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Guest blog link building is a strategy where you write content for another website in your industry in exchange for a backlink to your own site.
In other words, you act as a “guest” author on someone else’s blog, and you typically get to include a link (or multiple links) pointing to your site. The appeal is straightforward: you provide valuable content to the host blog’s audience, and in return you earn a contextual backlink that can potentially boost your SEO authority and drive referral traffic.
This tactic has been a go-to for many SEO professionals for years.
In fact, according to recent industry research, guest posting is the third most popular link building method – about 48.7% of surveyed link builders use it as a go-to strategy. Even as new link building techniques emerge, guest blogging remains a staple in many SEO campaigns.
However, it’s not without controversy. Google’s own spokespeople have at times issued strong warnings about guest blogging purely for links, calling such links “unnatural” and claiming to algorithmically devalue many guest-posted backlinks. This puts SEO experts in a nuanced position: guest blog link building can be very effective for brand exposure, credibility, and referral traffic, but if abused for SEO link manipulation it can carry risks.
In this in-depth post, we’ll break down exactly what guest blog link building entails, why so many marketers still invest in it, and how to do it the right way.
We’ll also explore how to find high-quality guest blogging opportunities step by step, with practical tips for identifying and securing placements on the right websites. Along the way, we’ll examine opposing views (including Google’s stance) so you understand the full picture – benefits, drawbacks, and best practices. By the end, you should have a clear understanding of guest blogging as a link building technique and a game plan for leveraging it effectively in your SEO strategy.
What is guest blog link building?
Guest blog link building (often just called guest blogging for short) is a link acquisition approach where you write an article for another website and include a link back to your own site within that content (usually in the author bio or the content body).
The core idea is a value exchange: the host site gets free quality content for their audience, while you (the guest author) get a backlink and exposure to new readers. It’s essentially a form of content marketing that doubles as an SEO tactic.
From an SEO perspective, the primary goal of guest posting is to earn backlinks from relevant, authoritative sites. These backlinks can help improve your site’s search rankings by signaling to Google that other reputable websites consider your content valuable (each link is like a “vote” for your site’s authority).
For example, if you run a fitness blog and you manage to contribute an article to a well-known health website that links back to your blog, that link may boost your domain’s authority in the eyes of search engines.
However, guest blogging isn’t just about the SEO juice from links. It’s also about reaching a broader audience and building your reputation. By appearing as a guest contributor on respected sites in your niche, you can establish yourself (and your brand) as an authority. Readers who find your guest post useful might click through to your site, follow you on social media, or become potential customers. In one sense, guest blogging is as much about PR and branding as it is about link building.
It’s important to note that guest blogging is a white-hat SEO strategy when done properly – meaning you focus on high-quality content and genuine relationships. It differs from black-hat tactics like private blog networks or automated link schemes because with guest blogging, the idea is to contribute real value.
As a result, guest blogging has long been viewed as a relatively legitimate way to build links, especially compared to spamming comments or buying links outright.
That said, intent matters. If someone is “guest posting” just to drop keyword-stuffed anchor text links on as many sites as possible (with low-quality content), that crosses into shady territory. Done right, guest blog link building should be a win-win: you’re not only there for the link, but also to deliver something useful to the host site’s readers. This dual benefit is why guest blogging became so popular – it can simultaneously grow your link profile and your brand’s reach.
Why guest blogging is a popular link building strategy
Despite shifts in SEO trends, guest blogging remains wildly popular among link builders. There are several compelling reasons why SEO experts continue to rely on this tactic:
1. It’s effective for acquiring authoritative links
When you secure a guest post on a high-authority website, you typically gain a high-quality backlink from that site. These are the kinds of links that SEO professionals covet.
For example, uSERP’s recent industry survey found that guest posting is the third most-used link building strategy (after content marketing and digital PR).
In many cases, it’s simply easier to get a backlink by writing a great article for another site than by hoping that site will link to your content organically. You’re proactively creating the link opportunity. As long as the host site is topically relevant and reputable, that backlink can carry significant SEO value (more on Google’s view of this later).
2. It builds brand exposure and credibility
Every guest article is an opportunity to put your name and expertise in front of a new audience.
If you consistently contribute insightful content to respected blogs, people start to recognize you as a thought leader in the field.
