How to Create an Effective Link Building Strategy

Link building can be one of the most effective search engine optimization strategies when executed correctly. It’s one of the determining factors search engines use when completing their rankings. In fact, within Google’s search engine results page, the pages that rank within the top spots have an average of 3.8 times more backlinks than the results on further pages.

Unfortunately, many people haven’t adjusted to the changes made to link-building SEO tactics over the years. In the past, successful link building relied heavily on the number of links rather than the quality. But today, people know more about the internet and what they’re looking for when searching it.

It’s easier for the average internet user to determine a sketchy website today than it was 10 years ago. This applies to search engine algorithms as well. Rather than just looking at how many sites link to yours, search engines now take into account the quality of those websites as well. The more trustworthy and high-quality links you have leading back to your website, the higher your page will appear on search engine results pages.

Link building is a gradual process. It’s not an easy endeavor, which is why most people fail in executing it correctly. If you’re interested in learning how to create an effective link-building strategy, below we highlight five steps to ensure yours is top-notch.

Outreach

One of the best ways to get something done is to ask for help. In this case, ask your fellow bloggers. There are plenty of online forums and social media groups that cater to bloggers and their niche interests. Ask to share links with your peers. Of course, it’s better to do your research beforehand so you don’t end up link-building with an untrusted source.

You can also do market research within your sector and see who the most popular bloggers are. Start including links to work from those blogs that you find. Then you can reach out to the bloggers individually to see if they would be interested in sharing some of your work within their next postings. Be sure to share your expertise in the subject matter, and mention that you backlink to their website.

Devise A Broken Link Strategy

There are millions of broken links on the internet, leading to websites that either don’t exist anymore or never did in the first place. A broken link strategy can help you turn those dead-ends into a win for you and your website. First, you need to find relevant broken links on websites or blogs. Then you create something similar to the broken resource, typically a webpage or posting. Reach out to anyone you see linking the dead resource, let them know that the resource is broken, and ask them to use your link instead.

Check Out The Competitions Backlinks

There’s nothing wrong with checking in on your competition. If your competitors are ranking higher than you, they’re doing something right. Chances are their link-building strategy has something to do with their positive positioning within the search engine results. Check out what links they are using.

Checking out your competition blogs also gives you insight into the keywords and phrases they use. This insight can help you figure out what you need to tweak within your website, with the goal of those tweaks increasing your standings within the search results.

Guest Blogging

Guest blogging encourages link building and it does so quite naturally. You can either contribute articles to other websites within your niche or offer to host other bloggers’ work on your website. A number of specialist authority building companies can get you backlinks quickly. Be sure to repost your guest blogs on social media platforms and share the link within appropriate online forums. Aim to be authentic in your blogs, while also strategically aligning yourself with readers that will be interested in what you have to say.

Look For Unlinked Mentions

Sometimes other websites will mention your website or products without linking to your site. Mentions should be giving you an increase in traffic, so it’s best to scour the internet in search of any missed opportunities your website may have from mentions on other websites. Using an online content explorer can be beneficial in making your search less time-consuming.