If you don’t have a backlink strategy, now is the time to make one.
Although Google’s ranking algorithm can be quite complicated, we do know that a website’s authority and trustworthiness have a big impact on your rank. One way to show Google and other search engines that your website can be trusted as a reliable source of information is to acquire quality backlinks.
Simply hoping for backlinks will take forever, especially as a new or smaller business. Here’s how to make an SEO backlink strategy that works to boost your domain authority.
Create Sharable Content
To get backlinks, you need to offer something of value. You need shareable content such as a blog post, a video, an infographic, etc.
Writing high-quality blog posts filled with great information is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to get others to share your content. In fact, companies that blog get 97% more backlinks.
The best types of sharable content are articles that answer questions or provide information that’s backed by reliable data, how-to guides, interviews, stories, and so on. Essentially, content that provides value that others want to share.
Find and Replace Broken Links
This tried-and-true backlink strategy can put you ahead of your competitors. Search websites and content that’s relevant to your company and services and look for broken links you can replace.
Here’s an example.
John offers dolphin tours in Florida, and he finds an article called “Top 5 Activities for Families in Florida.” He notices the link in the article to a competing tour company is broken.
John contacts the website owner, offering to replace the broken link. If the webmaster agrees, John can get a free backlink.
Broken links look unprofessional for both the publisher and the service they’re linking to. Most site owners will be happy to replace them.
Write Guest Posts
If you’re wondering how to get backlinks fast, there’s no better way than guest posting. Guest post backlinks are when one website writes content for another, naturally linking to pages on its own site.
Let’s go back to the earlier example with John.
He finds a well-known travel blog and offers up free content for them to post. The audience for both websites is very similar. The travel website accepts his content and posts it with the link to one of John’s pages in place.
The key to this strategy is to provide high-quality, optimized content that benefits both you and the publishing website. If you want to improve your domain authority, make sure you avoid bad practices, such as link stuffing, which can actually hurt both you and the publisher.
Guest blogging backlinks should look natural.
Get Social Shares
Social media is one of the best ways to get others to share your content. Make sure you’re promoting content on your social profiles, tracking shares, and boosting popular content.
Also, engage with your audience! It makes you look more compassionate and human as a brand, and people like to know that you care.
The HOTH has more tips on how to improve your authority through social strategies.
Use These Tips in Your SEO Backlink Strategy
If you’re creating an SEO backlink strategy, but you’re not sure where to start, use these methods. No matter the size of your business, these tips can help you get more backlinks and build your authority.
For more advice on how to make the most of your business, be sure to browse some of our other content.