Pitchbox Campaign Types & Keyword Strategy: A Complete Guide
Pitchbox campaigns deliver the best opportunities when your campaign type, keywords and outreach strategy all line up. 🎯
This guide shows you how to pick the right campaign for your link building goal, choose keywords that match how each campaign searches, and avoid the setup mistakes that lead to weak prospects. 🚀
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🗺️ Choosing the Right Campaign Type
Start with your strategy, not your keywords. Before you create a campaign, ask yourself what type of link opportunity you're trying to find, then pick the campaign built for it.
| Your link building goal | Campaign type |
|---|---|
| Guest posts, editorial backlinks, niche blog placements, content collaborations | Blogger Outreach |
| Discovering blogs at scale and building large prospect pools within a niche | Blog Category Search |
| "Top X" features, expert mentions, list inclusion, authority placements | Roundups |
| Evergreen backlinks from curated resource lists and industry hubs | Resource Pages |
| Product mentions, review-based backlinks, ecommerce visibility | Product Reviews |
| Software reviews, comparison articles, "best tools" listings | SaaS Product Reviews |
| Digital PR, newsjacking and early coverage of content published in the last 24 hours | Hot Off The Press |
| Finding pages already ranking for your target terms | SERP Scraper |
| Scaling outreach from your own prospect lists | CSV Import |
| Reusing high-performing prospects from previous campaigns | Cherry Pick |
| Removing toxic or spam backlinks to improve your SEO profile | Link Removal |
| Reverse engineering competitor link profiles and replicating proven links | Competitor Backlinks |
| Finding sites that link to a specific page | URL Backlinks |
| Reclaiming lost links and replacing dead resources with your content | Broken Backlinks |
🧩 Campaign Types and Keyword Strategies
Each campaign type is designed to surface a specific kind of opportunity, so your keywords need to match that intent. Below, you'll find what each campaign targets, the best keyword formula, and how to vary your keywords for more targeted results.
Blogger Outreach
Blogger Outreach targets individual blog posts and articles relevant to your topic, not homepages or category pages. Use it to find content where your site could earn an editorial mention, guest post or contextual backlink.
Keyword formula
[Topic] + [Intent or format] + [Optional: region or audience]
Think in headlines: what would a blogger title a post about your niche? Keep keywords long-tail and descriptive, but not overly complex. Aim for phrasing someone would genuinely write an article about.
Good keywords and keywords to avoid
| Good keywords ✅ | Keywords to avoid 🚫 |
|---|---|
| Investing tips for beginners | Finance articles |
| Crypto investing tips | Finance blogs |
| Stock market trends | Cryptocurrency tips for new homeowners in US |
| Best US destinations | Blockchain helping small businesses turn profitable |
| Europe travel tips | Offbeat travel hacks for adventurous nomads |
Keyword variation strategies
Adapting your core topic across several angles is one of the most effective things you can do in Blogger Outreach. Each angle surfaces a different type of content and a different set of prospects.
| Angle | Why use it | Example keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Regional focus | Surfaces local blogs. Great for local SEO or clients serving a specific market. | best restaurants Edinburgh, hidden gems in Edinburgh, weekend itinerary for Edinburgh, Edinburgh travel guide, free things to do in Edinburgh |
| Listicles and "best of" | Targets roundup-style posts that naturally link out to third-party sources. | best productivity apps, top 10 hiking trails UK, best budget travel tips, top SEO tools 2026, best vegan recipes UK |
| How-to and guides | Surfaces step-by-step content, excellent for educational backlinks and resource placements. | how to start investing, step by step guide to SEO, beginner guide to keto diet, how to grow tomatoes at home, tips for first-time homebuyers |
| Audience-specific | Narrows results to content written for a specific reader, improving relevance. | investing tips for beginners, fitness advice for over 50s, travel tips for solo female travelers, SEO for small business owners, meal prep for busy families |
| Year or seasonal | Surfaces recently updated content from active bloggers publishing timely posts. | best travel destinations 2026, SEO trends 2026, summer workout tips, Christmas gift ideas for men, spring gardening guide |
| Problem or pain point | Surfaces posts responding to common challenges, where your product or content is a natural solution. | why is my website not ranking, how to reduce bounce rate, struggling to save money, tips for dealing with burnout, fixing slow metabolism |
| Comparison and review | Surfaces evaluative content, great for earning mentions alongside competitors. | Mailchimp vs Klaviyo, best CRM tools compared, WordPress vs Webflow, Airbnb vs hotel pros and cons |
Tips
- You don't need to include the word "blog" in your keywords. The campaign already targets blog content.
