Google’s Penguin algorithm update brought with it a renewed focus on the quality of links pointing to your site. Google still wants you to earn links naturally, but the way you go about earning those links has changed dramatically.
If you want to avoid Google penalties and manual actions, then it’s necessary for you to start focusing on your link-building strategy NOW. Here are 17 tips for link building.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Focus on quality over quantity when acquiring backlinks. |
| 2. Leverage content that provides value to your target audience. |
| 3. Stay updated with Google’s algorithm changes. |
| 4. Incorporate diverse anchor texts for a natural link profile. |
| 5. Build relationships with relevant websites for link opportunities. |
| 6. Guest posting on authoritative sites can yield valuable backlinks. |
| 7. Utilize social media to amplify your content and attract links. |
| 8. Monitor your backlink profile regularly to identify and disavow spammy links. |
| 9. Invest in creating link-worthy content that stands out. |
| 10. Consider participating in industry-related forums and communities for link building. |
| 11. Collaborate with influencers or thought leaders for link building initiatives. |
1. Know What Type Of Links Google Wants To Reward
It’s important to know what type of links Google wants to reward. Links that are relevant, useful, high quality, and contextual will be rewarded in Google’s new era.
Google wants to reward links that are:
Relevant
If your site is about pets and a link comes from another site that also talks about pets then it has great potential for being a good link because it’s relevant.
Useful
f someone finds value in the link then it could be good for SEO purposes. For example, if you have an article about “how to clean up dog hair with dryer sheets” and someone else has an article on their site titled “How To Clean Up Dog Hair With Dryer Sheets – 5 Ways That Work!”
Then this would be useful for readers because they can learn how to solve their problems with just one click!
So when people find something useful on other sites quickly without having to spend time searching through pages/articles themselves (which may lead them nowhere).
We call these “searched-for results” which means they’re already looking into getting information but aren’t sure exactly where yet so they’ll click one of those types instead since there’s no better place than right here now so why not check out these suggestions first?
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2. Publish Quality Content That Other Sites Want To Link To
If you’re looking for a quick way to increase your website’s authority, this is it.
If you have ever heard of the term “link building,” then you’ve likely also heard that quality content is the key to good link building.
The reason for this is simple: if your site has valuable information or entertainment that other sites want to share with their readers, they’ll be more than happy to link back to your site.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to attract visitors or build relationships with influencers, publishing quality content helps all of these things happen faster and easier.
Other people will find out about what’s on your site by following links from other sites or by searching Google themselves and if they like what they see enough they might even decide that they want some of their readership (or social media followers) coming over as well!
Transform your content strategy with these 14 actionable steps that will turn your website into a content marketing powerhouse. From ideation to distribution, master the art of creating valuable content.
3. Follow Google’s Guidelines For Content Creators And Link Builders
If you are a content creator or link builder, it is important to be aware of Google’s guidelines for all three parties.
Google provides a list of best practices for content creators and link builders as well as webmasters. Individually, they can be difficult to follow. However, when combined they provide a clear picture of what Google wants from its users.
It is also important to note that these guidelines are not always easy to follow or completely clear in their meaning; however, following them will put you on the right track for success with SEO and online marketing in general
4. Build Relationships With Influencers Who Can Give You Backlinks And Mentions
Identify the right influencers in your niche, then reach out to them with a personalized message that highlights what makes you unique.
Once you’ve made contact, follow up with valuable content regularly (like a weekly blog post or email newsletter). The more helpful your content is for the influencer, the more likely they are to share it with their audience.
When mentioning other people or brands on social media, be sure to tag them! This will help increase their exposure and build awareness of both parties involved in this mutually beneficial relationship.
5. Take Advantage Of The Broken-Link Building Strategy
Broken-link building is a tried-and-true SEO strategy that involves finding websites that link to outdated or dead content and then contacting the webmaster to ask them to update their links.
If you’re successful in getting your material linked, it’s a smart way of driving traffic back to your site.
There are many reasons why broken link building can be valuable for you: for starters, it’s a great way of getting backlinks from authoritative sites in competitive niches; secondly.
Because these sites have been linking out since before Google Penguin was launched (as part of its inclusion in Google’s core algorithm).
They’re much less likely to be penalized by Google than newer websites; thirdly, by finding these high authority links through broken link building, you’ll be able to establish some high-quality root domains pointing your way without having any direct influence over those domains whatsoever!
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6. Look For Link-Building Opportunities By Studying Your Competitor’s Backlink Profile
The first step to building more links is to go on a deep dive into your competitors’ backlink profiles. This can be done by using a tool such as Ahrefs or Moz (both of which are free) and looking at their top-performing pages from the past 30 days.
Try to answer these questions:
Which sites get linked to most often? These are the sites that you want links from, but they may not always be easy or possible to acquire.
Are there any common patterns in terms of anchor text usage? Certain phrases tend to rank better than others, so if you see these showing up regularly, it might be worth making an effort to optimize around them as well.
