Guest Post
Definition
A Guest Post is an article or blog post written and published on a website by an author who is not a regular contributor. The goal is often to contribute valuable content to another blog in exchange for exposure and backlinks, which direct readers back to the guest poster’s website.
Guest Post Relevance for SEO
Guest posting can be an effective SEO strategy because high-quality guest posts allow you to tap into an existing audience and gain exposure and backlinks to your site. Google uses backlinks as one of the main ranking factors, so earning links from authoritative sites through guest posting can help boost your search rankings.
Additionally, writing posts for popular blogs related to your niche allows you to showcase expertise and establish credibility with readers. This helps drive more organic traffic to your own site. So beyond just the SEO benefits, guest posting helps with overall brand-building.
Brief Guest Post History and Evolution
Guest posting has been used as an SEO tactic for over a decade. In the early 2010s, low-quality guest posts were often mass-produced solely to gain backlinks. Since then, Google algorithm updates have cracked down on manipulative linking schemes.
The focus has shifted to high-quality, relevant guest posts that aim to provide value for readers rather than just gain backlinks. Guest posting remains a legitimate SEO strategy as long as the content offers unique value and links are editorial.
Guest Post Best Practices for SEO
When writing a guest post, following best practices can ensure that the post effectively boosts your SEO. Here are a few suggestions:
- Write for reputable websites: The impact of a guest post on your SEO is heavily influenced by the authority of the site it’s posted on. Contributing to high-authority and industry-relevant websites is often more beneficial.
- Quality over quantity: Always prioritize writing high-quality content that provides value to readers. Quality content is more likely to be shared and linked back to.
- Include relevant backlinks: Embed relevant backlinks within your guest post, directing readers back to equivalent content on your website.
- Natural anchor text: Use natural, relevant anchor text for backlinks instead of forcing keywords, as search engines consider this as a positive signal.
- Post-Publication Promotion: Once your guest post is published, promote it on your own social media channels to increase visibility and engagement.