How to Write an AI Guest Post

Last Reviewed

11th April 2023

📄 Summary
This process will show you how to use AI to assist in writing a Guest Post.

Please remember that this isn’t a “1-Click Process,” Even though we will be using AI, you will
need to edit, research, and guide ChatGPT throughout the process to ensure you are creating
something we are proud to put our name to.

Execution Time
30-45 Minutes

⏰ When To Run This Process

When creating a new Guest Post

Outcome
A high-quality, AI-assisted Guest post

Tools & Services

ChatGPT Plus
Grammarly
Process
This process will be broken down into 8 Steps:
1. General Guidelines on AI-assisted Guest Posts
2. Research
3. Outline
4. Introduction
5. Main Sections
6. Conclusion
7. Links
8. Editing

1. General Guidelines on AI-assisted Guest Posts

This guide is intended for people who may not have advanced writing abilities but will give you
the framework to create a high-quality Guest Post.

Please keep the following in mind while working your way through this process:

➔ ChatGPT will not write the entire post for you

➔ The post does not need to be as detailed as our own content
➔ However, it should be something we are proud to associate our name with
➔ If the post is for a high-authority website, consider asking someone from our writing
team to assist

This process assumes that you have a topic in mind already. If you do not have a topic, please
refer to our separate SOP on pitching a topic idea.

This process will use a blend of iterative AI prompts blended with human intervention to speed
up the process.

This process uses ChatGPT 4. At the time of writing, this is only available as part of the Plus tier
of ChatGPT. Refrain from using the free GPT 3.5 model to complete this process, as the results
will be subpar.

2. Research
Begin by preparing a document of research on the topic.
Research the prospect's site
Begin by researching the type of content that the prospect site produces. Aim to gauge things
like:

➔ Is the tone Formal, Informal, Funny, Serious, etc.?

➔ Is there a preferred article format, for example, many bullet points, lists, images, etc.?
➔ Who is the site’s primary audience? Experts, Novices, Hobbyists, etc.
➔ Common themes that occur on the site

Example
Site: Authorityhacker.com
The site uses an informal tone. They use jokes and memes often in their content and
provide serious information with a light tone.

Their content is split into small paragraphs, no longer than 2-3 lines per paragraph. They
also use short, snappy sentences. They use many personal pronouns, and the content is
written from the writer's POV.

Their audience seems to be knowledgeable online marketers who know much about the
industry but want to learn new things. They often use more complex language without
explaining what it means.

Example
Site: Thehoopsgeek.com
This site uses a semi-informal tone which emphasizes information first. They get to the
point quickly and efficiently without providing too much personal commentary.

They use short sections for each part of their articles. They use medium-length
paragraphs which go into great detail per each section. Their content speaks directly to
the reader.

They provide lots of technical detail in their content and cover topics that the non-
specialist might not first be interested in/realize are important.

Research the topic

Next, research essential points that need to be included within the article. Remember that we do
not intend to rank this article, so you will have a little more freedom to include what you want
compared to traditional SEO-based pieces.
Instead, we should aim to ensure that the article comes across as an authoritative source of
information and includes all the main points that the host site would expect in such an article.

Google the article's topic and review the top 4-5 pieces. Make a note of common topics that
come up in these articles.

Alongside this, include information on the format of the post and any particular trends that
occur.

Example
Topic: “How to write a letter of recommendation.”
- How to format the letter
- Templates and examples
- “Top tips”
- Difference between a letter of recommendation and a reference letter
- Important things to include
- How to highlight their attributes and qualities
- How to conclude
Most of these articles are in a “How-To” style format with a step-by-step list of things to
include from start to finish. The topic should include examples with placeholder text that
readers can copy and paste.

Example
Topic: “How to get rid of a grease stain.”
- Using dish detergent
- Using Baking soda
- Using baby powder
- Using cornstarch
- How to remove older stains
- Tips for future stains
- How to treat a fresh stain
This topic contains multiple solutions. Each solution has its Pros and Cons, which are
highlighted. Each method has an exact process, which differs depending on the solution.

