Is link building dead? Who said that? It’s certainly not. Can people stop saying things are dead!
The two important ranking factors are content and high quality referring links. So the importance of high quality links has never gone away. Not only is it a ranking factor but you get some of that sweet referral traffic too. Whether you’re new to link building or down with the linkage (it’s what the kids say), we’re sure you’ll find something useful in our guide.
What is the definition of Link Building?
Link Building
/lɪŋkˈbɪldɪŋ/
verb
1. the process of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own.
External Link
/ɛkˈstəːn(ə)llɪŋk/
noun
1. a hyperlink pointing to any other domain other than the domain the link that exists on the source.
Why is Link Building still so important?
Google’s algorithms are ever-evolving. But when it comes to links, the rules have only ever been tweaked. Google Penguin, the name of the algorithm for catching spammy links has changed the link building landscape. As sites in the past had abused links and added to every directory possible. But, Google got wise of this practice and introduced Penguin. If the links are coming from high quality, relevant domains it signals to Google that your site is an excellent resource. And, worthy of a higher ranking.
In a study that Moz conducted, 99.2% of the top 50 results had at least one external link pointing to their website.
How can Link Building benefit your business?
Not only does Link Building benefit your website, but it also can benefit your business in many subtle ways.
Brand Building
Some Link Building techniques like content creation can show people your expertise. Which goes a long way when building your brand. By outreaching your content, you are showing your skills and knowledge of the industry. Unique content does sell and you are simply asking others to spread the word.
Building Relationships
Forget Link Building for a second and think of Relationship Building. In the business industry, it’s often who you know not what you know. By outreaching to well-thought-of businesses and key influencers, you’re planting the starting blocks. A long-term relationship will form which will make you more regarded and credible.
When you receive a link from a regarded source, it’s something that you can brag about. Some businesses choose to put web badges to prove and reference the fact you’ve appeared on that source. This can make your brand look more authoritative and trustworthy, thus resulting in higher conversion rates.
Competitive Edge
Links cannot be hidden or masked. and there are a few tools out there where you can explore your competitor’s backlinks. You want to be paying close attention to why someone is ranking highly. Content is key but so are backlinks.
This can also aid your competitor analysis by being able to see where some of their traffic is coming from. You could then target their linkers to get some of your own links. See if you can spot where competitors have lost backlinks and try and pounce on the opportunity.
An Investment That Lasts
Unlike traditional marketing tactics, your link lasts there until the link or page goes inactive. Your website will receive some referral traffic during this time. Think of Link Building like a mortgage, you own the house when it’s been paid off whereas when you rent, you’re paying for the temporary use of it.
What are some simple link building strategies?
Content Creation & Promotion
By creating unique, high-quality content that people would naturally want to refer to is the way forward. After creating it, promote your work and spread the word to anyone you think would find it relevant and would love to link to it.
Reviews & Mentions
More and more people are listening to bloggers and those with a large social media following, so why not put your product or service to the test.
Links From Friends & Partners
Ask the people you know or have worked with in similar industries to give you links. As the saying goes, you don’t ask, you don’t get. Remember that links from sites in the same general industry as more valuable than random, unrelated sites.
Building a lot of links up can take a while, but patience is key. Think of your first interaction as the first date, you don’t want to be wondering why they haven’t popped the question yet. If you need some help building links then get in touch…not for a date.