Moz’s team famously emphasized this point in the wake of Google’s 2014 crackdown on spammy guest posts – they shifted focus to “branding, branding, branding” as the primary goal of guest blogging, alongside benefits like credibility, referral traffic, and community building (rather than just links).
By writing for reputable publications or industry blogs, you build trust. When readers see your content on sites they already follow, it lends you instant authority by association. This credibility can translate into higher conversion rates and easier relationship-building within your niche.
3. It drives targeted referral traffic
A well-placed guest post can generate a steady stream of referral visitors. Imagine writing an article for a popular blog whose readership closely matches your target audience – a portion of those readers will click on your link to learn more about you.
For instance, a SaaS startup founder who guest-posts on a tech industry site might see an influx of qualified visitors and sign-ups coming directly from that article’s link. Unlike a random directory link or a footer link, guest post links are embedded in relevant content, so the traffic you get is often highly interested in the topic.
In one real-world success story, the team at Hunter.io (an email outreach tool) reported publishing 68 guest posts which resulted in 174 backlinks from high-DR (Domain Rating 70+) domains, significantly boosting their referral traffic and search visibility.
4. It helps build relationships in your industry
Guest blogging often involves a lot of outreach and networking – you communicate with editors, site owners, and other bloggers. These interactions can form the basis of ongoing professional relationships.
Many marketers note that a guest posting campaign helped them connect with influencers or peers in their niche, leading to future collaborations beyond just the one article.
Over time, being a known contributor on various blogs essentially plugs you into the industry conversation. Those relationships can yield more opportunities: invitations to contribute elsewhere, co-marketing partnerships, or simply a stronger personal network.
5. It’s a scalable and repeatable process
Compared to some link building tactics that rely on one-off wins, guest posting can be systematized. Once you get the hang of finding prospects and pitching articles, you can rinse and repeat the process across numerous sites (within reason).
Many SEO agencies and teams have a standard guest posting “pipeline”: prospecting for blogs, pitching content ideas, writing the content, and then moving on to the next.
This repeatability is attractive because you can plan a campaign to get, say, 10–20 new backlinks over a quarter by allocating the appropriate resources to content creation. There’s even a whole ecosystem of tools and services around guest blogging outreach to support this.
Of course, quality control is crucial – blasting out spammy guest posts at scale is not the goal, as we’ll discuss in the risks section.
It’s worth noting that guest blogging’s popularity hasn’t waned even as Google has tightened its policies. A Semrush report in 2025 highlighted that 43.7% of marketers use guest posts for SEO at least occasionally.
Additionally, a majority of bloggers (73%) say they welcome guest contributions on their own blogs, which means the supply of guest post opportunities is plentiful.
In short, many websites are open to publishing outside content, and many SEOs are eager to supply it. This mutually beneficial dynamic keeps guest blogging alive and well.
Of course, effectiveness is the real question – and that’s where opinions diverge. Some practitioners will tell you that guest blogging has been a cornerstone of their SEO success, directly contributing to higher rankings. Others caution that its impact is overstated or diminishing.
To really understand the value of guest blog link building, we need to look at the other side of the coin too: the criticisms, the Google guidelines, and the potential pitfalls if you do it wrong.
Challenges and controversies in guest blogging for SEO
No discussion of guest blog link building would be complete without addressing the risks and debates surrounding it. Guest posting might be popular, but it hasn’t remained uncontroversial – especially in the eyes of search engines.
Let’s explore the key challenges and why some in the SEO community urge caution or even avoidance of guest blogging purely for links.
Google’s stance on guest post links: “Unnatural” if done for SEO
Google has long taken a wary view of any link that is not earned organically, and guest post links fall into a gray area.
In theory, a guest article is editorial content, but if you as the author are inserting links to your own site, Google knows there is a self-interest involved. From Google’s perspective, such links did not arise “naturally” by a third party editorial process – you had a hand in placing them.
Thus, Google tends to consider most guest-posted links as intended to influence rankings, i.e. part of a link building scheme.
All the way back in January 2014, Google’s then–head of webspam Matt Cutts wrote a famous blog post declaring “stick a fork in it: guest blogging is done” for SEO purposes.
The dramatic announcement came after Google observed an onslaught of spammy, low-quality guest posts littering the web solely to build links. Cutts clarified shortly after that he was talking about guest blogging for search engine optimization specifically – not that all guest blogging is bad.