Remember that, as a Guest Post. It does not have to be super detailed as long as it includes all
the most common, expected topics.

We do not know how well ChatGPT will interpret these prompts at this stage, so we can always
add additional research later if necessary. We want to avoid adding too much detail at this
stage if it isn’t required to increase efficiency.
3. Outline
Armed with this information, we will not go into ChatGPT and prompt it to create an outline
using all the information you have gathered.

We will use the following prompt:

🤖 Prompt
I am writing an article on [topic] for [website]. Please create an outline for the article for
me. Here are the main points that should be included in the article:
[Paste your research here]

The exact output will vary, but you should then receive an outline that looks something like this:

At this stage, manually review each point and ensure it includes all the important points brought
up during your research.

Add new sections, remove unnecessary ones, and reorder things as appropriate.
 Example
It doesn’t make sense to tell people how to blot a stain and then later tell them they
should have selected the correct method and checked their label in this outline:

II. How to Treat a Fresh Stain

A. Blotting the stain
B. Selecting the appropriate method for your fabric
C. Testing stain removal methods on an inconspicuous area

Instead, we will rework this section.

II. Preparing to remove a stain

A. Selecting the appropriate method for your fabric
B. Testing stain removal methods on an inconspicuous area
III. How to treat a fresh stain

You must apply human common sense to the AI-generated outline here.

4. Introduction
Next, we will begin by writing the introduction. This is where the research on the prospect’s site
comes into play.

If the outline has called for specific points to be made in the intro, include these in the
introduction prompt.

🤖 Prompt
Help me write an article for [website] on [topic]. I want to ensure the article matches its
tone and style, so please keep the following in mind [Paste Your Research]. Let’s start with
just the introduction. The introduction should include information on [Topic from Outline].
There is a good chance that the first response will be average at best. This is where iterative
prompting can be used to improve the response.

In this example, the response is a bit too long and comes across as generic. So we will ask it to
improve with the following prompt:

🤖 Prompt
This sounds a bit generic. Make it more personal and make it about 25% shorter.

A few other prompts you could use might be:

 🤖 Prompt
Include more personal anecdotes

🤖 Prompt
Rewrite this to keep the audience in mind. They are experts on the topic, so already know
the basics

🤖 Prompt
Make me sound a bit more knowledgeable on the topic

Iterate on this until you are happy with the result.

5. Main Sections
Now, we can move on to the main sections of the article. We want to do this section-by-section
using the outline it provided us.

If you are working to a specific word count, you can also prompt it to stick within those limits.

🤖 Prompt
Keeping my guidelines in mind, please proceed to write the first section of the article on
[topic]. Try to keep this section under [X] Words
Bear in mind that the output will likely not be formatted appropriately. Copy the text into a Doc
and add the appropriate heading structure and formatting.

This is also an excellent opportunity to thoroughly check the text and clean up anything that
looks wrong. For example, the headings may be too long or hard to understand.
Simply repeat this process for each of the main sections that have been outlined, adjusting and
checking as you go.

Remember to pay close attention to any facts stated and verify them manually.

6. Conclusion
Once the main sections of the article have been written, checked, and formatted, we will use one
last prompt to finish the AI-assisted section of the article.

🤖 Prompt
Finish this article with a summary of everything taught and the key takeaways. Keep it
concise.

You may want to keep any special instructions provided by the site in mind, for example, if
they’ve asked you to include a specific Call to Action, etc.
7. Links
Now we want to manually add links to the article. There are 3 types of links we’ll be adding:

1. Internal links to other articles on the prospect's site

2. Links to our website
3. Links to verify sources and claims

Internal links to other articles on the prospect's site

Adding internal links to other articles on the prospect's sites can help to boost their trust in our
diligence.

