Jul 16, 2013
Time: 4:55 pm
When writing guest posts there are many factors that attribute to whether it succeeds or fails. Below we have outlined some of the “must-haves” in today’s SEO world. Following these guidelines will help each guest post written and published become more beneficial to the SEO being implemented and the likelihood of the post being shared.
LINK TO AUTHORITY SITES
Link out to relevant pages on authority sites once per post in addition to our own link. Linking to authority websites within the client’s industry gives the article more legitimacy. For example, if I were writing a post for a search engine optimization company, I could cite and link to Search Engine Journal. They are a highly respected source in the SEO/PPC world, have authority with Google, and are relevant to my company’s industry. I would of course also link to the client’s site. So in this example, there would be a minimum of two links: one to the client’s website and one to the authority site.
IMPLEMENT CITATIONS
Use citations to make your links look more natural. Citations are simply the text that surrounds your link. If search engines such as Google repeatedly see a particular keyword used directly as anchor text, it can signal over-optimization. Instead, combining neutral or branded anchors with keyword-rich surrounding text helps reinforce topical relevance without excessive anchor usage.
For example, imagine linking to a search engine optimization agency based in Denver.
Instead of using an exact-match keyword as the anchor text, such as:
“For more information on Denver SEO, visit this website.”
A better approach would be:
“For more information on Denver SEO strategies and local search best practices, visit Firestarter SEO.”
In this example, the keyword phrase appears naturally next to the link rather than being used as the anchor itself. This tells search engines what the linked page is about while keeping the anchor text branded and natural. Overall, make sure you take advantage of citations by using branded, generic, or URL-based anchors, and allow the surrounding text to provide keyword context instead of relying on exact-match anchors.
INCLUDE MULTIPLE SUBHEADINGS
Breaking up content with subheadings is both visually appealing and easier to read. When a visitor lands on a page, they scan it quickly to find out whether it’s relevant to them, and if it’s what they are looking for. The first thing they will read is the subheadings. Subheadings also have more weight in the eyes of search engines since they usually end up being h2, h2, or h3 tags instead of regular body copy. With that being said, be sure the main points are included in these subheadings.
SUBHEADINGS, BULLET POINTS & LISTS
- Make the content easy to skim
- Are more visually appealing than long blocks of text
- Are great for “to-dos” or “how-tos”
ENGAGE THE READERS
Encourage people to leave comments on your posts. Engaging the reader and encouraging them to do something such as comment, makes the post feel more personal.
ADD MULTIMEDIA
Adding multimedia like images and videos break up the content and make it less intimating and BORING! It also gives the visitor a break from reading and allows them to either listen or look instead.
POST LONG & UNIQUE CONTENT
Post long (600+ word) content 100% of the time, no excuses. In fact, the longer the better! However, 600 words is the minimum. Content also needs to be 100% unique, not spun or plagiarized. If you are quoting someone, then of course there is going to be “duplicate content” found. However, if that’s the case, just be sure to cite the person or source in the article. An awesome and free plagiarism tool to check your articles can be found here.
Implementing these seven simple but powerful tips and tricks will transform your guest posts. Oh and one more thing…ENJOY WRITING THEM AND HAVE FUN!!! Articles don’t need to be boring. I mean who wants to read a boring lame article, right?!
We are always open to ideas and feedback, so if you have any regarding guest posting, please feel free to drop us a line!