Yes, you’re reading it right! Link building is no longer rocket science for beginners, if you’re one of them and already reading this post. Most don’t know where to start, and the ones that do are clueless about what to do next. Well, you’re at the right place!
As we already know, link building is responsible for boosting a webpage’s search ranking higher in the search engine. And this beginner-friendly guide is all about helping you achieve just that!
If you go above and beyond just reading the material described in this guide, you are well on your way to the link-building success that you are trying to achieve. In short, your webpage rankings are bound to improve.
There are a lot of link-building techniques out there; it is a skill in itself to find out which one will work best for you. Most of the time, people are aware of which strategy to use but are clueless about how to make it happen.
In this concise post, I will be showing you some of the best strategies for link building. But before we dive straight into it, let’s first get the basics done.
What is Link Building?
Link Building, also widely known as “backlinking,” is the practice of building what can be described as one-way hyperlinks, or the links that link other relevant sites with yours.
It can be used for two major reasons: firstly, to navigate from one page to another, and secondly, from one website to another.
Some of the most common link building techniques include building useful tools, content matching, email outreach, public relations, local SEO, and broken link building.
Also Read: The Role Of Link Building Tools In Content Marketing And Domain Authority
What Is Link Building So Important?
Back in the day, during simpler times, when search engines like Alta Vista and Yahoo were the top players, they ranked their search results purely on the basis of the content that went on a webpage.
But now with Google, who’s now at the top of the-food-chain in terms of the search engines, the game has changed. Google’s PageRank Algorithm takes into account how many people are linked to that specific page. And it is considered as one of the game-changing metrics for the competing webpages.
A lot of time has passed since then, and to date, the links and, with it ‘Link Building’ still remain one of the most important factors that lead to the climbing of the webpage on the search engine, and also the vice-versa.
But with time, Google has also introduced updates like Google Penguin, which make sure that higher quality editorial links are much preferred than the ones that are just mechanically made without any sincere thought to help the reader.
In simpler terms, the more people are talking about your webpage and linking it to theirs for their reader’s reference, the more authority you hold in Google’s eyes, and the more authority you hold in Google’s eyes, the higher you webpage(s) rank in it’s search engine.
Best Link Building strategies that are bound to work for your website, and webpages.
Content Marketing
Simply publishing content is not going to work; instead, you should focus on making your content stick. And here are the best four content types that stick:
- Visual Assets
There are four types of visual assets: images, diagrams, charts, infographics, and other visual-oriented pieces of content. Now, why do these work so well?
Well, they’re super easy to link to, since most people like to use such assets for one website and use it on their own. This way, they leave a link to your webpage, and that’s what we’re looking for.
Tip: Assets like images are also capable of ranking in the Google “images” search results.
- Original Data and Research
Content that houses new research, data from surveys, or studies that other people can refer to attracts much more attention and, in turn, backlinks than any other content.
New data, or research, is a blue ocean; if we speak in marketing terms, there is no competition, and hence you are free to receive undivided citations and, with them, precious backlinks!
Like they say, content is the king. While it is true, unique content is even better if you’re concerned about Link Building so to say.
- List Posts
List posts are bite-sized chunks of content that users with time less leisure prefer. BuzzSumo analyzed 1 million articles and they concluded that list posts were responsible for generating much more backlinks than any other contemporary content formats.
- In-Depth Guides
These guides are comprehensive, packed with information regarding the topics that they are about. Once published, these guides act as a one-stop-shop equivalent for the readers hungry for information.
The guides work because they have everything that the reader is looking for and in turn the bounce rate significantly reduces as well, which is a crucial metric that Google monitors. Idf you deliver high-quality content here, then it is bound to be referred by others in turn, increasing your backlinks.
Email Outreach
Email Outreach is one of the best ways to reach out of journalists and bloggers, and if you do it without landing in their spam folder, it’s even better.
For this strategy to work, first you have to find the “likely linkers,” these are the people who are likely to link to your webpage. To search the likely linkers all you need to do is search your desired keyword on Google.
Copy the URL of the very first result and then add it to any link analysis tool of your choice. For this example, we’re assuming it to be SEMRush as it is widely popular.
Now, select the option “Backlink Analysis,” which is on the sidebar to the left, and then choose “Backlinks.” The sites that now pop up on your screen are all likely linkers.
Once you choose a potential Likely Linker site, you can use the Hunter.io tool to reach out to one-person blogs and small sites.
