​If you’re like most people, you’re frequently planning future epic changes and life-altering decisions, all fueled by a simple list of goals. While most people will include strategies for getting healthy, improving relationships and upping productivity at work (especially at the beginning of the year), you can also apply link-building resolutions to your SEO content marketing strategy at any point in the year to improve the strength and effectiveness of your content. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to consider when creating your top link-building strategies.

 

5 Link-Building Strategies You Should Avoid

SEO link-building tactics aren’t just about incorporating a lot of good things, they are also about avoiding strategies that diminish or minimize your efforts. Here are 5 don’ts you should be aware of.

 

1. Don’t Overlink

More links equal more connections and more credibility, right? While adding links can give your page a boost, adding too many will push it the other way. Google’s ranking algorithm makes sure that the type of links you use affects your place in search results. Neil Patel states that “five quality links from authority sites will weigh more heavily in your favor than ten mediocre links from generic sites.”

2. Don’t Use Paid Links

One part of creating successful SEO link-building strategies is knowing where to put your money. While paid links are okay in some situations, you do want to exercise caution when using them. You must make sure that your source is going to use best practices and follow Google’s webmaster and advertising guidelines, otherwise, it is best to just avoid paid links.

 

3. Don’t Use Keywords As Anchor Texts

There are certain words that you should avoid using as your anchor text when creating links. While it is okay for some of these to be included in the link, you should never use the following on their own:

• The word “link” or “website”
• The URL
• The name of the company or site
• The domain

Instead, choose a relevant phrase to create your link that will catch the reader’s eye. It’s also important to make sure the anchor text you are using does not contain keywords you are trying to win. You want readers to come to your site when they see that keyword, not be directed elsewhere.

 

4. Don’t Use Any Form of Manipulation

If you are considering doing something that may be frowned upon and you aren’t sure if Google will penalize you for it, the best idea is to refrain. Trying to “work the system” rarely works with the ever-changing algorithms and constant updates. Taking shortcuts to get to the top usually results in a quick trip to the bottom. A better choice is to follow Google’s rules and go for sustainability rather than speed.

 

5. Don’t Overlook the Value of Natural Links

While you may be focusing heavily on contacting other bloggers and businesses to trade links, don’t overlook the value of natural links. Higher placement in Google’s search results can mean more natural links by bloggers who are searching. These will come as your page gains credibility, but they shouldn’t be overlooked in your zest for creating reciprocal relationships.

 

5 Link-Building Strategies You SHOULD Use

Now that you know how to avoid some big link-building potholes, get started on finding the best SEO link-building strategies out there. We have 5 do’s you might want to investigate.

 

1. Do Learn How to Monitor Your Backlinks

While it may seem obvious, there are actually several marketers who have no idea how to find out who is linking back to them. Educating yourself on this can give you a much clearer idea of where you stand in the blogging world. It will also alert you to the type of posts that generate the most traffic and the sites that are most often linking to you.

 

2. Do Link in Lists

According to EarnedLinks.com, the top type of content that was linked to was lists, which were linked to 74 percent more than any other type of content. The next most frequent type was infographics. If you want a piece that is shareable, the statistics point to the fact that pictures and lists are the biggest draw for linking. Incorporate this knowledge into your link-building strategies and be sure to mention this to your blog writing service so they can cater to your needs.

 

3. Do Develop Relationships

Did you write a great post that got mentioned by another blogger? That’s great, but there is more to do now. Rather than just patting yourself on the back and moving on to your next topic, start developing a relationship with this blogger. Start by contacting them, either through email or by phone. You can request additional links, or you can begin building a solid reciprocal relationship by asking to do an interview or allow them to guest blog on your site. This can open up your page to an entirely new audience of devoted followers. Content collaborations are also great opportunities to work with established bloggers. Expert roundup posts can also allow you to mention several bloggers at once and plant the seeds of many reciprocal relationships.

One type of relationship that is often overlooked is the one created with editors. By having an established line of communication with the editors of certain sites, you will be more likely to have your article picked up and republished. Before you contact any blogger or editor, search carefully for the site owner’s name. Using manners and courtesy can get you far when requesting backlinks. Be sure to let them know the exact place you think your link would fit on their site or the topic you think they could guest-blog about.

