linkbuilding strategy

Links are an important part of SEO. It can be challenging to build links but it is a practice that never stops. Stone Temple conducted a study on large data of 27,000 queries using Moz. The study found correlations between DA, PA and link count. The correlation between DA and PA was stronger than the link count. In other words, the most important for ranking is to build links from authoritative sites. Ways to get backlinks in 2019

 Link building can be risky. It is important to be cautious. Google rewards high authority sites backlinks but to earn those, you need to have high-quality content. Don’t play the game of using average content and build links to it because quality matters.

My recommendation is to create an evergreen great piece of content and then build the links.

Here are 5 ways to get those valuable incoming links:

 

1)         Resource Page:

This is an easy and strong way to build links. A resource page is a page that offers useful links to users for example: If I search for “seniors resource pages”,

I will find results like:

https://www.seniorsresourceguide.com/ links

 

But how I found these resource pages? Easy: just search as follow:

“Keyword” + inurl:links

“Keyword” + resource pages

“Keyword” + “helpful resources”

“Keyword” + “useful links”

 

2)   Infographics:

Create and add a killer infographic to your evergreen content and use it to build links. You can find tons of good sites where you can submit your infographic. I have found several websites or articles that provide infographic lists. Now, I have my own list.  Some infographic websites are free and others charge to speed out the process. I check the websites DA, traffic and I also check the quality of the content of these sites before I submit my infographic. I will suggest not to overdo this technique.

 

3) Guess Blog:

I love guest blogging because I consider it the most genuine way to build a link. I research for places that are accepting blog post and I email them.

When I am accepted, I write a good quality piece of content to link back to my evergreen content. This can be time-consuming but definitely, it pays off. Usually, after you write one time for these sites you can keep writing and build more links (obviously to link back with different websites). I only build one link per website. But if you have an agency like me, you can take advantage of guest blogging to build links for different clients. I like to pitch blogs that have different categories because they give me the flexibility to post content for different industries. I would say that it’s a one-time investment project. When you have your network, link building becomes easier.

Note: Be very careful with anchor text when building backlinks. I use most of the time branded and when it is difficult to add this type, I use a long-tail related keyword or an LSI keyword.

 

4)    Directories:

I know what you will think! That this is an old technique and that it can be dangerous. Well, yes and no! If you pick reputable -relevant directories that provide value to users, you will be fine. I have researched directories that still have SEO value and added them to my backlink sheet. The way I see things is that it makes sense for users. It will make sense to Google.

Important: I used local directories for my local business clients. I never add a link that is not relevant or doesn’t belong to my client territory/target market/industry.

  Alignable Directory links  

5) Link exchange:

Before you think that this is a bad idea, let me explain to you what I mean with link exchange. It is taking time to reach out other SEOs and offer them link placements where I already have access in exchange for their link placements, for example:

I need a link for a restaurant website and the other SEO needs a link for an insurance website. I would provide what he/she needs from one of my network (no PBN) websites and in exchange, the other SEO will provide me a link for my restaurant website. I will also check DA, traffic and look from my SEO fellow’s website. This technique can be tedious, but it is worth it. Therefore,  I am expanding my opportunities.

I know there are many other techniques out there such as broken link, Link roundup, etc. I have also used them, but I use more the ones I have discussed in this article.

what is linkbuilding

Link Building is the process of creating backlinks for your website. Link Building comes under Off-Page Optimization Strategies. It is one of the most important parts of Optimization process and helps in getting higher rankings on major search engines.

There are following types of methods to get Backlinks to your website.

Directory Submission

It used to be a great tool for link building a couple of years back. But now things have been changed completely. Still, there are good directories where we can place our links. Make sure the directory has a good page rank and it is not in the spam category. Check its indexing status and while getting a Backlinks make sure you are adding it to the right category of the directory website

Article Submission

This is also very important aspects of link building. Write a well informative article and post it to the websites like, www.Ezines.com , www.ehow.com , www.goarticles.com , www.articlesbase.com , www.squidoo.com , www.sooperarticles.com , www.technorati.com , www.articlesnatch.com and www.articlesfactory.com etc.

Keep in mind when have submitted article to that article site, do not use it for another site. Once you post content on these sites try to have one backlink in the lower body section and one backlink in Author Section. Try to avoid adding more Backlinks. One Quality link will do the work for your website.

