The digital marketing world has seen more changes in the past two years than
over the last 10 years combined, thanks to the release of Google's Panda and
Penguin algorithm updates. Both have changed online marketing best practices,
including everything from how sites should be built to how
"backlinks" should be created.
Links that go from another site to yours are called backlinks because they
point back to your pages. Building these links, which point back to your
website, can help improve your site's search engine optimization (SEO).
So if you're still using outdated link-building techniques -- such as
automated directory submissions or "10,000 links for $10" package
purchases -- it's time to devise a new, updated link building strategy. For
best results, focus your activities on the following techniques:
1. Guest posting.
The process of guest posting refers to drafting an article that will be
published on another person or company's website. Not only can this technique
give you access to a new audience, it can also help you secure at least one
valuable backlink pointed at your own site.
To maximize the value of this strategy, work with well-known, highly
regarded blogs and send only your best content to these publishing sites. Guest
posting is all about the relationship you build with another site and its
audience. It's not a technique that can be automated by sending any old article
to any old publishing blog in order to secure a link or two
.
2. Creating infographics.
People often like to share infographics -- images that share data in a graphic,
aesthetically-pleasing way. If you take the time to develop an interesting,
attractive infographic, it's likely to be shared from person to person,
resulting in new links every time you’re graphic is referenced on another site.
To determine whether or not your infographic meets these criteria, ask
yourself the simple question, "Would I share this with a friend?" If
you can't answer "Yes" to this question, chances are your infographic
could use some tweaking before it's released.
It can take time and money to develop a worthwhile infographic but, when
done right, this investment can pay off in terms of the number of links that
ultimately result from your graphic's distribution.
3. Building links over email.
With Google cracking down on sitewide links -- links found in blog sidebars and
footers that appear on every page of the site -- developing
"in-content" links will be a crucial part of the link building
process this year. In-content links are ones that are in the body content of
the referring site's pages.
The best way to find these links is through a process called email link
building, in which you email potential linking websites and request that your
link be placed on a relevant page of content. For example, if you run a local
restaurant and encounter a website that lists all the small businesses in your
area, emailing the owner of the site and requesting that a link to your
business website is a way to generate new, valuable links.
4. Creating viral content.
You might be surprised that one of the most effective link-building techniques
doesn't involve any type of outreach at all.
Viral content creation refers to the process of publishing highly valuable,
highly shareable content on your website and then seeding your links on popular
social networks. If you create remarkable content, people should want to share
it with others, ideally leading to an influx of backlinks that occurs without
your direct involvement in building each and every link.
Although there's no hard and fast formula for creating viral content online,
you can analyze pieces that have been shared widely for clues to what made it
so popular. Often times, it is content that captures emerging trends or is
simply absurd or entertaining.
5. Analyzing competitor links.
Examining your competitors' link profiles can be done using simple tools like Majestic
SEO (free plan available with paid plans starting at $49.99 per month) and Open
Site Explorer from SEOmoz (free plan available with paid plans starting at $99
per month). Both allow you to view the websites that are linking back to your
competitors' websites.
Viewing your competitors' backlink profiles should give you plenty of ideas
for potential sources that should be linking back to your website as well.
You'll want to qualify these opportunities, as replicating a competitor's spam
links won't do your website any favors. Maintain strict link-building criteria
throughout your own efforts that focus on generating high-value links that will
appear as natural as possible to the search engines.
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