High-quality, relevant guest posts for branding or community reasons were still “good” in Google’s eyes. But the message was clear: using guest articles primarily as a way to acquire links could lead to trouble.
In fact, later in 2014 Google went on to penalize several guest blogging networks and websites that were abusing the tactic (one well-known case was MyBlogGuest, a large guest post forum that got hit with a manual penalty).
Fast forward to more recent years, and Google’s rhetoric is still cautious. Google’s Search Quality team (through spokesperson John Mueller) has repeatedly stated that links from guest posts should not carry weight in ranking algorithms.
Mueller even recommended that all links in guest contributions be tagged with rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored" – essentially telling Google to ignore those links. The rationale is that if you’re the one writing the content (and especially if you paid for the placement or it’s a quid pro quo), the link is not a naturally given endorsement.
In one office-hours discussion, John Mueller was asked if paying for a guest post on a site is against guidelines if the content is high-quality. He responded plainly:
“Yes, using guest posts for links is against our spam policies… links [in guest posts] should be… nofollow or rel-sponsored… It’s fine to use guest posts as an advertisement, but the links should be blocked”.
Google even updated its official webmaster guidelines to include “large-scale guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links” as an example of a link scheme to avoid.
Perhaps the most telling insight came from Mueller on Twitter in 2020, when a discussion erupted about guest posting services. He commented that Google has years of training data and algorithms tuned to sniff out and devalue guest post links, even without manual penalties.
According to Mueller, the “largest part” of guest post links “are just ignored automatically” by Google’s filters.
In other words, Google claims that in many cases those hard-won guest blogging backlinks might not boost your rankings at all, because the algorithm discounts them as not fully organic. He even quipped, if all that work is for ignored links, why not just do something useful instead? – a bit of cold water from Google on the ROI of guest posting for SEO.
Google’s stance can be summed up as: Guest post links are viewed with skepticism. The search engine won’t necessarily penalize you for a few genuine guest posts (especially if you mark the links as nofollow), but it has the means to nullify their ranking benefits.
And if you abuse the tactic at scale – say, publishing dozens of keyword-stuffed guest posts across low-quality sites – you could face manual action or algorithmic demotion.
Google’s algorithms (like the AI-based SpamBrain system) are continuously improving at identifying patterns of link spam, including manufactured guest post links.
This means SEO professionals must use guest blogging judiciously and adhere to best practices, rather than seeing it as a loophole for easy link juice.
In line with Google’s guidance, many authoritative blogs now enforce their own safeguards.
For example, Search Engine Land (a leading industry publication) nofollowes all links from guest contributors, even in the author bio, as a precaution against passing any link equity. And numerous sites explicitly state in their guest post guidelines that any link you include might be nofollow or subject to editorial removal if it looks manipulative.
Does guest blogging still work in 2025? Balancing benefits vs. risks
With Google casting doubt, you might wonder if guest blogging is “worth it” from an SEO standpoint in 2025. The nuanced answer from the SEO community is that guest posts can still provide value, but mainly when executed in the right way and for the right reasons.
On one side of the debate, you have practitioners (and some data) indicating that guest posting can indirectly help SEO.
For instance, a Backlinko analysis of Google’s ranking factors notes that although Google tries to discount guest post links, such links “still pass value” but likely aren’t as powerful as true editorially-given links.
In other words, a backlink you earned because a journalist independently cited you is gold standard; a backlink you inserted via a guest article might be silver – it could have some positive impact, just less so. The same analysis warns that doing guest posting at large scale (churning out lots of posts solely for links) is risky and can get your site into trouble, which aligns with Google’s warnings.
Many SEO experts maintain that if you stick to high-quality guest blogging – targeting reputable sites, writing truly valuable content, and not overstuffing links – the benefits outweigh the risks. The logic is that even if the direct SEO impact of the link is neutralized by Google, there are secondary benefits that can boost SEO.
For example, brand building through guest posts can lead to organic mentions and links later on. You might guest-post on one site, a reader from that site later naturally links to you from their own blog because they learned about you – that second link is organic.
Or the referral traffic gained improves your site’s engagement signals and conversions, indirectly supporting your growth which eventually leads to better SEO performance.
So, guest blogging can be a catalyst for wider organic growth when done with a strategic mindset.
On the other side, some professionals argue that the ROI of guest blogging for pure SEO is diminishing. They point out that the effort to write a great guest article is significant – often just as much work as writing for your own site – and if those links are mostly ignored by Google, you might be better off investing that effort into content on your own blog or into other link building tactics like digital PR.
