lightningblitz
Elite Member
- Nov 30, 2014
- 1,920
- 4,714
I see a trend of people suggesting Guest Posts over PBN links. Guest Posts are called safer and stronger. That couldn't be further from the truth.
Not all Guest Posts are created equal
We have three types of Guest Posts. They all vary in strength and security.
Type One: Real Guest Posts
A real guest post is a link you hussled for. This is a website you must build a relationship to gain this link.
This type of website has real traffic, social media following and user engagement. Plus somewhat regular content updates that do not have a link to another website.
Content is excellent. It is written by a niche expert, a hired staff writer, or someone passionate about the topic.
You will NEVER be charged for a link on this type of site. The Guest Posts this type of site will normally only allow a link as an author bio. If links are allowed in the content, you normally need to also link to other articles on the website.
The other key is this site doesn't often advertise 'write for us' or 'contribute' pages. If they do, their is no mention of payment and very clear rules which often include an author bio link only.
The risk is lowest of Guest Posts but Google has cracked down on 'Guest Posts' in the past but then again, white hat sites get penalties.
Type Two: 'Write for Us' Real Guest Posts
This type of site is one that has all the merrits of a real Guest Post, but openly accept Guest Posts for a fee.
All the Guest Post lists you see on the high end fall in this category.
This site must have real traffic and search engine presence.
Content is good enough to make it look like it is a real website for the purpose of selling guest posts. Native english, but not great.
The problem? It is openly a link farm. You are paying for a link and make it no secret to hide that.
Safety? That varies. If you find this site has a fee from a list or outreach to a website the risk is low.
If the website openly sells links, you are playing with fire.
Type Three: Not a Guest Post - 'Guest Post'
The little or no traffic Guest Post. Most articles have outbound links. Often will offer links for money.
Content is bad. Articles normally have very different tones to them and although should be written by a person, are sometimes spun.
If you see a website on Fiverr for a Guest Post and they publically display the website name, it is a red flag.
Risk is huge. It is a link farm. This site often will not have social media presance. My favorite is when the social media profile link is to a random twitter of a person not listed as the author or website owner.
Not all PBN links are created equal
Just like Guest Posts, PBNs vary in quality.
Type One: The Real Site PBN
This website has traffic from search engines. Social media profiles with some interaction. Occasionally content without a link is added.
The domain is aged, normally bought at auction. The domain follows the same theme it used before being built as a PBN. So if Huffington Post expired and it was bought to be a PBN, it would be a news site.
Content is great. High quality and writen by a person who can at least fake knowing about the niche.
The backlinks allowed on this site are linked to niche relevant websites.
Type Two: Well done Public Blog Network / Mediocre Private Network
This looks much like a real PBN. But it is not always niche related, lower traffic, and lower social engagement.
Content is decent. Written by a person, but normally not native english.
For the poor real private network, the site often just has no traffic and has a worse design or no social media presence. The domains are often formerly expired, and can have the niche changed.
Everything else looks like a real website.
Type Three: Poor Public Blog Network
This type has virtually no organic traffic. No social media profiles. Just about all content added except for the first couple posts has a link to an unrelated website.
Content is nearly always poorly spun.
This is the low quality site which is obviously a PBN. But with crawlers blocked, you only have a problem if someone finds the PBN in SERPs or google hits you.
These are sold on Fiverr for '70 PBN Posts for $5'. And yes, I have really seen that. Or on BHW as links which cost a buck or two.
So, what's the difference?
Re-read what I wrote. A very good PBN site will look like a real website you earned a real Guest Post from.
Content may be slightly less lustrous but is still great.
You cant normally tell it is a PBN. It also is safer from damage as with crawlers blocked, only google and you know about the link for the most part.
This PBN link often provides more SEO value due to not having very many other OBL.
For type two of Guest Post, it is often stronger than a popular public network due to the public network eventually selling more posts.
The advantage this Guest Post has is it is very niche relevant.
The third PBN and Guest Post type are equally bad. The Guest Post can be found by competition and openly selling links is asking for an eventual slap.
The third type of PBN will eventually exire or be hit as well.
Which Should You Use?
The advantages of a Guest Post are:
1. Niche Relevance
2. Referral Traffic
3. Safety
4. Strength
Only the first type of Guest Post gives you all four (if the domain is strong).
But for type two and three of Guest Posts, they lack safety and either strength or traffic. If not both.
The advantage of a PBN are:
1. Strength
2. Link Control
3. Ability to Scale Up
4. Private from Competition
This is dicey, as the best PBN will check off one to three, but if strong enough can be found in SERPs.
The lower quality still give you everything.
What should you use? A great real guest post on a super strong domain with low OBL is better than a PBN link any day.
But when your Guest Post site is selling links or offering links to anyone, it is very risky. An open link farm is a ticking time bomb.
Some niches will take years to rank with Guest Posts only as not a lot of sites are in the niche.
Many Guest Posts are from glorified link farms.
Many PBN links have little power due to number of OBL.
Each has its place in you SEO strategy. Before you spend $xxx on a Guest Post, make sure it is a real website with traffic and not a link farm.
If not, why spend the money on a link you have little control over?
