive link exchanges, automated link creation, low-quality link sources, and certain paid guest-post or advertorial arrangements where links pass ranking credit. Google also says paid advertising links can be used when appropriately qualified with nofollow or sponsored.
Google’s current site-reputation guidance also addresses situations where third-party content is placed on an established website primarily to exploit that site’s existing ranking signals.
For publishers and marketers, the practical takeaway is simple:
Create content for the publication’s readers first. Treat the link as a relevant reference, not as the sole reason the article exists.
For the full policy, see Google’s current link-spam guidance.
How to Write a Guest Post That Gets Accepted
Finding a publisher is only half the job.
The quality and relevance of your proposed article determine whether the opportunity is worth pursuing.
Research the publication first
Read several recent articles.
Identify:
- recurring subjects;
- content gaps;
- preferred article formats;
- audience questions;
- writing style;
- level of expertise.
Pitch a specific idea
Avoid:
“I want to write an article about marketing.”
Instead, propose something specific enough for an editor to understand its value.
For example:
“A Practical Content Audit Framework for Small SaaS Teams”
The second approach gives the publisher a clearer reason to consider the pitch.
Make the article publication-specific
Don’t take an existing article from your own website and change a few sentences.
Build the contribution around the target publication’s audience.
Give readers something useful
Strong guest articles can include:
- original examples;
- practical frameworks;
- step-by-step processes;
- first-hand observations;
- comparisons;
- case examples;
- useful data;
- expert explanations.
Keep promotional material limited
If every paragraph leads back to your company, product, or website, the article starts looking like advertising.
The article should remain useful even if your backlink is removed.
How to Use a Backlink Naturally
A backlink should help the reader understand something, investigate a related topic, or access a useful resource.
Choose the destination before the anchor
First decide which page genuinely supports the article.
Possible destinations include:
- detailed guides;
- research;
- tutorials;
- original studies;
- tools;
- case studies;
- useful resources.
Then write the surrounding sentence naturally.
Don’t force an exact-match keyword
An anchor should describe the destination and fit the sentence.
It can be:
- branded;
- descriptive;
- partial-match;
- topical;
- or naturally phrased.
There is no need to repeat one commercial keyword as anchor text across every guest contribution.
Keep the link relevant
If the article is about WordPress performance, a link to an unrelated business directory makes little sense.
If the article discusses how marketers research publishing opportunities, a detailed resource about evaluating those opportunities can be relevant.
Context should determine the link—not the other way around.
Common Guest Posting Mistakes
Chasing the highest DA
Third-party metrics can help with prospecting, but they don’t replace editorial and topical evaluation.
Building a huge list without verification
A spreadsheet containing 500 outdated websites isn’t a useful prospect database.
Treating every “Write for Us” page equally
Contributor models differ considerably.
Assuming every backlink is dofollow
Link attributes are controlled by the publisher.
Using the same article everywhere
Create original content suited to each publication.
Reusing the same anchor repeatedly
Natural variation is preferable to mechanically forcing one keyword.
Writing for the backlink instead of the reader
If the article has no value without the link, the strategy needs reconsideration.
Ignoring editorial restrictions
A publisher may reject an otherwise good article because it violates its link, topic, length, or promotional rules.
Paying without understanding the arrangement
If payment is involved, determine whether you’re dealing with advertising, sponsorship, or an editorial contribution and understand how links are treated.
A Simple Guest Post Prospecting Sheet
A spreadsheet can make the process much easier to manage.
| Field | What to Record |
|---|---|
| Website | Publisher domain |
| Niche | Main subject |
| Submission Page | Current official contributor URL |
| Contribution Type | Pitch, application, submission, platform |
| Free/Paid | Current publishing status |
| Link Policy | Publisher’s stated rules |
| Content Requirements | Length, format, topic restrictions |
| Recent Activity | Latest relevant publication |
| Topic Fit | Strong, moderate, weak |
| Pitch Date | Date submitted |
| Response | Accepted, rejected, pending |
| Published URL | Final article |
| Destination URL | Your linked resource |
| Anchor Text | Final published anchor |
| Notes | Editorial or campaign details |
This approach also makes it easier to recheck sites later because contributor policies can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are free guest posting sites useful for backlinks?
They can be useful when the publication is relevant, the content is genuinely valuable, and the link naturally belongs in the article. However, free publication does not guarantee a particular backlink attribute or ranking result.
Are all guest posting sites free?
No. Some accept free editorial contributions, some require applications, some operate contributor platforms, and others sell sponsored placements.
Always verify the current publisher terms.
Does a free guest post guarantee a dofollow backlink?
No. A publisher can accept an article without allowing a dofollow link. Some publishers use nofollow links or impose their own editorial restrictions.
Should I choose sites based on DA or DR?
Use third-party metrics as supporting information rather than the primary qualification.
Topical relevance, editorial quality, audience fit, activity, and linking practices also matter.
How many free guest posts should I publish?
There is no universal number that guarantees an SEO result. A smaller number of relevant, useful contributions can be more sensible than publishing large quantities of low-value articles.
Can I use a commercial link in a guest post?
Only when it fits the publisher’s current rules and genuinely helps readers. Some publications restrict commercial or promotional links.
Is guest posting the same as link building?
Not exactly.
Guest publishing can support link acquisition, but a genuine guest article also has a publishing, audience, and content value beyond the backlink.
What should I check before submitting?
At minimum, check:
- Whether the contributor program is active.
- Whether submission is actually free.
- Whether your topic fits.
- Whether the publisher has recent activity.
- What its link policy says.
- Whether the existing content meets a reasonable editorial standard.
Final Takeaway
The best way to approach free guest posting sites for backlinks is not to collect as many domains as possible.
Start with relevance.
Then evaluate the publication’s editorial standards, current contribution process, audience, activity, and link policies. Only after those checks should you decide whether the opportunity belongs in your prospect list.
The verified examples in this guide also show that “guest posting site” can mean different things. Cloudways uses an outline-and-approval process; CustomerThink requires firsthand professional expertise; Analytics Insight has defined content requirements; eLearning Industry provides an author route; Creative Bloq uses an editorial contributor model; and HackerNoon operates a technology-focused contributor publishing platform.
That is why a carefully checked list of relevant opportunities is more useful than a huge collection of unverified domains.
Find the right publication, create something worth publishing, and let the backlink remain a natural part of the contribution—not the entire purpose of it.