Let’s start off with a simple explanation of how link-building works.
In order for search engines to crawl the majority of content that’s posted on the web, the so-called “crawlers” are constantly jumping around, looking for new content and backlinks to index.
SEO professionals will tell you that link-building is one of the most important SEO techniques.
They’ll also insist that without links, no website can become the best in its niche from an organic ranking and traffic perspective.
If a specific website receives backlinks from other websites, Google will perceive it as a sign of relevancy.
There are more criteria in which search engines define the quality of the links. Remember: SEO is never 100% exact.
Many ranking factors aren’t really displayed to the public.
A lot of information concerning link building techniques comes from individuals who take their time to study, test, and optimize their link-building practices.
What is absolutely certain by now is that writing carries a very important role in the link-building process.
If there were no written text, there would be no way to place a backlink pointing at the content you’re posting.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at 15 writing hacks that will improve your link-building process:
1. Write Guest Posts for Relevant Blogs
Here’s a link-building technique that’s totally dependent on your writing skills and ability to place content. Find blogs within your field that accept guest posts.
Make sure that you’re not in direct competition with them, and start crafting some powerful blog posts.
Once your article is published, you’ll typically get a link to your website either in the body of the article or in the “About Author” section.
2. Give Value to Q&A Platforms, and Link Back to Your Blog
Q&A platforms such as Quora and Yahoo Answers should never be neglected. Here are two simple link-building strategies:
- Post questions with your website link in the title – Make sure that what you write is relevant.
- Post valuable advice that definitely helps people solve problems/fulfill needs. After a complete answer, make sure to add your website link for “more information.”
3. Add Posts to Syndication Directories
If you haven’t heard of article syndication, it is a really powerful method of distributing your content across multiple websites.
The great thing about it: you only have to write one article that can be published by 10 different blogs.
Obviously, you’ll get 10 links that might instantly boost your page rankings. Here’s more information about how to do content syndication the right way, courtesy of Neil Patel.
4. Approach Influencers through Social Media and Email
If you want to gain a lot of brand awareness (along with links back to your site), you need to get in touch with niche influencers.
These are typically some of the more popular individuals within an industry, and they can be used as a marketing channel.
Find, approach, and talk to influencers. Negotiate and get them to put your best content in front of their respective audiences.
5. Collaborate with Other Bloggers in Your Niche
Reciprocal link building is not a new practice. Bloggers have been exchanging links for years now, but that doesn’t mean that the strategy isn’t effective anymore.
Make sure that you don’t overdo it, as Google is smart about detecting people who attempt to exploit their ranking algorithm.
Start approaching bloggers that are not in direct competition with your brand, and focus on making as many reciprocal link-building arrangements as you can identify and land.
6. Use Interlinking
Whenever you’re linking another article from your blog, you’re interlinking. You see, many marketers are neglecting interlinking as an SEO strategy.
The truth is, websites that have a well-organized interlinking strategy will always rank their internal pages better. Here are a few ways to approach this strategy.
7. Write the Highest Quality Content in Your Niche
Allen Musk, content writing and SEO manager at EssayGeeks, suggests the following:
If you ever want to rank high in the SERPS today, you need to focus on the content that you create and publish. No marketing or SEO strategy will ever make up for the lack of quality in your content, so make sure that you focus on what’s important at first.
8. Write Controversial Posts
Controversial blog posts have a chance to go viral. Topics that are controversial tend to get more traction.
If you manage to capture the attention of your target audience, they’re most likely to share your post with their social media followers.
Other bloggers might also like your courage and “borrow” your article to share externally.
9. Do Expert Roundups
Expert roundup articles have been gaining traction of late. Because the content is coming from experts, Google will almost certainly boost your page rankings.
Moreover, you can push your expert roundup article out to plenty of other blogs within your niche. They’ll be happy to reward you with a link in exchange for the article.
10. Create Useful Tutorials
Tutorials and how-tos are extremely appreciated nowadays, as Google is the first place people check when they’re looking for solutions, explanations, and tutorials.
If they’re good, you’re most likely to receive backlinks without even making an effort.
11. Educate Instead of Sell
If you truly want to create a long-term impact, plan your link-building strategy for the long run.
Nowadays, if you want to sell well, you need to give something for free first.
That something must be valuable, and it must educate your readers instead of trying to get some bucks out of them.
Conclusion
Link-building is not a complicated process if you try to go it on your own. As with many other skills, successful backlinking practices are mastered over time.
Keep yourself informed, pay attention to the biggest changes in the SEO practices and algorithm updates, and keep practicing until you are sure you can get everything right.
Featured Image provided by the author under his or her own license.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions stated in this post are that of the author, and Return On Now may or may not agree with any or all of the commentary.
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