If you’re in SEO, then you know that Google’s Matt Cutts is a sort of demigod in the field of Google internet marketing. Although he is by no means obligated to inform SEOs worldwide about what Google looks and doesn’t count for in the field, he has been a useful source – mostly via his Twitter account – into all of the new developments that Google is doing with their Penguin and Panda algorithms.
- If you own a blog, then you should be open to let more well-known and situated bloggers to contribute to your site. (Like I said, pretty obvious).
- There’s nothing wrong with guest blogging at all, and it sounds like Cutts deeply encourages it as long as the writer really has fresh insights.
- Longer articles will be considered more than shorter (300-400 word) articles. The longer content shows that more though went into the process, and would likely be a more valuable piece. (Probably the most controversial point thus far).
If you’re going to just pump out a bunch of low quality articles for the sake of getting a large number.
Reflecting on Cutts’ Points
To sum it all up, it sounds like Cutts was very focused in the trying to relay the message of sustainable and share-worthy content. This is something that we all knew pretty much already, but the challenge is finding out where the threshold lies between satisfactory content, and the content that gets more attention.
Comment sections for the video were generally in line with Cutts’ perspective, but as previously mentioned, some were not so happy about the call for longer content. I am in agreement with this as well, since just because something has an extensive word length, that does not mean that the article is really a good one.
In fact, the very opposite could be true. If guest bloggers learn that they have to create an 800-1000 word article, then the second half of the article will probably be forced, redundant and dry. This is a breach that Google is going to have to work around.
No one should expect Cutts to completely make the definition of overall good content, but with his thoughts at the beginning of the video on well-known bloggers (he names Danny Sullivan and Vanessa Fox specifically as examples) and their content, we can all create a well-educated idea.
Where It Could Be Going
There are so many guest bloggers out there today in the midst of the link rat race, but it is definitely going to get to a certain point that a blogger overload takes place. There have been plenty of clues already that owners of websites are getting a bit of an overboard to deal with. Pages that used to invite bloggers are now turning away the opportunity, since there are so many content offerings – many of which are not really of any use to the owner.
So really, when it comes to link building via guest blogging, it’s not the amount you’re putting out on the internet, but its simply what you’re contributing, and the rest will fall into place.
Ezra Melino runs the tech and science blog DX 3 and often contributes to internet marketing and SEO sites as well.
