Guest posting is an important tool in the SEO agency’s arsenal. Although it has been given a bad reputation due to shady black hat tactics, this doesn’t mean it should be completely discarded. Guest posting can be a powerful tool for driving organic search engine traffic to your website.
Here are some tips that will help you maximize the potential of guest posting for your SEO agency:
1. Pick a Niche & Stick to It
Choose a niche topic and only post content related to it. This will help establish you as an expert in that area, which will both attract readers and demonstrate your credibility when you pitch guest posts to other sites.
If you’re an SEO agency, focus on topics like link building, outreach marketing, SEO best practices, and content optimization.
Writing on multiple topics won’t help you become an expert in any of them, and search engine algorithms may view your content as low quality. Google’s new E-E-A-T update places a high emphasis on experts and authority.
As an SEO agency, you want to appear as an expert in your field. Sticking to a single topic when guest posting will help you do this. Moreover, it will also give you an edge over other guest posters who may not have the same level of expertise.
2. Explore Guest Posting Opportunities & Create a Perfect Guest Post Pitch
You may already know which sites you want to pitch for guest posts. But it’s important to explore all possibilities and identify the best fit for your content.
Simply Google the keywords “Guest post submissions,” “Accepting guest posts,” “Guest post guidelines,” or “Submit a guest post” and proceed to check out the sites that appear.
Once you have identified potential guest posting sites, create a perfect pitch. Make each pitch personal and call the managing person by their first name. Talk informally and keep your email short and to the point. Also, provide a list of topics you propose and some credentials for your work published online.
Make them aware that you’re familiar with Google’s ranking factors and how to create search-friendly content. If your previous post ranks highly on Google for a target keyword, mention it in the pitch. Ensure that you adhere to the website’s guest post guidelines and requirements.
3. Focus More on Creating Evergreen Content
When it comes to guest posts, it’s not just about generating views and links. It’s crucial to ensure that your work remains relevant for an extended period. This involves placing a strong focus on crafting timeless content.
Seize every opportunity to publish material that will remain valuable even after a decade. Of course, this doesn’t mean disregarding current news-related possibilities. However, by prioritizing evergreen content creation, you can guarantee that your contributions will have a lasting impact and provide long-term benefits to your SEO agency.
Crafting evergreen content might be challenging, especially in rapidly evolving industries like technology. Nevertheless, with the right approach and thorough research, producing content that withstands the test of time is entirely feasible.
4. Target Strong Website Only
Many agencies make the mistake of chasing websites with a high Domain Authority. A strong DA is important, but there are other factors to consider. You should also ensure the website is loaded with reputable content written by experts.
Check their link profile or have an SEO pro do this for you before pitching. Additionally, ask for traffic metrics and whether the site buys links (or “exchanges” them for money, as the case may be). Don’t pursue a website simply for its DA.
It’s better to skip a website if you think it has nothing valuable to offer or if you suspect its content is low quality. Search engine algorithms are wise to these tricks; you don’t want your brand name associated with shady interactions. Moreover, this will save you much energy as you search the web for the best online outlet to amplify your content.
5. Foster Relationships with Good Publications
Good publications are hard to come by. So, when you find a strong website and your guest posts resonate with its audience, do as much as possible for that website. Focus on the relationship more than anything else and try to foster a good working relationship with them.
Most agencies don’t like this approach due to the diminishing value of more links, but if you can find a strong website and your content does well on that site, make sure you focus on the relationship aspect of it.
Outreach marketing is essential in this case, as it allows you to make deeper connections with potential readers and customers. Reach out to influencers in the same niche, comment on their posts, and follow them on social media sites like Twitter or Instagram. Doing this will help you build relationships with the right people and potentially lead to more guest post opportunities.
6. Build a Strong Bio
Crafting a compelling biography is crucial for optimizing your guest post’s SEO potential. It is important to ensure that your bio is concise and impactful while effectively conveying the desired message. Certain platforms may impose restrictions on including personal website links within your blog, emphasizing the need to enhance the strength of your bio.
Typically, bios provide space for a headshot, a link to your website, and a brief description of one to two sentences. Utilize the website link to direct individuals to a destination that resonates most with your target audience. Moreover, create a description that aptly represents your brand and appeals to their interests. As people often click on bios to delve deeper into understanding you, dedicating sufficient time to crafting a robust one is highly recommended.
7. Adhere to SEO Best Practices
If you want your guest post to have a higher chance of appearing in search engine results, adhering to SEO guidelines is important. Here are some key points to consider:
- Incorporate the targeted keywords naturally into your title, meta description, and content.
- Utilize header tags to organize your content and include relevant keywords within them. Additionally, seamlessly integrate related keywords into your content.
- Make sure your guest post includes links to relevant pages on your website.
- Include internal links within your blog post, directing readers to other pages on your site.
It’s common for agencies or content creators to overlook the importance of SEO in guest posts. By implementing these best practices, you can increase the visibility of your post in search engine rankings.
