Guest Posting vs Content Syndication: Which Works Better for Your SEO Strategy?
In the ever-evolving landscape of SEO, two strategies consistently rise to the top for building authority and acquiring valuable backlinks: guest posting and content syndication. For years, marketers and SEOs have debated the merits of each, often treating them as interchangeable tactics within a broader content distribution plan. However, this is a fundamental misunderstanding. While both aim to amplify your reach and earn links, they operate on entirely different principles, carry distinct risks and rewards, and serve unique strategic purposes.
Choosing the wrong approach can lead to wasted resources, minimal SEO impact, or even a manual penalty from Google. Choosing the right one, however, can catapult your site up the search engine results pages (SERPs), establish you as a thought leader in your space, and drive a consistent stream of targeted traffic. This isn't just about getting a link; it's about building a durable online presence that can withstand algorithm updates and competitive pressures.
This comprehensive guide will dissect guest posting and content syndication, moving beyond surface-level definitions to explore the intricate mechanics, strategic implementation, and measurable outcomes of each. By the end, you will have a clear, actionable framework to determine which method—or which combination of both—will deliver the superior return on investment for your specific business goals, industry, and resources.
Understanding the Fundamentals: Definitions and Core Differences
Before we dive into the tactical complexities, it's crucial to establish a clear, foundational understanding of what each strategy entails. The confusion between guest posting and content syndication often begins with a blurring of these basic definitions.
What is Guest Posting?
Guest posting, also known as guest blogging, is the practice of creating and publishing a unique piece of content on someone else's website or blog. This is not a republishing of existing work; it is the creation of net-new content specifically for an external publication. The primary goals are multifaceted:
- Backlink Acquisition: The most common SEO goal. You receive a contextual link (or links) from within the body of the article or the author bio section back to your own website.
- Audience Exposure: You present your expertise to a new, relevant audience that trusts the publication you're writing for.
- Relationship Building: You establish a connection with other publishers and influencers in your niche, opening doors for future collaborations.
- Brand Authority: By contributing valuable content to a respected site, you borrow and build upon its authority, enhancing your own brand's credibility.
A successful guest post is a value exchange: you provide the host site with free, high-quality content, and in return, you get exposure and a valuable backlink. For a deeper dive into the nuances of building these crucial relationships, our guide on guest posting etiquette for long-term relationships is an essential read.
What is Content Syndication?
Content syndication is the practice of republishing an existing piece of your own content on a third-party website. The original article typically resides on your own blog first. Syndication partners then republish that same content, either in full or in a summarized format, on their own platforms. Common syndication channels include large content hubs like Medium, LinkedIn Articles, Industry-specific publications, and news aggregators.
The goals of syndication are different from guest posting:
- Massive Reach and Traffic: The primary aim is to get your content in front of a vastly larger audience than your own site can currently command.
- Brand Awareness: It's a top-of-funnel strategy designed to get your company name and core ideas seen by thousands of new potential customers.
- Lead Generation: A well-placed call-to-action within the syndicated piece can drive significant sign-ups or inquiries.
The critical SEO consideration here is duplicate content. If you simply republish your article elsewhere without the proper precautions, you risk confusing search engines about which version is the "original" and should be ranked. We will address the technical solutions to this, like the `rel="canonical"` link, in a later section.
The Core Difference: Creation vs. Distribution
Think of it this way:
- Guest Posting is about creating new assets for partners. You are expanding the web's pool of unique content.
- Content Syndication is about redistributing your existing assets through new channels. You are amplifying the reach of content you've already created.
This fundamental distinction in purpose dictates everything that follows: the effort required, the SEO implications, the measurement of success, and the ideal candidate for each strategy. Understanding this difference is the first step in making an informed choice. This strategic foundation is just as important as the technical execution of your technical SEO and backlink strategy.
The In-Depth Guide to Guest Posting: Strategy, Execution, and Pitfalls
Guest posting is a marathon, not a sprint. When executed with precision and a long-term perspective, it builds a backlink profile that is both powerful and resilient. Let's break down the entire process, from ideation to measurement.
Crafting a Winning Guest Posting Strategy
A successful campaign doesn't start with sending emails; it starts with a plan.
