One of the most impactful elements of any good SEO strategy is link building. If you aren’t sure what linking building is, think of the web as a city and links as the streets between pages. As search engines regularly crawl the Internet, they use links to see which “streets” are the most popular, high-quality and trustworthy. While the proprietary metrics that search engines use are still a mystery to even the most advanced SEO experts, the ultimate goal for link building is to get high-quality websites to point back to your site, which is also known as backlinking.
This process is challenging, and even though some experts say search engines’ reliance on backlinks is decreasing, its importance is not going away anytime soon. In the meantime, take a look at some common link building strategies your website can test in 2018.
Internal Linking
Internal linking is where you hyperlink text to other pages within your website. These tactics help search engine crawlers find fresh content on your site and make navigation simpler for your visitors if they want more resources from you.
The best internal links are usually placed within your content and spread out throughout the page (not all cramped at the bottom of a post). Anytime a service is mentioned in your body copy, link it to that service page or a related blog. It will not only improve the user experience but potentially decrease your site’s bounce rate, too. Keep in mind, internal linking will not boost your rankings like other tactics listed in this post, but it’s an excellent place to start.
Asking for a Backlink
There is no shame in reaching out to other websites and asking them for a backlink to your site. This is one of the more tedious tactics; while it may seem as easy as filling out a form to ask for a backlink, there is more than meets the eye.
Study the websites you’re interested in reciprocating links with; if the link you will receive is not as strong or stronger than what you’re providing, it could backfire. You want to make sure the websites that link to you are reputable. Also, aim to work with webmasters in your niche, as these kinds of exchanges do wonders for your rankings.
Lastly, your customers can also be a valuable resource for backlinking. Just like you’d encourage customers to wear/use your branded swag, links are the perfect way to accomplish the same idea for the web.
Blogging
A company blog has a plethora of SEO benefits, and it’s one of the few link building strategies personally recommended by Google engineers. Blog posts are unique from web pages because they push out fresh content regularly, allow users to engage in conversations across the web (more about this in the next point), and receive listings and/or links from other websites, including directories and other blogs. That’s why it’s vital to write high-quality blog posts at least once a week to give your website a better chance for backlinks and improve your SEO.
Social Media
Although this made the list, it’s important to understand that social media links are nofollow (meaning these links are seen by search engines as no benefit in terms of rankings). That being said, it’s something you shouldn’t ignore for SEO benefits.
Social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn are some of the most visited websites known today, and many people would even argue that these channels are search engines. More and more people go to social networks to learn more about brands; because of this, it’s essential to post often on your designated social media channels to create a fun way for your audience to learn more about your business and brand’s personality.
Often, Google+ is seen as an obsolete social channel, but your business’s profile is still one of the first links a searcher will see when Googling your business. Make sure this profile is not forgotten, and you’re posting content to it frequently.
Write Sharable Content
Linkbait is known as content that inspires sharing and natural linking, and it’s these pieces that open the door for your website to get viral attention. Users who see these articles will immediately share them with their followers, and bloggers/thought provokers will usually share it through links on their blogs. It’s these pieces that build trust, page authority, and high rankings.
Along with being filled with informative/useful content, this content begins with a click-worthy headline. Think about titles of articles that would entice you. Would you rather read an article titled, “Wendy’s is a Twitter Trendsetter” or “Why Wendy’s Twitter Account is Killing It Right Now?” Take some time to find the right title for these posts and find the right fit to spark viral sharing.
Link building takes patience, time and practice, so do yourself a service and learn more about these strategies (and don’t be afraid to get creative with your approach!). Along with research, tune into our A Brighter Web weekly podcast and stay up to date on what’s going on with Google.
To learn more about link build strategies, contact us today!