There is no escaping the fact that backlinks continue to be one of Google’s top three ranking factors, and that this is unlikely to change anytime soon.
As a result, many marketers and business owners are left wondering how to obtain backlinks to their website. Links between websites are regarded as votes of confidence, trust, and authority.
This increased authority can result in higher rankings on SERPs, giving your site more visibility and, most likely, significantly more organic traffic. However, not all links are created equal in Google’s eyes, and the wrong type (toxic links) can harm rather than help your ranking.
Backlinks should essentially:
Be editorially acclaimed
Obtained from authoritative, topically relevant websites
It was not paid for or sponsored (including as a result of gifted products)
The right backlinks can help to boost your SEO strategy, and there are numerous ways to obtain high-quality links. But where do you begin?
Creating Resource Links
Many people begin their search for backlinks by considering large and complicated tactics. However, resource link building is one of the most effective ways to build links.
To be successful with this strategy, you must first identify areas where your company can provide value to your target audience. Then you must create excellent resource pages in order to obtain high-quality backlinks from relevant authorities.
The following are some examples of resource pages that can be found online:
Tourism and travel boards
Universities
Municipalities
And you can frequently find these opportunities by examining your competitor’s link profile and seeing who links to them but not to you. You can easily identify resources that link to your competitors’ sites by using the SEMrush Backlink Analytics Tool. This way, you can develop a content strategy that will catch their attention and entice them to link to your site instead.
Building a Broken Link
Finding informative web pages with external links to dead pages is the foundation of broken link building.
You can quickly build some excellent links if you can identify broken links that lead to 404 pages and present an alternative piece of content that is as good as, if not better than, the original link.
You must ensure that you have content that is similar to what was originally linked to (or be prepared to create it). You can achieve a reasonable level of success with this tactic because neither users nor the website from which you want a link will benefit from linking to a 404 page. You’re assisting a webmaster in reducing broken links on their site while also suggesting an alternative replacement so they don’t have to look for one themselves. You can learn how to use the tactic by reading our guide on Broken Link Building.
Mentions of Unlinked Brands
It is not uncommon for many businesses to discover that they have been mentioned across the web, from mentions by regional online newspapers and radio stations to product reviews and references.
While it is ideal for these mentions to also include a link to your website, this is not always the case. These are referred to as unlinked brand mentions.
But how do you go about locating unlinked brand mentions and attempting to convert them into links?
Set up the tool to monitor for mentions of your brand, and you’ll get them in your inbox as they happen.
To find existing unlinked brand mentions, simply select the ‘no link’ option from the ‘link to website’ dropdown and you will be presented with a list of unlinked brand mentions.
Then you can start contacting the webmasters, journalists, or bloggers who have mentioned your brand and politely asking them to include a link.
To increase your chances of this happening, you must be able to demonstrate how the link adds editorial value. You can use this template as a starting point for reaching out (which you can do and manage through the Link Building Tool).
Links to Suppliers
If you sell other people’s products, you may be missing out on a fantastic opportunity to gain a slew of highly authoritative links to your site.
Many manufacturers and suppliers have ‘where to buy’ or stockists pages on their websites, which look something like this:
This is simply a manufacturer directing users to where they can purchase their products. In addition, if you sell a manufacturer’s products, you should be listed (and linked).
Make a list of all of your suppliers and their websites, then go through them one by one, looking for a page that lists their stockists.
Find a page but notice that you aren’t on it?
It’s most likely not on purpose. Reach out to your company’s contact, share the page, and inquire about the process of getting your website listed and linked. Often, your contact will be able to arrange this for you.
Can’t seem to find a page with a list of stockists? Could you possibly collaborate in another way?
Business Association Connections
Are you a member of any business organizations? Perhaps your Chamber of Commerce or a specialized industry organization? If this is the case, you may have some simple opportunities to earn links to your website.
This is similar to supplier links in many ways, but it does not rely on you stocking a manufacturer’s products or them having a page on their website.
You must compile a list of all the organizations to which you belong, as well as their websites. Then look for members
page or something similar on their website. This is frequently in the form of a member directory, as in the case of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce.
If you are a member but do not see your name listed, contact your contact and ask how you can be added.
However, you can take this strategy a step further by proactively looking for organizations in your area or industry that provide a link to their members as part of their membership. If you are not a member and believe you would benefit from what they have to offer, join… then follow that link!
