Getting websites to link back to your site is important if you want better search engine rankings. But link building can be tricky to do right so you need a plan if you want real results. You can get quality backlinks that will improve your search traffic and rankings with the right approach.
This article will explain how to Craft a smart link-building strategy from start to finish. Read on to learn a better link building strategy.
Why Links Matter for SEO
Backlinks serve as a crucial trust and authority signal that search engines like Google rely on. Much like how trusted references bolster a job candidate’s resume, relevant sites linking back to you validate the value of your content.
You would want high-quality backlinks because:
- Backlinks indicate endorsement and recommendation, confirming your site’s expertise on a given topic.
- A substantial volume of backlinks from authoritative sources affirms your brand’s prominence and influence within your industry.
- Link equity passes ranking power from established sites to new ones, boosting your domain’s authority.
- Natural backlinks from a diverse range of reputable external sites demonstrate content breadth and relevance.
- Strategic guest posting and content syndication on niche sites allow you to earn qualified links at scale.
Just as an extensive professional network helps executives advance their careers, cultivating an expansive link profile with contextual anchor text is the proven path to search engine success. Here is a good guide on links
Now let’s talk about how you can craft a link building strategy that drives results.
Audit Your Current Links
Before acquiring new links, audit the links currently pointing to your site by following these steps:
- Use a backlink analysis tool to quantify and evaluate your existing link profile. Assess metrics like total links, referring domains, quality scores, etc.
- Sort your backlinks by type – editorial, guest posts, directories, etc. Identify strengths and weak spots in how sites currently link to you.
- Check anchor text distribution – are phrases overly optimised? Or do you need more anchors associating you with key topics?
- Filter low-quality links from spammers, expired domains, etc. that need to be disavowed.
- Compare your link profile to your competitors to spot gaps and opportunities.
- Set goals for your link building strategy based on the audit, prioritising high-authority placements.
Once you’ve audited your current backlinks, it’s time to start finding new opportunities to build high-quality links.
Discover New Link Building Opportunities
Digging up new websites and pages where you can get great backlinks takes some detective work. But it is possible with the appropriate tools and techniques!
Here are three of my go-to link building research methods:
Check Out Your Competitors’ Backlinks
Investigate your competitor’s domain to see all the sites linking to them. Study those backlinks to identify authoritative sites in your space that you could also pitch guest posts, land sponsorships, or interact with on social media.
The best tools to use are:
- SEMrush
- Ahrefs
- Spyfu
Search Manually for Relevant Sites
Think about what sites your target customers read. Go beyond the obvious big publications and explore niche sites through advanced Google searches, subreddits, online groups, etc. Make a hit list of sites that would find your content valuable – those are link opportunity goldmines!
Look For Who’s Already Chatting About You
Use Google Alerts and Mention to track online conversations about your brand and keywords. Join discussions where people are already linking to resources in your space. Provide value by sharing your expertise and content.
Get creative with your research using every trick in the book and you’ll uncover amazing new linking opportunities!
Build Relationships, Don’t Just Ask for Links
The most effective link building focuses on providing ongoing value and cultivating connections, not one-off outreach asking for links so refrain from immediately requesting links. You need to establish yourself first as a domain expert through valuable contributions.
Proactively share your insights relevant to the audience via comments, social shares, and resources. Consider co-creating content opportunities like guest posts, interviews, surveys, and infographics that allow you to collaborate. It will elevate your Interaction across multiple channels.
Remember, your goal is to become a provider of value to external sites, not just a requester of links. You build the relationships that ultimately drive results by focusing on giving before asking.
Diversify Your Link Building Tactics
An effective link strategy requires a multifaceted approach, not dependency on just one or two methods. Produce high-quality, sharable content to attract organic links. You can conduct targeted outreach emails pitching to site owners and influencers.
Another way is guest posting on industry publications then provide expert content and secure byline links.
Few more options could be negotiating sponsorships and submitting your content to relevant platforms, directories, and aggregators to expand reach.
There are a lot of choices so actively pursue a diverse range of link building techniques. Taking a multi-pronged approach allows you to fully capitalise on the variety of quality link sources available.
Track Progress and Iterate
An effective link building strategy requires iteration so monitor your efforts and adjust accordingly. You can follow my approach to keep track of what is working.
- Use link tracking software like Ahrefs or SEMrush to monitor your backlinks as they come in and quantify their impact on traffic and rankings.
- Assess link equity metrics like domain authority, trust, and topical relevance for your new links versus existing ones.
- Filter for the highest value placement types and topics that are driving results. Identify lower performing areas.
- Set benchmarks for link velocity, disavow toxic links, and block spammy outreach.
- Build out internal tracking dashboards for link data including growth, anchor text, and conversions.
- Routinely evaluate search ranking fluctuations after major link acquisitions.
- Continuously refine outreach targets and optimise anchor text based on data.
- Scale back link building efforts that prove ineffective. Double down on your highest ROI activities.
Final Words
Link building is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay patient, focused, and strategic in your efforts.
Prioritise relevance and authentic engagement over link quantity or speed. One genuinely earned link from an authority site can be more valuable than one hundred easy directories.
Monitor the data but also trust your instincts. The numbers don’t reveal your full story. Keep learning. The algorithms change, but relationships never go out of style.
Strive not just for backlinks, but for connections. The rest will follow.
Check the FAQs below for quick answers to some of the most common link building questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many links should I aim for each month?
Aim for quality over quantity. 5-10 strong, relevant backlinks from trustworthy sites per month is a solid goal. Slow and steady wins the race.
Should I disavow all low-quality links?
Hold off on mass disavows. Only remove confirmed toxic links. Google is pretty good at ignoring bad links on its own.
Is guest posting still worthwhile?
Yes, but focus on relevant, reputable sites – not spammy directories.
How do I get competitors to link to my content?
Provide authentic value – share data, insights, expertise. Comment thoughtfully on their blogs. Don’t just drop links. Earn it through genuine contributions and get great PR links.
What’s better – organic or paid links?
Organic links have more SEO influence since they’re earned. But ethical paid placements on relevant sites can complement your overall strategy.
