Assemble your connections: Link Building Secrets to Success
If you want to rank on search engines, backlinks play a vital role. It is that simple. It is difficult for a page to rank organically without relevant links pointing to the web page.
According to Google’s Search Quality Strategist “Andrey Lippatsev,” links and content are the two leading factors that can take you into top rankings.
A study by Perficient Digital showed that links are a powerful ranking factor and will likely remain so in the years to come.
Why are backlinks necessary?
Backlinks should be the top priority for any SEO professional. But the question is: Why are they so important?
To understand this, you will need to get your head around the ranking algorithms of the leading search engines. Back in the days of search engines like Yahoo and Alta Vista, search results were entirely based on a page’s content.
Today, with algorithms like RankBrain and PageRank (PR), search engines look at a page’s content as well as the number of people linking to the page.
Each link to a page acts as a ‘vote’ and determines the quality and relevancy of a webpage. Several studies highlight the correlation between backlinks and higher rankings. One study from Backlinko found that links remain critical for ranking positions.
However, that is not all. With updates such as Google Penguin, Google now focuses more on a link’s quality when ranking various pages.
So, how do you build quality links and ensure that your page appears higher in search results? In this guide, we will reveal the link building secrets that will certainly improve your page ranking.
1. Craft quality content
It is no secret that top-notch content can unlock doors to quality backlinks. But, simply publishing content is not going to earn you backlinks. It turns out that certain types of content work best for link building.
- Visual content: Visual assets attract not only huge traffic but also generate amazing backlinks. You can add images, graphs, diagrams, charts, and other visual content formats to earn more backlinks.
- How-to guides: Resources that provide in-depth information about a topic are found to generate maximum backlinks. Guides are the go-to resources because users are always on the search for information on the web. So, help them and give them the answers they are looking for.
- Surveys and statistics: Content that reveals industry stats, studies, surveys, and data are highly linkable. Research-based content adds credibility to a webpage and presents it as an authority site.
- List posts: BuzzSumo analyzed 1 million articles and found that numbered lists generate far more backlinks when compared to quizzes, infographics, how-to guides, and even video content. They work because lists posts, pack tons of information into a digestible way.
2. Email outreach
You can also build links by reaching out to bloggers, journalists, and influencers in your niche. A good way to find out potential linkers is by searching your target keyword and putting the first URL into a link analysis tool. Look for backlinks and find people who have linked to the resource. These are your potential linkers.
In the next step, you have to find their email addresses. Sounds too much work? Worry not. There are several tools that take in a domain name and provide the email addresses associated with that domain. Once you have got their email addresses, you can send your scripts to them, asking for links to your website.
3. Guest blogging
Guest blogging offers a free or nearly-free promotion. It is a valuable way to drive new traffic and generate links to your website. You should search for high-authority guest sites with followers count in millions and craft a quality guest blog to access the fans.
To get started with guest blogging, you will need to prospect for websites that allow guest posting. This can be done by performing a custom search on Google like this:
Check out the guidelines and start submitting your guest posts. Guest blogging is more effective because you do not have to spend hours searching for potential linkers and waiting for weeks for their response.
4. Mention influencers in your posts
You might have seen articles with headings like ‘Top X industry experts’ or ‘Best digital marketers.’ These are high link-generating articles because the influencers mentioned in the articles will likely share it on their page, which will generate more links.
When you mention a person in your blog, you let them know that they are popular and an authority figure in the industry and that you have quoted them. This makes them want to give a link back to your article because, honestly, everyone likes to be praised!
5. Leverage social media
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube are excellent avenues to connect with your followers and build a lasting relationship. Engage your fans on these platforms and encourage them to link you on their personal profiles through posts, comments, and inbox.
This method will be effective only if you keep a strong connection with your fans on social media. If they genuinely like you, it is very likely that you’ll get more links to your landing page.
6. List your site in online directories
There are online directories that offer useful information to users and a link to your website. Search for directories relevant to your industry and list your website there. This makes it easier for your site to get indexed in search engines and help users find you online.
7. Hire a link building agency
Hiring a link building agency is a good option, especially if you are too busy to build links yourself. Choosing the right agency is tough. Many people follow shady practices to build links. Therefore, it is advised to choose a team of professional digital marketers that can cater to your needs.
A blog published by Growth Proton discussed the importance of link building for businesses. According to them, inbound links are crucial. However, the agency you partner with dictates the success of you link building campaign.
Before you partner with an agency, research about their strategies, practices, and past work. Evaluate your options and go for the one that doesn’t promise only but deliver.
Take away
Link building seems pretty simple in theory, but it requires a lot of effort, time, and resources. As the search engine algorithms and link building practices are going through constant updates, you will need to keep up with the changes to ensure your success with link building.
