You can see my guest blogger bio information above. This blog places the guest blogger's information right at the beginning of the post. Some blogs place the “resource box” or guest blogger's “bio” at the end of the post.
How do you decide where to put it?
Placement of the Guest Blogger bio
There are four parties to consider:
- The blog owner
- The guest blogger
- The readers
- The search engines
There are, of course, pros and cons to whatever placement you choose. Let's look at each one in turn.
Guest Blogger Bio At The Top
For the blog owner, having the bio at the top might seem a bit “in the way” – just another item above the fold, pushing the article further down on the page. If the blog has a hefty header banner and ads across the top, the actual content might already be quite low, and a guest author bio would just push it lower. This kind of sucks for the blog owner who may be concerned with their online reputation, and it also sucks for the reader.
An up-front bio also blocks the reader from jumping right into the post after the title. As I said earlier, it's a bit “in the way”.
On the other hand, the blog owner would not want a reader to assume that someone else's words were actually hers. And not everyone will read all the way to the bottom. Saying up front that the post was written by someone else makes it clear right away, so that the reader is not confused and the blog owner is not held responsible for someone else's views. It also gives the guest blogger much more visibility, as all readers will know right away the he wrote the post.
From an SEO perspective, the guest blogger should be happy that the links in his bio are at the top of the post rather than the end. Links closer to the top are generally assumed to be more important by the search engines.
Guest Blogger Bio At The Bottom
For the most part, this is the opposite of having the information at the top. It is out of the way, so that the blog post can start with a bang, higher up on the page. But readers do not know that the post was written by a guest until they reach the end (for those that do reach the end), which is not to the benefit of the blog owner, the reader or the guest blogger.
From an SEO perspective, a bio that is after the actual post is in the place where comments typically are found. The links, therefore, might be perceived by the search engines as comment links, which are assumed to be worth much less than links in the body of a blog post.
If you can make it work for your blog, putting the guest blogger bio information up front has a number of very compelling advantages.
On the other hand, after reading an interesting guest post I’m usually interested in visiting their website – so having it at the bottom saves me from scrolling up.
Yep I agree with you …. Roy !! After reading the entire post, Even I’d feel lazy to scroll up again 😛
Me too! At the end of the post we’re already decided if we like the author or not, so we should have a link to them at that point.
I also agree with you.. saves my time from scrolling
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I’ve had mine at the top for a while and then moved it to under the blog post, I found that having it at the top, looked a little messy and at the bottom it looks a lot better for the blog 😉
Yes really I like at the guest blogger bio information at bottom of the article, which I have seen at most of the high rank and high traffic blogs.
Good analysis David. To me, one important factor that makes me decide where to put the author bio depends equally on the themes design. Like you said, in certain occasions the author box could occupy a lot of virtual real estate and most importantly depending on its length, could be a hurdle. First time visitors for example, would normally want to dig in the article right away and having it on top can confuse them…
Some themes, like Ileane’s for example shows an avatar and “by” on the excerpts of the home page. That clearly shows who the author of the post is. That should be good enough to identify who is writing the article. Ileane, on the other hand, chose to have them on both up and down, and that only shows you that she values her guest a whole lot.
From an SEO standpoint, one can not argue that at the bottom is better for the owner and less valuable for the author. Then again, there are blog owners who will let you put a link or two within the body of the post, and this is where it matters most 🙂
Great write up! Never thought that there would be an article on authors bio placements. Very unique. Anyways, in terms of bio placement I would prefer to go with the bottom one.
In my view, both positions are correct, but at the bottom it will be better due to the users read the actual post first ……. and then see other extra info.
Loving this straw poll so far. This is by no means a black and white issue, so it’s great to see the various comments as people share their preferences.
Me too – i.e. I like it down at the bottom, David….saves me the scrolling time too, eh!
🙂
Jim
I guess I feel its all about flow of your blog. I don’t think it top or bottom makes a huge difference and is really more about personal taste.
Hello David. These are pertinent questions to consider. I actually looked at this very case and when I am told ‘no need to put your anchor text at the top because there’s a bio at the bottom ‘ I lose interest, because a bio at the bottom means nothing to me and there’s no point in guest posting if valuable links are sought.
On the other hand, guest posting shouldn’t just be done for the links, much more valuable than that is readers on other blog get to know you and your content, and in my case, because I place video on all my guest posts, they get to know my face too (very valuable). So if links is what you are seeking, no, but value of getting known, yes.
What I’d like to know from you is, how do you move the bio to the top. I haven’t seen that option in WP. Help?
Hi Ivin. You don’t need an option in WordPress – you just need to add the info wherever you want. You could insert it after the first paragraph or two, if you wish. You could get readers hooked, then do the whole “This is a guest post by..” then add “Read on…” and continue the post, if that was how you felt like doing it.
This blog is set up for multiple bloggers, so it has a special place for the guest blogging information “outside” the post – but most blogs are not set up that way.
