Write for Us Page Template: Guest Post Guidelines That Filter Out Spam

A write for us page tells writers what you publish, how to pitch, and what happens to their links, and a good one also tells spammers to go away without you having to answer them. Below is a complete template you can paste into WordPress or any CMS, followed by the reasoning behind each section and a checklist for reviewing what comes in.

Published: 2026-10-23 · 8 min read · Satelo

What a write for us page has to do

Most "write for us" pages are either a single line ("Email us your ideas!") or a wall of rules nobody reads. Both attract the same thing: dozens of near-identical pitches offering "high-quality, SEO-optimized content" in exchange for a dofollow link.

A page that works does four jobs:

1. Attracts the right writers by being specific about topics, audience, and format.
2. Filters the wrong ones by stating your link policy and requiring proof of effort.
3. Protects your site by keeping you on the right side of Google's link policies and disclosure rules.
4. Saves your time with a fixed submission format you can review in two minutes.

Google is explicit that accepting guest articles is fine in itself. In its post on links in large-scale article campaigns, Google says it does not discourage guest posts that inform users or educate another site's audience, and warns that when a site publishes articles with spammy links, "this may change Google's perception of the quality of the site." That second sentence is why your guidelines exist.

The template (copy, paste, edit the brackets)

Replace everything in [brackets]. Delete any section that doesn't apply. The structure matters more than the wording.

Write for [Site Name]

[Site Name] publishes practical guides for [audience, e.g. "people who run small online stores"]. We're looking for writers who have done the thing they write about and can show it.

What we publish

• Topics: [3–6 specific topics, e.g. "inventory management for one-person shops", "email marketing on a $0 budget"].
• Format: how-to guides, honest tool comparisons, and lessons from your own projects.
• Length: [1,200–2,500] words. Long enough to be complete, not padded.
• Original only: not published anywhere else, including your own site. Lightly AI-assisted drafts are fine if a human with real experience wrote and checked them; unedited AI output is not.

What we don't publish

• Topics outside the list above, including [casino, CBD, essay writing, crypto signals, etc.].
• Generic listicles ("10 tips for success") without first-hand detail.
• Articles written mainly to hold a link.

Our link policy

• You may include one link to your own site in your author bio. In the body, links are allowed only where they genuinely help the reader, and we may remove or change any link.
• We don't sell links and we don't accept payment, products, or link swaps for publication. [Or, if you do run paid placements: "Paid or sponsored articles are labeled 'Sponsored' at the top and all links in them carry rel="sponsored"."]
• Links to sources and tools you mention are welcome. Affiliate links are not allowed [or: "must be disclosed and are marked rel="sponsored""].
• We decide link attributes. Don't ask for "dofollow"; pitches that do are deleted.

How to pitch

Email [editor@yoursite.com] with the subject line "Pitch: [your headline]" and include:

1. Your proposed headline and a 3–5 line outline.
2. Why you're the right person to write it (one or two sentences about your experience).
3. Links to two articles you've written, ideally on other sites.
4. Which existing [Site Name] article your piece would complement (proof you read us).

Please don't send finished articles or attachments. We reply to pitches we want to commission within [10 business days]; if you don't hear from us, it's a no, and you're free to pitch elsewhere.

What happens after we accept

• We edit for clarity, accuracy, and length, and send you the final version before publishing.
• You'll be credited with a byline and short bio [with photo].
• Once published, the article stays on [Site Name]. Please don't republish it in full elsewhere; quoting a short excerpt with a link is fine.

Thanks for helping make [Site Name] more useful.

Why each section is there

"What we publish": specificity filters by itself

A writer who actually runs an online store will recognize "inventory management for one-person shops" as their topic. A content mill sees nothing to copy. Vague topic lists ("business, tech, lifestyle") invite pitches about anything.

"What we don't publish": name the spam niches

If you've had a write for us page for more than a month, you know which niches keep pitching you. Name them. It costs nothing and stops a whole category of emails.

Link policy: the most important section

This is where most templates go wrong, either by saying nothing or by promising "a dofollow link in the body". Promising a followed link in exchange for content is exactly the trade Google describes as link spam: its spam policies list exchanging goods or services for links. An article is a service.

The same page says paid links are fine when they're qualified with rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored". So you have two honest options:

• Editorial guest posts: you publish for free because the article is good; a bio link is a normal credit, and you keep control of every link.
• Sponsored posts: someone pays (money, a product, a swap); the article is labeled and every commercial link gets rel="sponsored".

