Key takeaways
- Guest post outreach means pitching an article to a relevant site, writing it well and getting it published under your name.
- Google's spam policies list links with optimized anchor text in guest posts as link spam.
- If you pay for a guest post, the link should carry rel=sponsored. Nofollow is also accepted.
- Write for readers first: a few posts on relevant sites beat dozens on sites that publish anything.
Guest post outreach is the process of finding relevant websites, pitching them an article idea and writing a piece they publish under your name. Done for readers, it builds reputation and can earn a link. Done to manufacture links, it breaks Google's rules. This guide covers one tactic in depth. For how it fits into the bigger plan, read the backlink strategy guide, and for help doing it, see my link building service.
What is guest post outreach?
Guest post outreach is contacting editors of sites your customers read and offering an original article written for their audience. If they accept, you write it, they publish it under your name, and it usually includes a short author bio. The goal is exposure and credibility with the right readers. A link is a side benefit, not the product.
For a business owner, the value is simple. An HVAC company writing about indoor air quality for a home improvement blog, or an accountant explaining a tax change for a local business association, reaches people who may need them. The article keeps working as long as it stays published.
What does Google say about links in guest posts?
Google's spam policies list, as link spam, links with optimized anchor text in articles, guest posts or press releases distributed on other sites. Guest posting itself is allowed. The problem is using guest posts to place keyword-rich links that pass ranking credit. Paid placements should carry rel=sponsored or rel=nofollow, which keeps them within the rules.
The wording is in Google's spam policies for web search, in the link spam section, next to buying links and excessive link exchanges. The same page says paid links are not a violation as long as they are qualified with nofollow or sponsored. Google's guide to qualifying outbound links explains the options:
| Situation | How the link should be marked |
|---|---|
| You paid, or gave something, to get the post published | rel="sponsored" (nofollow is also accepted) |
| Free editorial post, natural link to a useful page | A normal link is fine; keep the anchor natural |
| Link in a comment or forum post you wrote | rel="ugc", usually added by the site |
| Exact-match keyword links repeated across many guest posts | Do not do it: this is the pattern Google calls link spam |
The same policies also include a site reputation rule for host sites that publish third-party content mainly to benefit from the host's ranking signals. In plain words: sites that sell articles on any topic to anyone are exactly the sites to avoid.
How do I find guest posting websites worth writing for?
Start with sites your customers already read: industry blogs, trade associations, local business publications and suppliers with a content section. Check that each one publishes useful articles on your topic, has real comments or social shares, and does not sell posts openly. Ten good guest posting websites beat a list of two hundred generic ones.
- The site covers your industry, your customers' problems or your city.
- Its recent articles are useful and written by people with real experience.
- Posts have signs of readers: comments, shares or a newsletter.
- There is no public price list for posts, and it does not publish on every topic.
- Its pages appear in Google when you search the site name plus your topic.
Guest post outreach, step by step
- Pick the goal. Decide which audience you want to reach and which page on your site would genuinely help them.
- Build a short list. Use the checklist above. Note the editor's name and the topics they already covered.
- Read before you pitch. Find a gap: a question their readers ask that the site has not answered well.
- Send a short, personal pitch. Two or three specific ideas, why you can write them and one link to your best published work.
- Write for their readers. Original, practical, with your own experience. Google's guidance on helpful, people-first content is a good standard here too.
- Handle the link honestly. Link only where it helps the reader, with natural anchor text, and accept sponsored or nofollow if the site uses them.
- Follow up once, then track. One polite reminder after a week or two. Log every pitch, reply and published post.
A pitch that gets read is short and specific. For example:
Subject: Article idea for your readers: what to check before replacing an AC unit. Hi Ana, I read your piece on summer energy bills. Your readers often ask in the comments whether to repair or replace. I could write a practical checklist on that, based on what we see on service calls. Two other ideas: ... Here is a recent article I wrote: ...
What anchor text should a guest post link use?
Use your brand name, the title of the page you link to or a plain description of what the reader will find. Avoid repeating the same commercial keyword across posts. Google's link guidance says good anchor text is descriptive, reasonably concise and relevant, and its spam policies flag optimized anchors in guest posts as link spam.
Google's link best practices give the test: read only the anchor text, and if it makes sense alone and describes the page, it is good. In an author bio, your business name linked to your home page is the safest choice.
How many guest posts should a business publish?
Fewer than most link sellers suggest. For a local or niche business, one or two strong guest posts a quarter on genuinely relevant sites is a sustainable pace. Each one should reach an audience you want and be something you would be proud to share with customers. Volume is the clearest sign of a link scheme.
When to get help with guest post outreach
Guest posting takes time: finding sites, pitching, writing and following up. Bring in help when you know the topics but lack the hours, or when you have been offered cheap placements and want to know if they are safe. The work is part of my link building service, from $400 a month with every placement reported, and the writing side connects with SEO content writing. You can also start with the free diagnosis from the home page.
Frequently asked questions
Is guest posting dead?
No. Guest posting for readers still builds reputation and can earn links. What Google targets is guest posting at scale to place keyword-rich links.
Should I pay for guest posts?
If you pay, the link should be marked sponsored or nofollow. Then you are buying exposure, not ranking credit, which is within Google's rules.
Can I publish the same article on several sites?
No. Editors expect original work, and the same article spread across many sites is the pattern Google's policies describe.
Do nofollow guest post links have any value?
Yes: readers, referral visits and credibility. Google says these links are generally not followed, so do not expect ranking credit from them.
What if a site asks me to write for free with no link?
If the audience is right, it can still be worth it for exposure. Decide by the readers, not only by the link.
About the author
Juan José Giraldo is an SEO consultant in Medellín, Colombia, with 5+ years of experience. He works on technical and local SEO for 600+ US car dealerships at Reunion Marketing, an Inc. 5000 agency, and supervises the SEO of 18 US online stores with more than 3 million products at Prontomowers. Read more · LinkedIn.