The time opportunity cost of guest posting is real.
For example, Roger Montti at Search Engine Journal has noted that the real value of guest posts nowadays lies in brand exposure, not in moving the SEO needle:
“the value of guest posting is for brand building…there is a lot of value in it for that purpose,”
but as a link scheme, it “has not worked for ranking purposes for years”. In his view (and Google’s), too many SEOs forgot Matt Cutts’ warning and continued spamming guest posts, often without meaningful ranking gains to show.
So, does it still work? Yes – but differently than before.
If you approach guest blogging with a modern, holistic mindset, it can absolutely be worthwhile. Just don’t expect it to be a magic bullet for rankings. The SEO boost from one high-quality guest link is subtle, and a spammy guest post link has zero boost (or could even harm if it flags your site for a manual review).
But the cumulative effect of consistent guest contributions – more brand searches for your name, more social followers, more referral traffic, and yes, a diverse backlink profile – can be positive for your SEO over time.
To maximize benefits and minimize risks, consider these principles:
Focus on quality, not quantity
Ten guest posts on small, low-quality sites will do far less for you than one piece on a top-tier site. An authoritative site link carries more weight and is less likely to be seen as part of a spam pattern. It’s also more likely to bring actual traffic.
Quality also refers to your content – fluffy or thin guest posts won’t impress readers or the host’s editors (and might not get published at all anymore). Aim to write guest content that you’d be proud to publish on your own site.
Relevance is key: Stick to blogs in your industry or closely related niches. A highly relevant guest post (say a cybersecurity expert writing on a tech blog) makes the link context natural.
If you stray too far (say, dropping a link to your fitness site from an unrelated finance blog you somehow got access to), it raises red flags. Google’s algorithm looks at content relevance; a pattern of off-topic guest links can look manipulative.
Avoid over-optimized anchor text
One classic mistake that led to guest post penalties in the past was using the same keyword-rich anchor text in every guest post (e.g., always linking the phrase “best CRM software” back to your site). That’s a dead giveaway of SEO gaming.
Instead, use branded anchors or natural phrases.
Often, placing the link in your author bio or mentioning your site in a non-promotional way in the content is safest. Many sites now outright forbid overly commercial anchor text in guest contributions.
Disclose and use nofollow when appropriate
If a site is giving you a guest spot as a pure paid placement or link exchange, it’s both ethical and wise to ensure the link is nofollow/sponsored. Google explicitly states paid links should not pass PageRank. While anecdotally some SEOs still pay for “dofollow guest posts,” that approach is very risky today.
It’s better to abide by guidelines: treat such guest posts as advertising. You’ll still get exposure and traffic, even if the link doesn’t boost your PageRank.
Not doing so (and hiding the fact that a post is sponsored) can violate not just Google’s rules but also advertising laws (for example, the U.S. FTC can levy steep fines for unlabeled sponsored content).
Diversify your link building
Guest blogging should be one part of your SEO strategy, not the whole of it. As BuzzStream’s content director notes, leaning on any one tactic too heavily – guest posts included – can backfire.
If all your new backlinks in a given year come from guest posts, that pattern is both easy for Google to detect and not a great sign of organic popularity. Balance it out with other approaches like getting mentions in press articles, creating linkable assets that earn links naturally, engaging in community partnerships, etc. A diverse link profile is a healthy link profile.
In summary, guest blog link building is not “dead”, but it has evolved. For savvy SEO experts, the goal today is to use guest blogging primarily to bolster your brand, reach new audiences, and showcase expertise – with any SEO link juice being a bonus rather than the sole objective.
If you take that approach, you’ll naturally do guest posting in a way that passes Google’s sniff test.
Now, assuming you’re on board with using guest blogging as a strategic tool, the next step is figuring out how to find the right guest blogging opportunities. That’s what we’ll dive into next.
How to find guest blogging opportunities
Finding quality guest blogging opportunities is a critical step in a successful guest link building campaign. The web is vast, and not every site will be a good fit. Your aim should be to identify sites that are relevant to your niche, have engaged audiences (and decent authority), and are open to accepting guest contributions.
In this section, we’ll outline a practical, step-by-step approach to uncovering those golden opportunities. Think of it as building a target list of blogs/publications where you have a strong chance of getting a guest post and reaping the benefits.
