Creating backlinks used to be a hot topic in the world of search engine optimization (SEO). But unless you work in the web design and online marketing industry, as we do, you probably don’t hear (or read) about backlinks very often anymore.
There is a good reason for that: so many marketers abused backlinking strategies that Google updated their search algorithm to adapt. Once that happened, most backlinks lost most of their value overnight.
That’s not the same as saying that links to your website are no longer worth pursuing, however. It’s just that you need the right links, handled the right way. Getting those valuable links is more difficult, but the payoff is potentially much larger.
So how can you attract backlinks that actually improve your search ranking… and bring more interested customers and clients to your website? Let’s look at a few good places to start.
Share Your Articles and Posts on Social Media
This is a quick and easy habit that can pay huge dividends. If you post something to your blog, or add something interesting to your website, make sure to mention it in your email newsletter and on your social profiles. Once you do there is a chance it can spread throughout your network.
That’s a good way to bring traffic to your website on its own. However, it also increases the odds that the owner of another website will come across your content, think it adds value for their readership, and decide to link to it.
The rule of thumb with links is that more credibility means more value. In other words, the more visible someone else is on Google, the more you’ll get from a link from their site to yours. So, as long as the people who are linking to you are within your same general field or industry (and don’t have spammy sites), their link should help.
Become an Interview Subject
If you’re interviewed on a podcast, for someone else’s blog, or as part of a feature story for a local publication, then you’ll probably earn a valuable backlink to your website. That’s because the host or author will want to show off your credentials to their own audience.
In most cases, the links you’ll get from an interview will be more valuable than the ones you would get from a social posting. That’s because Google ranks topic-specific podcasts and blogs more highly than other web destinations.
Write a Guest Post for a Publication
Building on the last point, you could skip the interviewer and share your thoughts with readers and viewers directly. Guest posting isn’t as popular as it once was, but it’s still a great way to increase your business profile and search visibility. The key is to be featured on websites, or in publications, that have some sort of prominence.
To put this in terms that are easier to understand, you’ll get a lot more from an article that’s posted to Forbes than you will one that appears on your uncle’s blog. So it pays to be a little selective when you’re choosing outlets to target. Don’t waste your time creating lots of content that won’t ever help you grow your business.
Need Help with Your Web Strategy?
Of course, backlinks are just one aspect of search engine optimization, and SEO is just one part of your online marketing plan. If you’re looking for help putting it all together – in a way that’s affordable and effective – we should talk.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about what we can do for your business!