[Method] Backlinks the whitehat way - Guest Blogging made simple

[strykerff]

Hey everyone,

This is my first post attempting to contribute to the community instead of leaching knowledge. Sorry if it's too elementary!

I've been struggling to get backlinks to my new site and I want to do everything whitehat. I decided to turn to guest blogging. After multiple methods of trying to get accepted as a guest blogger, I finally found one that works.

Steps:

1. Make sure your site is presentable. This doesn't work for spammy, low content sites. Also, make sure that your writing is good, or that your hired writer is good. This means easy to read articles that flow well. Bullet points, lists, and charts help break up text and make the article look good.

2. Find people in your niche who are accepting guest writers. The method is a lot easier than I thought it would be. Just enter the following search in google:
"write for us" [your keyword/s]
The "" are important. Just on the first page there were 7 relevant links to high quality sites that had a page dedicated to accepting guest posts.

3. Ask for an opportunity to write a guest post. Whether or not its true, it's important to come across like you actually care about their site. This means that you need to take at least 30 seconds to get a feel for what they post about. Pick something you think is cool and mention in your request. Also, think of ideas of what you would want to write about and why it would benefit their users.

Here's a sample of what I write:

Hey (name of webmaster),

I recently came across your site and was impressed by the awesome content you have. I particularly liked your article on [random article] because I think it helps people [whatever it helps people do.]

I noticed that you were accepting guest posts and I would love to contribute to your site. I think an article on [random subject you can write about] would really benefit your users. If you'd like to take a look at my writing style, I run a similar website at [your website]

Either way, keep up the great work. You've got a great site!

Thanks,
[your name]​

It's pretty important that you don't automate this. Your potential pool of relevant sites that will be open to guest blogging is likely relatively low, so we want to make every request count. Hand write every request and make it genuine.

I've had some great success with this method. In fact, just this morning I had a webmaster from a PR5 website not only accept me as a guest writer, but he wants me to write there regularly, with backlinks to my site of course, and he's willing to pay me $25 an article.

Anyways, I hope this at least helps some of the noobies like me.

Thanks!

 

[Jackfox29]

How many webmaster got back to you from all the ones that you write to?
isnt easier and faster buying guest post ?

 

[dorasdr]

Very useful information OP. The way you explained and sample was very good. Just now i searched with "write for us" with my niche and i found good blogs which accepting guest posts. I have few article left on my nice and i use it for guest posting. But i need little help OP. I'm not a native English speaker. In the guest blogs they are asking about "About Author" content. Can you please provide me sample text for About author please.

 

[strykerff]

How many webmaster got back to you from all the ones that you write to?
isnt easier and faster buying guest post ?

Buying guest posts is probably easier, but in my opinion it's a little more risky. Since they're in the business of selling their backlinks, you never know if they're going to keep the posts there or remove them. This method allows you to develop relationships with similar content creators in your niche. They're more likely to actively feature your content that way.

Also, many people who are starting out probably don't have the money to be buying high PR/DA guest posts.

In the guest blogs they are asking about "About Author" content. Can you please provide me sample text for About author please.

This question is a little tricky because it depends on what your niche is. Here's an attempt at a generic "About Me"

For more than [# of years] years I have been involved with [niche]. This experience has allowed me to deepen my knowledge and expertise with [niche], including the opportunity to write numerous articles that help people [understand/learn about/discover] [niche]. Recently, I have been focusing on [topic of your last good article]. You can find a sample of my work here [link to one of your good articles]


​

Hopefully that gives you somewhat of an idea of what to write. Let me know if you need any more help. Depending on your level of English writing skill, it may be a good idea to hire a native English writer for your first post with them. Spanish is my second language and though I can speak it, my writing is too weak to be published anywhere.

 

[ThopHayt]

This seem highly time consuming. I'm guessing you'd be lucky to get 1 in 20 asks approved to post, and you need to find who to email for each and every one. And customize the email. Maybe with a VA this is entering the realm of time profitable, but I know that many sites get spammed with requests to post daily. So to succeed in this quantity will be key. So why not automate this?

 

[lilmasta]

I love guest posting, i follow a very similar method to get accepted as a guest writer, although i am never been offered money to write for any of those sites. Good luck OP and indeed a very simple yet effective method to find guest posting opportunities in your niche.

 

[dorasdr]

Hi Thanks for your Sample mate

I need small help i sent a PM Please check.

This question is a little tricky because it depends on what your niche is. Here's an attempt at a generic "About Me"

For more than [# of years] years I have been involved with [niche]. This experience has allowed me to deepen my knowledge and expertise with [niche], including the opportunity to write numerous articles that help people [understand/learn about/discover] [niche]. Recently, I have been focusing on [topic of your last good article]. You can find a sample of my work here [link to one of your good articles]


​

Hopefully that gives you somewhat of an idea of what to write. Let me know if you need any more help. Depending on your level of English writing skill, it may be a good idea to hire a native English writer for your first post with them. Spanish is my second language and though I can speak it, my writing is too weak to be published anywhere.

 

[SEOhMyGod]

Hey everyone,

This is my first post attempting to contribute to the community instead of leaching knowledge. Sorry if it's too elementary!

I've been struggling to get backlinks to my new site and I want to do everything whitehat. I decided to turn to guest blogging. After multiple methods of trying to get accepted as a guest blogger, I finally found one that works.

It's good that you want to contribute - fair play.