You have complete control over what you put into your post and what order you put it in. For most bloggers, that is how they would place the guest blogger info.
I usually make sure guest bloggers fill in bio in the user section. But it seems it’s not the same thing.
Thanks for making this analysis David. I don’t recall thinking heavily about the fact that a link at the top of a post was more valuable than at the bottom for SEO. Thank you for this tip. Nonetheless, about readers knowing the identity of the writer, I think that while the bio box could be placed at the bottom, the name of the blogger can simply be mentioned at the top.
My favorite tactic is actually having a single line under the title, saying something like “Guest post by [name linked to author’s website]” and the full bio at the bottom of the post. No confusion, a minuscule amount of space used at the top, one well-placed link for the guest blogger and still plenty of recognition.
I like that.
Wow! I never thought about placing the author bio above the post has some SEO advantages. Hmmm.. I will try to work mine out 😀
Not sure where the perfect position would be. It might take a little exploring to see what works. I think near the top and noticeable would be acceptable, as they took the time to post something on your behalf or benefit, so it should be at least noticed. At the bottom is usually less likely to get noticed or any traffic back. It all depends, and if the post is acceptable the author should get a little plug out of the deal I think.
“If the post is acceptable”. That brings another factor into the whole deal. There are three kinds of guest blogging situations. This is sort of a community blog. Guest bloggers actually have user accounts and some will be repeat guest bloggers. My self-help blog is not a community blog, but I do encourage lots of guest blogging. I want other folks to come up with material – but it is not a community blog. My SEO/social media blog is not really for guest blogging. I will accept a guest post only if it is really exciting, something new, refreshing, truly original. “Acceptable” is not good enough. Where you place the bio might also depend on the quality of the posts you are seeking. You want great posts, you might need to give great exposure and great links to get those posts.
As you rightly mentioned there are multiple entities involved. The most important of these is the owner of the blog where the guest post is being published. Most of the times, blog owners tend to stick to the standard “bio at the bottom” format. Unless of course the guest blogger is someone prominent and well known. In this case the owner actually “flaunts” the guest blogger.
This is a tricky topic you discuss, I’ve never really known what to do or how to treat temporary and/or guest bloggers and their posts on my own. Thanks for your advice and tips, I greatly appreciated it!
Hi David, thanks for your thoughts. Personally I think that a small bio is better to be visible in the beginning of the post, just for the reader to see who is writing these lines. However, one disadvantage bio boxes have is that the guest writers are limited in having only one version of their bio appearing in the blog, whereas if the bio goes in a separate paragraph at the end of the post out of the box, then the writers can give a different version of bio details in every article they write. This is very important if you want to include different anchortexts and backlinks in your bio and not the same every time your write.
Good point. I actually have a third blog – about writing – which has fallen into disuse. But I might well write a post here at Basic Blog Tips about blog writing and prefer to reference my writing blog, rather than my SEO/social media blog.
But, just for the record, the guest bio can still go either at the beginning or the end when you put it inside the post. Or in the middle.
Putting the blogger bio at the top of the post isn’t really in the way as long as it’s presented in a creative manner. It also helps the readers know the perspective in which the post they’re about to read is coming from. The link is also more valuable that way.
Before I’ve never consider this as an important matter, but now I’ve decided to be placed guest bio information at bottom of the article. Thanks for nice sharing.
I’d prefer placing it below, it’s time consuming rolling the mouse up again and it looks nice, neat proper when it is seen below
It’s better to put it on the bottom, after the end of article, for me thou.
I prefer the bio at the bottom. Its more SEO friendly, looks neat and helps anybody who is commenting to mention the name. It is more probable that readers will click the links on the bio to read more from the author after reading the post if it really aroused an interest.
I feel that a bio at the bottom of a post is best. It’s the first thing you see after you read it. No scrolling to find out who, and it helps to separate the blog from the post author.
Some definite pros and cons here with compelling arguments for top and bottom placement. Why not do both, just like you have done in this post? Best (or worst?) of both worlds!
I prefer the bio at the beginning. I agree it clears up any assumption as to who the writing is from.
I have my bio at the bottomm, I think people read the post tehn if they’ve found it interesting read the bio and then click through to the guest author’s post. I do however tell readers that it is a guest post at the top.
I prefer putting the guest blogger bio at the bottom. Most of the readers will be interested on guest’s comments after reading the blog post. I think it’s the most logical place to put the guest blogger’s info.
Hey David,
Well written article…You have the edge…all the best.. Even i was wondering about the placement of guest blogger bio…
Well, it was nice post for sure, don’t have that much of understand of blogging or blogs, though there are a lot of people in my circle who love to do blogs. Surely this link would be forwarded to them just to get learn something really new and helpful as it seems from the content and comments. Thanks. Keep on posting.
The guest bloggers Bio really suits at the bottom of post. i read many articles that using bloggers bio at the top this looks much weird.
