What is Guest Posting?
Guest posting - aka guest blogging - is a method of creating content for another website or blog as a guest writer or contributor.
It involves writing an article or blog post on a topic related to the host website or blog's niche and submitting it to the website's owner or editor for review and potential publication.
The purpose of guest posting is to share your expertise with a new audience, build relationships with other bloggers or website owners in your industry, and gain exposure and backlinks to your own website or blog.
Why does guest posting matter in SEO?
Guest posting matters in SEO because it can help to improve your website's search engine rankings and increase organic traffic to your site. Here are some of the key benefits of guest posting for SEO:
Improved search engine rankings
Guest posting is a valuable link-building strategy that can help to improve your website's search engine rankings.
By contributing content to high-quality websites in your industry and including links back to your own site, you can improve your site's domain authority and visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Increased brand awareness
Guest posting allows you to reach a new audience and increase brand awareness for your business. By creating valuable content for other websites, you can attract new visitors to your site and build a reputation as an authority in your industry.
Networking opportunities
Guest posting also provides valuable networking opportunities with other bloggers and website owners in your industry.
By building relationships with these individuals, you may be able to collaborate on future content, gain access to new audiences, or form partnerships that can benefit your business.
Lead generation
Guest posting can also be a valuable lead-generation tool for your business. By creating content that is relevant to your target audience and including calls to action within your posts, you can encourage visitors to your site to take action and become potential customers.
Improved Domain Authority
By including links to your website or blog within guest posts, you can improve your website's domain authority and search engine rankings. This can lead to increased traffic and visibility for your site.
Increased social media engagement
Guest blogging can also lead to increased social media engagement. By doing so, you can attract more followers and increase engagement with your audience.
How to find guest blogging sites?
Conduct a Google search
One of the easiest ways to find websites that accept guest posts is to conduct a Google search using keywords related to your niche or industry.
For example, if you are a food blogger, you could search for "food blogs accepting guest posts" or "food websites that accept contributors."
You can also use advanced search techniques and search strings on Google to find websites that accept guest posts. Some search strings you can use include:
"write for us" + [your niche or industry]
"guest post" + [your niche or industry]
"contributor guidelines" + [your niche or industry]
"submit a guest post" + [your niche or industry]
Use social media
Social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn can be a great way to find websites that accept guest posts.
Look for hashtags related to your niche or industry, such as #guestpost or #blogposts, and follow relevant influencers or bloggers who frequently share guest posts.
Join online communities
Joining online communities such as Facebook groups or subreddits related to your niche or industry can be a great way to network with other bloggers and find websites that accept guest posts.
Look for groups or communities that specifically cater to bloggers or content creators.
Use guest post platforms
There are several online platforms that connect bloggers with websites that accept guest posts. Some popular platforms include GuestPost.com, MyBlogGuest, and BloggerLinkUp.
Analyze your competitors
Another way to find websites that accept guest posts is to analyze your competitors' backlinks and guest posts.
Use tools such as Ahrefs or Moz to analyze your competitor's backlink profile and see where they have published guest posts. This can give you an idea of where to pitch your own guest posts.
How to write a high-quality guest post?
Here are the steps on how to write a high-quality blog post:
Choose a topic
Choosing a topic is the first step in writing a blog post. Start by identifying your target audience, then research topics that would be relevant and interesting to them.
Brainstorm ideas, then narrow down your options to choose the best one for your post.
Define the purpose
Defining the purpose of your post helps you stay focused and create content that resonates with your audience.
Identify the goals and objectives for your post, then craft a compelling headline that accurately reflects what readers can expect to gain from reading your post.
Organize your thoughts
Organizing your thoughts before you start writing helps you create a post that is well-structured and easy to follow.
Create an outline that includes main points, sub-points, and supporting evidence. Use subheadings, bullet points, and lists to break up your content and make it easier to read.
Writing your blog post
When it comes to writing your blog post, start by creating a hook that captures your reader's attention. Write in a conversational tone, using simple language that is easy to understand.
Use storytelling techniques to create a compelling narrative that keeps your readers engaged from start to finish.
Your introduction should hook the reader and encourage them to keep reading. It should provide a clear overview of what the post is about and why it's important.
Use subheadings to break up your content into smaller, more digestible sections. This can make your post easier to read and help readers quickly find the information they're looking for.
Editing and revising
Editing and revising your post is essential for creating a high-quality blog post. Review your post for grammar and spelling errors, check your facts, and make sure your post is well-organized and easy to read. Consider getting feedback from others to improve your post further.
Enhancing your blog post
Enhancing your post by adding images, videos, or infographics can help make it more engaging and visually appealing.
Including social media and external links can help build your online presence while optimizing your post for search engines can help drive traffic to your website.
Promoting your blog post
Promoting your post is key to getting it in front of your target audience. Share your post on social media, build backlinks to it from other websites, and consider using email marketing to reach a broader audience.
