Publisher selection is a context decision, not a single-number score. Use this checklist to identify what you know, what the source reports and what still needs confirmation.
Read the actual publication
Inspect recent articles, author information and editorial consistency. Decide whether the publication serves the audience you want to reach. A category label alone is not evidence of fit.
Check the page, not only the domain
For an insertion, read the existing article and the surrounding passage. For a guest post, compare the proposed topic with the publication’s coverage. The resource should contribute to the reader’s task.
Ask where metrics came from
Record the provider, measurement date and meaning of every number. Third-party authority scores are not Google metrics. Traffic estimates may differ across providers; unexplained or conflicting values should remain unknown.
Clarify commercial and editorial terms
Check current availability, supported format, writing responsibility, approval rights, price and delivery expectations. Keep site approval distinct from approval of exact copy or anchor text.
Qualify paid links appropriately
Google treats links bought for ranking purposes as link spam. Advertising and sponsorship links should use appropriate sponsored or nofollow attributes. Do not confuse a completed placement with guaranteed search performance.
Keep a useful delivery record
Record the published URL, agreed content, destination and link attributes. Any replacement or monitoring obligations should be explicitly agreed rather than inferred from another provider’s offer.
Primary reference: Google Search spam policies. This guide is educational; it is not a completed audit of the catalog.