Glossary
What is a guest post?
A guest post is an article you write for another site's blog, usually with a short author bio linking to your site. Done for the audience, it builds reputation and earns relevant links. Done at scale for keyword-anchor links, Google treats it as link spam and may ignore or penalise the links.
When it's worth it
When the host site's readers are your buyers. A guest post in a niche newsletter or a respected industry blog puts your expertise in front of the right people, and the link is a bonus. Many quality sites now mark guest post links nofollow, which is fine if the audience is right.
What Google says
Google's spam policies list "large-scale article marketing or guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links" as link spam. Google has also said links in guest posts should generally be qualified with nofollow or sponsored when the main purpose is links.
How to pitch
- Read the site; find a gap in what they've published.
- Pitch one specific idea with a working title and three points.
- Bring something only you have: data, a case study, an unusual angle.
- Write it well, link sources, keep self-promotion to the bio.
Example
A founder with directory data pitches a marketing blog: "What 352 directories ask for at submission." The post gets shared widely and the bio link sends 200 visitors in a week, more than any directory listing she has.
FAQ
Do guest posts still work for SEO?
Relevant ones on real sites help, mostly through audience and credibility. Mass guest posting for links doesn't.
Should I pay for guest posts?
If you pay, the link should be sponsored or nofollow. Buying followed links is a scheme.
What anchor text should I use in a guest post?
Your brand name in the bio. Avoid keyword anchors.