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Guest posting, or guest blogging, is one of the oldest and most time-tested link building tactics out there. It’s also one of the most hotly debated, especially over the last several years.
Done well, a good guest blogging strategy can be a fantastic way to build high authority backlinks from relevant websites in your niche that are going to pass on real SEO value and contribute to a stand-out backlink profile.
The above image is what a manual action penalty looks like. These are handed out by Google when they believe backlinks to your site have been created solely with the intention of gaming the PageRank algorithm (i.e., trying to convince Google that your site and content is more high quality than it really is).
That is why it’s so important to know what you’re doing when it comes to guest posting. At dofollow, we’ve pride ourselves on our ability to find relevant, high quality guest posting opportunities, landing our clients links on sites like:
A lot of these opportunities come about as a result of long-term relationship building. We know what kinds of sites and guest posting opportunities are going to make sense for the kinds of clients we handle, which allows us to avoid wasting time and money.
In the below article, we’re going to share what we know about guest posts and guest posting with you. We’re going to walk you through what you need to do to find high quality guest posting opportunities, how to capitalize on those opportunities, and how to write guest posts that provide value (both to readers and to your website).
We’re also going to spend some time discussing what to stay away from. There is plenty in the realm of guest blogging SEO that you need to know how to spot and stay well away from.
Amplify Your Reach: By writing guest posts for other site owners in your niche, you tap into existing audiences that might not have discovered you otherwise. It's like extending your digital footprint to new territories, exposing your expertise to a broader demographic.
Build Credibility and Authority: Becoming a guest blogger allows you to associate your name with reputable blogs bolsters your credibility. Readers are more likely to trust information coming from established platforms, and when you contribute valuable content, you position yourself as an authority in your field.
Enhance Search Engine Optimization (SEO): This is what dofollow specializes in. Search engines love fresh and relevant content. Guest blogging not only provides valuable backlinks to your site but also signals to search engines that your content is authoritative. This can lead to improved search engine rankings, increasing your visibility and attracting organic traffic.
Drive Targeted Traffic: Crafted strategically, your guest posts can act as a gateway for readers to navigate back to your own site. If your content resonates with the audience, they're more likely to click through to learn more, generating targeted traffic and potential leads.
Forge Valuable Connections: A guest blog article is a two-way street. Establishing relationships with other bloggers and influencers in your niche can open doors for collaboration, cross-promotion, and networking opportunities. These connections can be invaluable for your personal and professional growth and help you find future guest blogging opportunities.
Showcase Your Expertise: Writing for other platforms allows you to showcase your knowledge and skills to a diverse audience. It's an opportunity to highlight your expertise, share insights, and demonstrate that you have something valuable to offer.
Adapt to Evolving Algorithms: With ever-changing algorithms, relying solely on one platform for your online presence can be risky. Diversifying your content across various reputable sites not only mitigates this risk but also ensures that you stay visible even if algorithms shift.
Content Syndication: A guest article allows you to repurpose and syndicate your content across different platforms, reaching a wider audience without the need to create entirely new material. This efficiency in content distribution can save you time and effort.
Before diving into guest blogging, it's essential to understand who you want to reach. Identify the demographics, interests, and challenges of your ideal audience. What questions are they asking? Where do they hang out online? Knowing your audience is the cornerstone of an effective guest blogging strategy.
What Is Guest PostKnowing your niche intimately is half the battle. Sticking to it is the other half. What are your areas of expertise? Where do your passions align with your audience's needs? Be specific and focused, as a well-defined niche establishes you as an authority in that space.
Aligning with your niche ensures that your content resonates with the right audience. It's about quality over quantity. When your guest posts are closely tied to your expertise, you create a more impactful and memorable impression.
Use phrases like "write for us," "submit a guest post," or "guest post guidelines" along with your niche keywords to uncover relevant opportunities and then refine your search by combining operators, using quotation marks for exact phrases, and excluding irrelevant terms.
It can also make a lot of sense to spy on your competitors in order to find out where they are sourcing their guest posting opportunities. Odds are, if a website is willing to give one of your competitor’s a chance to write for them, they will be open to you becoming a guest writer as well.
When it comes to deciding on whether to pursue or ignore a guest posting opportunity, being able to evaluate websites based on their SEO metrics is essential. Google has quite specific things in mind as to what constitutes a good guest post, so it’s important to make sure you’re focusing on quality instead of quantity.
Websites with high domain authority, a robust backlink profile, and healthy organic traffic are indicative of a strong online presence and sticking to these metrics not only reflect the website's credibility in the eyes of search engines but also amplify the potential reach of your guest post.
Domain Authority (DA): Domain Authority is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages. It's based on a scale of 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating a stronger ability to rank. Choosing websites with a higher Domain Authority can contribute to the authority and credibility of your own site.
Page Authority (PA): Similar to Domain Authority, Page Authority measures the strength of a specific page rather than the entire domain. A higher Page Authority suggests that the individual page has a better chance of ranking well on search engines.
Organic Traffic: Examining the amount of organic traffic a website receives provides insights into its popularity and reach. Websites with a substantial amount of organic traffic are more likely to expose your guest post to a larger audience.
Relevance to Your Niche: It's crucial to assess whether the potential host website is relevant to your niche or industry. Posting on websites that align with your content ensures that your message reaches a targeted audience interested in your subject matter.
Engagement Metrics: Look at engagement metrics such as average time spent on the site, bounce rate, and the number of comments on posts. High engagement indicates an active and interested audience.
Backlink Profile: Evaluate the website's backlink profile to ensure it has a healthy link profile. A diverse and authoritative backlink profile suggests a website with a solid foundation and reputable connections.
Just as you need to know what makes for a good guest posting opportunity, equally, you need to know what makes for a potentially bad one when you find guest posting opportunities. These are the kinds of links that can result in harm to your SEO, meaning a loss of ranking, traffic and, ultimately, business.
When evaluating guest posting opportunities, it's crucial to be vigilant for red flags that may indicate a less-than-ideal or potentially harmful collaboration. Here are some red flags to watch out for:
Unrelated Niche: If the website's niche is entirely unrelated to your industry, the guest post may not resonate with the target audience. Ensure that the content fits naturally within the website's theme.
Overly Promotional Content: If the host website encourages overly promotional content with a primary focus on product or service promotion, it may diminish the value of the guest post. Guest posts should provide informative and valuable content rather than being blatant advertisements.