8. Create Long-Form Content and Mention Link-Worthy Sources
Don’t skimp on length when it comes to creating content. Search engines respond positively to longer blog posts, with a minimum word count of 1,200 words being recommended. This doesn’t mean you should add fluff, but you should take the time to provide value with well-thought-out and written content.
In addition, make sure to include mentions of link-worthy sources. For example, embedding a YouTube video from an industry expert or linking to a research paper on the topic will help your post gain more credibility and give readers additional resources to explore.
Depending on the website you are guest posting on, these kinds of links may be filtered by the editors. Make sure you research the website’s policies before including outbound links so you don’t get your post rejected.
9. Amplify Your Guest Posts
Maximize the impact of your guest posts by utilizing various platforms discreetly. These include social media, newsletters, email campaigns, and other content-sharing platforms. Distribute the post across different channels while incorporating appropriate hashtags and a discreet reference to the original post.
To expand your reach, consider discreetly engaging with influencers in the field and kindly request their support in sharing the post. This approach will facilitate reaching a wider audience, increasing exposure for your content, and potentially opening doors for future guest post opportunities.
To further enhance visibility, employ subtle outreach strategies such as discreetly contacting individuals who have previously written about similar topics and kindly requesting them to consider sharing your posts. This method effectively allows you to tap into alternative networks and increase exposure.
Additionally, capitalize on discreet SEO outreach techniques to acquire backlinks from other relevant websites that may be inclined to reference your guest post. By obtaining backlinks from reputable sources, the likelihood of your guest post ranking higher in search engine results will improve.
10. Link to Your Previously Published Guest Posts
As an agency, chances are you have more than one guest post published in the same niche. If that’s the case, try to link to the other articles as much as possible. This will help your previous posts get more visibility and create synergy between your guest posting efforts.
Although sometimes the publications won’t allow links, especially if they are directed toward a competitor, most times, you will get them linked. This way, all of your guest posts are connected, and search engines have an easier time understanding the relevance of each one.
11. Keep a Final Copy of Your Guest Posts
Save a copy of your guest post in case something happens to the original. The publication could fold, change its content marketing strategies or simply delete your post. To avoid this, save a copy of your content, and you won’t have to worry about it disappearing or getting lost forever.
Keeping a copy of your guest posts also helps you repurpose them in the future. For example, if you need to create content for your website, you can reuse your post’s ideas and wording in a new format. This saves time and lets you have more engaging and up-to-date content for your readers.
Moreover, you can use the content as a basis for other projects, such as podcasts or videos.
12. Cultivate Engagement on Your Posts
The key to achieving favorable outcomes with your guest posts lies in nurturing genuine connections. To enhance these connections, actively engage with your readers by responding to their comments and interactions on the post and social media platforms. By doing so, you’ll boost engagement levels and establish a stronger bond with your target audience.
Additionally, it’s crucial to closely monitor the performance of your posts across various social media channels. Regularly assess their impact and be prepared to adapt your outreach strategies accordingly.
Lastly, remember that while your guest post may appear on someone else’s website, your brand ultimately takes center stage. Therefore, tracking the level of engagement generated by your post and evaluating its influence on your reputation is essential.
13. Use Post Tracking Tools for Your Guest Posts
SEMrush Post Tracking tool lets you discreetly observe the social media interactions, linkages, and keyword rankings associated with your posts. This invaluable resource grants you a comprehensive perspective on the online reception of your guest post, empowering you to gauge the effectiveness of your outreach endeavors.
By diligently monitoring and tracking your posts, you can adapt your content marketing strategy accordingly, enhancing future guest posting initiatives. Through meticulous analysis, you can identify the most fruitful publications, thus amplifying the influence and impact of your work.
14. Follow Google’s Guidelines for Contributors
Google has a set of guidelines for contributors to be aware of when contributing content to other online publications. According to Google, content contributors should avoid the following:
- Stuffing keyword-rich links in their articles.
- Using or hiring article writers that aren’t knowledgeable about the topics they write about.
- Using the same or similar content across multiple articles.
- Duplicating the full content of articles found on their own site.
These guidelines should be taken into account to create quality content that won’t be seen as spammy or manipulative.
15. Leverage White Label Guest Posting Services
White label guest posting services offer a valuable solution for businesses aiming to enhance their online presence without drawing attention. These service providers collaborate with numerous websites and blogs to develop content and embed links within them.
Teaming up with a white label service presents an efficient approach to generating high-quality backlinks for your website while ensuring your content effectively reaches the target audience. Moreover, you can tap into the expertise of seasoned creators and effortlessly enhance your online visibility.
Guest posting serves as a potent outreach marketing strategy that, when executed flawlessly, swiftly boosts your brand’s exposure. To craft standout content and effectively engage your readers, adhere to these recommended guidelines. By enlisting the assistance of white label guest post services, you can extend your reach even further and monitor your posts to maximize their impact.
