Content creation is a pivotal strategy for building brand awareness, establishing authority, and improving search engine optimization (SEO).
Two common methods employed are guest posting and article submission. Though they might seem similar at first glance, there are significant differences between these approaches.
This blog will explore the 12 key distinctions between guest posting and article submission, focusing on their purposes, target audiences, editorial control, backlink strategies, and overall impact on SEO and credibility.
Let’s get started!
1. Purpose
First, let’s look at the main goals behind each approach and how they drive your overall strategy.
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Guest Posting:
The primary objective of guest posting is to gain exposure, enhance brand authority, and reach a new audience by publishing articles on external blogs or websites as guest authors. By contributing valuable content to established platforms in your niche, you can tap into their audience and increase your brand’s visibility.
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Article Submission:
Article submission, on the other hand, aims to create backlinks to the author’s website and enhance its visibility and reach. This is typically done by submitting articles to directories or submission websites. The focus here is more on generating backlinks to improve search engine rankings rather than reaching a specific audience.
2. Target Audience
Next, it’s important to consider who you’re trying to reach with your content and how each method connects you with your audience.
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Guest Posting:
Guest posting allows you to target a specific audience already interested in the niche or industry related to the guest post’s topic. This ensures a more engaged readership, as the audience is more likely to be interested in what you have to say.
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Article Submission:
Article submission focuses on reaching a broader audience through directories or submission websites. However, this audience may not always align perfectly with the author’s target market, making it less effective in terms of engagement and relevance.
3. Editorial Control
How much control you have over the final published content can significantly impact its quality and effectiveness. Let’s see how each method differs in this respect.
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Guest Posting:
Authors have more control over the publishing process when guest posting. They work closely with the blog or website owner to ensure the article meets the site’s guidelines and maintains its quality. This collaboration often results in higher-quality content that resonates well with the target audience.
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Article Submission:
With article submission, authors often have limited control over the publishing process. There is usually less editing or revision involved, which can result in a lower quality of content.
4. Backlink Strategy
The way backlinks are used in each method can influence your site’s SEO. Here’s a closer look at the backlink strategies.
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Guest Posting:
Guest posting emphasizes quality and relevance, with links included naturally within the content to provide valuable exposure. These links are typically seen as more credible and can significantly enhance your SEO efforts.
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Article Submission:
Article submission primarily serves as a backlink-building strategy. Links are included within the article or author bio section to generate backlinks and improve search engine rankings. However, the focus on quantity over quality can sometimes lead to issues with spamming.
5. Spamming and Quality
The issue of content quality and spamming is a significant factor that sets these two strategies apart.
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Guest Posting:
Guest posting tends to have higher-quality content and less spamming. Blog owners are usually selective about the content they accept, ensuring that it is unique and relevant to their audience.
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Article Submission:
Article submission has been plagued with spamming since its inception. Many articles are often rewritten or duplicated, which can diminish the quality and effectiveness of the content.
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6. Interaction and Credibility
Engagement with your audience and building credibility are crucial for long-term success. Let’s see how these methods compare in fostering interaction.
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Guest Posting:
Guest posts often provoke interaction between the reader and writer, enhancing credibility with a new audience through comments and discussions. This engagement can help build a strong connection with the audience and establish the author as an authority in their niche.
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Article Submission:
Article submissions typically lack in-depth discussions in the comments sections, making them less effective for building credibility and fostering interaction with readers.
7. Authority and Domain Authority
The authority of the platform where your content is published can significantly impact your own site’s credibility. Here’s how each method fares.
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Guest Posting:
The domain authority of the guest posting website is often more important than the article directory, as it is seen as a more authoritative source. Publishing on a high-authority site can significantly boost your own website’s credibility and SEO.
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Article Submission:
The domain authority of the article directory is often based on the amount of content, regardless of its relevance or quality. This can make it less effective in terms of boosting your website’s authority and credibility.
8. Platform Differences
The platform where you publish your content plays a vital role in how it performs and reaches your audience. Let’s explore these differences.
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Articles:
Articles are typically written for the website you control. You publish them on your own blog or website, catering to your existing audience or ideal reader. This allows for complete control over the content and its presentation.
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Guest Posts:
Guest posts are written for someone else’s website. You contribute content to an established blog or publication in your niche, leveraging your audience to reach new potential readers.
9. Goals
The objectives behind writing content can vary significantly between these two methods. Here’s how the goals differ.
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Articles:
Articles can have a variety of goals, such as informing your audience, establishing yourself as an authority, or promoting your products or services. They are versatile tools for engaging with your existing audience and driving traffic to your site.
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Guest Posts:
The primary goals of guest posts are brand awareness and building backlinks to your own website. This can boost your SEO and help you reach a new audience, ultimately driving more traffic to your site.
10. Approval Process
The process of getting your content published also varies between these two strategies. Let’s break down the approval process for each.
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Articles:
When writing articles for your own site, you have complete control over what gets published. This allows for greater flexibility and creativity in your content.
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Guest Posts:
Guest posts need to be approved by the editor of the website you’re targeting. This often involves pitching your idea and writing a sample, which can be more time-consuming but ensures that the content meets the host site’s standards.
11. Content Style
The style and tone of your content can make a big difference in how it’s received. Let’s see how this plays out with each method.
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Articles:
When writing articles for your own site, you have more flexibility in terms of style and tone. You can tailor the content to match your brand’s voice and engage your audience in the way that works best for you.
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Guest Posts:
Guest posts need to conform to the style guidelines of the host website. This may require adapting your writing style to fit the host site’s audience and editorial standards.
12. Monetization
Finally, how you can monetize your content differs between these two methods. Let’s explore the monetization opportunities.
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Articles:
You can directly monetize articles on your own website through advertising, affiliate marketing, or other revenue streams. This allows you to benefit financially from the traffic and engagement your content generates.
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Guest Posts:
Guest posts are typically not directly monetized. However, they can lead to increased traffic and sales for your own website by boosting your SEO and expanding your reach.
Conclusion
So, while guest posting and article submission might look alike, they serve different purposes and offer unique benefits.
Knowing these differences can help you decide the best approach for your content marketing strategy, whether you’re aiming to build authority, generate backlinks, or engage with a new audience.
And even though both guest posting and article submission can be valuable tools in a digital marketing strategy, they serve different purposes and offer distinct benefits.
Understanding these differences can help you choose the right approach for your content marketing efforts, whether you’re looking to build brand authority, generate backlinks, or engage with a new audience.
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