I recently explained what a sponsored blog post is here. Now, I’ll discuss a guest blog post and its advantages.
WHAT IS A GUEST BLOG?
I’ve written quite a few guest blogs on behalf of clients and it works well for link-building and SEO. Basically, I approach a blog with a good domain authority (DA) and ask if I can submit a blog, written by me, with a link (or more) to my client’s page or website. The blogger then charges me to submit the piece and posts it on their blog. They will also include a profile on me as the author, which includes a link to all of my relevant social media. Here’s an example of one I wrote for My Spreadsheet Brain for my mom blog.
WHY DOES IT WORK?
As with a sponsored blog, you’ll choose someone with a good domain authority and a reasonable social media presence. Their posting my guest blog on their page gives me the opportunity to access all of their followers with my message and, importantly, my link. This boosts my DA and rankings, as well as those of the client to whom I linked in the content. I also like guest posts because they mean that I can maintain my ‘voice’.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I CHARGE FOR A GUEST BLOG POST?
The cost of a guest post isn’t all that different to that of a sponsored post, despite having to do the research and writing yourself. This is, basically, because the benefits are the same. So, websites with higher DA’s can charge more to post your blog than those with a lower DA. A reminder regarding choosing a suitable website is not to look only at the DA, but also at the reach that this site has on social media, particularly if it is for a niche market.
A basic rate of between $120 and $150 for every 10 000 page views per month seems to be fair. In South Africa, bloggers with DA’s of less than 30 are charging anywhere between R600 and R1 500 for a guest post, while those with higher authority can charge R2 000 or more.
IN CONCLUSION
Guest blogs are excellent for link-building and SEO, and are essential to increasing your reach. Whether you are the blogger accepting the guest post or the one submitting it, you should discuss the topic and specific links ahead of time so that you’re both happy with the outcome.
And, again, SEO is a process that takes time, patience and tenacity. It can’t be forced and there’s simply no quick fix.
Guest posting is definitely the way to go! Checking the Domain Authority it’s a great tip!
Thank you! I use http://www.seoreviewtools.com/website-authority-checker/ to check domains.
Very informative, especially for new bloggers like me 🙂
Thanks for the feedback. Blogging is a fantastic tool, I hope you enjoy the ride!