Forum Links

Forums commenting and forum discussion is still a good way to express your thoughts and get Backlinks to your website. You can sign up to a forum and start posting thread or new topics there. You can also post your reply on other discussions as well. Don’t do Spam things there, the forum admin will throw you out for such activities. Also, most of the forums allow Backlinks after 10 posts. SO better to have patience and you will get a lot of exposure through these forums. Try to sign up for High PR Forums.

Blog Links or Blogging

Writing content and posting it to blogs is a very good practice to get direct traffic to your website. Now a day’s blogging helps a lot and it one a powerful tool to achieve higher rankings on major search engines. You should post regular content to blogs like www.blogger.com, www.wordpress.com, www.blog.com, www.squarespace.com, www.tumblr.com, www.webs.com, www.weebly.com, etc
These blogs are crawled daily by search engine crawlers, so it’s better to post your content out there

Social Media Links

This is one of the most important aspects of link building. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, My Space, YouTube, Vimeo, Pinterest, Instagram, Google Plus, etc are a few of the most powerful tools of social media. Try to update all these on a regular basis. This helps a lot of terms of getting rankings are well as promoting your brand.
“Blogging is a great way to show your talents and interests to prospective employers while adding an edge to your resume. If you blog consistently it shows your dedication, passions, and creativity – all of which are key attributes employers look for in job candidates.”
Lauren Conrad

backlink strategies

Backlink strategies are a two-way street. When you do them well, it brings more traffic to your website and you’ll rank higher on search engines. At the same time, you’re doing audiences a grand favor because they’ll find your website faster if that’s the kind of content they’re looking for. In the eyes of Google, links are still their #1 ranking factor. You’re not likely to have success attracting an audience if you’re not using link building strategies. Backlinks link relevant pages together which is what creates “the web.”

Search engines crawl your pages looking for links and if they like the types of backlinks they see, your site gets to move up the ranks. That’s the best reason to get backlinks and use them wisely. 

How to Build Backlinks that Move the Needle

While link building tactics are effective digital tools, not just any links will do. When using links, favor quality over quantity. It’s better to have five high-quality backlinks than to have a low-quality link in every sentence. 

Here are some tips on how to create genuine backlinks. 

  1. Use backlinks from trusted, authoritative websites.
  2. Use a branded keyword in your link’s anchor text.
  3. The topic and site that links to your page should have a connection. 
  4. Be cautious of links with a no-follow tag. 
  5. A high-quality link hasn’t linked to your site before. 

How do you define a trusted, authoritative website? If you show content about a notable person and you could choose a site like CNN or a site that has a reputation for gossip and assumptions, the CNN link is going to have more authority. Your audience will recognize the difference. More importantly, Google will recognize the fact that you’re serious about the sites you link to and they’ll reward you by sending more traffic your way. 

One of the ways I’ve been successful and continue to do well is to become a contributor for well-known sites. This strategy isn’t as difficult as you might think. When you have a great idea, pitch it to editors of authoritative sites. Add an article to your Linked-In page. My best advice is to keep your content interesting and more opportunities to do link building through guest blogging will come your way. 

Earning backlinks takes a little of your time, but if you can land a spot as a contributor for Forbes or another notable editorial, it’s a giant step towards opening doors to other quality sites. Some of the sites have specific rules and policies that you have to abide by, so be sure to read them carefully and stick to them when using guest post backlinks. 

Another way that I’ve found that’s pretty easy to use backlinks is by becoming a source for journalists. HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is the Tinder of public relation sites. Here’s why I like it:

blogging for backlinks
  • It connects people like bloggers and journalists with others like you who need links and exposure.  
  • It has options for free and paid subscriptions.
  • It’s easy to register as a journalist or a source.
  • It works two ways-journalists can find you and you can find them.

Depending on which plan you choose, you’ll get snippets of content that journalists are looking for an expert on, and they’ll be able to find your profile as well.

Everyone has a story to tell and you’d be surprised how many people tell their stories through blogs. As I have vetted writers, I’ve found that some of them have a blogger network. I’ve successfully built links on a certain topic using the writers’ blogger networks which resulted in increased organic growth and backlink acquisition. I can offer these tips:

  • Allow room in your budget for working with bloggers.
  • Stick with blogs that have good domain authority.
  • Dedicate a portion of your marketing time to this effort.

