One of the best ways to maintain and improve your SEO efforts is by link building. Quality matters more than quantity, but this is what makes link building so difficult. And, if you don’t give some time and attention to your strategy, your site is likely to drop in the rankings when there’s an algorithm update.
Having an effective link building strategy requires much more than dropping links into your content and asking acquaintances to link to yours. Like other strategies, link building needs to be strategic and well thought out. We’ll teach you how to build good links and the effort that is required to make it work.
1. Guest Writing
Guest writing is a great way to get quality links pointing back to your site. But, you can’t write for just any publication. Choose those that are reputable and high in quality – the links will be more valuable. Getting your foot in the door is the hardest part, but once you do, it’s easier to find new opportunities.
2. Podcast Interviews
Who would want to interview you? To your surprise, plenty of people! It’s more difficult to get interviewed for blogs, but podcasts are a new channel worth checking out. To make this content more interesting, podcast channels are always looking for people to interview. Do your research and identify the top podcasts for your industry. Let them know that you are willing to do an interview and why you’d make a great fit.
3. Content Marketing
Content marketing helps you build links, but it needs to be high in quality and easy to share. Think outside the box – infographics, illustrations, maps, videos, etc. These content pieces are more likely to go viral. Cover topics that allow you to show your authority. New data is especially helpful, which can be gathered through surveys, polls and other means.
4. Testimonials
It only takes a few minutes to write a testimonial, so put good into the world and start doing more of it! People love getting positive feedback, and they may share your review on their site, along with a link back to you.
5. Image Link Building
This is somewhat of a different approach from the others listed above, but it’s worth considering. With so much content being created, people are always looking for cool images to add to their work. By creating an image bank of great photos, you can drive traffic to your site and separate yourself from others. Be sure to make your image library discoverable by optimizing content on the page.
6. Feature People in Your Content
Mention other people in your content and let them know about it. This is a great way to network with others while building solid links. You can also reach out to people before writing the content and ask for their opinion or a direct quote.
7. Link Reclamation
This approach is generally used by larger brands, but there’s no reason why you can’t use it, too. It involves monitoring your brand name online, which can be done by setting up Google Alerts. If you see something come up about your brand, you can ask the person if they could add a link. Even better, give them a link that points their readers to relevant content.
Building good links is not something that happens on its own. It requires you to be actively engaged with your content and connecting with others in your industry. This is why websites with the best link profiles are rewarded – and will continue to be.
