The Only Guest Posting Guide You Need
What is Guest Posting?
Guest posting means writing a blog for someone else's website. In that blog, you can add a link to your own website. When people read your article and click that link, they will visit your site. This helps more people learn about you and what you offer and the traffic will also increase on your website.
Why It Matters for SEO
Google uses backlinks as a key ranking factor
A guest post lets you add a link to your website, which helps Google trust your site more and rank it higher
If the linking site is the same as your niche, it will increase the trust and value in Google's eyes.
Guest posts also drive referral traffic, which helps with visibility and engagement
Step-by-Step Guest Posting Process
1. Set a Goal
Start by knowing what you want from guest posting. It helps you pick the right websites and topics.
Common goals include:
Your website shows higher on Google when people search.
People visit your site by clicking a link from another website.
People may trust your brand more when they see you on other good websites.
2. Find the Right Blogs
Look for blogs that:
Are related to your industry or same as your niche
Get regular traffic and mainly active
Accept guest contributions
You can find guest posting sites by using Google. Just type phrases like (search operator):
"write for us" + your topic
"guest post by" + your niche
For example, if you're in the fitness industry, search:
"write for us fitness" or "guest post by fitness expert"
These searches will show you blogs that accept guest posts in your niche.
3. Check Website Quality
Don't just submit to any site that accepts guest posts. Pick blogs that have:
Real organic traffic
No spammy content
Active social presence
Good domain reputation
Tools to check quality:
Ahrefs - See the site's backlinks and organic traffic
SEMrush - Analyze the domain's strength and keyword rankings
MozBar - A free Chrome extension to check domain authority
Similarweb - View estimated traffic and user data
4. Send a Short and Clear Pitch
Before writing, reach out to the blog owner or editor. Your email pitch should be:
Personalized (use their name)
Short and straight to the point
Focused on their audience too
Include:
Who you are (1-2 lines)
A few blog post ideas
Links to your writing samples
How your post will help their readers and increase their engagement
Tools to help:
Hunter.io / Snov.io - To find editor emails
Mailtrack - To see if your email was opened
Grammarly - To make sure your writing is clear and error-free
5. Write the Guest Post
Once they approve your topic, write a helpful, well-structured article.
Follow these rules:
1000-1500 words minimum
Use H2 and H3 subheadings
Include bullet points or numbered lists
Add images if possible (make sure they are copyright-free)
Use a clear CTA (Call To Action) in the end if allowed
Your tone should match the blog's existing content-friendly, helpful, and professional.
6. Add One Natural Link
You're usually allowed to add one backlink to your site in the article.
Do:
Use natural anchor text
Link to a useful and relevant page
Example:
Yes: "...tools like [Your Site] help automate outreach."
No: "...check out [Your Site] - the best link-building software ever!"
Avoid stuffing in multiple links or using spammy keywords. It hurts your chances of getting approved.
7. Track Results
Publishing the post is not the end. You should track if the guest post is actually helping you.
A. Is the Post Indexed on Google?
Use Google Search Console
What it is: A free Google tool
Why: To check if your guest post is showing in search results
How: Use the URL Inspection Tool and paste the guest post URL
B. Are You Getting Any Traffic?
Use Google Analytics
What it is: A free tool to track site traffic
Why: To see if people are clicking your link
How: Go to Acquisition → Referrals and look for the guest blog's domain
C. Is the Backlink Live and Dofollow?
Use Ahrefs or Moz Link Explorer
What it is: SEO tools to track backlinks
Why: To confirm if the backlink is live, and whether it's dofollow (passes SEO value)
How:
Enter your website into the tool
Check the "Backlinks" section
Filter by "Dofollow"
Bonus Tip:
Create a spreadsheet to track:
Site
URL
Published
Indexed
Traffic
example.com
example.com/post
Jan 2024
Yes
15 visits
Tools Summary
Task
Tools Used
Free/Paid
Find Guest Sites
Google Search Operators, Google Analytics
Free
Check Quality
Ahrefs, SEMrush, MozBar, SimilarWeb
Mixed
Find Emails
Hunter.io, Snov.io
Freemium
Track
Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Ahrefs, Moz
Mixed
Final Checklist
Choose your goal
Find relevant sites
Check website quality
Send personalized pitch email
Write high-quality content
Add natural backlink
Track results manually
AVOID shortcuts
Provide excellent value in guest
You're Done.
Guest posting takes time, focus, persistence.
But if you follow this step-by-step guide, you'll see results in the long term and see the results.