Note: Before you begin, make sure you have defined the niche or topics you’re targeting and have some content ideas in mind. It helps to know what value you can offer to a potential host site.
Also, ensure your own website looks presentable; any blog owner considering your pitch will likely check who you are and what you do.
1. Use search engines to uncover “write for us” prospects
The simplest way to find sites that accept guest posts is through good old Google (or Bing). Many websites that welcome guest contributors will have dedicated pages or sections with titles like “Write for Us,” “Become a Contributor,” “Submit a Guest Post,” or “Contributor Guidelines.” By using specific search queries (often called search footprints), you can discover these pages.
Try searching Google for combinations of your industry keywords plus common guest post phrases.
For example, if your niche is digital marketing, search for things like:
-
digital marketing "write for us" -
SEO intitle:"guest post guidelines" -
"submit a guest post" + marketing -
inurl:contributors "technology blog"
The quotation marks ensure you’re finding exact matches of those phrases. The intitle: and inurl: operators help target pages that have “guest post” or “contributors” in their title or URL, which is a strong sign of a contribution page.
For instance, a query like intitle:"write for us" finance would return results where “write for us” is in the title tag and the topic is finance – likely blogs in the finance space that have a write-for-us page. Using a variety of these queries will surface a lot of potential targets.
Compile the results in a spreadsheet or list as you go. You’ll probably find community blogs, professional association sites, niche publications, and sometimes general article sites. Not all will be worth pursuing (some might be low-quality content farms), but don’t filter too hard yet – first gather a broad list.
One pro-tip: Search for keywords related to your niche plus the word “guest post” itself.
Often, people who have written guest posts will have author bios or mentions like “This guest post was written by [Name].”
For example, searching “guest post by” + your keyword could turn up articles in your field that were guest posts, which means those sites accepted them.
For example, “guest post by” SaaS marketing might find instances of guest posts about SaaS marketing. Those host sites are likely open to more guest content.
Additionally, look for roundup lists that others have created. Queries like “list of blogs that accept guest posts [your industry]” or “best sites for guest blogging [topic]” can lead you to blog posts where someone has curated opportunities. Be a bit cautious with these, as some lists can be outdated or include low-quality sites, but they can be a helpful starting point.
2. Leverage SEO tools to find opportunities (content explorers & competitor analysis)
Manual searching is great, but SEO tools can supercharge your prospecting. Platforms like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz have features that help identify sites in your niche and even show where competitors might have guest-posted.
One powerful method is using Ahrefs’ Content Explorer (or a similar content search tool) to find websites in your topic area. In Ahrefs Content Explorer, you can enter a broad keyword related to your niche (e.g., “cybersecurity”, “gardening tips”, “personal finance”) and it will return a huge database of web pages that mention that keyword.
To narrow it down, filter the results to show one page per domain and exclude homepages – this effectively gives you a list of websites that have content about your topic.
You can then sort or filter by Domain Rating (a metric of site authority) to focus on moderately authoritative sites (for example, DR 30–60 as a sweet spot for outreach). The idea is that these sites clearly publish content in your niche, making them likely candidates for a guest post.
In fact, many blogs that don’t explicitly advertise “write for us” still accept guest posts if you approach them with a great pitch. The Content Explorer method helps you find those “hidden” opportunities by topic relevance.
Another tool-based approach is competitor backlink analysis.
If you have SEO competitors who are actively doing guest posts, you can often uncover where they have posted. Using a backlink analyzer (Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz Link Explorer), plug in a competitor’s domain and look at their recent backlinks.
Manually sift for backlinks that look like they came from guest articles. Clues include: the anchor text might be the competitor’s name or a natural phrase, the linking page might have an author bio mentioning your competitor, or the context of the link suggests an authored article.
For example, if you see your competitor got a link from “blogsite.com/best-marketing-tips-2025.html” and the anchor or surrounding text makes it clear they wrote it, then blogsite.com is likely a guest post host. You can also filter the competitor’s backlinks by keywords like “author” or “guest” to spot likely guest post links.
Ahrefs has a specific competitive analysis tool where you can input a target site (perhaps a site you want to write for) and see what similar sites are ranking for or linked from. This can even help you generate content ideas to pitch: the tool can show content gaps (topics the target site hasn’t covered yet but its competitors have). Pitching one of those gap topics as a guest post can be a clever strategy – you’re essentially helping the target site by offering content on something they are missing.
