Websites that rank high on Google search typically have many backlinks, so they are very important for SEO.
Today backlink strategies are focused on building mutually beneficial relationships between businesses. As well as creating great content for all Google searchers.
So lets dive deep into what this means for you and how we can get more backlinks?
If Backlinks and SEO are new concepts to you I suggest you read this short Introduction to SEO article to get you ready for the content you are about to read.
1 – Write shareable content that provides value
Mastering content creation is key to accumulating backlinks organically. Otherwise, why would people give you a backlink in the first place? Without great content your website is probably just another boring landing page. Backlinks are given organically because your website has something valuable to offer.
The reality is 90% of web pages get absolutely no traffic. And it’s mostly because they have no valuable content to offer, or their SEO is completely shit. The truth is there is a fierce competition out there for ranking on search engines. And if you don’t put in the SEO work there is zero chance you will ever rank high on Google.
Now for the good stuff. The best form of content that is shared has been found to be articles that answer a “how” or a “why” question, infographs and videos. This also helps build your authority as an expert in your market, because you are answering peoples questions.
Focus on providing information that solves a problem in your industry. This is a fantastic strategy for creating content that people want to share.
If you have a good idea for a piece of content make sure you optimize it by assessing proper keywords, traffic potential and competition. You can do this by using SEO software like Semrush.
2 – Build broken links
This is a sneaky strategy, but it works wonders if you do it right. While it’s a relatively old-fashioned backlink tactic, it’s still used by 53% of marketers.
The idea is that you find links within your sector that no longer work. You than create replacement content to fill these broken linked resources. Once completed you reach out to the websites with the broken link and ask if they would like to replace it with your content.
To first step of this strategy would be to assess your competitor’s websites using an SEO software like Semrush or Moz. Than you will identify the broken backlinks and the type of content they used to link.
You will than create a better version of this content on your website. Once completed you would reach out to all the websites with the broken link, and offer them to link your content instead.
3 – Write guest posts
Guest posting is a very popular backlink strategy. Its true! More than 75% of SEO professionals build backlinks with guest posting techniques.
The thing about guest posts is that they not only help create backlinks to your website, but also build your persona as a trusted authority on other websites.
Gust posting is exactly what is sounds like. You create an article or a piece of content and offer it to another website. This strategy creates value to both parties. One side receives great content and the other side receives a backlink. Here is more information about guest posting step by step.
Here is the reason why this strategy is very successful. Content creation is time consuming. That is why it’s often easier to convince a person to give you a backlink in exchange for free content. Be convincing by making sure your guest post is relevant to the other website’s audience.
4 – Influencer outreach
Influencer outreach has been gaining popularity since the famous story of Gym Shark. This business was made famous thanks to their influencer marketing strategies. They absolutely killed it!
The fact is influencers love to get recognition and especially free stuff. It is therefore not that difficult to exchange your product or service for a backlink from influencer websites. Especially if they are collaborative and like what you have to offer.
Just make sure the influencers you reach out to have a website and which is somewhat related to yours. There is also more value to gain out of this type of collaboration, not just backlinks. Influencers can help by posting about your product/service and recommend you to their audience. Such as a product review.
Don’t feel like you need celebrity-level influencers. Smaller influencers tend to get higher engagement rates, so don’t judge by numbers only. Also be aware that influencers can buy bot followers these days. So always check actual engagement on their Instagram posts.
5 – Connect with other industry experts
Engaging with other people in industry events or social media can help your brand get noticed. Through community engagement you might get organic backlinks from people you socialize with. Especially if you are a rising leader in the industry with great content on your website.
For example, you can consider joining some Facebook Groups related to your industry. Start conversations, join discussions, and share your relevant website content links. Don’t overdo it; otherwise, you may come off as spammy.
The goal here is to share information you think will be helpful for your community. Spreading awareness means you might start getting followers that will link to your website’s content. You might also find other people engaging in the same strategy. If so, pay it forward, especially if they have valuable content you can link on your website.
6 – Use the “Skyscraper” link building technic
The Skyscraper Technique was developed by Brian Dean from Backlinko. This link building strategy involves finding high-ranking content with tons of backlinks, finding its weaknesses and gaps, and develop a much better piece of content.
The process of this technique generally follows these steps:
- Locate top-performing content in Google’s Search Engine for your chosen keywords.
- Record the publishers that are giving a backlink to those pieces of content you are targeting.
- Develop a better piece of content for your website that capitalizes on the current content’s weaknesses and gaps.
- Reach out to each of the publishers linking the existing content and recommend yours instead because its better!
The reason this tactic works so well is because the publishers who linked the original article are typically interested in the best content for their readers. Therefore, they have a motive to find the best content out there. Especially if it is much better than what they are currently linking on their website.
Interesting fact -this strategy is called “The Skyscraper Technique” because, typically, people like the tallest skyscraper in a city landscape. Likewise, people like the best content ranking in search engine results.
7 – Turn Brand Mentions into quality backlinks
This strategy is usually more relevant to brands that are already known and trending. This strategy is simple, its basically looking for websites that are mentioning your brand name but are not linking to it.
Providing a link to your brand helps website visitors find what they want. Especially if they want to check out a brand that was mention in the content they are reading. So, strategically it also helps the website that is mentioning your brand. Because the intent is to create a good experience for their website’s visitors.
Simply search using an SEO software where your brand is being mention. Then you can ask the website owner if they can link to your website.