Guest posting, which is also known as guest blogging, involves creating content for another individual's or company's website or blog. Companies may request such posts as a one-time or occasional service, either on a contract basis or otherwise. Along with various other SEO and content marketing tactics, guest posting can be utilized by individuals and businesses to enhance brand recognition, establish a specialized community, and generate greater organic traffic.

What Is a Guest Post Service?

Utilizing guest posting services is considered a legitimate SEO approach, with some referring to it as a "white hat" strategy. This term is drawn from the tech industry's use of the phrase "hacker." White hat hackers are the ethical individuals who comply with the rules when searching for potential program or system flaws and then repair them. This is in contrast to black hat hackers, who break the law or use other unlawful methods to seek out flaws.

Since guest posting is a white hat strategy, it's a reputable method for obtaining high-quality links that lead back to your website. By including content and backlinks, you can reach a larger audience and gain brand recognition, which is beneficial for your site's SEO.

How Do You Write a Guest Post?

For freelancers, writing a guest post for another website or blog is similar to creating content for their own channels. The process and format are often the same, and there are tips that can help make their posts more appealing to other sites or encourage them to request additional content in the future. Here are some of those tips:

1. Prioritize the Audience

To write content that resonates with the blog or site's target audience, it's crucial to comprehend their needs. Research their interactions with the host site by examining comments, social media shares, and other channels. Take note of demographics such as age and gender and see if they have any particular interests. If possible, speak with the host site owner to better understand their target audience and how to tailor the content accordingly.

2. Match the Brand

Every brand has its own style and voice. While you have a distinct writing style, you should adapt it to match the host site's brand. Review previous articles and content that the host site has published and observe the tone, message, and approach they use. Understanding the branding may help you create a better piece that requires fewer revisions before publication.

3. Consult the Style Guide

Some site owners may provide specific instructions or a style guide to follow when composing posts. This information may include how many headings to use, the desired length of the post, and other relevant details. If you receive such instructions, follow them and inquire if necessary. If no style guide is provided, look at how the site structures its other posts. Consider elements like the post, sentence, and paragraph lengths, the number of sections, and the use of visuals.

4. Emphasize Action

Actionable content informs readers and motivates them to act. When selecting a topic, think about a skill or project that people can apply in real life. Consider sharing information that can make their lives simpler. These are the types of topics that provide value to readers and encourage them to return for more content.

5. Avoid Self-Promotion

Despite being the guest poster, the article's content should not be about you, your business, or your achievements. The post is unlikely to be a sales pitch, so avoid treating it as such. The goal is to establish credibility through the writing itself rather than by promoting your business. Content marketing is successful because it does not appear to be advertising but rather reliable sources sharing valuable information with the public.

6. Develop Your Byline

Your byline is where you can discuss yourself and your accomplishments. Host sites frequently ask writers to provide brief bios for themselves to supplement the article and introduce themselves to the audience. Concentrate on telling people who you are, what makes you trustworthy, and where they may locate more of your content.

7. Include Internal Links

When writing for another site, consider including internal links to the host site's other content to enhance SEO. This assists with the site's backlinks and organic search.

8. Deliver the Final Product

Provide everything requested in the style guide or by the site host. This goes beyond spell-checking and submitting your written content. Submit your bio, any images, links, and all supporting materials. Verify that you have the appropriate file types, image quality, and size, and that all of your links function correctly. This is not just professional, but it also saves time. Professionalism may result in requests for you to contribute more guest posts to the same site.

How to Find Guest Posts Opportunities 

There are a couple of options to consider when looking for places to publish your guest posts. The first approach is to reach out to other websites and inquire about guest posting opportunities. This process can be similar to cold calling or emailing, particularly if you're not sure if the host site is actively seeking guest content or if they'll be open to your proposal.

Alternatively, you can use a link building and placement service to assist you in placing your content. These companies typically have established relationships with bloggers across various niches and can distribute your guest posts to them for a fee. You may also consider utilizing content syndication services, such as those offered by CopyPress, to help increase your backlink profiles.

How to Pitch and Sell Your Guest Posts?

Once you've identified a potential host site or have chosen to use a link-building service, the next step is to sell your guest posts effectively. If you're working with a link-building service, you'll typically start by signing up or scheduling a consultation. If you're approaching sites independently, you may need to persuade them to accept your content and explain why you're a good fit for their platform. There are numerous approaches to pitching your guest post, depending on the site, your niche, and your industry expertise. Some tips that can help include:

1. Establish Relationships

Before diving into guest posting, it's beneficial to establish relationships with bloggers and industry professionals. This can broaden your network and make it easier to find opportunities to create content. Building connections over time can also help you pitch content more naturally as you utilize knowledge from your network to determine who can benefit from your specific expertise.

2. Review Guidelines

If you decide to contribute to a site that uses guest posts, it's crucial to review their guidelines before reaching out. This can inform you of what they expect from guest posters and help you tailor your pitch accordingly.

3. Conduct Research

Your pitch should demonstrate how your posts align with the site's audience. Research the site to understand their target audience, the type of content they publish, and how it aligns with your skills and talents. This can also help you identify your strengths to share with them.

4. Timing is Key

Timing can make a difference when pitching a guest post. Consider pitching after a blog or site mentions your company on social media, after they mention your products or services in their posts, when they are actively looking for guest posters, or right after they publish another guest post. These opportunities indicate the host site's openness to guest blogging and can increase your chances of success, especially when making cold contacts.

5. Showcase Your Expertise

Create a pitch that highlights your attributes for the host site. Think about their previous guest bloggers or popular content, and explain how you can meet or exceed their expectations. Your pitch should clearly demonstrate why it's worthwhile to collaborate with you. Depending on your situation and relationship with the contact, you can present your pitch in person, over the phone, or through email.

6. Personalize Your Approach

Personalize your interactions as much as possible, even if you're unfamiliar with the contact. Address them by name and reference research you've conducted on the company or individual and their content. Consider following some of the same professional etiquette used in cover letters or job applications when sending your pitch or meeting with potential collaborators. The more you can demonstrate your knowledge and enthusiasm for the opportunity, the more receptive the recipient may be to your ideas.

Is It Safe To Consider a Guest Post Service?

When considering a guest post service, the question of safety often arises, specifically in regards to potential penalties from Google and other search engines. Fortunately, guest posting is considered a legitimate and ethical strategy, known as a white hat tactic, which falls within Google's terms of service. As such, using guest posting to benefit a business website is safe and will not result in penalties or a lower ranking. In fact, high-quality guest posts with customized content and frequent backlinks can actually help improve a company site's ranking.

Does Guest Posting Still Work?

When implemented strategically and tailored to the audience, guest posting can still be an effective SEO strategy. To maximize the benefits of guest posting, it's essential to understand the target audience and their preferences. Additionally, success as a freelancer can be influenced by various metrics, such as domain authority (DA), domain rating (DR), and organic traffic. These metrics can impact the choice of sites to write for and the effectiveness of guest posting. Higher quality metrics for a host site are likely to result in faster traffic and returns for the guest post.

How Does DA Affect My Post Purchases?

Having a high Domain Authority (DA) from the host site can result in better search engine rankings and increased traffic. Although Google does not use DA as a direct ranking factor, it can give an indication of how well a website is performing compared to its competitors. Websites with higher DAs can provide quicker results. It is also important to consider improving your own site's DA and similar metrics, as strong metrics from both the host site and your own site can increase overall domain credibility.

Guest posting can be an effective technique to boost your SEO and organic search results. You can either manage the process on your own or seek assistance from a service provider. There are various options available to implement this strategy and enhance your online presence.