Guest Posting in 2019 – Do you Even Need It?

    In 2014, Matt Cutts, a former head of webspam at Google announced that guest blogging is dead.  Fast forward to 2017 and Google issues a warning about abusing guest posting to build links. Of course, this begs the question – should you go looking for guest posts in 2019? Is there a way you can do it and get the desired results?

    Well, here’s the thing – guest posting works and is an integral part of online marketing. Even then, you have to do it correctly to give your brand the exposure it deserves. 

    Ethical Guest Posting

    One thing that you should have in mind when creating a guest post is that you’re doing it for more than a link. Yes. You should make it your priority to educate, add value and inform your target audience. Clicks and a link back to your site should be secondary. 

    On that note, these tidbits will help you stay on the straight and narrow of guest posting.

    Look for Trustworthy and Relevant Website

    Reach out to sites with well-curated content from the get-go. Make sure that the site appears credible. Still, you need to look under the bonnet. More specifically, determine the traffic estimate using tools such as SEMrush. Don’t forget to check the backlink profile to ensure that it isn’t spammy.

    It is essential to mention at this point that scrapping for sites to reach out to isn’t the simplest of tasks. It requires a lot of time to come up with a list of solid websites. However, you can opt for a custom outreach through Ninja to enable you to narrow down sites worth your attention quickly. The idea is to allow you to develop an excellent guest posting strategy and have time enough time to market your business.

    Choose Sites with Well Curated Content

    The last that you want is to guest post on a haphazardly organized site. In other words, you must be sure that there are real people moderating the content. Avoid websites that allow anyone to upload content with no control.  Think of it as a way to gauge the site’s seriousness and quality.

    Be Careful With Your Anchor Text

    Make no mistake about – anchor text still has a significant influence on your ranking. It is, therefore, advisable that you avoid using matching text for all links you get through guest posting. In other words, make sure that your anchor text profile is varied and natural.

    And, as a rule of thumb, do not overstuff your keyword. Also, have your audience in mind. Remember, you’re writing for people and not search engines.

    Be Careful with Mass Content Production

    Google issued a warning in 2017 about large scale guest posting campaigns. For starters, this is a strategy that involves rewording and changing part of your content so that you can upload it on different sites. Sure, that is okay, but the scenario is different if you use one article over and over again.

    Diversify With your Link Building Efforts

    Indeed, guest posting is a brilliant way to guest links. However, it shouldn’t be the only strategy that you’re focusing on. As stated, you should make sure that your link profile looks as natural as possible. And so you may know, there are hundreds of techniques that you can use for your link building campaign.

    The Bottom Line

    There will always be a place for guest posting – at least in the foreseeable future. You work is to stick by the rules of the game. Keep your content simple and easy to understand. You can start by guides and how-to styles as you learn the ropes.

    Also, monitor the sites that you publish your guest post on. With the frequent Google updates, you want to be sure your content is not on a penalized website. In such cases, cut links with the site and look for better options.

    • Tip – Guest posts that touch on current issues can increase your link acquisition by up to 85%. So, use the buzz of current events and stories to raise awareness of your content and by extension, your brand. 

    One more thing – make your guest posts as interactive and engaging as possible!