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Guest Posting Recipe for Local Small Businesses

ByAaron Charlton, PhD

If you have a local small business and you’re in BNI or another networking group, you already know a lot of people who could link to your site from their website. Why does that matter? Backlinks are one of the primary off-page signals that Google considers when determining your site’s ranking. And the best part is that the average local business has very, very few links that aren’t from spam sites or directories. That’s a huge opportunity for you to build some links and stand out!

I’m skipping the outreach step since this assumes you have existing relationships that will allow you to easily get a guest posting opportunity. Here is the process for crafting the guest post:

Step 1: Find a Crossover Topic

Identify Intersections

In order to start getting that sweet Google Ranking Juice™, first identify connections with your potential linking partner. You can ask Chat GPT for ideas:

When does a plumber’s work intersect with a roofer’s?

After trying several different prompts, I discovered that some people here in Arizona, especially in homes built in the 80s and 90s, have solar hot water heaters on their roofs. Solar hot water heaters are maintained by a plumber and if they leak it becomes the roofer’s problem. A perfect topic for guest posting!

Select a topic

Next ask Chat GPT to generate some blog post ideas within this topic:

Chat GPT: Blog posts related to solar hot water heater. Some ideas for a roofer's site and some for a plumber's site.

Here are the responses Chat came up with:

🏠 Blog Post Ideas for a Roofer’s Website

(Focusing on the roofing impact, safety, and planning around solar thermal systems)

  1. “The Hidden Risk of Aging Solar Water Heaters on Your Roof”
    → Educates homeowners about how older systems can damage roof membranes, flashing, and structural supports.
  2. “Replacing Your Roof? Here’s What to Do With Your Solar Water Heater”
    → Guides homeowners on the process of removing and reinstalling solar thermal panels during re-roofing.
  3. “Solar Panels Aren’t the Only Rooftop Risk — Don’t Overlook Solar Water Heating Systems”
    → Contrasts PV and solar thermal, highlighting why thermal systems often cause more roof issues.
  4. “Roof Leaks Around Solar Water Heater Pipes? Here’s What’s Likely Going On”
    → Common leak points, how to identify them, and why calling a roofer early can save on repair costs.
  5. “Why Every Roofer Should Coordinate With a Plumber on Solar Thermal Jobs”
    → Trade-focused post on the importance of collaboration to protect both the roof and the system.

🔧 Blog Post Ideas for a Plumber’s Website

(Focusing on system efficiency, maintenance, and home value)

  1. “Still Have a Solar Water Heater? Here’s How to Keep It Running Efficiently”
    → Tips on flushing, checking for leaks, and inspecting sensors or pumps.
  2. “Solar Water Heaters: Smart Investment or Outdated Hassle?”
    → A balanced look at the pros and cons in today’s context, with service/upgrade CTA.
  3. “Don’t Ignore Your Roof When Maintaining Your Solar Hot Water System”
    → Educates plumbing customers on the importance of coordinating with a roofer to avoid hidden damage.
  4. “What to Know Before You Remove or Replace a Solar Water Heater”
    → Covers disposal, permits, roof work, and modern alternatives.
  5. “Who Do You Call for a Solar Water Heater Tune-Up — A Roofer or a Plumber?”
    → Clarifies roles and builds trust by explaining when both trades are needed.

Step 2: Write the Blog Post

Etiquette: Typically, it is customary for the person who wants the link to write the guest post and send it to the site owner to post it. It’s also best to get the green light about a topic from your link partner before you write the guest post.

You can use generative AI tools to write the blog post and even to come up with the banner image but just make sure it’s quality. Edit it, polish it and make it better. The world doesn’t need more unedited AI spam. Personally, when I use generative AI tools, my goal is always to produce content that’s of higher quality than what I could do without it — not lower quality. And not every topic is suited to Chat GPT. I’m writing this myself, for example. I would’ve loved to get Chat GPT’s help but it couldn’t do it how I wanted it in this case.

On page optimization:

You can use a tool like Surfer or Page Optimizer Pro to optimize the guest post to rank higher on Google but you don’t have to do that. If your goal is just to get a link it doesn’t matter as much.

Add your link:

The guest post won’t do any good unless it links back to your website. And the higher on the page the better! Links have two components:

  1. URL: This is something that should vary to create a natural link profile. Don’t always do the same thing. Do some combination of the following:
    • Link to a relevant blog post on your site
    • Link to your homepage
    • Link to a service or location page
  2. Anchor text: This is the text that people actually see. For example, “click here” (which is actually the worst possible anchor text). I like to mix up the anchor text I use so that it looks like a natural pattern. So I’ll do a random pick from the list below (or whatever makes most sense for the context):
    • Keywords: Get the words in there that you want to rank for (e.g. “mesa az roofter”)
    • Company name: Write out your company name (e.g. AZ Local Roofer)
    • Domain name: Just have it be your domain name (e.g. azlocalroofer.com)

But just be sure to mix it up.

Hit Me Up!

If you have a guest post idea for one of my sites (openmkt.org, charltondigital.com, or seo4medical.com), hit me up! I’m happy to help where I can. I’d also love to hear how your guest posting experience goes for you.

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