If you’ve ever typed a question into Google, you might get a link to an authoritative site like Quora, where people ask questions and others answer them. The more votes that your answers get, the higher your answer will rank in the search results, and your referral traffic will increase. Try these tips for lots of votes:

  • Dig deep and think about what the asker really wants to know.
  • Provide an extensive, well-thought out answer.
  • Keep your answer relevant to the question.
  • Avoid giving a copied and pasted 1-2 sentence answer with your link.

Before all the Google algorithm changes, digital marketers added their links to as many directories as possible. The new algorithm is more complex which means that marketers need to change their approach to this strategy. Web directories have also changed their format to include more detailed review sites. I’ve created local directory pages and the reviews has helped to boost traffic.  Here are three of the sites that will help direct traffic to your site:

  1. Google My Business
  2. Yelp
  3. BOTW (Best of the Web)

People may be mentioning your website or product without you knowing it. Don’t let this be a missed opportunity for getting more backlinks. I like to use a tool called Backlink Profiler to find sites that mentioned my website. For those that haven’t already linked to my website, I reach out to them and ask them to add my link. It’s one of my favorite backlink strategies for building links to my website. 

One of the great things about using backlink strategies as link building techniques is that they give you a lot of flexibility in your digital marketing planning. Follow the tips and techniques listed here for the best of success. 

 

using schema markup

In building your set of marketing tools, don’t limit yourself to the things that are fast and easy. One of the most misunderstood tools in digital marketing is schema markup. Schema markup for SEO is a powerful marketing tool. I have a couple of theories on why marketers are missing out on this valuable SEO technique.

  1. Marketers are unfamiliar with some of the terms, causing them to feel like it’s a strategy that’s just out of their league.
  2. Marketers feel that setting up schema markup is more of a developer’s job because they’re more familiar with coding.

While it pays to be somewhat familiar with coding, the program at schema.org does most of the work for you as a structured data markup helper. If you’re ready to venture outside the box, schemas can organize your content in an informative way, attracting internet searchers to your site.

What Is Schema Markup and Why Is It Important?

Over 10 million sites use schema markups to enhance their SEO efforts. The top search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Yandex first started collaborating on the development of schema.org in 2011. Now those same search engines are using schema markups to create rich, extensible user experiences. Schema markups give context to the content for non-human readers as in search engines.

Schema markup for SEO is a code that can be used with three systems:

  1. RDFa
  2. Microdata
  3. JSON-LD

Schema markups respond well to machine learning artificial intelligence systems like RankBrain and Hummingbird. Machine learning is a digital process where computers learn what to do next from things that have already happened, rather than people telling computers what to do. RankBrain is part of Google’s overall search algorithm, which sorts through billions of pages and selects the most relevant sites for various searches. Google implemented Hummingbird in 2013 which is also part of their algorithm. Hummingbird is designed to pay attention to each word in a query to get the whole meaning and direct searches to sites in the fastest, most precise way.

When you add schema markups to a webpage, it automatically crafts beautiful, well-organized content in the search results, which is commonly known as a rich snippet. The result will rank well in RankBrain and Hummingbird.

One of the great things about schema markups for marketers is that you don’t need to know coding to use it as part of your overall marketing plan. I have found that it helps to have somewhat of familiarity with what goes into schema markups.

That’s all you need to get started. When you’re ready, go to schema.org and they’ll walk you through the process.

Different Types of Schemas to Enhance Different Types of Products

To better understand schema markups, it helps to put yourself in the internet searcher’s shoes. For example, let’s say you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing salad recipe for your upcoming Fourth of July barbecue. Things that might be important to you are ratings—you want your guests to love it! You’ll want to know what ingredients you’ll need to buy, how long it takes to make, and how easy it is to prepare. Would you choose a recipe that had all that information in the search result over another result that told you very little about the recipe? Of course, you would. That’s how schema markups work.

The first step in setting up a schema markup is to identify the itemtype. Here are some of the most common schema types:

  • Recipes
  • Events
  • People
  • Products
  • Businesses
  • Organizations
  • Reviews
  • Videos

Schema Markup Format

You’ll need a bit of help from a developer if you’re using microdata or RDFa formats. With JSON-LD, you can do it yourself. Copy and paste the markup provided by Google for the correct item type, and then build on it as you like.