- Define Your Goals: Are you targeting direct sales leads, building mid-funnel awareness, or purely chasing high-Domain Authority (DA) links? Your goal will determine which sites you pitch and what type of content you offer.
- Identify the Right Targets: Move beyond a simple DA metric. Use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz to find websites in your niche with strong traffic and engaged audiences. Look for sites that have accepted guest posts in the past. More importantly, analyze the quality of their existing content and the engagement it receives. A site with a lower DA but a highly relevant, active readership is often more valuable than a high-DA site with no real traffic.
- The Personalized Outreach Blueprint: Mass, templated emails are the fastest way to get ignored. Your outreach must be personalized and value-first.
- Research the Editor/Blogger: Read their "Write for Us" page, if available. Mention a recent article they published that you genuinely enjoyed.
- Pitch the Idea, Not Yourself: Your email should focus on the value your proposed article will bring to *their* audience. Provide 2-3 specific, compelling topic ideas with clear headlines and a one-sentence summary for each.
- Establish Your Credibility: Briefly mention your expertise and link to 1-2 of your best-written pieces as examples of your work.
This process of building relationships is a form of Digital PR, where you're pitching yourself as a credible source to a publication.
Writing the Perfect Guest Post
Once your pitch is accepted, the real work begins. The quality of your article will determine if you get published, if you're invited back, and ultimately, if the backlink drives any valuable referral traffic.
- Follow the Guidelines: Every publication has its own rules for word count, formatting, linking, and bio. Ignoring them is a surefire way to get rejected.
- Over-deliver on Value: Your guest post should be among the best content on that site. It should be comprehensive, well-researched, and provide unique insights or data. This is where long-form content often shines, as it allows for the depth that earns respect and shares.
- Strategic Linking: You will typically get 1-2 links in the body of the content and one in your author bio.
- Contextual Links: Link to deep, relevant pages on your site (e.g., a product page, a service overview, or a related blog post) from within the article body. The link should feel natural and helpful to the reader.
- Author Bio Link: This is often a link to your homepage or a dedicated "About" page. You can also use a call-to-action here, like "Download our free ebook on X."
- Engage with Comments: After the post is live, monitor it for comments and respond promptly. This shows the host you're engaged and helps build a connection with their audience.
Common Guest Posting Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Even seasoned marketers can stumble. Be wary of these common mistakes:
- Pitching Irrelevant Topics: Your content must be a perfect fit for the host site's audience. A tech blog doesn't care about your latest finance tips.
- Being Overly Promotional: The article should be 95% value for the reader and 5% promotion (via your links). If it reads like an ad, it will be rejected.
- Ignoring the Relationship: Guest posting is a relationship. Thank the editor, promote the published piece through your own social channels, and look for opportunities to collaborate again. This ethos is at the heart of content swap partnerships and other collaborative link-building methods.
- Chasing DA Over Relevance: A link from a high-DA but completely unrelated site has minimal SEO value and can even look spammy to Google. Relevance is a critical ranking factor.
- The Canonical Tag (`rel="canonical"`): This is your most powerful weapon. When a site syndicates your content, they must implement a canonical tag in the `` of their HTML that points back to the original version of the article on *your* websiteChoosing Your Champion: A Strategic Framework for Decision-MakingWith a clear understanding of the mechanics, costs, and benefits of both guest posting and content syndication, the critical question remains: which one is right for you? The answer is almost never a simple binary choice. The most effective digital strategists view these tactics not as rivals, but as complementary tools in a broader arsenal. The decision hinges on a clear-eyed assessment of your primary business objectives, your industry context, and your available resources.This section provides a strategic framework to guide your investment, helping you determine the optimal mix of guest posting and content syndication for your unique situation.When to Prioritize Guest PostingFocus your efforts on guest posting when your goals are centered on building long-term, foundational SEO strength and niche-specific authority.
- Primary Goal: Improve Organic Search Rankings. If moving the needle on specific, competitive keywords is your top priority, the direct link equity from guest posting is irreplaceable. This is the most straightforward path to acquiring the high-quality, relevant backlinks that Google's algorithm rewards.
- You Operate in a Technical or B2B Niche. In industries like SaaS, finance, healthcare, or any complex B2B service, purchase decisions are research-intensive and trust-based. A guest post on a respected industry publication like "Search Engine Journal," "MarketingProfs," or a niche-specific technical blog acts as a powerful third-party endorsement. It's a demonstration of your niche authority that resonates deeply with a discerning audience.