- Build keyword sets of 8, each covering a different angle on the same topic, to maximise coverage.
Blog Category Search
Blog Category Search works like a blog directory. Instead of individual articles, it surfaces whole websites within a niche or content category, so it's ideal for building large prospect pools at scale.
⚠️ Blog Category Search is currently only available for the USA market.
Keyword formula
[Broad niche] or [Content category]
Use one- or two-word industry labels that describe the category of a blog, not the content inside it. Think about what a blog on this topic would put in its navigation menu or meta description.
Good keywords and keywords to avoid
| Good keywords ✅ | Keywords to avoid 🚫 |
|---|---|
| Gardening | Real estate CRM tools |
| Travel | Wedding photographer Manchester |
| Health | Best organic skincare 2026 |
| Fitness | How to lose weight fast |
| Technology | Email marketing software |
Tips
- Keep keywords broad, with one or two words only. Specific keywords work against you in this campaign.
Roundups
Roundups targets curated list posts and "best of" collections published by blogs, media outlets and niche platforms. These posts feature multiple tools, experts or resources, so they're excellent for earning inclusion-based backlinks and brand mentions.
Common formats include "Top 10 Tools for Email Marketing", "Best Web Design Trends", "20 Experts Share Their SEO Predictions" and "Weekly Tech News Roundup".
Keyword formula
[Industry or niche] (the word "roundup" is added automatically)
Use industry or niche-level keywords only. The campaign adds "roundup" to every search in the background, so never include it yourself. Think about industries where weekly or monthly roundups are common.
Good keywords and keywords to avoid
| Good keywords ✅ | Keywords to avoid 🚫 |
|---|---|
| Web design | Real estate CRM tools |
| Digital marketing | Wedding photographer Manchester |
| Cryptocurrency | Interior design roundup |
| Travel | Best productivity apps 2026 |
| Real estate | How to rank on Google |
Keyword variation strategies
| Angle | Why use it | Example keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-niche focus | Surfaces roundups specific to your exact category and cuts irrelevant results. | content marketing, email marketing, local SEO, sustainable fashion, plant-based nutrition |
| Tool or resource type | Targets roundups that compile tools, apps or platforms, ideal for SaaS and product-led link building. | project management tools, design software, SEO tools, marketing automation, HR software |
| Audience or skill level | Surfaces roundups written for specific audiences, for more relevant results. | marketing for beginners, photography for professionals, travel for families, fitness for seniors |
Tips
- Never include the word "roundup" in your keywords. The system adds it automatically.
- Not sure roundups exist in your niche? Test it in Google first by searching your niche plus "weekly roundup" or "top tools".
Resource Pages
Resource Pages finds dedicated resource pages: curated lists of tools, articles and references on a specific topic. These pages are built for discovery and link out to many external sources, making them strong opportunities for evergreen backlinks.
Examples include "Helpful Marketing Resources", "SEO Tools We Recommend" and "Getting Started with UX Design".
Keyword formula
[Industry or topic] (the word "resources" is added automatically)
Use industry-based keywords for areas where people have frequent questions or ongoing learning needs. Avoid full sentences and overly specific phrases.
