Matt Cutts targets guest blogging. What’s next?
Matt Cutts, the SEO baron of Google, is about to make a lot of enemies in the collaborative blogosphere.
Known for his off the cuff statements about content and SEO practices, Cutts seems to merely reflect on the ever-shifting Google algorithm.
In a new blog post, titled “The decay and fall of guest blogging“, Matt Cutts states:
“If you’re using guest blogging as a way to gain links in 2014, you should probably stop. Why? Because over time it’s become a more and more spammy practice, and if you’re doing a lot of guest blogging then you’re hanging out with really bad company.”
So is Google about to penalize web sites and blogs that create a lot of collaborative content, via the use of content contributors?
Matt Cutts continues:
“Back in the day, guest blogging used to be a respectable thing, much like getting a coveted, respected author to write the introduction of your book. It’s not that way any more. […] So stick a fork in it: guest blogging is done; it’s just gotten too spammy. In general I wouldn’t recommend accepting a guest blog post unless you are willing to vouch for someone personally or know them well. Likewise, I wouldn’t recommend relying on guest posting, guest blogging sites, or guest blogging SEO as a linkbuilding strategy.”
So while Matt Cutts refers to the practice of intentional content contributions as the means to cross-linking, a spammy process that generates artificial relationships, he definitely appears to be unclear about what happens to the thousands of true collaborative web sites, where relevant content is a truly useful collection of resources.
As always, do not expect Google to be clear about this; the statements by Matt Cutts will only create bigger confusion in how user-contributed content is generated.
The truth is, that if you need unique articles that are relevant to your content, you can hire a professional copywriter that relinquishes any rights in the process.
Link to full article here.
This post is 100% true!
Unfortunately a LOT of SEO companies are pushing the “guest blogger” service – the example email Matt Cutts included in his post is practically identical to hundreds of similar ones I’ve received.
Michele – What concerns me is how it seems that Google appears willing to throw out the proverbial baby along with the bath water. There are thousands of collaborative web sites where such a broad rule should not apply. Obviously, the example email Cutts quoted is where the problem lies: content written solely for the purpose of back-link building.
It was great meeting you finally at NamesCon!
I think Cutts was talking more about the low quality junk that he cited in his example ie. guest blogging solely for SEO purposes. Genuine quality content with multiple contributors should be fine – if it wasn’t a lot of newspapers could be impacted 🙂
Good to meet you too 🙂
Michele – As usual, Cutts is as clear as a Delphi oracle. 😀 Saw no response to the barrage of questions asked at his blog. We shall see.
If guest blogging is not the right way to build backlinks then what are the correct ways to build backlinks…
I am new to blogging and knew only few about building backlinks