- You Need to Build Credibility and Trust Fast. For new brands or startups, being featured on established websites lends instant credibility. It allows you to "borrow" the trust that the host publication has already built with its audience over years. This is far more effective than simply claiming you are an expert on your own website.
- You Have a Long-Term Content Mindset. Guest posting is a long-game strategy. If you have the patience and persistence to build relationships and create stellar content consistently, the compounding returns will far outweigh the initial effort. This aligns with the philosophy of building evergreen assets that pay dividends for years.
When to Prioritize Content SyndicationShift your focus to content syndication when your objectives are centered on rapid audience growth, brand awareness, and top-of-funnel lead generation. - Primary Goal: Massive Top-of-Funnel Exposure. If you are launching a new product, entering a new market, or simply need to build brand recognition quickly, syndication's ability to put your content in front of hundreds of thousands of eyes is unmatched. The goal is volume and reach.
- You Have a "Hero" Piece of Content. If you've invested heavily in creating a groundbreaking piece of original research, a stunning infographic, or a deeply insightful case study, syndication is the megaphone it deserves. Don't let a masterpiece languish on your blog with minimal initial traffic.
- Your Target Audience is Broad and Lives on Major Platforms. If your potential customers are a broad demographic of professionals, consumers, or small business owners, they are almost certainly active on platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, or industry-specific content hubs. Syndication allows you to meet them where they already are.
- Your SEO Foundation is Already Strong. If your site already has a robust backlink profile and strong domain authority, and your primary need is scaling awareness and lead flow, syndication can be a powerful accelerator without the fear of "cannibalizing" your SEO efforts.
The Hybrid Model: The Most Powerful ApproachFor most established businesses, the most potent strategy is a hybrid one that leverages both tactics in a synergistic flywheel. - Create a Foundation with Guest Posting. Use guest posting to build your site's core authority, earn high-quality backlinks, and establish relationships with key influencers and publishers in your space. This makes your domain stronger and more credible.
- Amplify with Content Syndication. Once you have a library of high-performing guest posts and original blog content, selectively syndicate the best performers to massive platforms. The credibility you built through guest posting makes your syndicated content more appealing and authoritative.
- Reinforce with Data and PR. Use the data and insights from your syndicated content's performance to fuel new data-driven PR campaigns or to create new guest post pitches, thus restarting the cycle.
For example, you could write a detailed guest post about a specific industry problem. Then, a month later, you could syndicate a summarized version of that post on LinkedIn Pulse with a canonical link, driving a new wave of traffic back to the original guest post and your website. This integrated approach is the future of content marketing for backlink growth. Strategic Insight: "The dichotomy between guest posting and syndication is a false one. The modern content strategist uses guest posting as the scalpel—precise, targeted, and building deep authority. They use syndication as the loudspeaker—broad, powerful, and creating mass awareness. You need both the scalpel and the loudspeaker in your toolkit to perform complete digital surgery."Advanced Tactics and Pro-Level StrategiesOnce you've mastered the fundamentals and implemented a basic strategic framework, it's time to level up. The following advanced tactics can help you extract maximum value from both guest posting and content syndication, often blurring the lines between them to create entirely new opportunities.Advanced Guest Posting: Beyond the Basic Blog PostMove beyond the standard 1,000-word article and explore these high-impact formats. - The "Skyscraper Technique 2.0": Don't just create a good article; create the definitive resource. Identify a popular piece on a target site, then create a version that is significantly more comprehensive, better designed, and updated with the latest data and insights. When you pitch it, explicitly mention how your piece builds upon and improves their existing popular content. For a detailed blueprint, see our guide on the Skyscraper Technique 2.0.
- Leveraging Co-Creation and Expert Roundups: Instead of writing a solo post, propose a co-authored piece with the host site's editor or a roundup post featuring insights from a dozen industry experts. This not only reduces your writing load but also automatically promotes the post, as all featured experts are likely to share it. This is a form of crowdsourced content that has built-in amplification.
- Securing Links to Deep Pages: The most common guest posting mistake is only linking to your homepage in the author bio. The most advanced practitioners secure contextual, deep links to their most valuable landing pages, product pages, and cornerstone content. This sends powerful topical relevance signals to Google and drives highly qualified traffic.