If you don’t have access to paid SEO tools, you can also use free methods like Google Alerts or advanced searches on social media (e.g., Twitter search for “guest post” + your niche often surfaces when people share their guest articles).
The outcome of this tool-driven step should be an expanded list of potential guest blog targets that are topically relevant and possibly predisposed to accepting contributions (either because they have in the past or because they actively invite it).
3. Qualify and prioritize your target list
By now, you might have a long list of potential blogs and websites. The next crucial step is to evaluate the quality and fit of each opportunity. Not all sites are created equal – you want to focus your efforts on those that will move the needle for you and align with your goals (whether that’s SEO value, brand prestige, or traffic). Here’s how to qualify your prospects:
Check the site’s authority and traffic
Metrics like Domain Authority (DA from Moz) or Domain Rating (DR from Ahrefs) can give a rough sense of a site’s link authority. As a rule of thumb, a link from a DA 50 site will typically have more impact than one from a DA 5 site.
However, these metrics aren’t everything. Sometimes a lower-DA site in your niche might have great community engagement or niche influence. It’s good to also check the site’s organic traffic (tools like Semrush or SimilarWeb can estimate this).
If a blog has decent traffic, that’s a sign it has real readership – which is good for both referral traffic and the site’s general SEO strength. Prioritize sites that have non-trivial traffic and moderate to high authority.
An example criterion: “Only pursue sites with DA > 30 and at least 1k monthly visits” – but adjust based on your niche (some niches have few high-DA blogs, so you might go lower).
Assess content relevance and quality
Click through a few articles on the site. Is the content well-written and accurate? Does it cater to the audience you want to reach? A site might have a high DA but if its content quality is poor or off-topic, a guest post there won’t do much for your reputation (and Google might discount links from a low-quality content farm anyway).
Trust your gut as a reader – if the site looks spammy, filled with only guest posts or ads, and has little genuine engagement (e.g., no comments, no social shares), it’s probably not a great opportunity. You want sites that you’d be proud to associate your brand with.
Remember, your guest post reflects on you.
See if they have guest post guidelines
Many sites have a “Contribute” or “Guidelines” page that outlines what they expect. This can be goldmine of information. They might specify the topics they want, formatting, whether they allow a dofollow link or only nofollow, etc.
If a site explicitly says “we nofollow external links” – you know ahead of time that the SEO gain is minimal (though you might still do it for other benefits). If they say “we currently do not accept guest posts,” you might put that prospect on hold (or check back later) rather than wasting time pitching. Use these guidelines to refine your list: drop those that aren’t accepting contributions, note those that have particular rules.
Also, gauge how professional the process seems. A well-defined guest post policy is often a sign of a reputable site (versus a sketchy site that says “sure, pay us $50 and we’ll post anything” – which is a link farm).
Look at past guest posts on the site
If possible, find examples of guest articles already published on the target site. They might be labeled as such or just identifiable by the author not being part of the site’s staff. See what kind of content gets through. Is it high caliber? Do those posts get comments or shares?
Also, how are guest authors introduced – do they get an author bio with a link? Some sites only allow a link in the bio, not in the main content, which can be a factor in how valuable it is for you. If the site’s past guest contributors are people or companies similar to you, that’s a positive sign that you belong there too.
Evaluate audience engagement
A site with an active readership (comments, social media discussion) is more worthwhile. Not only will your post likely reach actual people, but engaged readers might click your link or even link to your guest post from elsewhere.
For example, a marketing blog where each post has a few thoughtful comments indicates a community; a blog with no comments and generic content might just be a content mill for SEO. You can also peek at the site’s social media presence (do they share new posts on Twitter/Facebook and get interactions?).
After this vetting, rank or categorize your list. You might have “Tier 1” targets – high authority, perfect relevance, dream publications – and “Tier 2” – decent blogs that are easier to get on. It’s fine to have a mix, but you’ll want to allocate your best effort pitches to the Tier 1 sites.
One more thing: ensure the site doesn’t have a history of issues. If a site looks like it’s been penalized (e.g., it has an abnormally low traffic for its content volume, or you find news of it being part of a link scheme), you probably want to avoid it. A quick Google search of the site’s name plus “guest post” or plus “penalty” can reveal if it was ever called out in SEO circles for bad practices.
