Everything you need to write a post our readers will love — and that will earn you real exposure.
About Our Blog
Our blog is where digital marketers find expert, practical advice on web design, content marketing, GA4, and AI. Our goal is to help you get better results from the web.
As a writer on our blog, we ask that posts provide practical and actionable advice on web marketing that follows our mission.
What Performs Well on the TopOut Blog
We’ve analyzed our best-performing content. Here’s what consistently earns traffic and engagement — use this as a quality bar before you pitch:
Topics That Resonate
Our highest-traffic posts cover focused, tactical subjects. Strong categories include:
- Google Ads & PPC — audit guides, campaign setup, attribution, ROAS optimization
- SEO — technical quick wins, local SEO, internal linking, keyphrase strategy
- Shopify & e-Commerce — conversion rate optimization, app selection, Google Shopping feeds
- Analytics & Measurement — GA4 setup, conversion tracking, data-driven decisions
- Email & Marketing Automation — Klaviyo, campaign structure, segmentation
- AI in Marketing — practical use cases, tool comparisons, workflow integration
Title Patterns That Get Clicks
Our best-performing titles share a structure: a clear subject + a concrete benefit or outcome. Examples from our archive:
- “Step-by-Step Google Ads Account Audit Guide for Beginners”
- “Quick Wins for Technical SEO: Tips Even Non-Techies Can Implement”
- “How to Boost Your ROAS with a Limited Budget”
- “Shopify Conversion Rate Optimization Tips”
Notice the pattern: specific topic + tangible reader payoff. Vague titles like “Everything About SEO” don’t perform. Specific ones do.
Content Depth That Earns Rankings
Posts that rank and drive engagement tend to:
- Go deep on one specific problem rather than broad on many
- Include step-by-step instructions, not just concepts
- Use real examples, screenshots, or data — not generic advice
- Answer the follow-up questions a reader would naturally have
- Link out to tools, platforms, and resources that let readers act immediately
Image Usage That Keeps Readers Scrolling
Our top posts include 3–5 images, placed so one is always visible at any scroll depth. Images serve a purpose — they break up text, illustrate a step, or support a data point. Decorative stock photos without context add no value.
General Guidelines
Posts on the TopOut website are helpful, not self-promotional. No jargon or corporate speak. Keep it interesting and conversational.
The audience is fellow marketers and business owners. They are busy. Ask yourself: what are they going to get out of your post? Lead with the answer.
| PASS / FAIL | Before submitting, ask: Does this post teach a fellow marketer one specific thing they can act on today? If the answer isn’t clearly yes, revise. |
Requirements
The following are required for all posts submitted to TopOut. Please read the image requirements carefully — they are non-negotiable.
Quick Reference
| Requirement | Details |
| Word Count | 1,500 words minimum. Most strong posts run 1,500–2,800 words. Don’t pad; don’t artificially stop short. |
| Submission Format | Attach a .doc or .docx and send to [email protected] |
| Deadline | 7 days before your scheduled publish date |
| Exclusivity | Original content only. Not published elsewhere previously or simultaneously. |
| Links | Link when relevant and valuable. Every link must serve the reader. No link stuffing. |
| Paragraphs | Max 4 lines per paragraph. One space after a period, not two. |
| Formatting | Use headers, subheaders, bullets, and numbered lists to break up text. |
| Images | Required. Minimum 1,000px wide. One per scroll depth. See full specs below. |
| Author Bio | 50 words max. Include headshot (350×350). Link to Twitter, LinkedIn, and company. |
Formatting
- Use headers and subheaders to break up your post.
- Avoid big blocks of text.
- When writing headlines, be specific and indicate a benefit to the reader.
- Use bullet and numbered lists generously.
- End the post with a question or call to action for comments. The more specific, the better.
Images and Video
We love images and video on our blog. We use them to break up text, make the post scannable, and support data. We include one image at every scroll depth, so an image is always visible.
Featured Image
- Required size: 1600 × 650px
- Must be visually compelling — this is what appears in social previews and on the blog index
In-Post Images
- All images must be at least 1,000px wide
- Place one image at every scroll depth — a reader should never be looking at a wall of text
- Images should support the content: illustrate a step, show data, or demonstrate a UI
Social Media Image (Optional but Encouraged)
- Size: 2:1 ratio — e.g., 1600 × 800px
- Should make a visitor want to click through to the post
- Include something visually arresting: a bold headline, a striking visual, a data point
| NOTE | Do not use low-resolution images. Do not use images without permission or attribution. Images with visible watermarks will be returned. |
Links
Link to other content whenever relevant. Every link included must add value for readers. No link stuffing.
We reserve the right to edit anchor text and remove links that are not relevant to your post.
Author Bio
- 50 words maximum
- Include your headshot at 350 × 350px
- Link to your Twitter/X, LinkedIn, and company website
- Write in third person
Process
Submission
- Attach your post as a .doc or .docx file
- Email it to [email protected]
- Submit at least 7 days before your scheduled publish date
Editing
We may edit your post or send it back to you for revisions. We may adjust anchor text and links that are not relevant to your post. Scheduling may change — we will always let you know in advance.
Exclusivity
We ask that your article has not been published elsewhere previously or simultaneously. If you want to republish a post that ran on our site, please wait at least 2 weeks. Update it to make it current and link back to the original post on topoutgrp.com.
Promotion
Please plan to share your post across your social networks. We ask that you share it a few times, on multiple networks, over multiple days. Timing and scheduling are up to you — we just ask that you do it.
TopOut Style Guide
Voice and Tone
- Conversational, not corporate
- Confident, not arrogant
- Practical, not theoretical
- Direct — get to the point fast
Preferred Spellings and Usage
Use these every time, no exceptions:
| Term | Usage |
| call to action | No hyphens |
| Domain Authority | Always capitalized |
| e-Commerce | Lowercase ‘e’, hyphen |
| email / ebook / ecommerce | Lowercase, no hyphen for ‘e’ words generally |
| homepage | One word, no hyphen |
| inbox | One word, no hyphen |
| internet | Lowercase |
| keyphrase | One word, no space |
| log in / log out | Verb: two words, no hyphen |
| login / logout | Noun or adjective: one word, no hyphen |
| sign up | Verb: two words, no hyphen |
| signup | Noun or adjective: one word |
| sign in | Verb: two words |
| sign-in | Noun or adjective: hyphenated |
| thank you page | No hyphen |
| web | Lowercase |
| web page | Two words |
| website | One word, no space |
| Click through rate | No hyphens |
Inspiration — Topics We’d Love to See
Not sure what to pitch? Here are gaps and high-opportunity topics based on what our audience actively searches for:
GA4 & Analytics
- GA4 custom dimensions and metrics — a practical setup guide
- How to build a marketing dashboard in Looker Studio from scratch
- Attribution modeling in GA4: which model should you actually use?
- How to audit your GA4 setup for tracking gaps
SEO
- How to do keyword research for a local service business
- What to fix first after a Google core update
- Internal linking strategy for content-heavy sites
- How AI is changing how we research and write for SEO
Google Ads & PPC
- Performance Max campaigns: what’s actually working
- How to structure a Google Ads account for a small budget
- Negative keyword strategy: how to stop wasting ad spend
- Google Ads scripts that save time
Web Design & CRO
- Landing page elements that increase form completions
- How to A/B test without Google Optimize
- UX patterns that reduce cart abandonment
- Mobile-first design decisions that affect conversion
That’s it. Happy writing!
Questions? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll get back to you quickly.
