First off, here’s what you need to know: Google doesn’t mind guest blog posts that you write for a blog other than your own. Furthermore, Google doesn’t mind if posts written by others appear on your blog. What Google minds are blog posts filled with “link spam” that appear anywhere. If you know what that means, feel free to stop reading now. For some context and explanation, read on:

Last month, we let you know that Google has stopped politely hinting (and started SHOUTING) that the search engine penalizes those who use spammy guest blog posts as a strategy to get “back links” (also called “in-coming links”) to their website. Matt Cutts, Google’s top spam cop and ambassador to the web developer community, spelled it out on his personal blog. And another Matt, Search Engine Land’s Matt McGee, provided a great break down of what Matt’s announcement means.

Google’s Matt Cutts recently cut to the chase on Google’s attitude towards spam link blog posts.  (Photo via Reuben Yau on Flickr)

Unfortunately, some small businesses we’ve heard from have misinterpreted the warning against “no spammy guest blogging posts” to mean they shouldn’t blog on any site other than their own. (After his initial post, Matt Cutts added some clarification addressing this misunderstanding.) After hearing various (and confused) interpretations of the “no spammy guest blog posts” warning, we thought it might be helpful to clarify–and put into some context–what Google’s policy means for a small business owner or manager who is committed to online marketing, including correctly managing its search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.

So we’ve come up with this list to help you determine whether or not you, your blog, or places on the internet that you may be asked to contribute content, are okay with Google.

It is okay to have a blog with multiple contributors, if:

• Your blog is clearly associated with your company (unless your business is spamming).
• The links on your blog go to authentic websites that relate to your business, industry, location, etc.
• The links on your blog don’t point towards websites of companies or product categories known to practice black hat spammy techniques. (Spammy techniques are also called “spamdexing.”)
• Your blog is linked to by sources Google likes.
• Your blog is NOT linked to by sources Google doesn’t like. (See “spamdexing,” above.)
• The posts on your blog don’t appear, word-for-word, any place else but on your blog.
• You include the “no follow” value on links you worry that Google may not like. (If you know what this means, all you’ll need to do this: <code><a href=”http://www.example.com/” rel=”nofollow”>Link text</a></code>

(Photo via thom on Flickr)

It is okay for you to be a guest blogger (or guest writer) on websites other than your own, if:

• Your post (or column, essay, etc.) isn’t filled with spammy links.
• The website isn’t fake. (Millions of websites are set up by spammers, as you’d learn by clicking through that “spamdex” link above.)
• The blog post wasn’t suggested to you by anyone who has the word “guru” as part of their title.
• You don’t contribute the same article on multiple sites.
• The website uses “no follow” tags on outbound links.