- Turning a Guest Post into a Digital PR Campaign: If your guest post contains unique data or a provocative thesis, don't stop at publication. Use it as the anchor for a full digital PR campaign, pitching the story to journalists using tools like HARO to earn even more links back to the original guest post (and your site).
Advanced Content Syndication: Strategic Repurposing and DistributionSyndication is more than just copying and pasting an article to Medium. - Strategic Snippet Syndication: Instead of syndicating the full article, publish a compelling introduction or a key section on a platform like Medium or LinkedIn, and then use a "Read the full story" call-to-action that links back to the original post on your site. This drives traffic without creating a significant duplicate content issue, as the canonical version is clearly the more comprehensive one on your site.
- Multi-Format Syndication: Turn your pillar article into multiple formats for syndication across different channels.
- Extract the key data points and create a SlideShare presentation.
- Turn the main arguments into a thread on X (Twitter).
- Use the core narrative for a podcast episode or a YouTube video summary.
Each of these acts as a syndicated asset that points back to your original content. This is a core principle of creating shareable visual assets. - Partnership-Based Syndication Networks: Move beyond public platforms and create private syndication networks. Form a consortium of 5-10 non-competing businesses in adjacent niches and agree to syndicate each other's best content to your respective email lists and social followings. This provides access to highly qualified, curated audiences.
The Convergence: Turning Syndication into Guest Posting OpportunitiesThis is where the magic happens. Use the visibility from syndication to fuel your guest posting efforts. - Syndicate to Demonstrate Value: Before you pitch a high-value guest post to a top-tier publication, first syndinate a different (but excellent) piece of yours on a major platform like Medium. In your outreach email, you can say, "My recent article on [Topic] was syndicated on Medium and gained over 50,000 views and 500 shares, demonstrating its appeal to a broad professional audience. I believe a similar, but uniquely crafted piece for your publication on [Specific Angle] would resonate powerfully with your readers." This social proof dramatically increases your chances of acceptance.
- Use Syndication for "Ego Bait": Create a high-quality, data-driven report or a list of top influencers in your niche. Syndicate it widely. Then, reach out to the people or companies you featured (the "ego bait") to let them know. They are highly likely to share the syndicated piece, and you can then pitch a guest post to their blog, now that you have a pre-existing relationship and have provided them with value. Learn more about this in our post on using ego bait for backlink wins.
Measuring Success: KPIs and Analytics for Both StrategiesYou cannot manage what you cannot measure. To validate your investment and optimize your campaigns, you must track the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each strategy. Relying on vanity metrics like a single "Domain Authority" score is a recipe for failure.Key Performance Indicators for Guest PostingMeasure guest posting success with a focus on link quality and targeted engagement. - Link-Based Metrics:
- Domain Rating (DR) / Domain Authority (DA): Track the average authority of the sites you secure links from, but don't obsess over it. A link from a DR 55 site with high relevance is better than a link from a DR 80 irrelevant site.
- Referring Domains: The total number of unique websites linking to you is a core health metric for your backlink profile.
- Anchor Text Diversity: Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to ensure your anchor text profile is natural and not over-optimized. A healthy mix of brand, URL, and generic anchors is ideal.
- Traffic and Engagement Metrics:
- Referral Traffic: In Google Analytics, track the volume, bounce rate, and pages per session of visitors coming from your guest posts. High traffic with low bounce rates indicates a highly relevant audience.
- Goal Completions: Are visitors from guest posts signing up for your newsletter, downloading a lead magnet, or viewing a key product page? Set up goals in Analytics to track these micro-conversions.
- SEO Impact Metrics:
- Keyword Ranking Improvements: Monitor your target keywords to see if they improve in rankings after acquiring a cluster of high-quality guest post links.
- Organic Traffic Growth: The ultimate goal. Correlate spikes in overall organic traffic with your guest posting campaigns.
For a comprehensive look at this process, our resource on how to conduct a backlink audit is invaluable.Key Performance Indicators for Content SyndicationMeasure syndication success with a focus on reach, awareness, and top-of-funnel lead generation. - Reach and Exposure Metrics:
- Views/Reads: The raw number of people who saw your syndicated content on the external platform.