What you can't do honestly is the hybrid that most "write for us" pages quietly run: charging a "publication fee" while presenting the post as editorial with followed links. For the difference between the attributes, see nofollow vs sponsored vs UGC.

Disclosure line: put it above the headline

If you run sponsored posts, readers need to know before they read. The FTC's native advertising guide lists terms consumers are likely to understand, such as "Ad", "Advertisement", "Paid Advertisement", and "Sponsored Advertising Content"; it advises placing the disclosure in front of or above the headline, and calls "Promoted" and "Promoted Stories" at best ambiguous. A simple line at the top works:

Sponsored: This article was paid for by [Company]. Links to [Company] are marked as sponsored.

Our sponsored content disclosure rules post goes through placement and wording in more detail.

"How to pitch": make effort the price of entry

Asking which existing article the pitch complements is the single best spam filter we know. Mass senders can't answer it without reading your site, and real writers answer it in one line. Asking for an outline instead of a finished article saves you from reading 2,000 words you'll reject.

"If you don't hear from us, it's a no"

You'll never answer everything. Saying so up front is kinder than silence and stops follow-up chains.

A two-minute review checklist

Google's own suggested vetting questions for sites that accept articles are short: Do I know this person? Does their message fit my audience? Does the article contain useful content? If there are links of questionable intent, are they qualified? Here is that idea turned into a scoring sheet. Give one point per "yes".

For illustration: a pitch scoring 6–7 gets a reply; 4–5 gets a request for a better outline; 3 or fewer gets archived without a reply. Adjust thresholds to your volume.

For the last check, run the writer's domain through Satelo's free Quality Score. It's built mostly from open data and shows the evidence behind each number, which is enough to spot a domain that exists only to sell links.

Before you publish: link review

Once an article is accepted, go through every link:

1. Does it help the reader at that exact spot? If not, remove it.
2. Is the anchor text natural ("this guide to pricing") rather than keyword-stuffed ("best cheap running shoes online")? Google's article campaign post lists keyword-rich links as a warning sign.
3. Is any link commercial, paid, or affiliate? Mark it rel="sponsored".
4. Is the same article published elsewhere? If yes, decline it or require a canonical arrangement.

After publishing, paste the URL into our sponsored link checker to confirm the attributes made it through your CMS and caching plugins.

Where to put the page and how to name it

• URL: /write-for-us/ is the convention; writers search for it with queries like "[topic]" "write for us", so the phrase in the title helps the right people find you.
• Navigation: footer link is enough. You want writers who look, not every visitor.
• Contact: use a separate mailbox or a form with required fields. A form with a "Which of our articles does this complement?" field enforces the format for you.
• Review it every six months: update topics and the "don't publish" list based on what you actually received.

Running WordPress? Our roundup of guest post plugins for WordPress covers front-end submission forms that can enforce these fields.

Variations by site type

What to do next

A good write for us page brings fewer, better pitches. If you'd rather skip the inbox entirely, Satelo matches you with sites of a similar level and topic for article exchanges in a circle (never a direct swap), and every exchange link is rel="sponsored". It's a public beta, so the network is small for now. If you're on WordPress, connect the Satelo plugin: one-click sign-in, and accepted partner articles publish automatically with the right link attributes, so you don't hand-check every post.

FAQ

What should a write for us page include?

Topics you accept, topics you don't, length and format, your link policy, exact pitch instructions, response time, and what happens after acceptance. The link policy and pitch format do most of the spam filtering.

Is having a write for us page bad for SEO?

No. Google says it doesn't discourage guest articles that inform or educate an audience. The risk comes from publishing articles with spammy or paid links that aren't qualified with rel="sponsored" or nofollow.

Should guest post links be dofollow?

Editorial links you choose to keep can stay normal. Any link that was paid for, traded, or is affiliate should carry rel="sponsored". Promising followed links in exchange for content is the trade Google calls link spam.

How do I stop spam guest post pitches?

Name the niches you reject, require a specific subject line, ask which existing article the pitch complements, and state that you don't sell links. Mass senders rarely follow these steps.

Can I charge for guest posts?

You can sell sponsored posts, but label them as sponsored above the headline and mark the paid links rel="sponsored". Don't present paid posts as editorial.

Where should I link my write for us page?

The footer is usually enough. Use a clear URL like /write-for-us/ and include the phrase in the page title so writers searching for opportunities in your niche can find it.

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