Steps:

1. Make sure your site is presentable. This doesn't work for spammy, low content sites. Also, make sure that your writing is good, or that your hired writer is good. This means easy to read articles that flow well. Bullet points, lists, and charts help break up text and make the article look good.

I'd change 'presentable' to 'personable' (unless of course you're hiding behind an alias) as you want target sites owners to relate to you; put a face to your brand/website/dogs dinner...and people will begin to recognise you as you pop up in and around other websites.

2. Find people in your niche who are accepting guest writers. The method is a lot easier than I thought it would be. Just enter the following search in google:"write for us" [your keyword/s]
The "" are important. Just on the first page there were 7 relevant links to high quality sites that had a page dedicated to accepting guest posts.

For white hat SEO you can't rely on such a linear approach to link building (granted this is aimed at newbies) as guest posts are beginning to become a negative IMO; the term 'guest posts' itself is spammy as hell if you ask me.

3. Ask for an opportunity to write a guest post. Whether or not its true, it's important to come across like you actually care about their site. This means that you need to take at least 30 seconds to get a feel for what they post about. Pick something you think is cool and mention in your request. Also, think of ideas of what you would want to write about and why it would benefit their users.

People with decent sites will see right through this if they've been in the game long enough (or if they have an ounce of common sense). Don't ask for anything - be a giver:

• I'd love to share this awesome picture of a duck with you.
• Sharing is, in essence, you giving them something for nothing; social protocol dictates (assuming there's some form of social protocol on the Internet) that one good turn deserves another. If the website owner's not a complete mule, they'll give you a shout out for going out on a limb for them.
• Again, the premise here is you're giving somebody content for their site, for free...
• Scenario One: Imagine somebody doing a really awesome piece (for your own site) on why ducks love eating bread, for your site. They offer it to share it with you and want nothing in return - let's face it we all love having our ego's massaged every now and then. Plus getting free stuff is awesome.
• Scenario Two: Somebody emails you out of the blue and you've never seen their name before (as you've built no pre-existing rapport with them through social channels). They say they love your site and a specific article you did on why ducks never get wet. So, you have a dig around your site and can't even find them in the comments section of the aforementioned article. This 'thing' (very obscure Star Wars reference) wants to do a guest post for your site and you already feel like they want something in return. And there it is. End of the email: "Please give me a back-link - I don't GAF about you or your site."
• That's maybe taking a stab at it, but experience has dictated to me that smart people with good sites (that will give your site the boost it needs) typically have pretty high standards in what they expect from other people; treat others how you'd expect to be treated and all that nice stuff.

Here's a sample of what I write:

Hey (name of webmaster),

I recently came across your site and was impressed by the awesome content you have. I particularly liked your article on [random article] because I think it helps people [whatever it helps people do.]

I noticed that you were accepting guest posts and I would love to contribute to your site. I think an article on [random subject you can write about] would really benefit your users. If you'd like to take a look at my writing style, I run a similar website at [your website]

Either way, keep up the great work. You've got a great site!

Thanks,
[your name]

​

I find that impersonal and easy to read through. Don't take that the wrong way - this is a good starting point for beginners. Personally though, I feel like it lacks substance; think about somebody knocking at your door who you've never met before...and they want you to let them in, and they want you to make them a cup of tea. Not gunna' happen. Now imagine somebody you've passed in the hallway to your flat a few times: they smile, say hello, and you generally get a good vibe from them. This person turns up and asks to borrow some sugar...lets face it: you're going to make them a cup of tea as they seem nice.

Here's how I'd do it:

Hey, [actual name that I've spent a bit of time trying to find...failing that find a common nickname for the person]

I've been lurking around your forums and Twitter for a while now as I love how passionate you and your community are when it comes to discussing different types of 'ducks'. I've recently finished my own project on: 'why ducks have yellow bills' and would like to share it with you - if you like how crazy I am about ducks (I'm quackers lols) then by all means feel free to share it. I'm more than happy for you to do this as I think it will better the world of duck lovers.

To the future of all ducks! Hahaha

Thanks,

[your name, but not really your name if you're using an alias]

If you've been on the internet for any amount of time, you should know what lurking is. It's a very personable thing - it makes you shy, but it shows them that you're willing to put a voice to your name - and they get a real sense that their content is the reason as to why you're speaking up/doing something for them.

"Feel free to share it." Again, very imformal language, relaxed and rather 'buddy-buddy'. You put absolutely no pressure on them at all. You're helping them! Now below you say not to automate this (the template above is pretty generic - again I know this is for beginners) because the pool of relevant sites open to guest blogging will be low - this just isn't the case; guest posting is (or has been getting) more and more spammier and there are hundreds of sites (provided your niche is a decent size) where you can get links with little to no effort.​

It's pretty important that you don't automate this. Your potential pool of relevant sites that will be open to guest blogging is likely relatively low, so we want to make every request count. Hand write every request and make it genuine.

For a handwritten example that wasn't the best :\

I've had some great success with this method. In fact, just this morning I had a webmaster from a PR5 website not only accept me as a guest writer, but he wants me to write there regularly, with backlinks to my site of course, and he's willing to pay me $25 an article.

Another big thing: PR is on it's way out. If you're using PR as a metric to identify and build a good site list, then you may as well be posting to crummy sites from the get-go. $25 an article is great and all, but you're missing the point: content needs to be great on your site...in fact...on the whole....your best work should be on your site (again my opinion).

Anyways, I hope this at least helps some of the noobies like me.

Thanks!

I think you could take a better stab at this post and be a bit more in depth with outreach and stuff. Kudos for posting something to share around though!