If you’ve done SEO long enough, you’ve seen both kinds of people.
There’s the SEO who treats publishers like a checkbox. They blast some templates, push whatever sub-par content gets approved, grab the live URLs for the report, and that’s that.
And then there’s the SEO that editors actually like hearing from. Their content is solid, their tone is respectful, their requests are reasonable, and they’re the ones who get invited back.
This article is about becoming that second person.
Because good SEO isn’t just about links, rankings, and reports. It’s about relationships. The way you treat publishers directly affects how easy, sustainable, and compounding your SEO work becomes over time.
Publishers Aren’t Link Machines, They’re Partners
In many SEO dashboards, publishers appear as rows in a spreadsheet, with columns for domain, URL, DR/DA, anchor text, etc. That’s useful for tracking, but it hides something important: every one of those rows is a real site, with a real audience, and a brand.
Publishers care about serving their readers, growing their traffic and authority, and protecting their brand. When you pitch them, you’re stepping into their world. You’re basically asking, “Can I borrow your trust and attention for a moment so I can add something helpful to it?”
If your mindset is “I just need a link,” that comes through in everything. Your topic ideas feel generic, your content feels like filler, and your emails feel rushed.
But when you see publishers as partners, your whole approach shifts. You start asking questions like: “What would actually perform well for their audience?”, “How can my client’s angle fit naturally into that?”, and “What would make this editor think, ‘I must publish this’?”
The Behaviors That Make Publishers Avoid You
Most editors won’t say this out loud, but SEOs have patterns. After a while, they can spot who’s going to be a headache.
Here are a few behaviors that quietly move you into the “no thanks” category.
1. Sending Content You Wouldn’t Publish on Your Own Site
If the article you’re sending is something you’d never run on your own domain, that’s already a red flag.
Editors can feel when a piece exists for one reason only: to carry a link. Those pieces usually repeat the same ideas, lack a clear point of view, and read like they were written to hit keywords rather than to help readers.
Sure, it might technically meet the word count, but it doesn’t say anything. If your content can’t stand on its own without the link, it’s not ready.
2. Treating Guidelines Like Suggestions
Most decent publishers have guidelines for a reason. They’re trying to keep the site clean, consistent, and safe.
Red flags for editors include pushing exact-match anchors when they’ve asked for natural ones, sneaking extra links into a “one link only” policy, or ignoring topic boundaries and sending off-topic content anyway.
When you argue every time they enforce a guideline, you’re not “negotiating.” You’re showing them you’re hard to trust.
3. Using Reporting as Pressure
This one happens a lot: “We have a weekly/monthly report due, can you publish this today?”
From the publisher’s point of view, that’s pure noise. Your internal reporting schedule isn’t their problem. They have their own calendar, priorities, and workload.
When you use your report as leverage, what they actually hear is, “I didn’t plan ahead, so now I need you to rush this to save me.” A good SEO plans far enough ahead that editors never feel that pressure.
4. Going Silent After You Get the Link
Another common pattern: you push hard to get something live, they publish, and you disappear until you need the next placement.
You never ask how the article performed, never offer another idea that could help their audience, and never check in like a human being instead of a link builder.
Doing the Opposite Just Takes a Mindset Shift
The SEOs editors actually like working with tend to share a few simple habits.
- They send content that could stand on its own. Their articles have a clear angle, real examples or opinions, and read like something the site’s audience would genuinely benefit from—not just a vehicle for one anchor text. They think like contributors first and link builders second.
- They respect the house they’re in. When a publisher says “one link in the body,” “no exact-match anchors,” or “stick to these topics,” they don’t argue or hunt for loopholes; they adapt. If something isn’t clear, they ask thoughtful questions or suggest small tweaks that work for both sides.
- They don’t turn their internal pressures into the editor’s problem. Reports, client updates, and deadlines still matter, but those are handled on the SEO’s side. They submit content early enough to allow for edits and ask politely for rough timelines as needed.
- They show up like humans, not automation. They remember names, reference past articles, and pitch ideas that clearly fit what’s already working. Over time, they themselves become a positive signal, and opportunities naturally start to stack in their favor.
Relationship-First SEO Wins
If you zoom out, this all comes down to one shift: moving from link-first SEO to relationship-first SEO.
Links still matter. Rankings still matter. Clients and bosses still want numbers. But the way you get those numbers sustainably is by building trust.
Here’s a simple filter you can use before you send anything to a publisher. We call it the Publisher Alignment Checklist (PAC).
Before you hit send, run your pitch or draft through PAC:
- P – Proud to publish: Would I be proud to publish this on my own site?
- A – Audience-first: Does this actually help their audience in a clear, useful way?
- C – Collaborative: Am I making this editor’s life easier or harder?
If you can’t honestly answer “yes” to all three, the work isn’t ready.
I’m a freelance copywriter and SEO specialist. I aim to empower individuals and businesses with impactful marketing solutions and insights. In my downtime, I recharge by embracing the beauty of nature or cherishing moments with my loved ones. If you found value in this post, please consider sharing it.
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