A link insertion is the better choice when you know the anchor text and URL you want and want a contextual link from an article that's already indexed. A guest post is the better route when you've got first-hand expertise to share under your own name and the reader comes first. If you want a full article about your brand, that's a sponsored article, which runs as a separate route on my site.
The two get mixed up because both end with your link on someone else's site. They're built for different jobs, though, and on my site they follow different routes too. Here's the quick comparison first, then the detail behind each row.
| Link insertion | Guest post (editorial) | Sponsored article | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The format | Your link added inside a post that's already published here | An article you write under your own byline, accepted on editorial merit | A full length post in the category on the site that fits your topic |
| Who writes it | Nobody new: your link is matched to the best fitting host post | You do, from first-hand experience | You supply it finished, or my team writes it from a brief |
| Link | You choose the anchor text and the destination URL | One contextual backlink to your own site or a relevant resource is fine in an editorial post | An outbound link to the URL of your choice |
| Speed in search | Tends to land faster, because the host article is already indexed | Judged on merit first, so timing follows the editorial decision | Goes live as a new post once the details are agreed |
| Mostly for | Link building agencies, SEO agencies and resellers | Writers who've worked directly on the topic | SaaS, agency, ecommerce and service brands |
| Route on my site | An email with three things, set out below | All guest post submissions go through our main submission page | The form on my sponsored articles page |
When a link insertion is the better call
Put simply, an insertion places your link inside an article that's already live on this site, instead of in a brand new post. The host post has its own age and authority, so your link doesn't start from zero.
A new article starts with no search history here. An insertion goes into a post that already has some, which is why it usually lands faster. Most insertion buyers here are link building agencies, SEO agencies and resellers, and many come back for different clients.
Relevance comes first. If your target doesn't match a suitable article here, you'll hear that plainly rather than see it forced in, and once a link is placed it stays put rather than being swapped out later.
Email [email protected]. Include three things:
- The target URL you want linked
- The anchor text you have in mind
- The niche, and how many placements you want
No forms, no discovery call, no back and forth. My link insertions page has the detail on how host posts are matched.
When a guest post earns the extra effort
A guest post is a different animal. On my site, editorial guest posts are judged on merit: the article has to help the reader, and the link comes from that help rather than being the point of it. The editorial rules are plain about what gets turned away:
- Vendor marketing with a byline on it
- Content published elsewhere
- Anything written purely for a link, with no value to the reader
What a strong guest post gets in return is worth having: exposure to an engaged audience of business owners and marketers, a quality backlink from an established domain, and an author bio with a link back to your website.
Choose a guest post when you've worked directly on the problem you're writing about and can show a specific result, because it puts your name and byline in front of readers as well as your link. All guest post submissions go through our main submission page, which is my write for me page.
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Where a sponsored article sits between them
If you want a full article and the editorial rules don't fit, because the post is about your product, you're looking at a sponsored article. Commercial and partnership enquiries are handled separately from editorial guest posts.
You can supply the article in finished form, or you can send a brief and my team writes it from scratch. The piece carries an outbound link to the URL of your choice, and the post stays live indefinitely once it goes up. The form for it sits at the bottom of my sponsored articles page.
Three questions that settle the choice
- Do you need to explain anything? If yes, you need an article: a guest post if it teaches, a sponsored article if it promotes.
- Does the target page already do the selling? If so, a link insertion is usually enough.
- Do you want your name on it? A guest post comes with a byline and an author bio.
If your product isn't a natural fit for my readers, I'll tell you in the first reply.
Frequently asked questions
Is a link insertion faster than a guest post?
Usually. The host article is already indexed, so an insertion tends to land faster than a brand new article.
Can I choose the anchor text for a link insertion?
Yes. You choose the anchor text and the destination URL, and your link is matched to the best fitting host post.
Can a guest post promote my product?
No. Editorial guest posts turn away vendor marketing with a byline on it, so a post about your product belongs in a sponsored article.
What do I send to start a link insertion?
Three things: the target URL you want linked, the anchor text you have in mind, and the niche along with the number of placements you want.