4. Reach out and pitch your guest post idea
Now that you have a curated list of targets, the next step is actually contacting those sites with your guest post proposal. This step is crucial – a great opportunity can be lost with a poorly crafted outreach email. Your goal is to convince the blog editor or owner that you have something valuable to offer their readers, not just that you want a backlink.
Find the right contact
First, determine where and to whom to send your pitch. The site’s guest post guidelines (if available) might direct you to a form or an email address. If not, look for an editorial contact or the blog manager’s email. Tools like Hunter.io (no affiliation with the earlier example) or simple sleuthing on the site’s “About” or “Contact” page can help find a specific person. Addressing your email to a real name (e.g., “Hi Sarah,” instead of “Dear Webmaster”) can make a big difference. It shows you took time to learn about them.
Personalize your outreach
Avoid a cookie-cutter, mass email approach. Website owners can sniff out a templated guest post pitch a mile away, and it’s a major turn-off.
Instead, personalize each email to the site. Start by mentioning something you appreciate about their blog – maybe a recent article you genuinely found useful, or the general quality of their content. For example:
“I’ve been a reader of [Blog Name] for a while – your recent piece on budget travel hacks was incredibly insightful, I particularly loved the checklist you provided.”
Sincere flattery (emphasis on sincere) helps establish rapport.
Pitch relevant, tailored ideas
When proposing a guest post, suggest one or a few specific article topics that would be a good fit for that site.
This is where your earlier research pays off. Perhaps you noticed the site hasn’t covered a topic yet, or you have a fresh angle on a popular subject. Make sure your topics are relevant to their audience and not overly self-serving.
For example, if you run an email marketing software company, don’t pitch “Why Our Email Tool is the Best” – pitch something like “5 Email Marketing Strategies for E-commerce Stores (From a Marketer’s Perspective)” – it’s relevant to their readers and subtly in your wheelhouse without being a sales pitch. It’s often smart to pitch 2-3 headlines and a sentence or two describing each, so the editor has options to choose from.
Also, clarify why you’re qualified to write it:
“I’ve spent 5 years in e-commerce marketing and would love to share some of the lessons I’ve learned on [Blog Name]’s platform.”
If you have any social proof (like you’ve written on other well-known sites or you hold a relevant position), you can mention that briefly to build credibility.
Keep it concise and polite: Blog editors are busy. A concise email that gets to the point will fare better than a rambling story. Introduce yourself in a line or two, give your praise, make your pitch with proposed titles/bullet points, and express openness to their needs. Always thank them for their time and consideration. And of course, double-check your email for professionalism – no typos, correct names, etc.
A sample outreach email might look like:
Tailor that to your voice, but the key elements are: friendly greeting, show you know the blog, pitch specific ideas, brief credentials, and a polite close.
Be prepared that not everyone will reply, and some will decline. Don’t be discouraged by rejections – it’s normal.
If you don’t hear back in about 1–2 weeks, a polite follow-up email is okay. Something like “Just wanted to follow up in case my last note got buried…” can prompt a response. But don’t pester beyond a follow-up or two; move on to other targets if there’s silence.
5. Create high-quality content and follow through
Once a site gives you the green light to submit a guest post (congrats!), it’s time to deliver the goods. This step goes beyond finding opportunities into executing them, but it’s worth covering because the opportunity isn’t truly seized until your post is published and live.
Match the site’s style and tone: Write your guest piece in a way that feels like it belongs on the target site. Pay attention to their usual format – do they prefer how-to guides, opinion pieces, listicles? Mirror that structure. Use a similar tone (formal vs. casual, etc.). This increases the chance your draft will be accepted with minimal edits. It shows respect for their brand voice.
Provide value, not a sales pitch
Your guest article should be genuinely useful or insightful for the reader. Share practical tips, unique research, or personal experiences that the audience can benefit from. Avoid making the content about your product or company.
Many sites explicitly ban promotional content in guest posts. The idea is to demonstrate your expertise, not to advertise. E.g., if you’re writing “5 Budget Travel Tips,” one of those tips shouldn’t be “Use my company’s travel app” – that would likely get your post rejected or heavily edited. You can mention your company or project in passing if relevant, but sparingly and only in a non-promotional context.