Use the markup to update the information with the relevant information about your business or website. After you’ve completed your markup, you’ll want to view it as it will appear in search engines. You can do this by dropping your JSON markup into the Structured Data Tool by  Google. The tool will highlight any errors in the code, so you can fix them before you publish the schema markup on your site.

I can offer you this helpful tip—if you get an error message, it’s almost always related to one of the following three factors:

  1. Missing a comma-(,)
  2. Missing a square bracket-(])
  3. Missing a brace-(})

Use commas for listed items in your markup. You don’t need a comma for the last item in any list.

Braces are those wiggly brackets. Use them when you’re ending or beginning a list. You will also use braces for nested lists of properties like the separate parts of an address. You’ll also use braces to wrap your whole schema in.

Use square brackets to enclose lists of values. A good example of this is if you’re listing your business’ hours of operation. Enclose the days of the week that you’re open in square brackets.

Once you’re sure that your schema markup is complete, you can ask your developer to upload it directly into of the HTML of your site. If you’re using JSON, you can add it yourself using Google Tag Manager.

If you’re not using schema markups, it’s worth stepping out of your comfort zone and giving it a try. Schema markups are sure to take your marketing strategy to the next level.

SEO Industrial Case Study

Engineering Specialist, INC (ESI) is a metal Stamping company. ESI is in a very competitive industry. The client goal was to increase their metal stamping services leads. It is a huge local and nationwide competition in this industry. ESI traffic has been growing consistently but I need to do more to generate the leads that the client wants. 

The Challenge

Metal Stamping keyword has a Search Volume of 27,100 per month and a Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs) of 54’200, 000. To rank, this keyword was very challenging. I needed to get rankings without creating any backlink. I took the Topic Cluster approach for this client because the website already has several articles related to the topic “Metal Stamping” 

  

The Solution 

  

Websites that are authoritative in a topic have more chances to get high ranking in Search Engines. Creating a page that covers a topic completely and having extra resources that explain each part of the topic can help your site to escalate to position #1 in Google. Keep in mind to create great content. I researched the competitors and I created better content on the topic. I knew the steps to follow to get these results. 

It was a big challenge to earn this position because metal stamping is a very competitive keyword, but with a well planned and executed SEO strategy. As a result, I put my client in position #1 on Google in a short time without any backlink. ESI has been in #1 for several months. 

  B2B for the industrial Case Study

  

How I did it? 

  

I created a Pillar page with the long tail keyword “what is metal Stamping” and I used as an internal link from the existing related articles that are part of the metal stamping process. I started crawling the site to visualize the content assets. I usescreaming frog and I filtered the results by Title. I could see that the website already had many blogs about different parts of the process of metal stamping but it was missing a hub – pillar page to introduce the broad topic of metal stamping and explained it indepth. Then, I decided to create the pillar page and do it better than any other pages ranking in the top SERP. 

From the existing content, I reviewed blog by blog and I disablethe internal links that were pointed to other pages, and I only created internal links to the pillar page. I wanted to create a clear path for users and search engines. Furthermore, I not only create a kickass content but I also provided relevant links that users can follow (click) and learn more about each step of the process. This path shows to Search Engines that ESI is a leader company in Metal Stamping and allowed me to earn many other long tail keywords related to the services that ESI offer (metal stamping) 

Google #1  

The Pillar page structure: 

  

  • 2000+ words length 
  • I have used long tail, User intent, and LSI keywords as sub-headers. 
  • I have avoided big chunk of content 
  • I used bullet points across the article 
  • I used images with alt tag 
  • I used Cluster pages as internal links (only related to the topic) 
  • I added Reputable sources (external links with no follow tag) 
  • I have written an SEO Title 
  • I have created a Meta Description 
  • I have added  a White Paper for Lead Generation 

  

Backlink Acquisition to Move The Needle

I also create a backlink strategy that helped my client to outrank the competitors. Publications in High DA made a big difference.

Backlink Strategy

 

The Results 

 After a few days that I published the pillar page “what is metal stamping” 

I obtained the following results: 

  

  • #1 in Google in a couple of Weeks 
  • 123% increase in Organic Traffic 
  • 3 min average page-view 

  

SEO Industrial Case Study

The pillar page is the second top page visited on ESI ‘s website after the home page. The page view time has increased almost double the industry’s benchmark.