Get Started with Guest Blogging to Build Better SEO
Table of Contents
- April 21, 2025
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Have you ever wanted to share what you know with more people? Guest blogging might be the answer! Guest blogging means writing articles for other people’s blogs or websites instead of just your own. It’s like being a special guest speaker, but in writing.
What Is Guest Blogging?
Guest blogging happens when you write an article for someone else’s blog. The blog owner publishes your article with your name on it. Usually, they let you include a short description about yourself and links back to your own website or social media.
Think of it like being invited to speak at another school’s assembly. You get to share your ideas with a whole new group of people who might never have heard from you otherwise.
Why Guest Blogging Works
Reaching New Audiences
One of the best things about guest blogging is meeting new readers. Every blog has its own group of loyal followers. When you write for a new blog, you get to introduce yourself to all those people at once.
According to OptinMonster, 60% of blogs write 1-5 guest posts per month to grow their audience. This shows how popular this strategy is for reaching new people.
Building Your Reputation as an Expert
When someone invites you to write for their blog, they’re telling their readers that you know what you’re talking about. It’s like getting a stamp of approval from someone their audience already trusts.
The more you guest blog, especially on well-respected sites in your field, the more people will see you as an expert. This is called building your “authority” in your industry.
Improving Your Website's Search Rankings
When you guest blog, you usually get to include links back to your own website. These links are like votes of confidence for your site in the eyes of search engines like Google.
According to a study by Ahrefs, the quality of links pointing to your website is one of the top factors in determining where you show up in search results.
Generating New Business Opportunities
Guest blogging can lead to all kinds of new chances to grow your business or career. People who read your guest posts might:
- Visit your website
- Sign up for your email list
- Buy your products or services
- Invite you to speak at events
- Offer to partner with you on projects
How to Get Started with Guest Blogging
1. Identify the Right Blogs
Not all blogs are created equal. To make the most of guest blogging, you need to find the right places to share your writing. Look for blogs that:
- Have readers who would be interested in what you offer
- Publish content related to your expertise
- Have a good number of engaged readers (check for comments and social shares)
- Accept guest posts (many have guidelines for this on their website)
Make a list of 10-15 blogs that meet these criteria. Then organize them from “most likely to accept” to “dream opportunity.” This gives you a roadmap for where to submit your guest posts.
2. Study the Blog
Before you pitch an idea to a blog, spend time getting to know it. Read at least 5-10 recent articles to understand:
- What topics they cover
- The writing style they prefer
- How long their posts usually are
- What kind of headlines they use
- Whether they include lots of images, videos, or other media
Think of it like visiting a friend’s house for the first time. You want to understand their rules and preferences before making yourself at home.
3. Develop Valuable Article Ideas
Blog owners receive many guest post requests. To stand out, your idea must offer real value to their readers. Good guest post ideas:
- Address problems the blog’s readers face
- Offer new insights or perspectives
- Share specific, actionable advice
- Cover topics that fit the blog but haven’t been fully explored yet
Brainstorm 3-5 strong ideas for each blog on your list. Make sure each idea is specifically tailored to that blog’s audience.
4. Craft a Strong Pitch
Once you have your ideas, you need to convince the blog owner to accept your guest post. Your pitch should:
- Be personal (use the blog owner’s name)
- Show you’re familiar with their blog
- Explain why their readers would love your proposed topic
- Highlight your expertise on this subject
- Include links to your previous writing samples
- Be short, friendly, and professional
Remember that blog owners are busy people. Keep your pitch under 200 words if possible.
5. Write an Outstanding Article
If your pitch gets accepted, it’s time to deliver an amazing article. Follow these tips:
- Follow all the blog’s guidelines carefully
- Write a strong headline that grabs attention
- Include an engaging introduction that makes readers want more
- Break up your text with subheadings, bullet points, and short paragraphs
- Include helpful images, charts, or videos if appropriate
- End with a conclusion that summarizes your main points
- Proofread carefully for spelling and grammar errors
According to Orbit Media, the average blog post takes 4 hours and 1 minute to write. Plan to spend at least this much time on your guest post—possibly more since you want it to represent your best work.
6. Create an Effective Author Bio
Your author bio is a small paragraph that appears at the end of your guest post. This is your chance to tell readers who you are and guide them to your website or social media. A good author bio:
- Is written in third person (“Jane is…” rather than “I am…”)
- Mentions your most impressive credentials or achievements
- Explains how you help people
- Includes a specific call to action (“Visit Jane’s website for a free guide on…”)
- Contains 1-2 relevant links (usually to your website or a specific landing page)
Keep your bio under 100 words. Focus on what makes you different from others in your field.
Common Guest Blogging Mistakes to Avoid
Targeting the Wrong Blogs
Not every popular blog is right for your guest posting strategy. Writing for blogs whose readers aren’t interested in your topic wastes your time and effort. Always ask: “Would the people who read this blog be interested in what I offer?”
Sending Generic Pitches
Blog owners can spot a copy-and-paste pitch from a mile away. Generic emails that could be sent to any blog rarely get accepted. Take the time to personalize each pitch with specific references to the blog’s content.
Focusing Too Much on Promotion
Your guest post should provide value first and promote your business second. If your article reads like an advertisement, it will likely be rejected. Aim to make your post so helpful that readers naturally want to learn more about you.