Optimize your author bio (if you get one)
Most guest posts allow a short bio of the author, where you can talk about who you are and usually include a link to your website (this is often where your backlink will live, especially on stricter sites). Make your bio concise and interesting. Mention your role, your company, or something that builds credibility.
For example:
“Jane Doe is a cybersecurity analyst and the founder of SecureTech. She enjoys sharing best practices to help businesses stay safe online.”
And then the bio might include a link to SecureTech’s homepage. This bio link might be nofollow (depending on the site), but it’s still valuable for anyone reading who wants to learn more about you. Some sites also let you include a Twitter handle or similar – which can grow your social following.
Include a relevant in-content link if allowed
If the site’s guidelines permit, try to naturally include a link within the article body back to your site. Perhaps you have a blog post on your site that is a good further resource on a point you’re making – linking to it can be mutually beneficial (extra resource for readers, and a backlink for you). Make sure it feels organic and helpful, not forced.
For instance, “...as I outlined in my detailed guide on [anchor text linking to your guide]” can work if indeed your guide is on-topic. Be mindful not to violate any rules: some sites cap the number of self-links (often just 1 is allowed) and they dislike keyword-stuffed anchors. Usually your brand name or a neutral descriptive anchor is safest here.
Mind the editing and revision process: After you submit your draft, be open to feedback. The site’s editor may request changes – perhaps a different emphasis, or to remove a link, or clarify something. This is normal. Work with them professionally to get the post publication-ready. Showing that you’re easy to work with can even open doors to writing again for them in the future.
Finally, once the post is published, promote it and engage. Share it on your social media, tag the publication if appropriate, and be sure to monitor comments on the post. If readers leave comments or questions, respond to them. This not only ingratiates you with the host site (editors love when guest authors help engage the audience), but it’s also great for your own reputation – you’re actively part of the conversation.
By following through diligently from idea to published article, you maximize the benefits of each guest blogging opportunity you find. A successfully published guest post on a quality site is a win-win-win: good content for the host, a backlink and exposure for you, and useful info for readers.
Best practices for guest posting
Guest posting remains one of the top link building tactics, with 47% of SEOs regularly using it. But as Google’s spam detection improves, the old “mass guest post” approach no longer works. To succeed today, focus on quality, ethics, and long-term value.
Write for quality, not just links
The first rule: create valuable content. Google warns against “low-quality guest blog posts” designed only to manipulate rankings. Instead, your post should share original insights, expert advice, or useful research that benefits readers.
Experts recommend matching the host site’s tone, depth, and audience expectations. Editors are looking for genuine expertise — not thin listicles or promotional fluff. Publishing on reputable, topically relevant sites strengthens your brand and drives real traffic, while low-quality sites can hurt your reputation and SEO.
Aim for authority and relevance: sites with an engaged audience and moderate-to-high authority are ideal. But niche fit matters even more — a great fitness blog is better for a fitness company than a random high-authority tech site.
Use links responsibly
Guest posting isn’t just about the backlink. Google recommends that links in guest posts should be nofollowed or marked as sponsored to avoid violating guidelines.
That doesn’t make guest blogging worthless — links can still drive referral traffic and brand visibility. But don’t overdo it:
- Limit yourself to one link, usually in the author bio or a relevant in-content spot.
- Use natural, branded anchor text, not keyword-stuffed phrases.
- Link out to authoritative third-party sources to strengthen credibility.
The real value comes from providing useful, engaging content, not just planting links.
Personalize your outreach
Editors are flooded with generic pitches. Stand out by personalizing every email. Reference the editor’s name, mention a recent post, and explain why your idea fits their audience.
Personalized outreach significantly improves acceptance rates. Propose specific, relevant topics — not vague offers. Briefly highlight your expertise or past publications. And follow up politely if you don’t hear back.
Focus on long-term value
Guest posting’s biggest payoff isn’t just SEO. Quality guest contributions boost brand authority and E-E-A-T signals over time.
Rather than chasing dozens of minor placements, focus on a few high-quality sites. Even one article on a respected publication can lead to more partnerships, media mentions, or referral traffic. You can expect 50–100 visits per post on average — but the reputational gains are harder to measure and often more valuable.
Avoid shortcuts
Mass guest posting, buying links, or using shady networks can trigger Google penalties or algorithmic filtering. Focus on genuine relationships, ethical practices, and expert-level content. As experts advise, if you wouldn’t proudly show your guest post to a client, don’t publish it.