Good keywords and keywords to avoid
| Good keywords ✅ | Keywords to avoid 🚫 |
|---|---|
| Web analytics | How to grow vegetables |
| Digital marketing | Interior design resource |
| Substance abuse | Best SEO blog posts 2026 |
| Drug addiction | Email marketing tips for small businesses |
| Mental health | What is machine learning |
Keyword variation strategies
| Angle | Why use it | Example keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Topic depth | Drills into sub-topics within your niche for more focused results. | content strategy, link building, keyword research, technical SEO, conversion rate optimization |
| Audience-oriented | Frames the topic around who is looking for resources, surfacing pages aimed at specific groups. | small business marketing, tools for designers, support for carers, mental health |
Tips
- Never include the word "resource" or "resources" in your keywords. The system adds it automatically.
- Focus on topics that are updated regularly. The more active a resource page is, the more likely it is to add new links.
Product Reviews
Product Reviews finds sites that publish review articles and buyer's guides for physical products. It's ideal for ecommerce and product-led brands looking to earn review-based backlinks and product mentions.
Example result: "The 6 Best Natural Skin Care Brands in the UK in 2024".
Keyword formula
[Product type] or [Product category] + [Optional: qualifier]
Think about what someone would search when looking for a product like yours. Use product-category language rather than brand names. You can use up to 6 keywords per search.
Good keywords and keywords to avoid
| Good keywords ✅ | Keywords to avoid 🚫 |
|---|---|
| Natural skin care products | Dry shampoo |
| Organic face moisturizer | Beard oil |
| Best anti-aging creams | Retinol cream |
| Vegan skincare brands | Skincare |
| Cruelty-free body lotions | Face products |
Keyword variation strategies
| Angle | Why use it | Example keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Competitor or similar products | Finds review sites already covering your product category. | Glossier skincare, CeraVe moisturizer, The Ordinary serum, Neutrogena SPF, Paula's Choice exfoliant |
| Use case | Frames the product around the problem it solves, surfacing reviews aimed at solution-seekers. | moisturizer for dry skin, sunscreen for sensitive skin, face cream for acne, anti-ageing eye cream, serum for hyperpigmentation |
Tips
- This campaign allows a maximum of 6 keywords per search.
- For best results, mix generic category terms with more specific product descriptions.
SaaS Product Reviews
SaaS Product Reviews targets sites that publish software reviews, software comparisons and "best tools" lists. It's ideal for software companies looking to earn placements in product roundups and review content.
Example result: "Asana Review: Why It's My Favorite Project Management Tool".
Keyword formula
[Software category] or [Competitor tool name]
Use the names of platforms similar to yours, or the software category they belong to. The campaign surfaces review content about tools in the same market as your product
Good keywords and keywords to avoid
| Good keywords ✅ | Keywords to avoid 🚫 |
|---|---|
| Moosend | Best email marketing tips |
| Mailchimp | How to use Mailchimp |
| Monday.com | Cheap CRM tools for startups |
| Pipedrive | Email marketing for ecommerce |
Keyword variation strategies
| Angle | Why use it | Example keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Direct competitor names | Surfaces review content already covering your market, from sites most likely to review your product too. | HubSpot, Pipedrive, ActiveCampaign, Monday.com, Notion, Ahrefs, SEMrush |
Hot Off The Press
Hot Off The Press works like Blogger Outreach, but only surfaces content published in the last 24 hours. It's ideal for digital PR, newsjacking and time-sensitive link building where being first matters
Keyword formula
[Topic] + [Intent or format] (the same formula as Blogger Outreach)
Prioritise trending or news-related topics. Think about what journalists and bloggers in your niche are writing about right now.
