WEBWISE
Guest blogs can be your brand’s best friend
What do you need to know to start guest blogging and how will this now essential SEO technique help to boost your online brand? GARETH MORGAN, left, of Liberty Marketing, is on hand to help...
S
ince the Google Penguin update hit early in 2012, people hoping to promote their brand online have been faced with a simple choice: use ethical, high-quality links, or get packing.
Black-hat SEO techniques such as keyword stuffing and link bombing were heavily penalised by both the Google Panda and Penguin updates – with a vast number of search queries significantly affected. What this means today is that itʼs more important than ever for aspiring high-ranking websites to feature top quality, regularly-updated content and links from reputable, relevant sources. These algorithm updates have seen guest blogging – once the time- consuming, somewhat maligned cousin of link building – become a key feature of campaigns as SEOs realise that the name of the game is now quality, not quantity.
With this in mind, what do you need to know about guest blogging to get going, and how will this now indispensable SEO technique help to bolster your online brand?
Backlinks
On a pretty basic (but indispensable) level, guest blogging opportunities can provide you with a quality relevant link or two back to your website. Whatʼs more, the blog that youʼre guesting on is likely to enjoy a higher page rank than article sites like Ezine or GoArticles. This will give any link you receive from your guest blog much greater weight.
However, limit your backlinks to around two per article; any more than that and your great quality, really readable blog may start to look spammy to search engine spiders and, more importantly, to any potential visitors and customers reading it.
New, relevant traffic When writing a guest blog, youʼre also introducing your website and its services to a new, receptive audience of hundreds, maybe thousands of people – generating traffic for your website and potential customers for your business. This is about more than links. This is about people. Itʼs well worth your time identifying key websites and blogs within your area of expertise – then getting in touch to discuss guest blogging opportunities.
If the site owner wants to work with you, you have the opportunity to discuss your specialist subject in front of people who are directly interested in your service or product.
In many cases, this is also great for the owner of the website, adding valuable content to their site which their readers will love (as long as youʼre not treading on any toes).
Authority Whatʼs more, by talking about aspects of your business in an authoritative way, youʼre establishing your brand as an expert voice in the industry: a trusted, familiar face among the faceless millions of the internet!
To advertise your web services in the Web Directory please contact Claire on 01622 699158
Social media-savvy bloggers Recent Google algorithm updates have given greater authority than ever before to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
These social factors are now crucial in determining a websiteʼs popularity and its competitiveness, and bloggers are some of the most active groups on social media. By submitting a guest blog, youʼre building a relationship with users who could retweet, share and blog about you now and in the future.
But be careful… Itʼs important to be wary. Many blog owners are seeking to capitalise on the popularity of guest blogging and their blogʼs respectable page rank by charging for links from guest blogs. This black-hat process canʼt be condoned; while it may result in a short- term boost up the rankings, if Google finds out (and they often do) your site could be heavily penalised. And unfortunately, as the practice becomes more popular, the fact is that your competitors may step up their guest blogging activities too – making it harder to find truly valuable, unique guest blogs. Expert link builders will still find traction in the area, but youʼll need truly innovative, well-written and interesting articles to get you featured. n For more information about how Liberty Marketing can help you in the ever changing online world, call 029 2076 6467 or alternatively send an email to
info@libertymarketing.co.uk
WEB DIRECTORY
Elms & Elms Ltd is an official distributor for Gildan Activewear, Fruit of the Loom, Regatta, and JHK. We specialise in giving excellent service and holding deep stock of the brands we offer. Register on our new website to get access
to stock levels and free delivery on any order over £100 (on-line orders only.)
www.elmsandelms.co.uk
| 50 | February 2013
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