Six years ago, then-prominent Google programmer Matt Cutts implied that the notion of guest blogging was dead. Yet here we are, in a world where guest blogging is just as prominent as ever. This notion is surprising to many who believed that the nature of guest blogging and the methods through which it was conducted would create negative SEO outcomes for websites and blogs.

Given that the prognostications have not come true, it’s not just an absence of negatives that has kept the act of guest blogging alive: there must be positives generated from it as well. This ultimately begs the question: why are people still guest blogging, and what benefits are they getting out of it?

Today, we’ll look at some reasons why this age-old art is still alive and well among many brands.

It Drives Traffic and Builds Links

Contrary to what some think, guest blogging still provides opportunities for brands in terms of pinging servers with links and garnering traffic. While the direct benefits that existed many years ago for SEO are gone, that doesn’t mean that earning links via guest submissions doesn’t provide value.

While not every guest blogging opportunity inherently provides benefit, finding partnerships between websites and blogs that have related/overlapping topics can produce meaningful results. The more people who see your guest content (as a submitter), the more who are likely to visit your website. The same goes for other authoritative websites within the niche sharing your content and linking back to you in their own posts and pages.

It Builds Brand Visibility

Value in guest blogging doesn’t originate solely from direct SEO benefits or links, but also through the sheer act of visibility. As brands grow and evolve, their visibility and respect among audiences tend to increase at proportionate rates. To put it simply: to be seen is to be respected. This – among a variety of other reasons – is why so many brands focus on elevating their visibility within one or more niches.

Guest blogging offers writers and brands alike a chance to promote their personal and professional visibility, which can often lend legitimacy to newer brands who aren’t well-known or further reinforce trust among known entities.

It Creates Niche Authority

Being able to speak as an authority on a particular subject gives you an opportunity to make good first impressions. There is value in guest blogging for this very reason: by pinging servers with your name and domain from other authoritative sites, search engines will gradually begin associating your content with authority and trustworthiness. While this process is gradual, guest blogging can provide tangible long-term benefits in this regard.

Ultimately, readers will develop similar feelings. Somebody who reads about a particular product or topic that doesn’t immediately click on your link may still recall mention of your brand at a later date and visit your website due to piqued interest. This combination of visibility and authority can gradually transform any small, unknown brand into a meaningfully competitive powerhouse.

While placement sites benefit from the influx of new, high-quality content, contributors can still benefit from guest blogging as well. By building a variety of links that can drive traffic, generating authority and increasing visibility, brands of all sizes can enjoy benefits that – when combined with a broader marketing and SEO strategy – delivers tangible results.