What Is Guest Blogging? Elevate Your SEO with Expert Insights

Endorsed by Google’s Matt Cutts as a “great way for someone who isn’t quite as well-known but writes really, really well,” guest blogging is a conduit to endless opportunities for writers. Cutts also outlines the benefits for host sites, expressing that a host should be “happy” to have a quality guest blogger on board for the “insight” and “knowledge” they bring—imparting wisdom that sometimes can’t be found in-house.

Echoing Cutts’ sentiments, we’ve put together this guide to illuminate the advantages of guest blogging for both writers and publishers. Specifically, we will:

1. answer the question, “What is guest blogging?”
2. guide you through the do’s and don’ts of guest blogging,
3. distinguish between a valuable contribution and spam,
4. and unravel how guest blogging can powerfully bolster your SEO strategy.

What Is Guest Blogging?

Guest blogging or guest posting involves a writer writing content on a third-party’s website—the host site. Typically, the writer isn’t an in-house contributor but instead an outside expert or influencer hailing from a niche relative to the topic at hand.

Learn more: Interested in broadening your SEO knowledge further? Check out our SEO glossary, where we’ve explained over 250+ terms.

Why Is Guest Blogging Important?

Guest blogging is a two-way street, benefiting both the guest blogger and the host site.

For the host site, guest blogging represents:

1. Fresh perspective. A guest blogger brings a fresh voice and a new perspective to a host site’s platform, which can reinvigorate and diversify content, keeping the target audience engaged.
2. Expert knowledge. A guest post from an industry expert can increase a site’s authority and reputation, positioning it as a hub of valuable knowledge.
3. Building relationships. It provides an opportunity to build relationships with other industry experts and influencers, opening doors to future collaborations.

For the guest blogger, guest blogging enables:

1. Audience expansion. Guest posting introduces the writer’s voice to a new audience, expanding their reach.
2. Brand awareness. By showcasing their expertise on another platform, they can increase awareness and recognition of their brand.
3. Networking. Guest blogging offers an excellent platform for building relationships within their industry, which can lead to more opportunities in the future.

The Impact of Guest Blogging on SEO

Aside from networking and fresh perspectives for the host site and the guest blogger, guest blogging also brings considerable benefits for SEO.

From the host’s perspective:

1. Extended keyword reach. Guest bloggers may naturally incorporate new keywords or related phrases that the host site might not have targeted yet, broadening the keyword reach and improving the site’s potential to rank for more terms.
2. Increased traffic. If the guest blogger has a substantial following or significant influence in an industry or niche, their post could drive a new wave of traffic to the host’s site. This increase in traffic, if sustained through engaging content, can enhance the site’s SEO performance.
3. Lowered content production burden. Regularly producing quality content can be challenging. By hosting guest bloggers, the site can maintain a steady content flow without overstraining its resources.

From the guest blogger’s perspective:

1. Quality backlinks. Guest blogging typically allows for the inclusion of a link or two back to the guest blogger’s site. These backlinks, particularly from high-authority sites, can enhance the site’s SEO by sending positive trust signals to search engines.
2. Improved domain authority. Getting published on high-authority sites can enhance the guest blogger’s domain authority, as search engines associate their content with a trusted source.
3. Improved keyword ranking. Guest bloggers can craft their posts around strategic keywords relevant to their website. Well-integrated, seamless use of targeted keywords can lead to improved rankings for those terms.

Learn more: Check out our link-building services.

Common Questions About Guest Blogging

Guest blogging comes with its share of questions and concerns. Let’s address some of the most common queries here.

1. Can Guest Blogging Hurt My Site?

Yes, guest blogging can potentially harm your site. But only if executed incorrectly. For example, associating with low-quality sites (not small sites, perceivably just spammy sites), publishing content that has keyword stuffing or irrelevant external links (known as toxic backlinks), or producing low-value content has the potential to impact your SEO efforts. Or at the very least, not improve them.

With this in mind, from a host site’s perspective, it’s important to collaborate with guest bloggers who produce high-quality, on-trend content. Ideally, a writer that has at least a basic understanding of on-page SEO best practices.

2. How Do I Start With Guest Blogging?

If you’re a writer wanting to dip your toes into guest blogging, start by identifying your goals. Is your aim to increase brand awareness? Gain high-authority backlinks? Have your thoughts presented to a new audience? Or, perhaps, all of the above?

Once you’ve answered these questions, do your research and reach out to blogs that align with your industry or niche. From there, craft a compelling pitch that highlights the unique value you can bring to a third-party’s website.

3. How Often Should I Guest Blog?

There’s no definitive answer to this, as it depends on your goals, capacity, and the opportunities available. Some may find value in guest blogging once a month, while others may aim for a weekly guest post. The key is to maintain quality over quantity.

4. Can I Repost My Guest Blog on My Site?

From the guest blogger’s perspective, we don’t recommend that you post duplicate content to your own website. It can lead to content duplication issues, which has the potential to negatively impact your SEO efforts. Instead, why not consider writing a new, complementary piece that links to the guest post that’s published on the host’s site?

5. Do I Get Paid for Guest Blogging?

No, not usually. Some websites may pay writers for their efforts, but typically, the backlink, exposure, and networking opportunities a writer or blogger receives to their own site are seen as the method of payment.

Conclusion

With our team of experienced writers and SEO professionals, we will help you craft high-quality guest posts that resonate with your target audience and align with your business goals. Let us take care of your guest blogging strategy so you can focus on what you do best—growing your business.

🚀 Let’s write a new chapter in your brand’s story together—discover our guest blogging services. 🚀