Google Issues a Warning About Guest Posting to Build Links

[virtualbyron]

Yes but the question is how google know if you pay for a link on a legit site? Of course, I don't talk about the garbage fake guest post network because it's an huge red flag from already 1+ years

 

[BuildMoreLinks]

well sooner or later it was due from Google, so one thing is confirmed Google is admitting that guest post strategy works if you know what you are doing.

 

[mickyfu]

In B4 some moron tells me google is moral and would never do such a thing; good luck in unicorn land.

It's that time of day again, tinfoil hats on standby.

 

[ambushiv11]

I will start believing this shit once they start penalizing spam like GSA/Xrumer websites from page 1. Until then its just a "bed horror story for children".

 

[cplay]

Yes but the question is how google know if you pay for a link on a legit site? Of course, I don't talk about the garbage fake guest post network because it's an huge red flag from already 1+ years

Gmail and linking patterns

 

[S4xbox360]

On the link you provided, it is mentioned if there are many guest oosts with lack of knowledgeable content, then google will penalise you.

 

[seoguy81]

Spun content, thin PBN sites with 400 - 500 word content, weak web 2.0's are the ones to worry about the most.
I think this is a subtle reminder from google that whether its a guest post or your own website, having quality content is essential.
So yes as someone said, niche writers will be in demand. Auto spinners I guess not!.

 

[ThatSEO]

Many guest posting sites are known for selling links too.

The more obvious ones could very well experience the same fate or Google could change the Algo like it did for Wikihow, Ezine and a bunch of others.

I'm a personal believer in quality guest posts, and use them myself, but in a million years I would not allow a garbage article on a guest post site to link to a site for which I was responsible nor would I put a link on one of the obvious guest post sites linking to a site for which I was responsible.

Even then, with G, there is no guarantee of anything at all.

Exactly that - guest posts should mimic a site owner mentioning another site as a recommendation and nothing more - most people link as 'black hat seo forum' or external link every single post

Most PBNs of guest post sites are nothing more than article directories...which tanked years ago

Common sense is forgotten and overidden with laziness in regards to seo

 

[virtualbyron]

Gmail and linking patterns

Sure if you tell yourself to google you buy links they will know but I don't think the serious SEO people use google service anymore, plus when you outreach your guest post you use your brand mail like [email protected], people who have an huge list of sites on google spreadsheet sell fake guest post network, the others doing real outreach are totally safe

 

[starki]

Quality guest posts will stand the test of time as long as you pay attention to the following:

1. Real sites don't have guest posts as their main income source. Whenever you spot a site that mainly consists of guest posts, it's pretty much a high level PBN, but not a real site made for visitors.
2. Natural links are rarely keyword links. Doesn't mean you shouldn't use them at all, but non-paid posts would mostly use brand anchors and generic anchors. You have to mimic this mix with your paid posts as well. That's the main problem in my opinion, many people think "I pay a lot of money, so I want the maximum effect and use keyword links for all paid links".
3. Be careful with contributor posts, nothing bad with them, but they should be moderated and not too easy to get. Some big sites like Hoffpost, Engadget, Lifehack, etc. are/were handing them out like candy.
4. Pay attention to the backlink profile of the site. A real blog/magazine/site isn't backed up by a PBN or spam to push metrics like PA/DA/CT/TF.
5. Real sites usually rank for relevant terms. If we do outreach, we don't primarily look at metrics, but rankings for the terms we want to rank ourselves or our customer. If you want to rank for "green widgets", you want links from sites Google sees as relevant for "green widgets" or maybe "storage boxes for green widgets", "green wigdet repair service", "green wiget polishing cream", "green wiget accessories"...you get the idea.

Like ThatSEO said, this is mostly common sense.

 

[cplay]

Spun content, thin PBN sites with 400 - 500 word content, weak web 2.0's are the ones to worry about the most.
I think this is a subtle reminder from google that whether its a guest post or your own website, having quality content is essential.
So yes as someone said, niche writers will be in demand. Auto spinners I guess not!.

Hit the nail on the head there.

In my opinion, if your guest post is not adding value to the google ecosystem AND/OR the website you are guest posting to is not valued by google then you will be getting slammed.

 

[cplay]

Sure if you tell yourself to google you buy links they will know but I don't think the serious SEO people use google service anymore, plus when you outreach your guest post you use your brand mail like [email protected], people who have an huge list of sites on google spreadsheet sell fake guest post network, the others doing real outreach are totally safe

You make valid points, but how many "serious" seo's do you think there are vs the small time seo who still believes they can outgame google, the ratio would be very slim.

There are millions of gmails, google docs user whom if you identified one website that accepts guest posts you could quite easily find the whole trail.

I didn't post this to debate upon the principles of good seo, bad seo, simply to inform people that yes guest posts work BUT google will be clamping down it

 

[virtualbyron]

You make valid points, but how many "serious" seo's do you think there are vs the small time seo who still believes they can outgame google, the ratio would be very slim.

There are millions of gmails, google docs user whom if you identified one website that accepts guest posts you could quite easily find the whole trail.

