We often receive inquiries from overseas customers asking about websites where they can post guest articles.
Guest posting is a method where an article you’ve written is published on a third-party blog or informational site. Including links and references to your own website in the article is believed to benefit SEO, and there are even specialized overseas SEO companies that focus on guest posting as a strategy for building backlinks.
While it’s somewhat similar to bulletin boards, the key difference is that guest posting websites are typically managed by an administrator who actively writes and updates content on their site. As a “guest,” you can contribute your own articles to these platforms.
In Japan, platforms like Note are well-known, but guest posting in the West often takes the form of traditional blogs, news sites, or informational sites. This type of guest posting doesn’t seem to be as common in Japan.
Why is that?
One possible reason could be the negative history associated with bulletin boards in Japan. Years ago, some bulletin boards became infamous for misuse, including criminal activities, leading to administrators facing legal consequences. This may have left a lingering caution or reluctance toward user-contributed content, including guest posts.
Another reason could be Japan’s legal requirement for paid content to be explicitly labeled as “advertisement” or “sponsored.” This means guest posts can’t be presented as independent articles, which could make them less appealing for some.
It’s a bit strange, isn’t it? Guest posting could potentially bring more value to the Japanese market, yet it remains relatively underutilized. It would be interesting to see this practice gain traction in the future.