 

4. Do Make Your Link Building Content-Based

While you can insert whatever type of links you choose, almost all marketing managers stated that the most effective and popular tactic they used was link building that was based on content. Part of the reason for this is that the sites you link to are more likely to return the favor if the move makes sense, and that is unlikely to happen if your link was not based on content. If you use content writing services, be sure that they are aware of this and create appropriate links.

 

5. Do Create Client Links

While you generally want to link to reputable companies, linking to your current customers is another great way to expand your client base. Offering incentives for past customers to leave reviews, then posting those to your website and linking back to the author gives you easy links. If they give a testimonial, they may also be interested in sharing their statement on their own website.

 

Use SEO Link-Building Strategies That Work

While getting sculpted calves or going strictly paleo might top your friends’ yearly resolutions, making better link-building strategies the top of yours can lead to increased traffic, improved relationships and bolstered sales.

The key to finding successful SEO link-building strategies is by creating a plan and following the footsteps of businesses and websites that have seen great success in their SEO link-building tactics. Follow the guidelines that Google suggests and avoid using any linking strategies that result in fewer followers or decreased credibility. By following these strategies, you’ll be on your way to the best year yet for you, your SEO and your entire company.

Contact BKA Content today to see how our white hat link building services can help you get to the next level in your organic marketing efforts!

Although you might find link building as one of the best content marketing strategies in guides around the internet, it is not the only way to improve your e-commerce SEO. To start with, focus on creating a great user experience with an easy to navigate site, fast page speed and great content. Additionally, have a safe and secure site that incorporates an SSL certificate with an HTTPS.

Once those basics are complete, there is still no need to delve into the complicated nuances of link building with your content marketing agency. Instead, enhance your content marketing plan through implementing one or more of the following.

Build Out Your Category Pages

When you build your website, you probably put a lot of thought into the layout and navigation. This includes creating category pages for your products. Do not simply create pages that only curate the products; instead, build out your category pages with keyword rich content, one of the best content marketing strategies. What is the advantage to this? You have more content to optimize and improve your organic rankings. Take Auto Anything for example, they have inserted relevant content on every category page of their site.

It does not need to be extensive, long-form content. Even a short description at the top provides a place for SEO content. Avoid the temptation to simply keyword-stuff the content. Instead, focus on details that provide value to consumers, such as answering commonly asked questions.

Category Keyword Opportunities

When creating your website, do not simply focus on the keywords that match your broad categories. Instead, perform some keyword research to find subcategories that might provide some opportunities for additional pages and content. For example, a clothes retailer might have categories for shirts, pants and dresses. Then, they might have subcategories for different styles, colors and/or sizes, each one with new keyword-rich content ready for ranking.

For every new category you include, you create more opportunities. As an added bonus, you have less competition for many of the keywords for the subcategories. Once you have built your site, do not become complacent. Always keep an eye out for new and fresh keyword possibilities for different categories and subcategories your customers might appreciate.

Create Original Product Descriptions

Writing unique product descriptions might seem like a lot of time and effort for no reason. However, you miss out on an opportunity for quality content when you use the manufacturer descriptions. Again, you want to avoid keyword stuffing. Pick one or two of the top keywords for that product to incorporate into the description.

To start, take the information from the manufacturer and write a short description that details the product, using some of the popular keywords. This is also a great opportunity to promote the product and reach the customers on an emotional level through telling a story. Consider the function as well and incorporate information that answers questions that consumers might have. This also helps your ranking, since many search engine algorithms take into account how a page answers common inquiries. If this sounds too difficult or you just don’t have the time, hire a content writing company like BKA to come up with and create unique product descriptions for you.

“Best of” Guides

A widely popular type of content that you can easily add to your site is a “best of” guide. To do this, rank certain products based on criteria like price, usability, durability and quality. You also should include some key pros and cons of each item, as well as details about the basic features. Expect this type of content to take some time to curate and build. They should be in-depth, with word counts above 2,000.

Consumers in the research stage of their shopping experience often search for guides or comparison lists to help them decide what to purchase. This gives you a great opportunity for evergreen content that provides something of value to your customers. It also provides content in which to incorporate keywords to optimize. Another bonus to this type of content? If you do it well, it helps to develop your reputation as a trusted authoritative voice in the field.

How do you write this type of content? First and foremost, you want to create something authentic, not just a vehicle for selling certain products. Take the time to look at customer reviews, buying habits and other data that you might have from your own site. You can also do some research around the internet, especially from trusted resources such as Consumer Reports.