- Social Shares: The number of times the syndicated piece was shared on social media platforms.
- Platform-Specific Engagement: Likes, comments, and claps on the syndication platform itself.
- Website Conversion Metrics:
- Referral Traffic from Syndication Channels: Track this diligently in Google Analytics. The volume is key here.
- New Visitor Percentage: What percentage of this traffic is visiting your site for the first time? For brand awareness, you want this to be very high.
- Lead Acquisition: How many email sign-ups, contact form submissions, or free trial sign-ups can be directly attributed to the syndication campaign? Use UTM parameters to track this accurately.
- Brand Health Metrics:
- Branded Search Volume: Use Google Search Console to see if there's an increase in searches for your company name or branded products after a major syndication push.
- Direct Traffic: A long-term increase in direct traffic can often be attributed to improved brand awareness from campaigns like syndication.
Tools for Tracking and AnalysisLeverage the right technology to measure your results effectively. - Backlink Analysis Tools (Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz): Essential for tracking new referring domains, anchor text, and the authority of linking sites from your guest posts.
- Google Analytics 4: The cornerstone for tracking all website traffic, user behavior, and goal conversions from both guest posting and syndication. Set up a clear UTM parameter strategy to distinguish traffic sources.
- Google Search Console: Critical for monitoring keyword rankings, organic traffic performance, and identifying new backlinks (though third-party tools are more comprehensive).
- Platform Native Analytics: Use Medium's Stats, LinkedIn Analytics, etc., to measure the on-platform performance of your syndicated content.
Staying on top of your backlink profile is crucial. Consider using a backlink tracking dashboard to consolidate this data and our review of the top backlink analysis tools in 2026 to choose the right software for your needs.The Future of Link Building: Where Guest Posting and Syndication Are HeadedThe digital landscape is not static. As search engines evolve with AI and user behavior shifts, the strategies of yesterday must adapt to remain effective. Here’s how guest posting and content syndication are likely to transform in the coming years.The Rise of E-E-A-T and the "Expert" ContributorGoogle's emphasis on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) will only intensify. This will profoundly impact guest posting. - Author Bio Becomes a Core Ranking Factor: A generic bio with a link will hold less value. Google will increasingly look for signals of the author's real-world expertise. Bios that link to the author's professional LinkedIn profile, mention verifiable credentials, and showcase their body of work across the web will be favored.
- Niche-Specific Authority Will Trump General DA: A link from a low-DA blog written by a recognized, credentialed expert in a specific field will likely carry more weight than a link from a high-DA general news site written by a freelance writer with no specific expertise. The concept of niche authority is becoming paramount.
- Syndication Will Require Clear Original Source Attribution: As AI-generated content floods syndication platforms, the value of content from verified, expert sources will skyrocket. Syndication platforms that can clearly and reliably attribute content to its original, authoritative source will be trusted more by both users and search engines.
The Impact of AI and SGE (Search Generative Experience)Google's AI-powered search results will change how users discover content. - Guest Posting for "Answer Engine Optimization": With SGE providing direct answers, the goal of guest posts may shift from "ranking for a keyword" to "being cited as a source within the AI-generated answer." This requires creating content that is so definitive, data-rich, and trustworthy that the AI chooses to reference it. This aligns with the principles of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).
- Syndication as an AI-Training Ground: AI models are trained on vast corpora of web content. Having your high-quality content widely syndicated on reputable platforms increases the likelihood that it will be ingested by these models, potentially making your brand a "source of truth" for AI systems, which could influence future AI-driven discoveries and citations.
- Hyper-Personalization and Entity-Based Search: As entity-based SEO takes over, the context around your backlinks becomes even more important. A guest post that thoroughly discusses a topic and contextually links to your site as a solution strengthens your entity association for that topic in Google's knowledge graph.
The Evolving Value of a "Backlink"The traditional backlink is not dying, but its nature is changing. - The Shift to Brand Mentions and Unlinked Citations: Google is getting better at understanding brand mentions even without a link. While a direct link is still superior, a brand mention in a high-authority context (like a syndicated article on a major news site) carries more weight than it used to. Tools that help with turning unlinked mentions into links will remain valuable.
