It can be tempting to consider accepting guest posts as a way to add new content to your blog. Guest authors can bring new perspectives or ideas to your readers, but only if you choose them carefully. It is not always a good idea to accept guest posts on your site, and here are the main reasons why.
Google and Guest Posts
Google is the most used search engine on the web, so it is important to make sure you do not run afoul of any of their guidelines. Google does not have a set policy against guest posts, however, if you do not carefully vet your guest posts then google might see them as spam. Many guest writers provide mediocre content with spammy links to multiple sites. This duplicate, unreliable content on your site could impact your SEO rank.
Outgoing Links when Accepting Guest Posts
Guest posts are often packed with outgoing links. If the links are reputable and support the content of the guest post then there is no issue. If the links are spammy and direct to sites that are not reputable, search engine bots could detect this. Always double check guest posts to make sure that all outgoing links are safe and valuable for your readers.
Avoid Duplicate Content
Many guest posts that are pitched to sites are duplicate content. The writer posts the same content on multiple sites, or only make minor revisions to the text before reposting it. This is confusing for search engine bots. How do they know which link to rank higher in search engine results if they all have the same content? Guest posts should be unique and written directly for your specific audience. Do not allow duplicate content in guest posts on your site.
Be Careful with Author Accounts
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It may seem like a plus to save time and give a guest writer an author account on your site, but this is risky. Do not give someone the ability to post freely on your site whenever they want, unless you trust them completely. To protect the integrity of your site, always review guest posts for content and grammar before you post them. Do not allow any guest author to post to your site for you.
You will receive multiple requests each week from writers who want to submit guest posts to your blog. If you decide to allow others to create content for your site, be very choosy. The safest option is to hire professional writers like the team at Houndstooth Media Group to create content for you. This will ensure that you have professionally crafted content without facing the risks that guest posts can entail.