This past week in the blogosphere has been a week full of turmoil. One of the largest guest blogging networks was penalized by Google and that got a firestorm going all over the Web. Then, a real discussion on the purpose for guest blogging got started and no one is agreeing.
Michael Martinez says it isn’t for building links. But the average Internet marketer is still advising bloggers to “link with value.”
Here’s the problem. Terms like “link with value” mean nothing because value is a subjective term. Valuable to whom? What kind of value?
If Google says your links are low value links, then you don’t have a leg to stand on. I think Michael Martinez has a better handle on guest blogging. Its real purpose is to get your name and brand in front of a new audience. You don’t need dofollow links to do that. If you post on relevant websites where your most likely customers are more likely to be, then you’ll stand a better chance at getting in front of paying customers. Don’t guest blog for the SEO benefits. Do it for the branding benefits.
That may be difficult to ascertain if you’re new at this, so don’t jump in too fast. Take your time and measure your steps. Set some goals and focus on building your brand.
