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Link building should be a part of any site’s SEO strategy, whether you’re selling clothing, books or toilet paper. Although there are many ways to build links, you stand a better chance at improving your site’s ranking on Google if you build them naturally.
In other words, it’s time you start earning your links. Rather than paying for links, why not try attracting them? Don’t know how? Here are a few ideas to get your started.
1 – Create awesome content
When you get natural links, it means that your site rocks! It’s useful, informative and interesting. Natural links are proof that people think you produce awesome content. Otherwise, why would they be linking to your site?
Paying for links is easy. Give someone some money to put a link back to your site and you’re done. Honestly, why would you work and earn your links when you can pay for them while you sit on a couch and have a Bloody Mary? It’s effortless but if don’t know what you’re doing and you choose the wrong sites, it’ll be a waste of your money. Worse, if Google catches you doing it your site will be penalised and you’ll have to take the time to remove all the links you paid for.
Instead, create great content that people will want to share again and again and again. Content has always been king, but now social media means its impact can be even greater. There’s lots of good advice out there on how to create great content but my number one tip is this: don’t be boring! If you’re unable to produce an interesting piece of article, hire someone to do it for you.
A great way to get your content shared is to start developing relationships with influential people in your industry who can help get your message out. If you haven’t already started, start now. Find those places where your target audience is reading news or talking to their friends. Once you’ve found them, become a member of those communities and get involved. After a while you’ll find people will be sharing your content without you having to ask.
2 – Be a guest blogger
Pitching bloggers and industry news sites is difficult and probably not your favourite way to spend a day. If you’re being ignored all the time, then it can also be incredibly frustrating. However, this is likely to be a sign your pitches are missing their mark.
So, go online and learn how to write a better article pitch. See how others are doing it and pick up as many tips as possible.
If you’re wondering if it’s worth the effort, remember that without links your site’s SEO efforts will fail. From an SEO point of view, having your content published on other blogs and publishing platforms can help you get links, gain authority in search engine results and even attract viewers.
If you do manage to publish some guest posts, you’ll be able to add a link back to your site in your author bio. Make sure you include keyword-optimised anchor text so people feel like they’re missing out if they don’t check out your site.
There are also an increasing number of sites which connect people looking to guest blog with sites that need content, something that can take a lot of the hassle out of guest posting.
3 – Create interesting infographics
Regardless of what industry you’re in, there are plenty of opportunities to get your high-quality content out there for people to enjoy and share in the form of an infographic.
You might not be able to create something as funny as Oatmeal’s infographics but you definitely can create content that brings value to your customers and readers.
Get to know your target audience, find out what are the topics that make them tick and create content around that. You can do that with most any topic as long as you know how to design content that’s catchy and worth sharing.
Remember though, your infographics will need to be accurate and valuable. You can’t skimp on quality because people won’t want to share a something that’s inaccurate and badly designed.
4 – Build links with Pinterest
Pinterest has been voted the third most popular social networking site, after Facebook and Twitter. This image sharing platform may be fairly new, but it has really taken off, meaning your target audience is there as well. And if they find it attractive, so should you.
Regardless of what you’re selling, whether it’s food, clothing or web design services, Pinterest is the best place to share your images. Add a link back to your site and you’ll be getting traffic sooner than you think. However, just like other social networks, you need to become an active member of the community so dedication is key here. If you post useful, quality content you will generate a following and those people will start visiting your website.
5 – Create great video content
This is yet another easy way to build natural links. No matter what video network you choose, YouTube, Vimeo or Daily Motion, you’ll be able to add a link back to your site in the description of your video.
To get people to click on your link, you need to create a great video that will get people to want to find out more about the people behind it. For example, if you sell software, you can create a useful tutorial where you show people how it works, or you can create another video with testimonials and reviews from your customers. If you make it fun and original, plenty of people will share it, and you’ll get more visitors and links.
Of course, none of the tactics listed above are easy, but if you work hard on them you’ll find the links you’ll gain are much more valuable than those obtained when you take shortcuts