When it comes to guest posting, I strongly encourage you to do extensive research on what sites your audience frequents and what similar or related websites you can contribute to so you can expand your reach.

I know this whole process of reaching out to relevant websites can take a while. So, while you’re waiting to hear back from them or while you’re drafting content that strictly adheres to their editorial guidelines, I also suggest that you look into contributing to these guest posting sites to high authority sites that accept guest post submissions.

Similar to the sites you’re reaching out to, these websites enforce stringent editorial guidelines so be sure to follow them carefully. They could be a little harder to get published on given the popularity of their website, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to try.

Here are some examples:

1. Entrepreneur

This is such a great site for all things finance, marketing, business, and leadership related. Their content is aimed at entrepreneurs and readers who have shown an interest in similar industries. It’s one of the most popular and credible websites that business owners read. Take note that they require all original content and will likely discuss posting guidelines directly with you once your pitch catches their attention.

2. Quora

Quora is more of a forum but it does go a long way towards helping you build credibility among a targeted audience. The great thing about Quora is that you can choose what questions to answer and you can give answers that are as comprehensive and informative as you’d like. Eventually, as you build up a significant following on this platform, your reputation and credibility go up as well.

3. Thrive Global

Thrive Global is a site started by Huffington Post’s Arianna Huffington to provide employers and employees a platform to share insight regarding topics such as work/life balance, managing work-related stress, redefining success in the workplace, and similar related subjects. Setting up an account is fairly easy and submitting posts is also pretty straightforward. A team of internal Thrive Global editors then reviews your entry and if approved, will immediately publish your post.

4. Elite Daily

Elite Daily is best known for being a platform that features a very diverse collection of lifestyle articles and stories. Content covers topics in health, dating, entertainment, love, fashion, and even breaking news. It’s a website that focuses on the lighter side of things but with a very strong follower base, making any effort to publish on this site a surefire way to get in front of a new audience.

5. Business 2 Community

Business 2 Community is a great website that brings together entrepreneurs and business personalities from so many industries so they can share their unique insight with their audience. If it’s about growing your business and connecting with your customers, this is a great site to be on. They’re notable for their high-quality, informative content, so be sure to closely follow their content guidelines to ensure your chances of getting published.

Give these five sites a try and see how much traffic they help drive to your website. If you want to suggest other sites, I’d love to hear more about them. Join the conversation on our LinkedIn or Twitter or leave a comment below.