There’s no search engine optimisation without link building. To rank higher in Google search results, popular websites must link to your site as often as possible. Professional link building is a profession in itself, but anyone can learn the basic steps. Here are some of the easiest link-building tips and tricks!
1. Be Visual
To attract links to your website, having engaging text alone isn’t enough. You also need to captivate your audience with visual elements. There’s a greater chance that popular sites will link to your content if your post includes a diagram or infographic.
2. Lists
Blog posts that list useful tips – like this one – receive more links than any other type of content, including videos.
3. Research
Conducting research in your field of expertise – even something as simple as an opinion poll – is a surefire way to gain links. At Rackhost, we also like to use this technique.
4. In-Depth Analysis
A blog post with thousands of characters, packed with knowledge, trends, statistics, and tips on a certain topic, can generate valuable links for years. This is especially true if you update it annually with the latest developments.
5. Comments
After publishing a post on your blog, consider searching for other posts with similar keywords and leaving a comment with a link to your post in their comment section. Of course, avoid coming across as a spambot! Make sure your comment adds value – for example, by highlighting how your post offers a useful addition to a particular statement.
6. Expert Groups
No matter the topic of your posts, rest assured – it has a forum, a Facebook or LinkedIn group, and other online communities dedicated to it. You can share your post in these groups if it’s allowed or if you are a member.
7. Link Exchange
What should you do when both you and someone else have a great blog post about the same topic? Instead of feeling envious or frustrated, reach out to the other site owner and propose a link exchange. If they add a link to your website with some extra text, you can do the same for them. It’s a win-win situation!
8. Request Links for Visual Content
If you create an infographic or diagram and discover that others are using it without linking back to you, contact them. Avoid being critical; instead, politely ask them to credit the source under the illustration and link to your website. They will likely comply, as it costs them nothing and it’s the fair thing to do.
9. Praise Linking
If you’ve gathered many useful links during your research, hold onto them – they may prove useful later. You can write a post highlighting the best articles on a particular topic, linking to all the different websites. The more websites you link to, the higher the chance that at least some of them will link back to your site – especially if their editors find your content valuable. To ensure they don’t miss your praises, consider sending them the post via email.