- Link Value in a "Zero-Click" World: With the rise of zero-click searches, the value of a link may become less about driving a click and more about serving as a trust signal that helps your content be featured in the SGE snapshot or other rich results. Brand awareness, built through syndication, becomes critically important in this environment.
- User Engagement as a Ranking Signal: If a user clicks through from a guest post to your site and spends a significant amount of time engaged with your content, this positive user signal is likely already a ranking factor and will become even more important. This makes the quality and relevance of your guest posts, and the landing pages you link to, absolutely critical.
Future Gaze: "The link of the future will be less of a hyperlink and more of a verifiable 'trust signal.' It will be a data point in a complex AI model that cross-references author expertise, entity relationships, user engagement, and brand prominence across the web. The strategies that build these multi-faceted signals—like sophisticated guest posting and strategic syndication—will be the ones that win." For more on this, explore our thoughts on predicting the evolution of backlinks.Conclusion: Synthesizing Your Winning StrategyThe debate between guest posting and content syndication is not about finding a single winner. It is about understanding two powerful, distinct instruments and learning when to play each one in the symphony of your overall digital marketing strategy. Guest posting is your precision instrument, building the foundational authority and trust that search engines demand. Content syndication is your powerful amplifier, projecting your brand's message to vast new audiences and filling the top of your funnel.To ignore guest posting is to neglect the core SEO work that sustains long-term organic growth. To dismiss content syndication is to turn a blind eye to the immense potential of rapid scale and brand building. The most successful businesses do not choose one over the other; they master both and deploy them in a synchronized, self-reinforcing cycle.Your path forward is clear: - Audit Your Current Position. Where does your website stand today? Is your backlink profile weak? Is your brand unknown? Your starting point dictates your initial focus.
- Define Your Primary Objective. Is it SEO rankings for competitive terms, or is it mass awareness for a new launch? Let this objective be your compass.
- Allocate Resources Accordingly. Be realistic about the time, budget, and skills you can dedicate. Start with one strategy if you must, but plan for the integration of the other.
- Execute with Quality and Consistency. Whether it's one guest post per month or one major content piece to syndicate per quarter, prioritize exceptional quality over frantic quantity.
- Measure, Learn, and Adapt. Use the KPIs outlined to track your progress. Double down on what works and abandon what doesn't. The landscape will change, and so must your tactics.
The future of digital visibility belongs to those who can build authoritative foundations and create widespread resonance. It belongs to those who understand that in the complex equation of online success, both the scalpel of guest posting and the loudspeaker of content syndication are essential variables.Ready to Build Your Authority and Amplify Your Reach?Understanding the theory is the first step. Implementing a world-class strategy is what delivers results. If you're ready to move from insight to action, the team at Webbb is here to help.We specialize in crafting integrated digital PR and content strategies that combine the targeted authority-building of guest posting with the explosive reach of strategic content syndication. We don't just execute tactics; we build systems that deliver sustainable growth. - Explore Our Design & Strategy Services: Let us help you create the "hero" content that forms the foundation of any successful syndication or guest posting campaign.
- Dive Deeper into Our Expertise: Our blog is a constantly updated resource on the latest trends in SEO, link building, and digital PR.
- Get a Custom Strategy Session: Contact us today for a personalized consultation. We'll analyze your current profile, discuss your goals, and outline a clear path to dominate your niche through a powerful combination of guest posting and content syndication.
Don't let analysis paralysis keep you from seizing the opportunities that await. The right strategy, executed with precision, can transform your online presence. Let's start building yours.
Expert Insight: "The most successful guest posters don't ask 'What link can I get?' They ask 'What value can I provide?' This shift in mindset is what separates a mediocre link builder from a true digital strategist who builds lasting authority." – This principle of providing value first is central to modern guest posting evolution.
The In-Depth Guide to Content Syndication: Maximizing Reach Without SEO Penalties
Content syndication can feel like walking a tightrope. On one side, you have the potential for explosive brand growth; on the other, the peril of duplicate content penalties. Navigating this path successfully requires a firm grasp of both the technical and strategic levers at your disposal.
The Technical Backbone: Avoiding Duplicate Content Issues
This is the single most important aspect of content syndication. Google wants to rank the original source of content. If multiple copies of the same article exist across the web, it can dilute the ranking potential for all versions. Here’s how to manage it correctly: