How I Check If a Guest Post Site Is Safe or Toxic.

[Moazam SEO Expert]

Hey everyone, I’m sharing the exact method I use before pitching any guest post site. I’ve been blogging for three years now, and I’ve eaten two backlink penalties from shady sites. Never again.
Step 1 – Check Domain Age and History. I hop on Whois.com and look at the site’s age. If it’s under 6 months old or flipped from a sketchy niche (like gambling or adult), I skip it. Once, I almost posted on a site that switched from pharmacy spam to “tech” just two months earlier. DA was 25, but spam score? 60%!

Step 2 – Spam Score and Backlinks. I use Moz or Ahrefs free checker. Anything above 30% spam score is a hard no. Also scan backlinks if over 70% come from low-quality directories or are nofollow, it’s toxic.

Step 3 – Content Quality and Posting Frequency. I read the last 10 posts. If they’re under 400 words, spun, or stuffed with keywords, I’m out. I once ignored this and posted on a site three AI-written articles later, Google de-indexed them in two months.


Step 4 – About and Contact Pages. No real About page or contact form? Red flag. Legit sites always list a LinkedIn or working email.


Step 5 – Google Search Hack. Search “site name + scam” or “site name + spam.” If BlackHatWorld or Reddit threads pop up with complaints, run.


Do this in 5 minutes, and you’ll know if the site is safe. I’ve placed 50+ guest posts this way—zero penalties. Try it and drop your experience in the comments!

 

[Jack Liwoski]

Great checklist, @Moazam! ? I follow a similar process — especially checking domain history and content quality. I’d also add running the site through Google Transparency Report or VirusTotal to catch hacked or flagged domains. Helps avoid silent penalties before linking out. Keep rocking!!!

 

[Lamoon]

analyze its authority and relevance, examine the content quality and design, check for technical safety signals like HTTPS and SSL certificates, and use tools like Google's Safe Browsing and backlink checkers (e.g., Moz, SEMrush, Ahrefs

 

[peolsolutions]

Check a guest post site’s safety by reviewing domain authority, traffic quality, spam score, backlink profile, and editorial standards. Avoid sites with unnatural links, poor content, or high spam indicators.

 

[srinivasan]

Good method. I would add that I would check how often new content is published, why because fleshiness is important as well as take a look at the site's active social media profiles.