Every digital marketer knows the importance of ranking well in SEO results – after all, who doesn’t want to drive traffic to their website organically, especially now since Google has rolled out their 4-pack ads option which is a bit costly.
Well, in order to have great SEO results organically, one of the key things to focus on is building a strong base of link-building, known as backlinks, or inbound links. Though there are many ways to go about this, people often tend to miss out on these tricks and tactics, and quite often marketers don’t understand how helpful this whole process can be.
Here are some tips and tricks to build inbound links to boost your SEO results!
Why Bother?
Google considers many things when displaying search results, and one of the things it considers is how credible your website is as a source for any keyword search from a potential consumer. The best way to build credibility is by building a network of inbound links, which are basically links coming in from another site to your website – this showcases credibility, quality and authority as a source if others are linking back to your website/blog, and Google can pick up on this information, giving your site a boost in search results.
Now that we are clear why inbound links are extremely important, here’s how you can build a strong network of such links —
Good Content Yields More Eyeballs
The best way to compel other sources to link to your website/blog is to post amazing content that is regularly updated so people want to link to your source by default.
For example, you can try the following when it comes to content generation –
- Curate and publish helpful list-based articles that other bloggers will want to link to instead of rehashing the same exact post in their own words.
- Write op-ed pieces or roundup articles where you feature multiple people in a write-up and by doing so you are more likely to get multiple shares and link-backs from everyone showcased in the piece.
- Capitalizing on the popularity of newsworthy events by being the first blogger to comment to rise to the top of SERPs since your thoughts will be viewed as fresh and “in the news.”
- Write case studies and ask clients to link to it because you are helping them look good, too, after all. And, while you are at it, try to be a part of others’ case studies, as well. You can even ask customers to write reviews about you and link-back.
- Post press releases on your Website, related to industry topics, and then share with newswires for more coverage. You can even involve others to send out a joint press release, when relevant, to maximize reach; that’s double the marketing with half the individual effort.
Symbiotic Linking
A good deed usually doesn’t go to waste. Link to other blogs that are relevant and important in your industry/market. Chances are they will also link back to you to return the favor.
Leave a Trail Behind
You can build credibility as an expert in your industry by writing guest posts, or writing book reviews. There is an added advantage; you can usually link such posts to your own Website/blog!
Build Strategic Relationships
Focus on building strategic relationships with influencers in your industry. People like to help and link to those they get along with and interact with. Being social is important in today’s social media generation. Become friends with Webmasters; when you notice a site has mentioned you or your brand, ask them to turn those mentions into inbound links if they are citing your data, for example (this is known as “link reclamation”). Befriend the media and see if they’ll want to quote you for articles related to your industry, or if they can link to your Website/blog.
Become a Social Samaritan
People love using what they find useful, so make yourself useful in the digital domain. Create free tools others can use (and hence link back to) whenever you can, beyond just writing resource lists; try hosting free webinars or creating shareable templates people will want to bookmark to. Thought about making SlideShare presentations others can refer to? You got it — Make the lives of others easy and they’ll view you as an expert source and often times link back.
The V Effect
Everyone wants to go viral, and though it is not easy, it is worth striving for. Visual content such as infographics, cartoons and charts are more prone to going viral. And, something funny or controversial can also spread like wildfire. If your content can yield itself to going viral, it helps. The more social media shares you get, the more you show up higher in search results as a source.
Incorporate Technology
Since social media is critical when it comes to going viral, go ahead and use technology to help facilitate this. Install social sharing widgets. It will give you better visibility in news feeds, Twitter streams and, of course, in the end, search engines. Make it easy for people to remember to share your content socially.
Keep Tabs On the Competition
It is important to know what your competition is up to. Not only should you keep track of where your brand is mentioned online, but also where your competition is mentioned and where they are linked-back to, because those are potential places for you to also target.
There you have it! There are so many ways to work on building a solid base of inbound links. The key is to turn your Website/blog into a credible resource with inspiring, newsworthy, and relevant content, and a platform your target audience wants to visit regularly and link to.