I didn't post this to debate upon the principles of good seo, bad seo, simply to inform people that yes guest posts work BUT google will be clamping down it

I'm totally agree with you

 

[cplay]

Quality guest posts will stand the test of time as long as you pay attention to the following:

1. Real sites don't have guest posts as their main income source. Whenever you spot a site that mainly consists of guest posts, it's pretty much a high level PBN, but not a real site made for visitors.
2. Natural links are rarely keyword links. Doesn't mean you shouldn't use them at all, but non-paid posts would mostly use brand anchors and generic anchors. You have to mimic this mix with your paid posts as well. That's the main problem in my opinion, many people think "I pay a lot of money, so I want the maximum effect and use keyword links for all paid links".
3. Be careful with contributor posts, nothing bad with them, but they should be moderated and not too easy to get. Some big sites like Hoffpost, Engadget, Lifehack, etc. are/were handing them out like candy.
4. Pay attention to the backlink profile of the site. A real blog/magazine/site isn't backed up by a PBN or spam to push metrics like PA/DA/CT/TF.
5. Real sites usually rank for relevant terms. If we do outreach, we don't primarily look at metrics, but rankings for the terms we want to rank ourselves or our customer. If you want to rank for "green widgets", you want links from sites Google sees as relevant for "green widgets" or maybe "storage boxes for green widgets", "green wigdet repair service", "green wiget polishing cream", "green wiget accessories"...you get the idea.

Like ThatSEO said, this is mostly common sense.

And most people who take shortcuts and want quick gains will not do a single thing you have said.

Hence, for the majority of people it is better to stay away from guest posts.

Great post though, you've pretty much just given every newcomer to guest posting a great way to add to the ecosystem of google without getting slammed by google.

 

[cplay]

Quality guest posts will stand the test of time as long as you pay attention to the following:

1. Real sites don't have guest posts as their main income source. Whenever you spot a site that mainly consists of guest posts, it's pretty much a high level PBN, but not a real site made for visitors.
2. Natural links are rarely keyword links. Doesn't mean you shouldn't use them at all, but non-paid posts would mostly use brand anchors and generic anchors. You have to mimic this mix with your paid posts as well. That's the main problem in my opinion, many people think "I pay a lot of money, so I want the maximum effect and use keyword links for all paid links".
3. Be careful with contributor posts, nothing bad with them, but they should be moderated and not too easy to get. Some big sites like Hoffpost, Engadget, Lifehack, etc. are/were handing them out like candy.
4. Pay attention to the backlink profile of the site. A real blog/magazine/site isn't backed up by a PBN or spam to push metrics like PA/DA/CT/TF.
5. Real sites usually rank for relevant terms. If we do outreach, we don't primarily look at metrics, but rankings for the terms we want to rank ourselves or our customer. If you want to rank for "green widgets", you want links from sites Google sees as relevant for "green widgets" or maybe "storage boxes for green widgets", "green wigdet repair service", "green wiget polishing cream", "green wiget accessories"...you get the idea.

Like ThatSEO said, this is mostly common sense.

Just re-read your post and forgot to state HOW useful number 5 is.

It stands to algorithmic reasoning that a website ranks in the top 10 for a certain keyword and links out to your resource about the same topic, that your url is trustworthy and thus will increase the weight of the backlink (especially if contextual).

Good guide once again.

 

[bartosimpsonio]

https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2017/05/a-reminder-about-links-in-large-scale.html

This is normally followed by manual action...

I'd predict an algorithm update shortly aimed at targeting websites using guest posting sites...

Most importantly, i would NOT be paying for guest posts as these are the most likely to get hit by penalties as it stands to OBVIOUS reason if you payed for a link that they WILL be getting paid by EVERYONE else for links...

You get where i'm going here...

If this post stops just ONE person from engaging in buying guest posts on sites that primarily sell guest posts then this post has served its purpose.

@bartosimpsonio - as the aforementioned has continually said, if webmasters of these guest posting sites have gmail accounts its not hard to trace all the people who have engaged in buying links from them......

In B4 some moron tells me google is moral and would never do such a thing; good luck in unicorn land.

Folks are starting to wake the f'k up.

Some reputable members from this forum who are doing great work with outreach links, which are as legitimate as they come, will get screwed the next update. And the next. And the next continually until adwords is the only option.

They'll go after anything that works.

The sooner everyone here stops using Gmail and any google services, the sooner you free yourself from a very grim future for the WWW.

 

[ambushiv11]

Folks are starting to wake the f'k up.

Some reputable members from this forum who are doing great work with outreach links, which are as legitimate as they come, will get screwed the next update. And the next. And the next continually until adwords is the only option.

They'll go after anything that works.

The sooner everyone here stops using Gmail and any google services, the sooner you free yourself from a very grim future for the WWW.

Paranoia much?

 

[uesat]

I will start believing this shit once they start penalizing spam like GSA/Xrumer websites from page 1. Until then its just a "bed horror story for children".

^^^ pretty much

 

[virtualbyron]

Paranoia much?

 

[cplay]

A fucking men.

We currently have this issue in uk surrounding terrorism. The dipshits can't seem to connect the dots between bombing the fuck out of certain countries all year round and THEN a terrorist decides to enact revenge.

Most of the uk genuinely have no fucking grasp of cause and effect. Then again this is why i love being british, lots of money and little brain cells = good business

Pretty much the same situation as in the US.