Are you a small business owner looking to increase your web traffic and build your website's SEO? Well, today you’re in luck because you've clicked on the right blog post. We have all the information you need to know about what a guest post for SEO is and how it can help your business grow.
This guide will walk you through everything from what exactly guest posting is, why it works, how much time and effort goes into creating quality content, and how to find the right opportunities for your small business. By the end of this article, you'll know everything essential to know about guest posting.
Let's get started!
What is a Guest Post
Before we get into any of the details around guest posting, we need to understand what a guest post is!
A guest post is a piece of content submitted to another blog site by someone other than the owner or primary author of that particular website.
For example, we would write an article "how small businesses need to adapt in order to succeed in 2021" and then have it published on a website such as Marketing Trends Group blog. You write the blog and then it's published on another website.
The great thing about guest blogging is you get all the benefits of having your own original, high-quality content on another person's website while they do most of the work for you when it comes to promoting and marketing their new visitor’s content.
In many cases, this means traffic from these larger websites can bring in hundreds if not thousands of more visitors who may be interested in what your small business has to offer!
Guest Posting for SEO
Now that you know what a guest post is, let's talk about why it works so well for Seach Engine Optimization (SEO).
You're probably already aware of the benefits of having quality content on your own website but did you know this same concept applies to other websites as well?
When writing blog posts or articles for another site, not only are you providing information that will be useful to readers looking for that topic, but each time someone reads and follows the link back to your website from one of these articles, they’re essentially giving Google more reasons to rank you higher in search results!
Not to mention the possibility of creating more loyal readers and increased sales. You are essentially setting yourself up to access all of that other website's audience by posting an article for them! Just think about the possibilities!
The Importance of Backlinks For SEO
A backlink or inbound link is a hypertext reference that connects to a web page from elsewhere. Backlinks from other sites to a web page increase the popularity of that webpage.
Why Guest Posting is Important
When you write a guest post, you'll be gaining a backlink. Securing backlinks from other websites is a great way for your business to rank higher in search results and increase website traffic. Google loves to see backlinks and is one of the best strategies to help you increase your SEO ranking.
When you write a guest blog post on another person’s site, not only do they have the incentive to link to you in their author bio but since this content was written by someone outside of their business, Google will see it as more relevant than just an internal link! The same can be said about any links within the actual article itself.
Is Guest Posting Bad for SEO
Many people are concerned about guest posting when they first learn about it because they think it could potentially be bad for SEO. However, this is 100% not true! Guest blogging isn’t spammy in any way and Google doesn't see it that way either.
When someone posts an article on their blog that links to yours, the more often Google crawls and indexes that link back to your site, the better off you'll be with regards to visibility in search results.
Do-Follow and No-Follow Backlinks
When it comes to backlinks there are two different types:
Do Follow: A backlink that tells Google to follow it back to your website
No Follow: A backlink that tells Google not to follow it back to your website
When you write a guest post, make sure that you receive a do-follow backlink. Otherwise, your guest post loses all of its value of giving you a backlink.
How to Check if it's A Do Follow Link
If you want to check if a link is do follow or no follow, you will need to inspect the link in the browser and check it's HTML code.
To do this, right-click on the link select “Inspect”. This will then bring up the HTML code for that link. If you see rel=”nofollow”, then the link is a no follow link. If you do not see rel=”nofollow”, then the link is a do follow link.
In addition to using the inspect tool, you can use a backlink analysis tools such Moz.
Is Guest Posting Effective?
There is no denying that guest posting can be effective when done correctly. It takes time and effort to create high-quality, relevant articles for other blogs but the benefits are well worth it!
You'll increase SEO ranking
Gain more traffic
Reach new audiences
Build trust and credibility
In fact, according to a study by Social Marketing Writing, “62.96 percent of people believe blogs with many contributors to be more trustworthy.”
So, does guest posting work in 2021?
Yes, it sure does!
How Do I Write A Guest Post For SEO
First things first, you'll want to find a blog that aligns with what you offer and then find their contact page or they may have an advertisement page. It’s best if this is someone who actually has an interest in your business but isn't necessarily promoting the same types of products or services as yours so they can avoid any potential overlap between services. After all you don't want to link to your competitors.
Next, be sure to create something truly valuable for them instead of just adding another article onto their site without much substance - remember, there are other people reading all these articles too so don't skimp on quality! Your content should also focus on offering real value while staying true to your brand voice.
Take some time to research the topic and include the right keywords in your article. The more you know about the topic and the better your SEO, the better your guest post will be for them and yourself!