All you have to do is simply enter the site URL in the search bar, and the tool will load up all the email addresses linked to that specific site domain.
Even if you do everything right, there still remains one crucial task. To use a good email script, send it to your Likely Linkers. The more persuasive it is (in a good way), the more people will respond and end up linking your webpage to theirs.
Here’s an email script that you can use to do the same:
Hi [First Name],
I was looking for content on [topic] today when I stumbled across your article: [Title].
Good stuff! I especially enjoyed [something specific from their article, be genuine].
Also, I just happen to have published a new guide on [Your Topic]: [URL].
As someone that writes about [Topic], I thought you’d enjoy reading it.
My guide may also make a nice addition to your page. Either way, keep up the awesome work with [Their website]!
Talk Soon,
[Your Name]You have no idea what wonders this simple script does! Notice how it allows for a lot of personalization, but without a whole lot of effort.
Pro Tip: Try sending such emails in the afternoon around 1, or 2pm, to avoid your email getting lost in the dozen others that the receiver gets in the morning.
Broken Link Building
Broken Link Building is one of the most important strategies if you’re someone who doesn’t quite like asking for backlinks from the other business owner, or bloggers.
With this technique, instead of outright asking for backlinks for your site, you can add value to someone’s website.
Here’s how you can do it too!
- Install Linkminer, or Check My Links
Both these tools can instantly find any broken links on a given page, that too from the comfort of your Chrome Browser.
These tools are mainly browser extensions that you’d have to install on the latest version of your Chrome browser and then use it from there.
Below, you’ll see how to use these tools effectively.
- Look for pages with a lot of Outbound Links
Success lies in finding a page which already has a lot of outbound links, this makes sure that you can at least find some broken ones in there. A resource page would be an ideal page where you could find broken links.
- Check For Broken Links
Now, this step will teach you how to run the extension that you installed on your browser in the first one.
Once on a site that you choose to search for broken links, simply run the extension, and those links will be revealed to you.
Conclusion: How Link Building Can Be Done Easily
Link building is indeed a valuable task in terms of SEO in 2023! especially for beginners. I’m sure this guide has provided you with a fundamental overview of link-building strategies and the importance of this practice in SEO.
In Link building, you need to acquire hyperlinks from other websites to your own, and it plays a vital role in improving a website’s search engine ranking. Google especially considers backlinks as votes of confidence and authority.
Quality backlinks can significantly boost your website’s credibility, visibility, and rankings. However, it is also noteworthy to remember that SEO, and Link Building in general are both ever-evolving fields and hence you must always stay updated with the latest information that there is.
Staying updated with the latest trends and adhering to best practices is crucial for your long-term success. And lastly, the best strategy is always the simplest which most ignore, which is to create, and share high-quality content!
When it comes to managing link building, many beginners might find themselves overwhelmed by the complexities of the task. This is where outsourcing link building can offer significant benefits. By entrusting this aspect of SEO to professionals, you can free up valuable time to focus on other aspects of your business while ensuring that your link building efforts are expertly executed.
Additionally, outsourcing link building allows you to tap into the expertise and resources of seasoned professionals who stay abreast of the latest trends and algorithm updates, ultimately maximizing the effectiveness of your SEO strategy. Recognizing the benefits of outsourcing link building is essential for any business looking to strengthen its online presence and enhance its search engine rankings.
FAQs: How Link Building Can Be Done Easily
What is an editorially placed link?
When someone links to your webpage because they think that it will be of help to their readers as a reference, then that is an editorial link. Creating a random profile online and dropping your link is not considered an editorial link. Google only prefers editorially placed links, so always make sure that you prioritize quality over quantity.
How long does it take to see results from link building?
Link building is a gradual process, and it can take some time before you start seeing the results. It mainly depends on factors like the quality of your content, the effectiveness of your outreach, and the competitiveness of your niche. It is always wise to be patient and keep putting in consistent efforts for long-term success.
Can I use the same email script for all outreach efforts?
While you can use a template as a starting point, it is essential to personalize your emails for each of your outreach attempts. Tailoring your message for the specific recipient can go a long way and increase the chances of a positive response. There are a lot of templates out there, but in the long run, you will have to try what works best for you, even if that means leaving behind the traditional email practices.
What should I do if I receive low-quality or spammy backlinks?
You should Regularly monitor your backlink profile and disavow any low-quality or spammy backlinks using Google’s Disavow Tool. This helps to maintain the quality of the backlinks that you receive.