Are there any opportunities for cross-linking between my site(s) and those of competitors? If so, this could mean an easy way of increasing reach without having to do much extra work!
7. Help Your Customers Or Readers With A Guide And Then Invite Them To Link To It As They Use It
A great way to get links is to create a guide that’s helpful to your audience and then ask them to link back to it.
You can create a guide in any format you like, but I think the most effective guides are written with step-by-step instructions.
For example, one of my clients created an excellent guide for creating Instagram stories that included screenshots of their process for creating stories and what they recommend for others who want to do the same thing.
It included links at the end directing readers back to our website where they could learn more about how we work with companies on social media campaigns.
We were able to send this out via our email newsletter each month as well as share it on social media once every few weeks or so (depending on how often we were updating it).
This helped us get exposure in front of new people each time someone clicked through from their email inbox or saw our post while scrolling through Facebook timelines.
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8. Write Testimonials For Companies You Work With And Link To Their Site
In the past, it was common practice to give a testimonial on a company’s website or social media. Nowadays, it is more likely that someone will Google your name after they hear you give a speech at an event or read an article about your business accomplishments.
If one of these searches finds an inaccurate representation of who you are as a professional, this could negatively influence potential clients’ opinions of you and prevent them from contacting you for future work opportunities.
With this in mind, one tip for building links would be writing testimonials for businesses that have hired your services (and linking them back to their websites).
By creating positive associations between yourself and companies whose websites rank highly in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), you may be able to improve their rankings as well!
9. Comment On Other People’s Blogs And Websites, Then Ask Them If They Would Return The Favor By Linking To Your Site In One Of Their Articles
Commenting on other people’s blogs and websites is a great way to build links in Google’s new era. You should aim to leave comments that are relevant, helpful, and interesting this will help you build up a reputation as an expert in your field.
Once you’ve established yourself as an authority in your niche, reach out to other bloggers and ask them if they would be willing to link back to your website or blog posts. If they say yes, make sure that the link is added at the bottom of their article (not just somewhere within the text).
10. Ask Your Social Media Followers To Share Your Blog Posts So They Can Reach New Audiences, Which Earns You More Links
It’s time to ask your social media followers to share your blog posts. (If you’re not using social media, this is especially important.) You can do this by creating content that your followers will want to share like infographics and how-to guides.
Once you’ve published these pieces of content, ask them if they’d be willing to share it with their audiences. They’ll likely say yes, which means you’ll get more links and traffic from their networks.
11. Find Forums, Chat Rooms, And Message Boards In Your Niche Where You Can Create Conversations Around
Find forums, chat rooms, and message boards in your niche where you can create conversations around topics that are relevant to your brand or business and post links back to your site where it makes sense for research purposes or additional information on a topic being discussed.
Forums are great for this because they allow you to comment on other people’s posts, which gives them more incentive to engage with what you have to say. You can also share links from other sites that are related to the content of the forum post (i.e., don’t just post from your blog).
Be sure that whatever links you’re sharing is relevant and helpful! For example, if someone is asking about how best to grow their business using social media marketing strategies then perhaps a link with tips on doing so would be most appropriate here;
However, if someone asks about how best to manage their time as an entrepreneur then maybe something along those lines would work better instead.
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Conclusion
Google is a lot smarter now than it was at the beginning of its existence, and it has taken steps to ensure that spammy tactics are no longer effective.
The best way to build links today is by offering value and creating high-quality content that people want to link to, so we all must get back on track with doing what’s right for our readers.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further exploring the topic of link building:
Link Building Strategies by RyRob: Discover effective strategies and tactics for building high-quality backlinks that can enhance your website’s authority and visibility.
SEO Link Building Techniques That Work: Explore actionable SEO-focused link building techniques that have proven to be effective in improving search engine rankings.
Mastering Link Building: The Ultimate Guide: Dive into the ultimate guide to mastering link building, covering various approaches and methods to create a strong backlink profile.
FAQs
How do I start building backlinks for my website?
To start building backlinks for your website, consider creating high-quality and valuable content that others in your industry would want to link to. Reach out to relevant websites and blogs to showcase your content and establish relationships for potential backlink opportunities.
What are some ethical ways to earn backlinks?
Ethical backlink earning involves producing valuable, original content that naturally attracts links. This could include creating comprehensive guides, insightful blog posts, or innovative resources that other websites find valuable enough to link to.
Is guest posting a good strategy for link building?
Yes, guest posting can be an effective strategy for link building. By contributing high-quality content to reputable websites in your niche, you can not only earn valuable backlinks but also establish yourself as an authority in your field.
How important is the relevance of the linking site to my content?
The relevance of the linking site to your content is crucial for effective link building. Backlinks from websites that are contextually related to your content are more valuable to search engines and users, as they indicate that your content is reputable and useful within your niche.
Can I buy backlinks to improve my SEO?
Buying backlinks is generally considered a violation of search engine guidelines and can result in penalties. Instead of buying links, focus on creating high-quality content and engaging in legitimate outreach efforts to naturally earn backlinks.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.
