Ultimate Guide to Guest Blogging
In order for your website to be found in search, you need to follow Google’s E.E.A.T. methodology. The A is for authority. You can build authority with a backlink strategy. One-direction links to your website are called backlinks. Each link to your site transfers authority from the publishing site to yours. The more backlinks to your site, the higher the authority you will have.
Guest Blogging is an effective way to build backlinks and provide value. Guest Blogging is writing and publishing content written by you for other websites. It’s an effective backlink strategy to help you build authority for your website. In exchange for the valuable content you create, you will be rewarded with a backlink to your website.
How To Start Guest Blogging
Guest blogging requires planning, research, and execution. Depending on the competition, expect to build up to a hundred backlinks over the course of a year. Never build all your backlinks in one month. Backlinking should look like a natural growth spread out over months. Here are a few steps you can take to start guesting posting:
Research Websites that Accept Guest Blogs
You want to guest blog on sites that align with your target audience and industry. The Google algorithm values contextual links, meaning the link to your site is created within relevant content. The content provided to a publisher should be informative and helpful. Finding these sites can be difficult and time-consuming. Start by using your target keyword or phrase and add this to the end of the search, ‘+ “Guest posting.’
Read the Publisher’s Submission Policies
Many websites that accept guest blogs also have submission policies or content guidelines. This can include formatting requirements, word count, writing style, the number of backlinks they allow, and topics they like. They may also have other specific instructions that they require from guest posts. Using this information increases your chances of being accepted and helps you decide whether the website is a good fit.
Evaluate the Authority of the Publisher
When you have identified a group of potential publishers and accepted their submission policies, You will narrow your list by looking at the authority of the publisher’s website. There are a few industry-standard sites that will give an authority ranking. Moz is by far the most popular metric used by SEO professionals. They call it their DA(Domain Authority) score. However, like most quality metrics, they can be manipulated by others. You will want to use additional metrics to validate their authority. Traffic to the publisher is a metric that is hard to manipulate. The more value they have with Google, the more traffic they will send to them.
Using the DA score with traffic metrics will help you filter out bad sites like a ‘Private Blog Network” PBN. These sites are designed to manipulate Google. Google is actively looking for and devaluing any sites caught on a PBN. You may have to use more advanced tools like our Domain Metric Tool to help filter out these sites.
Start Pitching
You are ready to pitch once you have identified the websites you would like to begin guest blogging for. Sending an email is a quick, easy way to introduce yourself and explain the value of your content on their website. In your email, include something about yourself, like experience and expertise. Provide a summary of what the post will be about and how it will help their readers.
You should receive a 50% response rate to your initial email. Those responding may request additional info and provide instructions on what they expect from you. Dialog like this will build trust with the publisher.
Write High-value Content
The content can be written before or after the pitch. You may have to modify the content to match the requirements sent to you by the publisher. The content should be a high-quality post that your audience will find helpful and informative. Write your article with a unique perspective or actionable advice. Make sure your post aligns with the website’s audience, style, and tone and is free from grammatical or structural errors. If all of the posts on the website are formatted in the same way, format yours in that way as well. You can also add examples or visuals to enhance the quality and credibility of your guest blog. Most Publishers prohibit the use of AI content.
Follow SEO Best Practices
Incorporating SEO best practices can help maximize your post’s visibility and reach. From your keyword research, you identified the target keywords you want to rank for. Integrate these researched keywords and terms in your content. Avoid unnatural usage or over usage of the keyword. The rule of thumb is to use the keyword or phrase once per 250 words. The target keyword should link to a relevant page on your website that supports the article.
Validate the Guest Blog
When you have selected a publisher and sent the content, they will let you know when the post is published and what the URL is. Go to the page and review the content that nothing has changed. You will also want to evaluate the link to your website. Published may try to add a ‘no-follow’ link, which tells Google not to trust the link and not to send value from their website. The ‘no-follow’ link should be removed if found.
Track Your Website Performance
It does take time for Google to index the new content and apply it to its algorithm. On average, expect at least three months before you see the results of your efforts. You can track metrics like Keyword Ranking, website traffic, engagement, and conversions. You will also see your DA and AS increase in value.
Need Help?
We understand business owners may not have the time to do Guest Blogging and want to focus on their business. SEO agencies may also find they have resource limitations and need help. We are here to help in many different ways. Our software is easy to use and track progress. With our software, you can manage multiple website campaigns in one interface. We are part of the Red Canyon Media network of professionals with decades of experience helping businesses succeed online. Create an account for free and see how we can help you.