Requiem for a Guest Post: How to Move on When Old Tactics Die

By Rebecca Bridge, Content Strategist at Portent, @rebeccabridge

Join us on Twitter at #MozinarQuestions or problems? Email community@moz.com

Who Am I?Content Strategist

•I brainstorm content•I write content•I strategize content•I edit content•I rewrite content•I help clients speak to their customers in a resonant voice

@rebeccabridge

But That’s Not All I Am!

Creative Writer•I tell stories•I write poems•I create characters•I build tiny worlds •And big ones•I make the imagined and the real come to life

@rebeccabridge

Oh and there’s something extra!Professor

•I teach people how to communicate effectively•I bring out their strengths•I begin conversations•I inspire•I critique

@rebeccabridge

I am not an SEO

@rebeccabridge

(I don’t even play one on TV)

Good content UTILIZES all of SEO’s best practices, but that’s secondary.

First comes the creation.

WHAT IS A GUEST POST?

UH…

Back in the dark ages of the Internet…

THEY SAY THERE ARE LINKS IN THOSE THAR HILLS!

LINKS!!!! LINKS!!!! LINKS!!!!

With Great Links to Totally Relevant Sources Like:•A Concrete manufacturer

•A transcription company

•An online marketing company

•A transcriptionist service

•A PPI claims company (No, I have no idea what this is either)

•A health products company

•And so on and so on and so on…

WANTS

GETS

YOU CAN’T JUST TALKWell, I guess this could be why Google named their algorithm update “Penguin”, huh?

“Links with optimized anchor text in articles or press releases distributed on other sites. For example: There are many wedding rings on the market. If you want to have a wedding, you will have to pick the best ring. You will also need to buy flowers and a wedding dress.”

Recently updated “Definition of Link Schemes” from

Guyz I have a good, sorry, AMAZING idea! Let’s put the link in the author bio!!!!!!

Got fired fro

m his SEO company 8 m

onths ago!

(Hasn’t paid re

nt for lo

nger than th

at)

Generally speaking, if you’re submitting articles for your website, or your clients’ websites and you’re including links to those websites there, then that’s probably something I’d nofollow because those aren’t essentially natural links from that website.

John Mueller, Google

Guest posting ain’t cheap!

It costs you (or your client) money AND time

I can get you behind the wheel of your very own

guest post for the low low price of…$1200.

WHAT?!?!

Writers Outreach

Time

You’re Paying Cold Hard Cash for a ProductYou Wouldn’t Ever Allow on Your Own Website!

Some day my links will come!

I must stay strong.

Guest Posting Doesn’t Make Sense on Most Levels

http://bit.ly/189rjib

By James Agate

Because good content’s not about filling infinite pages up

with words.

It’s about producingVALUE for your brand.

Learn the language of your client. Speak clientese!

-Isla McKetta, @islaisreading

•Study the personas•Create a lexicon •Get the nuance right•Make content they want need

Watch the entire Content Harmony presentation video here:http://bit.ly/14zBdS2

Become BFFs With Your Client’s Brand

Start with onsite content

Start with onsite content, it IS the content that will build long-term authority

Hey Girl,

Landing pages andproduct descriptionsmight not be sexy,but they’re the first chance a brand has tomake an impression onits consumers.

While this has information, it doesn’t answerany of the “W” questions

1.What is it?2.Who wants it?3.Why do they need it?4. Where do I go next?

The W Questions

BETTER, BUT STILL MISSING SOME OF THE W’S

http://bit.ly/fbnXtN

How About Learning Your Customers a Thing or Two With a Good Old-Fashioned Resource

Center?

This is Evergreen Content

1.Is not dated2.Is not part of a blog3.Does not paginate4.Has a permanent spot on your site5.Has significant design differences from the

rest of site6.Isn’t “salesy”7.Is SUPER HIGH QUALITY writing

Find guide for creating a resource center HubSpot PDF here: http://bit.ly/13w4oVI

You need to:•Anticipate questions and answer them•Make it scalable•Keep it up-to-date

Now That’s a Lot of Resources!

The best part? They rank for valuable keyword phrases such as “replace playstation 2 fan” and "macbook pro 2012 hard drive replacement”!

But the even best best part?

User Generated!

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice.html

Everyone Gets a Blog!!!!!

There must be a plan

Before it can come together

eCommerce Day Parting Report: http://bit.ly/16xjo8Z

Lead-Gen Day Parting Report: http://bit.ly/13VpTn2

Day Parting with @mwiegand!

Full Webinar on the topic: http://bit.ly/13ixeNV

Here’s One! http://bit.ly/15570Au

Going Big…

Doesn’t have to be that big!

Your clients will be looking for a reason to invest in big content

http://bit.ly/16geTSg

http://slidesha.re/161IX1O

dangersoffracking.com

http://bit.ly/13uerKQ

It’s Back!!!!

Guest Posting 2.0

Don’t Do Any Guest PostingThat Is More Link Building than it Is Brand Building

Eric Enge: Of course, it is important to look at this in the other direction in guest posting. You should only submit articles where the quality is high enough, and the site it is going on is authoritative enough that you would be proud to share it on your own social media accounts…

Of course, the quality of the content matters, and where it is published counts for a lot here too.

Matt Cutts: Yes, absolutely.

http://bit.ly/19u7npW

“Would You Kiss Your Mother With that

Guest Post?!?!?!” Rule

@rebeccabridge

Email: rebecca@portent.comTwitter: @rebeccabridgeWebsite: www.onedogoneblog.com

Find this recorded #Mozinar and slide deck at http://moz.com/webinars very soon!