As far as search engine optimization goes, there are few aspects as important as link building. Inbound links, in particular, are vital to a website’s page rank, as they help to indicate both its credibility and its authority in its niche.
However, it’s not enough just to obtain inbound links. In order for your website to benefit, your links need to be of high quality.
Need help getting quality inbound links? You’ve come to the right place. We’re going to show you exactly how it’s done.
1. Create Valuable Content
You can’t cheat your way into inbound links in the way that you once could. The links to your website need to be organic and legitimate. They can’t be spammy.
The question is: how do you obtain organic and legitimate inbound links?
The answer is: by creating valuable content on a consistent basis. If your content is of high quality, other webmasters will link to it; It’s really as simple as that.
Now, you might be wondering: how do you create valuable content? There is no exact formula. However, most of the great online content does one or more of the following.
a. Inform the Reader/Viewer
First and foremost, you have to inform the reader/viewer. If the reader/viewer isn’t learning anything from your content, it has no lasting value. If it has no lasting value, it’s not going to receive inbound links.
When you’re creating content, you almost need to think of yourself as a teacher. You’re the expert on the subject you’re writing about, and those reading it are your students.
As such, you can’t just state the obvious. And you can’t just use your blog as an open diary. And you can’t discuss topics that no one is interested in.
Ideally, each piece of content you create will answer a question. And not only will it answer a question but it will answer that question in detail. Create thorough, educational content, and it’s bound to be linked to.
b. Utilize Video
While word-based content is vital for linking and SEO purposes, video content is hugely popular among web users. For this reason, you need to try to create as much video content as possible.
Your videos don’t necessarily have to have high-quality editing and production value. Again, they just need to bring some sort of value to the viewer.
Answer questions, volunteer relevant information and do everything you can to paint yourself as an authority in your niche.
c. Insert Photographs
All written content must be accompanied by photographs. There are few exceptions to this rule.
Photographs catch the eye and bring life to the words sitting beside them. As such, they present those words as having greater credibility than they would otherwise have.
d. Display Infographics
An exceedingly useful way to organize and display valuable information is with an infographic. Infographics combine written content and attractive images as a means of catching the eye and relaying important data. Websites love to link to infographics, as infographics back up their claims in a straightforward and easy-to-understand manner.
2. Guest Post
Looking for a surefire way to obtain high-quality inbound links? The answer lies in guest posting. Writing guest posts on others’ websites and then linking back to your website within your posts is a foolproof way of getting inbound links.
Of course, the trouble with this method is that it requires you to obtain guest posting opportunities. This isn’t necessarily easy. After all, websites aren’t going to allow just anyone to write posts for them.
So, what can you do? The key is to pursue as many opportunities as you can.
Scour the internet for websites which correspond with your website. Then, email those websites’ creators and ask if they’re accepting guest posts. While not all of these creators will allow you to write a guest post for their website, you’re bound to find at least one who will.
Once you’ve landed your first guest post, you will have upped your credibility ever so slightly. Because of this, you’ll have a bit of an easier time landing another guest post on a different website.
Note, you don’t want to target the big websites when looking for guest posting opportunities, at least not at first. They’re looking for big names with big authority, and if you’re a novice web creator, you don’t fit that description.
Start at the bottom and work your way up gradually. The more guest posts you accumulate, the more credible you and your site will become. The more credible you and your site become, the greater chance you’ll have of guest posting for a big-name site.
A guest post on a big-name site would be huge for your SEO, as it would directly associate your site with that site. Soon enough, Google, Bing, and other such search engines would begin to see your site as a major player in your specific industry.
3. Work With Niche-Relevant Creators
Another way to obtain inbound links is to work with niche-relevant creators. Developing relationships with creators in adjoining niches will almost certainly open you up to more linking opportunities.
For instance, you and a fellow creator could agree to swap links on each others’ websites. As long as your websites are related in some way (ex. one website sells tennis rackets while the other sells tennis balls), both websites would benefit.
Another option is for you to collaborate on a post. For instance, in keeping with the tennis example, you could create an opinion-based article in which each collaborator discusses his or her favorite tennis equipment manufacturer. Each collaborator could post a link back to his or her website, ensuring that he or she receives a fair share of the link juice.
There are plenty of ways for creators to cooperate in this manner. The primary key is to build as many business relationships as possible. Fellow webmasters are the ones with the power to link back to your website, so the more of them you know, the greater the position you’re in.
4. Take Social Media Seriously
One of the best ways to build credibility and obtain inbound links is to establish a solid social media presence. Social media can help your website to reach thousands or even millions of people, some of which run websites. When these individuals are creating content, they might think of your website and send a link your way.
There are a few different social media platforms that you should be utilizing. Facebook and Twitter are the big guns. However, depending on the nature of your business or website, LinkedIn could be a big help as well.
The key is to participate in each of these platforms on a daily basis. Make posts, have discussions with commenters, share your content, and do whatever else you can to build a presence.
This isn’t going to give you credibility overnight. However, if you’re consistent with it for a long enough period, you will start to see results. Your friends and followers will become more familiar with you and will eventually start linking to your website.
5. Optimize the Design of Your Website
Simply put, reputable websites aren’t going to link to sites that look awful . . . or outdated . . . or which operate poorly. Reputable websites are going to link to other reputable websites. And if you want your website to be reputable, you have to optimize its design.
So, while you might not want to pay a bunch of money for professional web design services, you must know that you could benefit greatly from doing so. And not just for link building purposes, but for the sake of your reputation as well.
After all, your website is like a virtual billboard representing your company. So, when web users look at that billboard, you want them to be impressed.
Note, optimal web design isn’t just about appearance. It’s about site functionality as well. To put it simply, the speed and usability of your website are hugely important, as they directly affected web users’ and webmasters’ desire to send traffic to it.
In essence, don’t skimp on web design. Hire a legitimate developer to get the job done, one who knows what he or she is doing.
Need Help Getting Inbound Links?
Are you struggling to obtain inbound links to your website? Looking for a little help? If so, Rawson Internet Marketing has you covered.
Ours is the premier digital marketing agency in the Washington, DC area. Whether you’re starting your website from scratch of are trying to pick up additional traffic for an existing website, our team can help you.
Contact us now to set up a phone meeting!