Earning Backlinks with SEO
Earning backlinks is an essential part of off-site SEO. The process in which you obtain these links is known as link building. Some backlinks are obviously more valuable when compared to others. Followed backlinks that come from trustworthy, or sites of high authority are considered to be the most desirable. Backlinks from low-authority or spammy sites on the other hand are considered to be at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Whether or not the owner of the site instructs the search engine to pass or not is also relevant, but that being said, you have to make sure that you do not discount the value of having no-follow links. Even just being talked about on a high-quality site can give your brand the boost it needs.
Just as some backlinks are more valuable when compared to others, you have to know that the links you create to other sites will differ in value. When you link to another site, the page choice you make will also impact your ranking. This can include the authority of the page, the content that’s on there and how visible the site is in terms of search engines. Pros of Building Backlinks
Some of the pros to building high-quality backlinks can include:
- Higher rankings
- The ability to rank for more keywords
- Increased visibility for any website users
You also need to remember that where there are pros, there are usually cons. Some of the cons to investing in backlink building are as follows:
- It can be time-consuming
- Sometimes you’ll need to pay
- You run the risk of a Google penalty
Of course, the cons only really apply if you want to pump money into your backlinks. It’s more than possible for you to get backlinks organically, and even though this will take a lot of time, it won’t cost you anything. How to Get High-Quality Backlinks
If you want to make sure that the backlinks you are getting are the best that they can be, or if you want to make sure that you are able to attract backlinks naturally, then here are a few tactics that will help you with your link-building strategies. Publish High-Quality Content
To begin with, all of the content on your site should be high in value. You should also make sure that it’s high quality too. In other words, you need to be offering great information in a well-written format. Your content will help sites to determine if they want to link to you. Your content is also a huge reflection of your brand and your organisation. If your site pages look like they are low in quality or if you are not posting information that is either useful or valuable, then sites will certainly not see you as being the authoritative brand you’re trying to be.
Publish Original Research
One type of content that you can publish on your site is original research. You may also want to conduct surveys and use your business data so that you can produce case studies. This will help you to create content that is entirely focused, and it will also help you to put out data that cannot be found on other sites. When you publish things like this, sites will usually look to you when linking as it is a way for them to provide new and fresh information to their audience.
Create Comprehensive Resources
Another way for you to utilise content to your advantage while also trying to capture the attention of other people would be for you to utilise comprehensive and in-depth resources. You need to do what you can to create high-value guides as well as utilising checklists too. This will help you to stand out from the crowd.
Publish Content as a List
Did you know that audiences love lists? The great thing about them is that they are scannable and on top of this, they deliver small chunks of information at regular intervals. Lists are also very easy to read on handheld devices as well as on desktops. You can format your larger resources, or you can do it in the form of a top blog post if you want. The great thing about doing this is that it helps you to get way more links in the long run.
Visual Content
When you create content so that you can get good backlinks, you have to make sure that you don’t focus on copy and text. Content that is very visual will help you to attract way more links. In fact, media which includes charts or infographics will help you to be even more effective in attracting links. Don’t just create copy-based content. Instead, add graphics to your posts and also make sure that you are adding exciting visuals. If you can do this, then you will soon see that things work in your favour.
Building a Library of Content
Websites often link to other website pages if they are able to offer timeless information. You have to make sure that your information is going to be relevant over a long period of time. This type of content is known as evergreen content. Publishers link to it because they know that it is not going to expire and it’s not going to become irrelevant either. If you can post things like this then you know that you aren’t going to have to worry about posting great content that’s only relevant for six months to a year.
Tap into Trends
So as mentioned above, posting evergreen content is always a good idea, but at the end of the day, you also need to make sure that you tap into trends too. Evergreen content will be valuable over time, but if you want to capitalise on a certain topic or trend then it is wise for you to post time-sensitive content as well. Content that is trending or even newsworthy will help you to get the backlinks you are looking for. You won’t be able to get long-term linking value but you will get relevant links that are quick and high in quality. Having a seasonal calendar will help you here because it will help you to know what’s happening so that you can get the most traffic and shares.
Make it Easy to Link
Creating good content that is high in quality will rocket your chances of getting other sites to link back to you. Make sure that you are using HTML snippets and that you are also giving other people the chance to copy and paste so that they can link back to you. Use tools that insert to your site when they copy and paste content too, as this will again, get you way more backlinks.
Outreach
Creating awesome content that helps you to earn links organically will also help you a lot. You need to make sure that you are teaming up with people who love and appreciate your work. If you want this to work, then you need to make sure that you reach out to other blogs and that you also help them to find your content so that they can link to you. If you do this, then there’s no reason why you can’t come out on top.
