How to Build Links
Building links the right way takes some work. However, the payoff can be enormous if your efforts are successful. Here are 5 creative white hat tactics you can use to encourage influencers to send traffic your way.
1. Make friends
With the rise of the social web, friendships and alliances are more important than ever. Ordinary people skills are just as valuable online as they are in real life. Reach out to key influencers and start a conversation. Ask a question or give some advice. If they respond, comment back. Over time, an authentic relationship will begin to develop.
2. Form an alliance
Dr. Sarah “Paleo Mom” Ballantyne is an expert in the area of autoimmune dieting. After coming down with an autoimmune condition herself, she did some research and developed a unique diet to help those suffering from autoimmune diseases. When she started sharing her insights with the public via her blog, her brand began to take off.
One thing Ballantyne does very well is network with like-minded bloggers. She’s always guest posting on other autoimmune disease blogs and inviting other experts to guest post on her own site. When anyone in Ballantyne’s circle of friends comes out with a new book, they all promote it together.
Once you befriend key influencers in your niche, help them out. Chances are high that they’ll be more than willing to return the favor. SEO doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. The more success each affiliated individual achieves, the more the entire group will benefit.
3. Write blog posts about relevant current events
Set up news alerts for relevant topics in your niche. As soon as an interesting story gets picked up, publish a hot take on it via your blog. If your idea is interesting enough, other blogs will take notice and link back to your piece. This kind of internet marketing is called “newsjacking.” If you’re good at newsjacking, you’ll not only build organic links to your site– you’ll also start an interesting global conversation about a hot topic.
4. Brag about your favourite customers
If you run a service oriented business, you probably have tons of awesome success stories to brag about. Why not write up a few case studies and post them on your blog?
The key thing to remember when you use this tactic is: keep it positive. Focus on what your client achieved. Gloss over any mistakes they may have made before they ran into your business. If you’re a product oriented operation, interview your repeat customers. Ask them what they love most about what you make– and find out if they have any suggestions for improvement. Chances are high that they’ll want to share the interview around the web once you post it to your blog. This tactic is a great way to get honest feedback, plus it also helps build backlinks.
5. Write book reviews
If experts in your niche are writing books, it may be worth it to buy a copy and give it a read. Who knows, you may learn something new. Plus, if you write a high-quality book review you’ll probably score a backlink.
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