Good keywords and keywords to avoid
| Good keywords ✅ | Keywords to avoid 🚫 |
|---|---|
| Crypto market update | Finance blogs |
| AI tools for marketing | Finance articles |
| Stock market trends | Cryptocurrency tips for new homeowners in US |
| Budget travel Europe | Blockchain helping small businesses turn profitable |
Keyword variation strategies
| Angle | Why use it | Example keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Newsjacking topics | Intercepts coverage of trending subjects as it's being written. | AI regulation news, interest rate changes, crypto market crash, remote work trends 2026, social media algorithm update |
| Seasonal and event-driven | Captures seasonal moments and industry events that bloggers cover in real time. | Black Friday deals 2026, Super Bowl marketing campaigns, CES tech announcements, World Mental Health Day, Veganuary tips |
| Expert commentary | Targets topics where bloggers quote external experts, opening the door to being cited as a source. | SEO predictions 2027, future of remote work, social media marketing trends, AI in healthcare opinion |
Tips
- Speed is everything in this campaign. Act quickly, as content from the last 24 hours is still being indexed and shared.
- Have a well-prepared outreach template ready to cut your response time.
SERP Scraper
SERP Scraper (formerly Advanced Operator Search) uses Google's advanced search operators to find specific pages that are already ranking. Instead of topic-based discovery, you filter for pages with precise characteristics, such as their URL, title, body text or domain.
Keyword formula
[Core topic] + [operator:criteria] (combine several operators for more precision)
Most Google search operators work with this campaign. Start with your core topic, then add operators to narrow results by URL, title or page content.
Popular operators
| Operator | What it does | Example keywords |
|---|---|---|
| intitle: | Finds pages with specific words in the title tag. Use it to target posts that cover your topic in the headline. | home improvement tips intitle:renovation, digital marketing intitle:guide, fitness intitle:beginner workout |
| inurl: | Finds pages with a specific word in the URL. Useful for finding how-to content, tips pages or guides. | skincare inurl:blog, investing inurl:guide, travel inurl:itinerary |
| intext: | Finds pages with specific words in the body text. Add it to other operators to make sure content is relevant. | home improvement intext:paint, SEO inurl:tips intext:backlinks, nutrition intext:protein |
| "Quoted keywords" | Forces an exact phrase match, for content that uses a particular phrase. | "guest post guidelines", "write for us", "digital marketing", "submit a post" |
| Combined operators | Stacks operators for precise searches. The more you combine, the more specific the results. | home improvement tips inurl:tips intitle:design intext:paint, digital marketing intitle:guide inurl:blog intext:SEO, travel tips intitle:itinerary inurl:guide intext:budget |
For a full list of operators, see Ahrefs' guide to Google advanced search operators.
Tips
- This campaign is highly targeted by design. Relax your metric filters and fill every keyword slot to maximise results.
CSV Import
CSV Import lets you work with your own prospect data in Pitchbox. Upload a list of sites and Pitchbox's contact discovery finds the contacts for each one. You can also filter imported sites against your metric requirements so only quality prospects enter your workflow.
How it works
Your data → Pitchbox contact discovery + metric filtering
This campaign doesn't use keywords. Instead, you provide a list of URLs or domains, and Pitchbox handles contact discovery and quality filtering.
Accepted formats
- A CSV file
- Plain text, with one URL or domain per line
Tips
- Use CSV Import when you already have a curated list of target sites from prospecting, PR work or client knowledge.
- Pair it with metric filters to automatically exclude low-quality domains before outreach begins.
Cherry Pick
Cherry Pick lets you reuse opportunities you've already found in previous Pitchbox campaigns, without running a new live search. Filter by project, campaign, milestone, tag or days since last contact. Custom Fields carry over, so you can re-engage prospects seamlessly.
How it works
Filter existing opportunities → build a new campaign from pre-vetted prospects
No keywords are needed. Use campaign filters and milestone data to find the right past prospects, then create a focused outreach campaign from proven, high-quality opportunities.
Why use Cherry Pick?
- Save time by reusing trusted, relevant websites.
- Keep consistency across similar client campaigns.
- Reconnect with sites you contacted before but never heard back from.
Link Removal
Link Removal helps you request the removal of unwanted, spammy or toxic backlinks pointing to your site. Import the linking URLs and Pitchbox finds contacts for each domain, so you can reach out through your usual outreach workflow.
