Paid guest posts are common, but search engines have rules about how paid links should be handled. This article explains the basics for agencies and business owners.
What the guidelines say
Google's published spam policies treat buying or selling links to pass ranking credit as a link scheme. Google's guidance is that links that are paid for, or otherwise part of an exchange, should be marked with rel="sponsored" (or nofollow). Large-scale guest posting campaigns that rely on keyword-stuffed link text are also described as risky.
Why it matters
Pages and sites that break these rules can lose visibility. The risk falls on the client's website, so agencies should explain it clearly before placing paid content.
Disclosure to readers
Many countries also expect paid or sponsored content to be disclosed to readers. Rules differ by country, so check the rules where your audience is.
How to keep link building honest
- Use real sites with real readers.
- Write useful articles, not link carriers.
- Use natural link text that fits the sentence.
- Mark paid links correctly, and tell clients which sites allow which kind of link.
- Do not promise rankings.
Our approach
We tell you whether a placement is editorial or sponsored, we show you how the site was checked, and we confirm the live link after publication. If a site's policy does not fit these rules, we do not recommend it.
This is general information, not legal or SEO advice. Guidance changes over time, so check Google Search Central for the current rules.