Guest posting, the good and the risky
A guest post on a relevant site can bring readers, authority and a link from a page that real people read. It also builds a relationship with an editor who may publish you again.
Guest posting also has a bad version. Google's spam policies name large scale article campaigns and guest posting with keyword-rich anchor text links as link spam. Sites that publish anything for a fee, with no editing and no real readers, are the usual source. The difference is intent: is the article written for the readers of that site, or only for the link?
BacklinksBot only pitches sites that cover your topic and only proposes articles that would help their readers.
How to do guest post outreach, step by step
- 1 Find sites in your topic. Start with sites that already link to your competitors or that publish articles by outside authors on your subject.
- 2 Check that real readers exist. Look for comments, social shares, an editor and a clear topic. Skip sites that publish anything.
- 3 Read the site first. Note what they already cover, so you do not pitch a topic they have.
- 4 Pitch two or three specific ideas. Each with a working title and one line on what readers will learn.
- 5 Follow up once or twice. Then move on.
- 6 Write for their readers. Match their style, cite sources, and link to your page only where it truly helps.
- 7 Use a natural anchor. Your brand name or a plain description, not an exact match keyword.
- 8 Confirm the link. Check the published article for the link, the anchor and the rel value.
One analysis, no signup. The first five targets with DR, strategy and why they fit.
Find my link gapsWhat BacklinksBot does, and what you do
Guest post outreach is available on Growth and Agency. The article itself stays with you, because a guest post under your name should carry your expertise.
| Task | Who does it |
|---|---|
| Find sites that accept guest articles on your topic | BacklinksBot |
| Score each site on the BacklinksBot DR scale and check for a public contact | BacklinksBot |
| Suggest topic ideas the site has not covered | BacklinksBot |
| Write and send the pitch from your mailbox | BacklinksBot, with your approval or on autopilot |
| Follow up up to two times and sort replies | BacklinksBot |
| Draft replies and negotiate terms | BacklinksBot drafts, you approve |
| Write the article | You or your writer |
| Verify the live link, anchor and rel, then monitor it | BacklinksBot |
A guest post pitch that works
Editors read pitches fast. The ones that get a yes are short and specific. They mention a recent article on the site, offer two or three ideas that fit the site's audience, and say in one line who the author is and why they know the topic. They do not open with "I love your blog" or promise "high quality content".
BacklinksBot writes pitches in this style, from your mailbox and under your name, with your postal address and a one-click opt-out. In approval mode you edit every pitch before it goes out.
When a site asks for a fee
Many sites charge for guest posts. When an editor names a price, BacklinksBot moves the card to Negotiating and drafts a reply that proposes rel="sponsored", which Google asks for on paid links. It also explains the risk of bought links. You decide. If you approve, you pay the site directly, and the fee counts against your campaign budget cap. We never charge per link and never handle the payment.
Paying for a guest post that passes full ranking credit is a link scheme under Google's rules. A sponsored tag keeps it honest.
Anchors and target pages for guest posts
Where your guest post links and how the link reads matter as much as getting published. Google names guest posting with keyword-rich anchor text as a link spam pattern, so anchors should look like something a normal writer would choose.
Use your brand name, the title of the page you link to, or a plain phrase that describes it. Link to the page that adds the most for the reader, such as a guide, a template or a tool page, rather than always your homepage. One link to your site per article is usually enough, and many editors prefer it.
BacklinksBot records the anchor and rel value of every published guest post link, so you can review your anchors at any time and keep your link profile natural.
Get started with guest post outreach
Run the link gap demo to find sites that link to your competitors. Guest post outreach is part of Growth at $499 a month, or $249 billed yearly, and Agency at $1,499, or $749 billed yearly. See the pricing page. For lighter outreach to bloggers without writing an article, see blogger outreach, and for the safety rules, white hat link building.
Questions people ask
What is guest post outreach?
It is pitching article ideas to relevant sites so you can write a guest article for their readers and earn a link back to your site.
Are guest posts still worth it?
Yes, on relevant sites with real readers and natural anchor text. Large scale guest posting with keyword anchors is named by Google as link spam.
How do I find sites that accept guest posts?
Look at sites that already link to your competitors and publish outside authors on your topic. BacklinksBot finds them in the link gap analysis.
Does BacklinksBot write the guest article?
No. The bot runs the outreach, pitching, follow-ups and link checks. The article stays with you or your writer, so it carries real expertise.
Should guest post links be nofollow?
Unpaid editorial links can be followed. If you pay for the post, the link should carry rel="sponsored", as Google asks.
How many guest posts should I aim for each month?
Quality matters more than count. A few guest posts on relevant sites with real readers are worth more than many on sites that publish anything. Goal mode on Growth and Agency helps plan a steady pace.