How it works
List of URLs linking to your site → Pitchbox contact discovery → outreach to webmasters
No keywords are needed. Import the URLs linking to your site that you want removed, and Pitchbox identifies the right webmaster contact for each domain.
Why use Link Removal?
- Protect your site's SEO by distancing it from low-quality or harmful links.
- Speed up link removal with automated contact discovery.
- Keep all your outreach in your existing campaign workflow.
Competitor Backlinks
Competitor Backlinks reverse engineers your competitors' backlink profiles to show which sites link to them. Enter competitor domains and you'll get their backlink data, surfacing sites already proven to link within your niche.
Supported data sources: Ahrefs, Moz, Majestic and SEMrush.
How it works
[Competitor domain(s)] → backlink profile analysis → targeted outreach list
No keywords are needed. Enter one or more competitor URLs in any of the formats below, and Pitchbox returns every backlink pointing to them.
Accepted formats
| Format | Example |
|---|---|
| Root domain | mysite.com |
| Subdomain | blog.mysite.com |
| Homepage | www.mysite.com/ |
| Specific URL | https://mysite.com/blog/page-name |
| Prefix (broader match) | domain.com/path/* |
Why use Competitor Backlinks?
- Uncover link building opportunities from your competitors' backlinks.
- Find sites likely to be receptive to your outreach.
- Get insight into your competitors' SEO and PR strategies.
URL Backlinks
URL Backlinks finds every website linking to a specific URL. Use it to see who's already referencing your content or a competitor's page, and turn those sites into outreach opportunities.
Supported data sources: Ahrefs, Moz, Majestic and SEMrush.
How it works
[Specific URL(s)] → backlink discovery → outreach prospects
Enter one or more specific URLs, and Pitchbox returns every backlink pointing to each one. It's ideal for page-level link analysis rather than domain-wide discovery.
Why use URL Backlinks?
- Pull in backlinks for specific pages or pieces of content.
- Find new outreach prospects based on existing interest.
- Monitor links earned from PR or content marketing.
Broken Backlinks
Broken Backlinks finds backlinks pointing to pages on your site or a competitor's that no longer exist and return a 404 error. That gives you two opportunities: reclaim lost links by fixing or redirecting your own broken pages, or pitch your content as a replacement on other sites.
Supported data source: Ahrefs only.
How it works
[Domain(s) or URL(s)] → broken link discovery → reclaim or replacement outreach
Enter domains or specific URLs, and Pitchbox returns every backlink leading to a broken page. That's your starting point for fixing your own pages or offering replacement content.
Why use Broken Backlinks?
- Reclaim lost SEO value by fixing or redirecting broken pages.
- Spot easy wins for restoring valuable links.
- Win links faster by offering linking sites a working replacement.
- Get the most value if you're an older or well-established brand with a large backlink footprint.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Which campaign should I start with?
Start with your link building goal, then use the table in Choosing the Right Campaign Type to find the matching campaign. For guest posts and editorial links, Blogger Outreach is usually the best place to start.
Should I include words like "blog", "roundup" or "resources" in my keywords?
No. Blogger Outreach already targets blog content, Roundups adds "roundup" automatically, and Resource Pages adds "resources" automatically. Adding these words yourself makes results worse.
How many keywords should I use?
In Blogger Outreach, build sets of 8 keywords, each covering a different angle on your topic. Product Reviews allows up to 6 keywords per search. In SERP Scraper, fill every keyword slot.
Why am I getting very few results?
Your keywords may be too specific for the campaign type. Blog Category Search and Roundups need broad, one- or two-word niche keywords. In SERP Scraper, try relaxing your metric filters.
Which campaigns don't need keywords?
CSV Import, Cherry Pick, Link Removal, Competitor Backlinks, URL Backlinks and Broken Backlinks all work from URLs, domains or existing opportunities instead of keywords.
Can I use Blog Category Search outside the USA?
Not yet. Blog Category Search is currently only available for the USA market.
💬 Need more help? Email pitchbox@support.com or use the live chat and our team will be happy to help.