There is no exact science to inserting links, so you may need to review a few different topics
before finding a decent internal linking opportunity.

Start by picking out a topic for your article. For example, “stain removal.”

Then go to Google and use the following search operator: Site:[prospectssite.com] topic

Example
site:goodhousekeeping.com stain removal

Identify articles that are relevant and add them to your topic. If you find a good fit, add it as a
link.

Aim to add around 2 to 3 internal links per article.

Links to our website

Ensure that a link to our website is included naturally in the article.

Please speak to your manager first to identify which links should be included in the article.

Position
First, there are several places to include one of the links.

Start by trying to include a link in the first two paragraphs of the article where there is a natural
fit. Generally speaking, it is best to link to a hub page where possible.

Then, try to naturally insert 1-2 links in the body of the article. Get familiar with the Link Target
list and follow the guidance below on Anchor Text and Context to assist.
Context
The context of the article about the link being inserted is essential. Avoid making strenuous
links just to insert one of the top link targets.

A few examples of good and bad inserts might be:

Example - Poor Context

Article Title Insertion

The best tents for camping “…so make sure to pack lots of dog food for
the trip…”

How to get started with affiliate marketing “…and that’s why we recommend buying a new
office chair…”

10 Tips for house training your dog “...don’t forget to repaint your walls when your
dog chews them…”

Instead, try to link to articles that are more relevant to the article on a broader level.

Example - Good Context

Article Title Insertion

The best tents for camping “...and don’t forget to pack suitable hiking gear
for your dog…”

How to get started with affiliate marketing “...since affiliate marketing is 100% online
based, ask yourself whether you have a proper
computer setup…”

10 Tips for house training your dog “...and consider investing in more durable
paints to avoid unsightly scratch marks…”

This will require a degree of judgment, so consider making the link insertion as contextual as
possible.

Anchor Text
Alongside the context of the link being inserted, think about how it is inserted.

The sentences surrounding the text should flow naturally, and the link should never look out of
place. Consider rewriting specific paragraphs or sentences to add the link.
Never use text such as “Click here” or “Learn More.” Instead, try to include the article's keyword
or a variation where possible.
Example - Bad Anchor Text
Our Article Anchor Text

Best dog food for big dogs “...so remember to pack the best dog food for
big dogs when you’re hiking…”

Active Campaign Review “...oh, and while you’re here, check out this
Active Campaign Review…”

Coleman 5-person tent alternatives “...click here to see alternatives…”

Example - Good Anchor Text

Our Article Anchor Text

Best dog food for big dogs “...and if you’re hiking with a big dog,
remember to pack plenty of food!”

Active Campaign Review “...if you’re disappointed in the lack of

features, I’d recommend looking into Active
Campaign…”

Coleman 5-person tent alternatives “...there are a few alternatives to the Coleman
5-person tent…”

Links to verify sources and claims

Finally, we want to fact-check our article and ensure our claims are valid and backed up.

As a rule of thumb, all of the following types of claims should be sourced:

➔ Facts and figures (e.g., 24% of Americans believe…)

➔ Statements that could impact the user's health or wellness (e.g., In small quantities,
Chlorine is harmless)
➔ Statements posed as fact (e.g., Tiger Woods is the worlds top performing golfer)

When deciding where to source information, aim to link to reputable, high-quality sites.

Government websites, Official bodies, or industry experts are the best option where possible.
Avoid linking out to crowdsource sites like Wikipedia or Reddit.

8. Editing
Finally, we want to edit the article to ensure correct grammar and spelling.
We recommend using the Grammarly plugin for this.

While Grammarly makes on-the-fly suggestions in a Doc, we recommend using their full editor
to ensure everything is correct. To do this, click on the Grammarly icon at the bottom right-hand
corner of the document.

Go through each suggestion one by one, checking the integrity of the article.

Once complete, the article is ready to be submitted.