Linkbuilding strategies for your website or blog are essential for improving their authority and ranking in search engines. As more high-quality backlinks are built, Google will recognize this increase of quality with an improvement on their algorithm which gives you a much better chance at rank occurrence!
An effective white hat search engine optimization (SEO) strategy will include getting as many dofollow backlinks as possible from various authoritative sites around the internet.
Data shows that having good dofollow backlinks will greatly increase your rank for your keywords, therefore, increasing the organic traffic your website receives.
It’s important to point out that not all backlinks are created equal. In a recent algorithm update, Google pretty much made no-follow and spammy links pointing to your site irrelevant. The links you want to focus on for basic SEO are do-follow links. Make sure to focus your link-building efforts on do-follow links from relevant sites only.
Why Have a Link-Building Strategy?
As we mentioned above, do-follow link-building strategies are essential to webmasters who want to increase their page authority and improve their position on a search engine results page (SERP). Linkbuilding can increase organic search traffic to your site or blog post which is the most coveted traffic because it’s free.
A beneficial link-building strategy will return valuable links which increases lead to more organic traffic and increase website visibility.
Popular ways to earn links include promoting existing content as well as creating content that is unique enough to make people want to link to it. A truly great post on one web page can make the viewer want to link to your site.
Additionally, link-building strategies improve your own site and propel a business forward.
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13 Great LinkBuilding Strategies
Outlined below is a list of the top 13 great link-building strategies you can use today to improve your position on search results as well as some link-building strategies to avoid at all costs.
Top Link-Building Strategies of 2023
Over time, the best ways to earn links have changed and so have the type of links you want to get. What was once an important link-building strategy (no-follow links) has become esoteric due to changes in Google’s algorithm changes and terms of service.
Let’s take a look at
1 – Post-High-Quality Content
Creating high-quality content is the best way to make people link back instead of just scroll. Consider creating articles that are valuable and relevant to a demographic. Furthermore, the content should be easy to read.
For example, create a list, suggest a hack, or write a piece of content that makes sense and gets people interested in your site.
This is called link baiting. However, not all content is created equal. To create evergreen content, a website must first decide its target audience, brand, and message.
2 – Resource Page LinkBuilding
Resource page linkbuilding is a strategy whereby you find websites that have resource pages (pages that list helpful resources on a particular topic) and then contact the website owner to let them know about a resource that you have that would be a good addition to their page.
This is an effective way to get your website linked to from high-quality websites.
3 – Infographic Link Building
Infographic link building is a strategy whereby you create an infographic and then reach out to other websites in your industry and offer to let them share it on their site in exchange for a link back to your website.
This is an effective way to get your website linked to from high-quality websites and generate some traffic at the same time.
4 – Offering Discounts or Coupons
Offering discounts or coupons is another great way to generate links because it gives people an incentive to visit your website and mention your business on their own site or blog.
You can offer discounts on your products or services, or even give away freebies like eBooks or white papers. Just be sure to include a link back to your site so people can take advantage of the offer!
5 – Social Media Outreach
Social media outreach is a process whereby you reach out to influencers in your industry on social media and offer them something of value in exchange for them sharing it with their followers (such as an exclusive discount code or early access to new content).
This is an effective way to get your message in front of a large audience and earn some valuable links at the same time. You can also use social media to share your latest posts which could earn you some links if the content is compelling.
6 – Directory Submission
Directory submission is a process whereby you submit your website’s URL and other information about your site (such as its title, description, and keywords) to online directories. This is an effective way to get your website listed in more places online, which can help increase its visibility and traffic levels.
7 – Guest Blogging
Guest posts have become a common practice to obtain links from relevant sites. Guest posting is as easy as reaching out to the site owner of a page that shares your target audience, pitching content ideas, and submitting a guest post in exchange for a link back to your site. Guest posts benefit both parties because one site get’s fresh new content that Google values and your site gets more links.
Make sure to focus on writing blog posts for relevant websites with high authority to make this practice worth your time. Backlinks from higher authority sites are much more valuable than links from sites with low authority.
8 – Press Releases
A press release is another idea to get backlinks by spreading the word about a company. Additionally, many news websites are authorities in their field. A link from a news site is an awesome way to gain quality links.
Set your business apart from the rest and become featured in the news. Common practices to be featured in the press include:
- Host an event
- Conduct a contest/sweepstakes
- fundraising for a charity
- answer questions in an interview
9 – Hosting Webinars
Webinars are another excellent way to generate links because they provide an opportunity for you to showcase your expertise and build relationships with potential customers or clients. After hosting a webinar, be sure to promote it on social media and reach out to those who attended with a follow-up email that includes a link back to your website.
10 – Broken Link Building
Broken link-building can be a successful link-building strategy. Over time, webpages and blog posts may expire, be deleted, or change, which may impact your rankings. Once you find a broken link, notify the website and suggest a link to your content as a solution.