Thanks for the post, i have the author bio at the bottom of the post and am satisfied with it
I prefer it when my Author Bio appear below my posts. Whether for article marketing, guest posting or interviews, I found great conversion when it’s below. The reason this works is because, people wants to get solutions to their problems first before they think of visiting your site or joining your list. Why not give it to them and then wait for them right below. it works.
To me I think putting it at the bottom works just fine. I could be wrong though.
How about both? A small avatar and username at the top, with “guest author” in brackets and a more detailed biography at the bottom. This would let the reader know it’s a guest post and allow them to find out more at the bottom.
Thanks for featuring this topic…I don’t know how to make any of this but thanks to you!!!
Well said Dave.
I like the way to have bio box at the top so that readers will know immediately that this is a guest post.
Cheers,
MingJong
Actually Bio of the guest blogger is only giving some honor and introduction for the author, actual and main point is the subject of the post, for which the readers came on the post. That is why, it is better first write the post and after that at the bottom of the post there w’ll be the bio of the author.
I actually prefer the bio on the top so you get to know who is that person first before reading their stuff.
Bio @ bottom of the page is effective. After reading the entire post, people might be following the bio link looking for further information.
Simple and easy answer, the best place to put the bio-info of the guest blogger is at the bottom of post. I think most of the guys agree with me.
@Isabella (and everyone), I do not think most of the guys agree with you. Read the comments and see that this is very much a matter of opinion. As I was commenting on some blogs recently, I realized even more clearly how important it is for a blog owner to at very least announce who the guest blogger is at the beginning of the post. In addition to making sure people don’t mistake the guest’s opinions for the blog owner’s in their mind (even if they later discover the truth), not everyone reads the full post. There are two BIG fall-outs that can happen as a result.
1. I often read part of a post, get excited, and scroll down to comment. If the guest blogger’s info is at the end of the post, I won’t even see it. I’ll assume the blog owner write the post (and might wonder why she is taking the opposite position she did last week, just as an example).
2. After reading part of the post, I might be totally disgusted and stop reading, and maybe not even return – on the assumption that the opinions/advice/comments are those of the blog owner.
The more I think about it, the more important it is in any piece of writing to have the name of the writer up front and an identification of that person as a guest when that is the case. As for the rest of the bio, that is still a matter of very mixed opinions, and really does depend on a number of factors.
It means you want to say, If we didn’t mentioned the bio data of the guest blogger at the top of post, then most of the readers might be before reading the full post leave the page and didn’t come again. It is not happened in all the cases.
Actually it is a reward for the guest blogger to show their some details and efforts to the public, any place might be helpful for guest blogger. Thanks Ileane.
I never thought about giving importance to placing guest info even but I strongly assume that Yes crawlers like the links at the top so its good if the info could be at the top.
Really nice post David,
Being running a multi-authors blog, I had the chance to test the performance of both ways, and what I mean by performance here is to get more guest bloggers to write for the blog, I found that displaying the author info on the top of the post is way more helpful to the host blogger.
From the blogger/author prospective, there is no doubts that knowing your bio will show on the top will motivate you to guest post for that blog, and of course I completely agree with you that it’s more SEO wise!
I can clearly see that the best place to display the author box “author bio” is on the top of the post, therefore I am going to modify my code again to bring it back up there!
Hello, always nice to read a discussion like this. Personally, I found out that by displaying the contributor or author bio info on the top , will give awesome information.
i believe putting it at the bottom of the page is sometimes the best, usually the top is already filled with widgets and the bottom empty
I always put the guest bloggers bio at the end of the post. I think that is the best place to get the attention of the readers.
The bio at the top needed some time to get used to for me.
I didn’t like it in the beginning. Too messy and “in the way”.
And that might be how many first time readers perceive it. But I think Ileane focusses on building a loyal reader base, and for loyal readers who got used to it, it is actually much better.
I like to see right away by whom the article that I am going to read was written.
And I can appreciate the extra exposure for the guest blogger, especially if they write a great article.
From an SEO perspective , the guest blogger should be happy that the links in his bio are at the top of the post rather than the end. Links closer to the top are generally assumed to be more important by the search engines.
I believe the bottom is the way to go. At the top it takes away from the headline I believe and everything else going along at the top.
It is true that a link at the beginning of a post is more valuable for a guest blogger. But it will attract the attention of the article. The article is the main focus and not the writer (unless the writer is a celeb).
Most sites have the guest bio at the bottom and I would do that as well. I would only put the bio on top if it would have a benefit impact to the article. If a celeb write it, put it on top, that will make the reader want to read the entire article!
I think keeping it at the bottom of the page saves time. Plus, you can comment if it’s at the bottom of the page after reading the actual article.
Is there any difference in tone of the author bio if it is placed above the article and below the article? I have one guest post lined up which eventually will be the first post from me. I am covering a topic of best regional mobile applications in India and as requested by the publisher, I would like to know little bit about the tone of author bio.