Neglecting to Promote Your Guest Post
Once your guest post is published, your job isn’t done. Help drive traffic to your article by:
- Sharing it on your social media accounts
- Sending it to your email subscribers
- Responding to comments on the post
- Thanking the blog owner for the opportunity
This extra effort shows the blog owner you’re invested in the post’s success, which may lead to more opportunities.
Advanced Guest Blogging Strategies
Creating a Content Series
Instead of pitching a single post, consider proposing a series of 2-4 related articles. This approach:
- Provides more value to the blog
- Establishes you as a regular contributor
- Gives readers multiple chances to discover your work
- Creates a stronger connection with the blog’s audience
Series work best when each article can stand alone but also builds on the previous pieces.
Repurposing Your Content
After your guest post has been published for a few months, you can often repurpose that content in other ways:
- Turn the main points into social media posts
- Create an infographic summarizing the article
- Expand on the topic for your own blog
- Use the content as the basis for a video or podcast episode
This allows you to get more value from the work you’ve already done.
Measuring Your Guest Blogging Success
Referral Traffic
Use Google Analytics or another analytics tool to see how many people visit your website from your guest posts. Look for:
- Number of visitors from each guest post
- How long these visitors stay on your site
- What pages they visit
- Whether they take desired actions (signing up, making purchases, etc.)
According to a survey by Backlinko, guest posts generate an average of 42 referral visitors.
New Email Subscribers
If you include a call to action inviting readers to join your email list, track how many new subscribers come from each guest post. This is often a better measure of success than raw traffic numbers.
Social Media Growth
Monitor new followers or connections on your social media accounts after guest posts are published. Many readers will check out your social profiles before visiting your website.
Search Engine Rankings
Over time, guest blogging can improve where your website appears in search results. Track your rankings for important keywords before and after your guest blogging campaign.
Long-Term Guest Blogging Strategy
Build Relationships with Blog Owners
Don’t disappear after your guest post is published. Stay in touch with blog owners by:
- Commenting on their other articles
- Sharing their content on social media
- Sending occasional friendly emails with no requests attached
- Introducing them to other valuable connections
These relationships can lead to regular guest posting opportunities and other collaborations.
Create a Guest Blogging Calendar
Plan your guest blogging schedule 3-6 months in advance. This helps you:
- Balance guest posts with your other content creation
- Gradually move from smaller blogs to more prestigious ones
- Avoid periods where you’re too busy to write quality posts
- Track your results more effectively
A simple spreadsheet with blog names, topics, submission dates, and publication dates works well for this purpose.
Develop a Content Bank
Keep a collection of article ideas and partially written posts that you can use when guest blogging opportunities arise. This makes it easier to respond quickly when a blog owner says yes to your pitch.
Conclusion
Meet The Author
John Wilson
John, the driving force behind Optisite Rocket, spent 10 fulfilling years as the owner of a contracting company, where he honed his skills and developed a deep love for the contracting industry. Seeing the dismal results from hiring many “experts” to build his website and do his SEO, he realized he needed to learn how to do this himself. This allowed him to build a thriving company in his local area. A sudden injury, however, curtailed his ability to continue hands-on work. Undeterred, John now channels his passion into educating and inspiring others. He aims to equip aspiring professionals with the necessary knowledge and tools to excel in this rewarding field.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long should my guest blog post be?
The ideal length varies by blog, but most successful guest posts are between 1,000-2,000 words. Check the blog’s existing content to see their preferred length. Always prioritize quality over word count—a shorter, more valuable post is better than a longer, fluff-filled one.
Rather than focusing on a specific number, analyze the backlink profiles of websites currently ranking for your target keywords. This will give you a realistic benchmark for what you need to achieve in your specific situation.
Should I guest blog for free or ask for payment?
Most guest blogging opportunities don’t include direct payment. The value comes from exposure, backlinks, and new audience connections. However, as you build your reputation, you may receive offers to write paid content for larger publications.
How many guest posts should I write each month?
Quality matters more than quantity. For most people, 1-2 high-quality guest posts per month is more effective than many lower-quality ones. Start with one per month, then adjust based on your results and available time.
- The authority of the linking website
- The relevance of the link to your content
- Your existing backlink profile
- The competitiveness of your target keywords
- The frequency of search engine algorithm updates
Backlink building should be viewed as a long-term strategy, with consistent efforts over time yielding the best results.
Can I submit the same article to multiple blogs?
No. Blog owners want original content that hasn’t been published elsewhere. Submitting the same article to multiple blogs (called “duplicate content”) can damage your reputation and hurt search engine rankings for both blogs.
- Links from websites with a history of spam
- Links from irrelevant websites or content
- Links with over-optimized anchor text
- Links from private blog networks
- Paid links without proper disclosure
- Links from hacked websites
If you discover harmful backlinks pointing to your site, you can use Google’s disavow tool as a last resort to tell search engines to ignore these links.
How do I find blogs that accept guest posts?
Try these search techniques:
- Search Google for “[your industry] + write for us”
- Look for “Guest Post Guidelines” or “Contribute” pages on blogs you enjoy
- Check if blogs have published guest posts in the past (they often say “Guest Post” in the author byline)
- Ask your network for recommendations
However, it’s good practice to periodically audit your backlink profile and consider disavowing links that:
- Come from spammy or malicious websites
- Appear manipulative or unnatural
- Have been created through practices that violate search engine guidelines
- Could potentially trigger penalties
Focus on building new, high-quality links while monitoring your existing backlink profile for any issues that need addressing.
