The guest post pitch
The most-used outreach email template and the most-ignored, because most versions of it lead with what the sender wants. The version that works names a specific post on their site, proposes a topic that fills a gap next to it, and offers to write the whole thing. One ask, under 150 words.
The link insertion request
Easier to say yes to than a guest post, because it costs the editor a two-minute edit rather than a publishing decision. Point at a specific paragraph on a specific published page, explain what your resource adds for their reader, and make the relevance obvious rather than asserted.
The broken link email
The highest-converting template in link building, because you are reporting a genuine problem before you ask for anything. Name the page, name the dead link, and mention your replacement second.
The backlink request that is not a demand
Used when someone has mentioned your brand or cited your data without linking. Thank them for the mention first, then ask — an unlinked mention means the editorial decision is already made, so this converts far better than a cold pitch.
The follow-up
Send it 3–5 days later and give it a reason to exist: a second angle, a relevant stat, or a note that you will stop there. Most replies arrive on this email, which is precisely why most people never send it.