Sometimes, the old ways are still the best. The world of SEO has changed a lot in recent years, but one of the best ways to drive traffic is still relevant – backlinks.
This old-fashioned technique establishes links between your site and another site, usually not in direct competition, both of which drive traffic to the other and make both sites stronger. So why is this still relevant in 2023? Simple – there is no substitute for organic traffic and link-building will help to grow your company even when you’re not established enough to rank highly on Google yet.
But to take full advantage of this option, it’s important to know which link-building strategies work – and which should be avoided.
Types of Links You Should Avoid
Link-building is a strategy that will pay dividends, but trying to cut corners can backfire. There’s a whole sector of tactics known as black-hat link-building, and these can get your site penalized by Google or hurt your reputation long-term.
These types of backlinks you should avoid include buying links, spamming your link in the comments section of other sites, or using misleading redirects to get people to click a link thinking they’re going to a major news item.
While the instinct may be to assume that more links mean more success, quality is more important than quantity when building your site’s link profile. If you want to check the needed data about each backlink, you can use SEO PowerSuite backlinks API or any other similar option
- Create Valuable Content That People Will Want To Share
The best way to get links is to create something people want to link to, but creating link-worthy content takes time and planning. It’s worth it – this will result in the best kind of link, which is the one provided by trustworthy sources recommending your content. The good news is multiple kinds of link-worthy content can work for your site.
Based on the latest news, informational content has the shortest shelf life but will provide heavy viewership while it’s relevant. Inspirational content inspires people to take action and can benefit you by getting others to share the link.
Educational content, which teaches people how to do something, will likely be evergreen. Finally, entertaining content will always be in fashion, as people always need a positive energy boost!
- Link Outreach
One of the best ways to form connections that will provide backlinks is to reach out before they find you. This can be awkward at first, as you’re essentially cold-calling the management of another website, but it becomes much easier once you know what you’re looking for.
Doing research to find relevant websites makes it a lot easier to form connections. You want to vet these sites and ensure you can help each other spread the word.
From there, it’s important to craft the perfect message that emphasizes what they can do for you and what you can do for them.
- Submit Your Content To Popular Online Directories
While online directories aren’t as common as they used to be, as massive search engines have largely replaced them, they’re still a key part of marketing and awareness for specific interests.
If you’re in a field with a dedicated audience, the odds are good that there’s an online directory for it. These essentially become link depositories, keeping hundreds of sources in one place.
While you’ll obviously have competition for traffic here, it’s a great way to ensure your links are being seen by the most likely to be interested in them.
- Use Social Media To Promote Content
Social media has an audience of billions and can be harnessed by savvy marketers to expose your content to a massive audience. Knowing how to use it is the key to knowing which platform is the best fit for your content.
Keep an eye out for niche bloggers on the biggest platforms with a link to your content, and offer your services as a guest blogger. Keeping engaged on these platforms consistently is a great way to network and increase your brand exposure.
You’ll build long-term relationships that can boost your profile for little to no cost.
Build The Link To Success
Have you been updating your link building strategy with the times? Some simple tips can make it easy to build the connections you need for long-term success. The best part is all these strategies are completely free.
Make sure your content is valuable and relevant to your target audience. Reach out to sites that may be interested in forming link-building relationships, and use social media to promote your content and product.
Finally, seek out small online directories where you have a good chance of finding your core audience. This is the key to creating a network of links that will boost your company.