Identify High-Quality Links
Not every link will have the same value. Links that come from more authoritative sites will help you to rocket your rankings more than links that come from lower-quality sites. When you conduct your research efforts, you need to know which sites are worth trying to get a link from and which sites are not. You then need to reach out to the sites that are worth it, so that you do not end up wasting your time, energy or money.
Reach Out
You can assume with confidence that if sites are linking to your competitors, that you have a good chance of getting a link back. Click on the website to get their URL, view the content type that links to whatever competitors you have and then send a message request to the publisher. Ask them to publish your link but with the same capacity. Give them a very compelling reason to add your business, such as improving their readers’ experience. Things like this can help you to rocket your domain authority and it’s a great way for you to catch up with your competition on the SERPs.
Request Links
If you are producing good content and you actively engage with outreach then you will begin to receive mentions of your brand on various sites. This is a fantastic way for you to boost your efforts. Sometimes websites will mention your brand without including any kind of link. Sometimes they may even link to the wrong site. If you can, you need to set up a Google Alert for your brand so that you can search for any mentions of your company. When you do this, you can then reach out to any publishers who may be talking about you, but not linking to you.
Rebuild any Broken Links
Some website publishers do not link when they really should. They may also include links that are either broken or incorrect. You need to keep an eye out and you need to search for any broken links if possible. This will give you a good opportunity to gain some very good backlinks in return. When you see a broken link, you need to tell the publisher and notify them of their error. You can also tell them of any links that would make a good replacement. This is a fantastic way for you to make sure that you are not missing out on any valuable relationship-building opportunities.
Reclaim Image Links
Images that might have been embedded on a website often link out to the source. Sometimes the links do not link to the right source or they may just be broken. You have to make sure that you keep an eye out for these opportunities if possible, especially if they have linked to one or more of the graphics on your site. If you want some help here, then you need to make sure that all of your graphics are linked back to you, properly.
Conclusion
So, there are many ways for you to try and make sure that you are getting a lot of backlinks to your site. If you want to make sure that you are not missing out when it comes to your SEO or if you want to make sure that you are capitalising on every single opportunity that comes your way, then it’s helpful for you to use a backlink checker if possible.
If you have invested in backlinks before, then it’s worth using the checker to see if you have any spammy links. If you do, then you ideally need to get these removed before you go ahead and start building your portfolio. Although it may be tempting to use things like link farms to build your portfolio, you have to make sure that you avoid this if possible. Using link farms is one of the best ways for you to sabotage your efforts, and it absolutely will result in a Google penalty. If you want to benefit your site, make sure that you are only acquiring links through high-quality sites and sources, so that you can boost the authority and success of your site.
What is the importance of earning backlinks in SEO?
Earning backlinks is crucial for off-site SEO. High-quality backlinks, especially from authoritative sites, significantly enhance your site's SEO.
What are the benefits of building high-quality backlinks?
Benefits include higher rankings, the ability to rank for more keywords, and increased website visibility.
Are there any downsides to backlink building?
Yes, it can be time-consuming, sometimes costly, and there's a risk of a Google penalty if not done correctly.
How can I get high-quality backlinks?
Publish high-quality, valuable content. Conduct and publish original research. Create comprehensive resources and guides. Format content in list form for readability. Include visual content like infographics and charts.
Why is evergreen content important for backlinks?
Evergreen content remains relevant over time, making it more likely to be linked to continuously.
Should I also focus on trending content?
Yes, alongside evergreen content, tapping into trends can provide timely and relevant backlinks.
How can I make my content easy to link to?
Use HTML snippets and tools that facilitate easy linking to your content.
What is the role of outreach in getting backlinks?
Outreach involves connecting with other blogs and websites to promote your content and encourage backlinking.
How do I identify high-quality link opportunities?
Focus on authoritative sites relevant to your niche and avoid low-quality or spammy sites.
What should I do about broken links and unlinked brand mentions?
Monitor for broken links and unlinked mentions of your brand, then reach out to the site owners to correct or add links.
Is it beneficial to use a backlink checker?
Yes, a backlink checker helps identify and manage your backlink profile, including removing spammy links.
What should I avoid in backlink building?
Avoid using link farms and other black-hat SEO tactics, as these can result in Google penalties.
Nadejda Milanova
An experienced Content creator in the field of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and WordPress. A true proffesional with a Master's degree focused on journalism.
Read more by Nadejda Milanova