What Are Backlinks?
Backlinks, or Back Links, are links on other people’s sites that leads back to your website. Search engines value this because if high-quality, high-ranking sites are linking to YOUR site, they assume you must be of similar quality. The search engines boost your site up the search rankings because they figure you must be providing highly valuable content that will benefit its users.
This is why backlinks are THE most important factor of SEO today. Your site can NOT rank without backlinks. Search engines like Google need other valuable sites to confirm yours is just as special and should be seen.
How To Get Quality Backlinks
First and foremost, your content must be EXTREMELY well done and of high value. No spammy, half-cooked articles full of keyword stuffing or too generic to provide any real answers. In fact, you want your content to answer questions that a user may have on your specific topic. Next, follow the rules. Google has guidelines in place for a reason. If you are buying links or trying to accrue low-quality links in manipulative, skeezy ways, you will get flagged and could potential see your site shut down.
There are many, many ways for you to earn quality backlinks and more are being discovered constantly. The mind map below showcases some tried and true steps that earn quality backlinks quickly and efficiently but, after you get the hang of these core factors, try your hand at more advanced techniques and think outside of the box. Remember, hundreds of thousands of businesses are trying to master link building too and you will only pull ahead by becoming skillful with these six concepts and by branching out and trying to discover more link boosting avenues they may not be privvy to. Within the rules, OF COURSE.
How Should I Earn Back Links?
Here is a mind map to help you understand the six core avenues in which you can earn back links quickly which will provide high boost to your SEO:
Testimonials
Many product or company service sites offer testimonial pages that allow you to leave your website after your basic information. These are great for SEO because it’s an automatic link back to you from a site that is, more often than not, of good standing. Usually you have to submit the testimonial and the company will review it and then place it on their site so you want to buy the product or utilize the service.
You will find a similar link boost with leaving reviews but be careful of the platform on which you are leaving it. A site that doesn’t have stringent guidelines on what is posted might not be the best quality for a backlink. Review sites are different than testimonial pages on the SEO spectrum so you have to be cautious.
Niche Directories
Many folks submit their business site to online business and web directories thinking that will benefit them as a backlink. Google has changed the rules on this practice and has determined quite a few directory sites to provide no value so having a link from them could hurt your site. One avenue that WILL work is to submit only to niche directories. Find directories that are centered around your industry or topic. The fact that it is so specific and provides an answer to a very particular question is the stuff Google adores.
Online Communities
Find forums, blogs and social groups that are focused on your industry or the content topics you write about. Become active in these communities by answering questions, contributing to conversations or sharing various forms of content. If you engage regularly, you will build relationships with these sites and the other users and businesses on there who will eventually link to your site.
Competitor Backlinks
There are many ways to do so but discover what backlinks your competition has earned. In many cases you can go to these sites and offer them content or inquire about how you may earn a backlink from them. By guest posting, marketing for them or helping to fix their site in some way, you can earn a link from them that your competitor has as well.
Guest Posting
Essentially, write articles on relevant topics for high-quality or high-ranking sites. In many cases, these sites are looking for guest posts and will let you know their requirements to submit a piece. For those that don’t, craft an email saying how much you loved one of their articles (actually read it and cite an example or two from it) and then say you wrote something similar recently that they might be interested in. Offer to share it with them. They may not respond or may say they aren’t interested but, if your content is solid, they may work with you or ask you to write about a different topic.
Be sure the sites you are guest posting on are not blocked or blacklisted. When you write an article and submit it to a site, assume that article is off limits and only for that site. There are plenty of times that sites will not notify you and simply publish your piece. You will need to check the site daily until it is posted unless you receive a definite response from them.
Broken Links / No Links
A great way to earn back links is to check industry sites or sites that explore relevant topics and see if they have any broken links. Many sites are so big that they can not keep track of how fresh or active all of their content is. By doing a simple search or using browser extensions, you can find content that has dead links, which are links that are no longer active or have been moved elsewhere with no redirects. By offering the site owner a replacement article, they will likely switch out the old content that devalues their site in favor of your article and your link.
If your business is listed somewhere with no link to your site, ask the moderator or contact the company to ask them to include a link.
Master these six basic but potent link building strategies and, not only will you have quality links in no time, you will also be more knowledgeable in finding new ways to earn back links. Be patient and stay within the Google parameters so you don’t jeopardize all of your hard work. Since back links are the Holy Grail of search engine optimization, you can truly say it is all about the quest itself.
FOR HELP WITH LINK BUILDING AND CONTENT CREATION, CONTACT SEO SERVICES ADVERTISING AGENCY TODAY.
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