Broken link building is effective because sites benefit from functional external links. Most site owners will be happy to correct broken backlinks, so they remain an authority site. Additionally, they may promote your content to reciprocate.
11 – Find Unlinked Mentions
Often, another blogger will refer to your content but may not provide the backlink in the anchor text. If you come across a mention of your page, try contacting the site owner, pointing out the mention, and encouraging them to add a link to your site. If they like your content enough to mention it, they shouldn’t have an issue giving you a link.
12 – Reclaim Expired Links
If there is a referring domain change or reconfiguration of a site, a link will expire. A great way to maintain backlinks is to regularly run a technical SEO audit using SEO software and analyze your backlink profile.
Once you have identified the expired link, notify the sites so they may fix them and refer the new URL. Reclaiming expired links allows websites to repair broken backlinks and maintain credibility.
13 – Answering HARO Requests
Answering HARO requests is a great link-building strategy because it allows you to build high-quality, relevant links to your website while also providing valuable content to other websites. By responding to these requests, you can build relationships with journalists and bloggers who will likely be interested in sharing your content or linking to your website in the future.
Additionally, by consistently providing useful responses, you can establish yourself as an expert in your field and gain greater visibility for your brand online. Overall, responding to HARO requests can be an effective way to boost your link profile and grow your online presence.
Link-Building Strategies to Avoid:
As previously mentioned, there are some quick ways link-building strategies that are detrimental to building a good reputation. As a general rule, avoid spammy content from low authority sites. Most people who view spammy content will believe that a site is low quality and be reticent to share. Here are some link-building strategies that you want to avoid:
1 – Commenting
In the past, sites have used videos and blog post comments to attract more people to visit their websites. However, SERPs have identified these practices and suppressed sites that engage in this behavior.
2 – Paying for Links to Your Website
Buying links from high authority sites to your own content used to be a great tool to quickly gain the most links. However, buying links violates Google’s guidelines. If Google discovers a site is purchasing links, it will suppress the site’s position on a SERP.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I find broken links?
There are many ways to find broken links, but we recommend using the web page Ahrefs.com. To do this, you’ll first need to sign up for a paid account (or start a free trial). Once you’re logged in, go to: Site Explorer > enter your website’s URL > click on “Inlinks” from the sidebar on the left.
Under “Broken Links,” you’ll see a list of all the pages on the website that have links that are no longer working. You can then reach out to the blog owner and ask them to replace the broken link with one that works.
Is there a penalty for too many links?
There is no definitive answer, as website owners often vary in their opinion on how many links are too many. There are, however, a few things to consider:
1 – First, search engines may penalize your site if it appears you’re trying to manipulate rankings by building a large number of links quickly.
2 – Secondly, most webmasters agree that adding too many low-quality links can actually have a negative effect on your site’s authority and overall ranking. So if you’re looking to increase your website’s rank, focus on high-quality links from web pages that are authoritative sources.
Do paid links work?
Link-building strategies that focus on paid links may still work for some, but it’s definitely not a long-term strategy that will benefit your website in the long run.
As previously mentioned, Google is absolutely against any form of paid links and often penalizes websites for using link schemes such as paid links, which can actually hurt your ranking and credibility. Instead, focus on building high-quality links through valuable content such as blog posts and web pages.
Can I use blog comments to get more links?
This used to be a sneaky way to land links to your content but Google got smart and eliminated the effectiveness of this practice. You are better off sticking to a more white-hat approach to link building like the suggestions above.
Are reciprocal links effective anymore?
No, reciprocal links are not effective anymore and may even hurt your website’s ranking. Reciprocal links are two-way links that are usually created as part of a link exchange agreement between websites.
While this was once an effective way to build links, Google has now developed algorithms that can identify and suppress websites that engage in reciprocal link schemes. Instead, focus on building high-quality links through valuable content and guest blogging.
Does guest posting on a blog post still work as a link building tactic?
Guest blogging is one of the best ways to build links. When done correctly, guest blogging can help you reach new audiences, gain exposure for your brand, and even drive traffic back to your site.
To maximize the effectiveness of your guest blogging efforts, be sure to follow these tips:
- Choose high-quality sites to guest post on.
- Write irresistible content that people will want to share.
- Reach out to relevant bloggers and offer them guest posts.
- Mention other bloggers in your posts and link back to their sites.
- Use social media to promote your posts.
Conclusion
Link building is one of the most difficult aspects of SEO, but it’s also one of the most effective. By building links to other websites, you’re not only increasing your domain authority and SERP ranks, but you’re also establishing yourself as an authority in your field.
While there are many link-building strategies that can be detrimental to your reputation, we’ve outlined some tried-and-true methods that will help you build high-quality links. Let us know how you go about increasing your website’s link popularity!