I am not bashing Guest Posts as a single link from a real and great site can help move serps by itself.
But unless you get one of these great Guest Post links, the writing is on the wall.
Not all Guest Posts are created equal
We have three types of Guest Posts. They all vary in strength and security.
Type One: Real Guest Posts
A real guest post is a link you hussled for. This is a website you must build a relationship to gain this link.
This type of website has real traffic, social media following and user engagement. Plus somewhat regular content updates that do not have a link to another website.
Content is excellent. It is written by a niche expert, a hired staff writer, or someone passionate about the topic.
You will NEVER be charged for a link on this type of site. The Guest Posts this type of site will normally only allow a link as an author bio. If links are allowed in the content, you normally need to also link to other articles on the website.
The other key is this site doesn't often advertise 'write for us' or 'contribute' pages. If they do, their is no mention of payment and very clear rules which often include an author bio link only.
The risk is lowest of Guest Posts but Google has cracked down on 'Guest Posts' in the past but then again, white hat sites get penalties.
Type Two: 'Write for Us' Real Guest Posts
This type of site is one that has all the merrits of a real Guest Post, but openly accept Guest Posts for a fee.
All the Guest Post lists you see on the high end fall in this category.
This site must have real traffic and search engine presence.
Content is good enough to make it look like it is a real website for the purpose of selling guest posts. Native english, but not great.
The problem? It is openly a link farm. You are paying for a link and make it no secret to hide that.
Safety? That varies. If you find this site has a fee from a list or outreach to a website the risk is low.
If the website openly sells links, you are playing with fire.
Type Three: Not a Guest Post - 'Guest Post'
The little or no traffic Guest Post. Most articles have outbound links. Often will offer links for money.
Content is bad. Articles normally have very different tones to them and although should be written by a person, are sometimes spun.
If you see a website on Fiverr for a Guest Post and they publically display the website name, it is a red flag.
Risk is huge. It is a link farm. This site often will not have social media presance. My favorite is when the social media profile link is to a random twitter of a person not listed as the author or website owner.
Not all PBN links are created equal
Just like Guest Posts, PBNs vary in quality.
Type One: The Real Site PBN
This website has traffic from search engines. Social media profiles with some interaction. Occasionally content without a link is added.
The domain is aged, normally bought at auction. The domain follows the same theme it used before being built as a PBN. So if Huffington Post expired and it was bought to be a PBN, it would be a news site.
Content is great. High quality and writen by a person who can at least fake knowing about the niche.
The backlinks allowed on this site are linked to niche relevant websites.
Type Two: Well done Public Blog Network / Mediocre Private Network
This looks much like a real PBN. But it is not always niche related, lower traffic, and lower social engagement.
Content is decent. Written by a person, but normally not native english.
For the poor real private network, the site often just has no traffic and has a worse design or no social media presence. The domains are often formerly expired, and can have the niche changed.
Everything else looks like a real website.
Type Three: Poor Public Blog Network
This type has virtually no organic traffic. No social media profiles. Just about all content added except for the first couple posts has a link to an unrelated website.
Content is nearly always poorly spun.
This is the low quality site which is obviously a PBN. But with crawlers blocked, you only have a problem if someone finds the PBN in SERPs or google hits you.
These are sold on Fiverr for '70 PBN Posts for $5'. And yes, I have really seen that. Or on BHW as links which cost a buck or two.
So, what's the difference?
Re-read what I wrote. A very good PBN site will look like a real website you earned a real Guest Post from.
Content may be slightly less lustrous but is still great.
You cant normally tell it is a PBN. It also is safer from damage as with crawlers blocked, only google and you know about the link for the most part.
This PBN link often provides more SEO value due to not having very many other OBL.
For type two of Guest Post, it is often stronger than a popular public network due to the public network eventually selling more posts.
The advantage this Guest Post has is it is very niche relevant.
The third PBN and Guest Post type are equally bad. The Guest Post can be found by competition and openly selling links is asking for an eventual slap.
The third type of PBN will eventually exire or be hit as well.
Which Should You Use?
The advantages of a Guest Post are:
1. Niche Relevance
2. Referral Traffic
3. Safety
4. Strength
Only the first type of Guest Post gives you all four (if the domain is strong).
But for type two and three of Guest Posts, they lack safety and either strength or traffic. If not both.
The advantage of a PBN are:
1. Strength
2. Link Control
3. Ability to Scale Up
4. Private from Competition
This is dicey, as the best PBN will check off one to three, but if strong enough can be found in SERPs.
The lower quality still give you everything.
What should you use? A great real guest post on a super strong domain with low OBL is better than a PBN link any day.
But when your Guest Post site is selling links or offering links to anyone, it is very risky. An open link farm is a ticking time bomb.
Some niches will take years to rank with Guest Posts only as not a lot of sites are in the niche.
Many Guest Posts are from glorified link farms.
Many PBN links have little power due to number of OBL.
Each has its place in you SEO strategy. Before you spend $xxx on a Guest Post, make sure it is a real website with traffic and not a link farm.
If not, why spend the money on a link you have little control over?
I am not bashing Guest Posts as a single link from a real and great site can help move serps by itself.
But unless you get one of these great Guest Post links, the writing is on the wall.
