A Guest Blogging Guide on Getting More Backlinks

Backlinks are extremely important for SEO rankings, but they can be tricky to get for those who do not go about it the right way.  In fact, those people who do not get their backlinks the proper way will find that their search engine rankings will be even worse than they were before.  

That means, that anyone who wants to improve their SEO will need to know exactly what they need to do to go about getting backlinks, so that they work well and increase their rankings!

One of the best ways that a person can gain backlinks to their website is by guest blogging.  Now, before everyone clicks out of this in search of a majorly popular blog to send a post to, there is a little more involved in this process.  

First, a person needs to find a site that is within their niche to guest post on and it is usually best to choose smaller sites before going for the larger ones.  The easiest way to find these sites is to do a quick Google search with the words guest post, guest post opportunities, or guest post guidelines, along with the niche that the person is looking to write for.  

As soon as a person has a list of possibilities for guest posts, they can create a pitch that they can then send to the owner of the blog or whomever the blog states to send them to.  A person may want to check out the other guest posts on those websites to get a general idea of what is being blogged about, so that they do not send a pitch with information that has already been covered or send a pitch for something that the website is not looking for.  

It is important for a person to get their pitch right the first time, as it will make it easier for them to be accepted.  After all, no one is going to want to work with a person who doesn’t follow directions well or at least do a little research beforehand, and second chances are rare with the number of people wanting to do guest posts right now.  

For those who have never sent a pitch before, here are the general guidelines of what should be included:

• Read the guest post blogging guidelines first – Some bloggers will want an idea for a post, while others will want to read the whole post before they accept it. 
• Always personalize the email.
• Keep the pitch short.
• Always state why they should accept you for a contributor for their site – one or two sentences is enough.
• Links to all previously published writing.
• Always use a signature line and include links to social media.

Once a person has been accepted for a guest post, they should take care to create a high-quality post that is full of useful information.  An infographic is always helpful too, as it allows the readers to see what is being stated, and this is huge for those readers who are more visual!  A person should always make sure to mention creating the infographic though, as it will allow them to garner even more backlinks if the infographic goes viral.  

Every guest post that a person writes should be promoted on their own social media pages and anywhere else that they would promote their own personal posts.  A person may even want to consider sponsoring a Facebook ad to make sure that it is seen even more.  

In the future, writers should also link a few of their newer posts to the guest posts that they did to keep the momentum going.  

The backlink to a person’s website from a guest post can be found in a variety of places and the location is dependent on the website that the guest post is found on.  Some websites will allow a person to place a link to their website and social media right at the end of the post, while others will embed it within the author bio or within the content itself.  Everyone should know where this link will be before they agree to do the guest post, so that there are no misunderstandings later on. Obviously the first option makes it easier for a reader to click on the backlink, because it is not embedded, but the latter two are also acceptable.  

One last thing that a person will want to do to maximize their results from guest blogging is stay engaged with those who comment on the guest post.  The worst thing that a person can do is ignore the comments on their post!  When a person engages with those that read the post, they are continuing to share information with them and making it seem that they are definitely an expert in that field.  Those readers will then have even more trust for them and will feel that they must begin visiting their site even more in the future.  

As everyone can see, guest blogging can still be good for achieving backlinks if it is done properly.  No one should think that they can simply write a post about something meaningless and not engage with the readers, as the backlink opportunity will become a waste.  Instead, everyone should carefully craft a unique post, engage with the readers, and then watch their page views climb higher, as their search engine rankings grow.  

Andrew Guh – a passionate SEO blogger with 10+ years of experience. Check out also an inspirational platform – Museuly.