If they have an advertisement page, they might have also included some information about guest posts, make sure to read that. If they don't, no worries. The next step is to contact them about possibly doing a guest post for them.
Guest Post Pitch
Now you need to pitch them why they should allow you to write a guest post for them. Make sure to take your time writing this pitch as many are turned down.
When contacting them, be sure to include the following:
Why you're contacting them
Why they should accept your guest post
The topic or headlines you are interested in writing about
Your qualifications
A link to your blog, portfolio, or social media profiles
By including all of this, you are much more likely to get a response from your email. If you would like to see a real example of a guest post pitch or would like a guest post pitch template, send a message and include "Guest Post Pitch Template" in the subject and we'll send you one over ASAP.
Writing A Guest Post
Once you hear back from your pitch and they accept, it's time to start writing your guest post! Use the same standards as you would for a normal blog post. They may also have standards that you should follow, make sure to ask!
Remember, this isn't an advertisement so don't go off on tangents about your business or try to plug things into every paragraph. Instead, focus on providing valuable information that people want and need from within your industry or niche!
Be sure to include real-world examples of the topic at hand too which will help readers relate better to what you're saying. Guest blogging is not just posting content with links back to one’s site; it is writing something truly helpful for others in order to build trust via organic traffic and social shares. It is also building relationships with other bloggers who could become potential clients down the road because they know, like, and trust you.
This is not an overnight tactic and takes time, but in 2021 guest posting can be very beneficial to your business if done correctly!
In fact, guest posting can be extremely time-consuming. Between looking for guest posting opportunities and creating the content, it can take up a lot of your time. This is why many people choose to pay for guest posting services (we'll cover more about guest posting services later in this article).
How to Find Guest Posting Opportunities
Use Google to search for “guest post opportunities” and be sure to include the niche that you are looking for! You can also search guest posting opportunities by typing the following into Google:
keyword “submit a guest post”
keyword “guest post”
keyword “guest post by”
keyword “accepting guest posts”
keyword “guest post guidelines”
Just replace the word Keyword with whatever topic or niche you want...
How Do You Attract Guest Bloggers
Another option to find guest blogging opportunities or to attract guest bloggers is My Blog Guest, a community of guest bloggers. Search for blogs that accept guest contributions using your email address. Even better, create a profile describing yourself as looking to write guest posts on a certain topic so that blog owners may discover you!
What is Guest Posting Services
A guest posting service is a service that you pay for to have a company write content for blogs other than your own (a guest post). You can pay companies to do exactly everything that we discussed in this article.
In addition, they will make sure the article gets published with no approval process required on your end (though this may vary depending on the service). Some services even guarantee high rankings in search engines or social media shares!
If you go this route, just make sure they are a reputable SEO company, as there are many scams out there or company's that won't provide real and valuable backlinks.
Common Questions About Guest Blogging
Here are some common questions about guest blogging and how it can benefit your website:
Is Guest Blogging Good for SEO and relevant in 2021?
Yes! When you write a post that is published on another site with good rankings, this will help improve the overall authority of your domain. Google even said that they give more weight to sites with authorship information because "it's an indicator of the trustworthiness of the content." So writing high-quality guest posts on reputable blogs actually helps boost your search engine rankings.
How Many Backlinks Do I Need from Guest Posts?
Typically anywhere from one to two backlinks is considered great by many experts. Any more backlinks may be a bit spammy as this is going onto someone else's website. One link back to your site is good enough.
How Long Should My Guest Post Be?
Guest posts typically range between 500-3000 words, but it can depend on the blog that you are writing for. If they have a word count minimum or maximum requirement, be sure to follow these guidelines so your post is accepted and published! And if not, just try to keep guest posts within this range.
Is It Bad For SEO To Promote My Own Site in A Guest Post?
No, definitely not! In fact, providing an introduction about yourself along with a link back to your site should help readers discover more valuable content from you. And, as long as you stay within the word count guidelines of your guest post.
What if I Don’t Want To Write A Guest Post?
There are many reputable companies that can do all of this work for you at affordable prices. If you're looking for guest posting services, send us a message!
Guest Posting for Small Businesses
Writing a guest post for SEO is a great way to get your content out there and build more authority. Just be sure that you are mindful of the guidelines set by guest blog owners when writing about yourself or promoting your own site in order not to come off as spammy.
If you need help, don't hesitate to reach out! We're here to help your small business grow. If you liked this article and would like to see more, head over to small business our blog.