Engage with your readers in the comments section to build a loyal following over time.
How to avoid low-quality websites?
To ensure successful guest posting, it is essential to avoid low-quality websites. Here are some clues to help you identify such websites:
Poor design and navigation
A website with poor design and navigation can be a red flag. If a website is difficult to navigate, has an outdated design, or has an overwhelming number of ads, it can negatively impact the user experience and make it less likely that readers will engage with the content.
Low traffic
A website with low traffic may not be worth your time and effort. While guest blogging on a smaller website can still be beneficial for building your online presence and reaching a targeted audience, it's important to make sure that the website has a substantial and engaged readership.
Low engagement
A website with low engagement metrics, such as low social media shares, comments, or backlinks, may not have an active and engaged audience.
This can make it less likely that your guest post will be seen and shared by readers, and can limit the potential impact of your guest blogging efforts.
Poor reputation
A website with a poor reputation in your niche or industry may not be worth associating yourself with. Research the website and read its previous content to ensure that they align with your values and goals.
Dropped domains and private blog networks
Dropped domains are domain names that were previously registered by someone but were not renewed and became available for registration again.
They are often acquired by individuals or companies looking to start a new website or redirect traffic to an existing website.
Private blog networks (PBNs) are a group of websites that are often created to manipulate search engine rankings by creating artificial links to a target website. These websites are typically low-quality and have little to no real traffic.
Dropped domains and private blog networks may have a history of spammy or irrelevant content and may have been penalized by search engines.
Look out for websites that have recently expired or have a large number of links coming from PBNs.
Check domain name and history
A website's domain name and history can reveal much about its quality. Check if the domain name is relevant to the website's content and audience.
Also, check the domain's history for any red flags, such as previous penalties or spammy content.
Check backlink profile
A website's backlink profile can indicate its quality and authority. Check the website's backlinks to see if they are from reputable and relevant websites.
A website with a high number of low-quality or irrelevant backlinks may be a sign of a low-quality website.
Best practices
Here are some best practices for guest blogging:
Look for relevant websites
When guest blogging, it's important to pitch relevant websites that align with your niche and target audience.
Look for websites that share similar interests or topics to your own, as this can help increase the chances of your guest post being accepted and well-received by readers.
Keep traffic in mind
When pitching guest posts, it's important to consider the website's traffic and reach. Look for websites with high traffic and engagement, as this can help increase the exposure of your guest post and bring in more readers to your own website or blog.
Pitch multiple sites
To increase your chances of getting accepted for guest blogging, it's a good practice to pitch multiple sites at once.
This helps to maximize your outreach and increase your chances of getting accepted by at least one website.
However, make sure that each pitch is tailored to the specific website and its audience, rather than sending a generic pitch to multiple sites.
Monitor results
After your guest post has been published, it's important to monitor the results and track the performance of your post.
Use tools such as Google Analytics or social media analytics to track metrics such as traffic, engagement, and social shares. This can help you understand what worked well and what could be improved in future guest posts.
Make it shareable
To increase the visibility and reach of your guest post, make sure that it's easily shareable on social media platforms.
Include social sharing buttons on your post and encourage readers to share your content with their followers.
This can help increase the exposure of your guest post and bring in more readers to your website or blog.
Bad practices in guest blogging
You need to avoid some bad practices in guest posting.
Spamming
Sending the same guest post pitch to multiple websites without personalizing or tailoring the pitch to the website can come across as spammy and unprofessional.
Instead, take the time to research the website and understand its content and audience before pitching your guest post.
Low-quality content
Publishing low-quality or irrelevant content on a website can damage your online reputation and harm the website's reputation as well.
Make sure that your guest post is well-written, informative, and relevant to the website's audience and niche.
Moreover, inserting irrelevant or low-quality backlinks can also be a spam practice that should be avoided. In an article published in 2014, Matt Cutts wrote:
“In general I wouldn’t recommend accepting a guest blog post unless you are willing to vouch for someone personally or know them well. Likewise, I wouldn’t recommend relying on guest posting, guest blogging sites, or guest blogging SEO as a linkbuilding strategy.
In that article, he referred to spammy guest posting and not one with high-quality content.
Over-promotion
Using your guest post solely as a platform to promote your products or services can be off-putting to readers and harm your relationship with the website owner or editor. Instead, focus on providing value to the readers and building your authority in your niche.
Ignoring guidelines
Ignoring the guest post guidelines provided by the website can result in your post being rejected or published with edits that may not align with your goals. Make sure to carefully read and follow the guidelines provided by the website.
Conclusion
Guest blogging can be a valuable tool for bloggers and content creators to build their online presence, reach a wider audience, and establish themselves as an authority in their niche.
By following best practices such as researching relevant websites, crafting high-quality content, and monitoring results, bloggers can effectively pitch and publish guest posts on reputable websites.