Link building is a topic that goes back to the earliest days of Internet search engines. It has remained a contentious topic because search engines don’t divulge the full list and weighting of signals they use to rank search results. Nevertheless, despite the deeply guarded secret that’s Google’s search algorithm, extensive third-party research, as well as the occasional Google blog post, have provided invaluable insights on how query results are determined.
One thing’s for sure though; Google thinks backlinks are a big deal. In fact, it’s one of the three most important ranking signals. Your website is unlikely to see meaningful SEO traction if it doesn’t have the requisite backlinks. But for your link building plans to succeed, you must execute the right strategies. Here’s a look at the strategies you’ll need.
1. Look for Guest Blogging Opportunities
Finding opportunities to guest blog on relevant, reputable sites is a tried and tested method for increasing your backlinks and growing traffic to your site. You do not want to guest blog on just any site out there though. Securing a blogging opportunity on the largest websites will be difficult so you can set your eyes on mid-tier sites.
Still, guest blogging is quid pro quo. The website expects something in return. Often, that will be making sure the blog covers a topic relevant to their core audience and that the post is of high quality. In return, they’d provide you with the opportunity to include a link to your site.
2. Check Out Your Competitor’s Backlinks and Keywords
Your website doesn’t operate in a vacuum. There are at least dozens of sites already out there offering something similar to yours. You can get your link building off to a great start if you find out what tactics have proven successful for your leading competitors. If you don’t know who your primary competitors are yet, Google some keyword phrases relevant to your product or industry then note down the sites that show up on the first page.
Given how expansive and dispersed the backlinks to an established site are, it’s virtually impossible to map out these backlinks manually. Fortunately, there are automated tools that you can use to do this analysis quickly, comprehensively, and accurately. For example, Link Building SEO Tool for Anchor Text, Backlink & Rank Tracking | Linkio has backlink monitoring and competitor analysis modules that allow you to keep an eye on the evolving backlink profile of your competition. With this information and by evaluating what backlinks tactics are succeeding for your rivals, you can alter your own link building strategy accordingly.
3. Develop a Blog with Exceptional Content
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Guest posting will require you to approach third party sites for an opportunity to post on their websites. You can however increase the backlinks to your site by creating content that’s so good that it goes viral and/or attracts backlinks without much prompting from you. For that, you need to establish a blog on your site.
Creating exceptional content begins with determining what topics are currently trending in your industry. Pay attention to newer topics whose popularity is rapidly on the rise. Chances are that there isn’t much content out there that comprehensively addresses the subject. You can take advantage of the gap by being among the earliest to publish thorough and credible posts on the subject.
If you create the impression that you are always one of the first to publish on trending topics, you will see a substantial rise in traffic and backlinks to your site.
4. Cover Evergreen Topics and Use Evergreen Language
Trending topics are a powerful tool for triggering a surge in backlinks and traffic to your site. But if you want ever-increasing traffic and backlinks, you’d do well to cover evergreen topics. In your area of specialization, there are questions that people will always be seeking answers for.
Even when you write on trending topics, aim for language and references that are likely to be relevant over the long term. For example, if you have a blog on business, an evergreen post may be “Tools That Are The Most Useful For Your Online Business ”. There will always be people interested in that topic and you could cover a wide range of tools like GSuite, Office 365, Slack and so many more.
Link building can elevate your site’s profile and reach exponentially. Apply these strategies to boost your search rankings, grow visitor traffic, and increase turnover.
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