Rich Snippets

One of the best content marketing strategies to help boost your page rankings is rich snippets. Rather than having your search result display a basic title tag description along with the URL, add some additional information, such as price, model number, short descriptions and more. Before customers even click on your page, you have already started to answer their questions.

Although rich snippets are not used for ranking the same way that title tags and meta descriptions are, they do increase your chance of a user clicking on your site. People respond more often to search results with more information on the results page. This leads to more traffic and a higher organic click-through rate, which ultimately increases your rankings. Google offers free resources to help you mark up your content without having to create code.

Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Although rich snippets might help increase your chance of someone clicking on your site, do not underestimate the power of a strong title tag and meta description. Rather than focusing on optimizing for the search engine and stuffing in keywords, create a title tag and meta description with the user in mind.

Internet searchers read the title tags and meta description and use this information to determine if the page has the information they want on it. Through creating content with the user in mind, you once again increase the organic click-through rate because they click on the descriptions that have meaning to them. Rather than just describe the content, you can also incorporate selling points and highlight promotions or sales for additional impact.

Many of these actions not only help to increase your e-commerce SEO rankings but also create a better user experience on your website, which is one of the best content marketing strategies. It increases your SEO rankings, lead conversion and number of repeat customers to ultimately help your business. If you need help creating category descriptions, product descriptions, “best of” guides or any other type of content for your site, let us know and we’d be happy to help.

When you build your SEO content writing strategy, how often do you look closely at the structure of your website? Many marketers leave this to the web designers; however, it plays an invaluable role in one area of your site: internal linking.

Internal linking is an important component of SEO that is often disregarded. However, this strategy is important both for user experience and SEO ranking. To get the best rankings possible, it is important to develop a strong and effective internal linking strategy.

Why Internal Links Matter

The main reason that internal linking matters is that it is the way that you inform both users and search engines what components of your website are most important. It creates a hierarchy structure and serves three main purposes:

• Navigation
• Website structure
• Distribution of page authority

Additionally, it provides ways to keep your visitors on your website longer by making it easy for them to navigate to other areas in which they might be interested.

By building a strong internal link strategy, you are creating a foundation for your SEO efforts. This provides information to the search engines about the structure of your website, including which pages are the most important. This assists in instilling value to your pages, which can help certain pages rank higher.

Focus on the Anchor Text

As with any link that you include in your SEO friendly content writing services, the anchor text matters. It does two main things:

• Informs readers what to expect to see when they click
• Provides clues to the search bots about the relevant connection between pages

When you develop your anchor text, it is best to choose words that are specific. Although it is natural to wish to simply use your keywords, primary phrases and other optimized search terms, it is important that you do not end up over-doing it. Choose words that are a natural fit to the page and provide a description about the linked page to your audience. When it makes sense to use keywords or optimized text, do so.

Link Beyond the Homepage

It is not just about linking to your most important page, which for many is the homepage. More importantly, it is about finding logical ways to link pages that have something in common. By keeping the user in mind, you can create a website structure that makes sense.

By putting the value of the user above the value of the search engine results, you inevitably create a natural linking structure that will ultimately help you to achieve your SEO goals in the long run. Where would the reader most want to visit after reading what is on a particular page? Perhaps you have another blog post that further describes something discussed on the page. Working with SEO friendly content writing services will help you to build quality content that is worth linking to.

Be Generous with Links

When you develop your internal linking structure, do not feel as though each page should only have a handful. It is beneficial to be generous with your links, although there does come a point where it becomes too much. Sites that appear to just be linking for the sake of linking might end up hurt by this. However, as long as you strive to remain natural with your linking, then it is hard to go wrong. Larger sites with higher authority can get away with many more links than smaller sites.

Make It Easy to Navigate

Ultimately, internal linking is about navigation. Therefore, it is essential that you set it up in a way that makes it easy for both users and search bots to navigate your site. You should develop a clear and easy-to-understand structure. This includes an organization with a depth chart that makes it easy to get to the homepage within three clicks or less from any page. This structure includes your navigational menus and any hyperlinks in the text of your content.

Continually Clean It Up

Internal linking is not a simple project that is done once you enter the hyperlink; it is something that needs continual attention. For one, you need to ensure that you do not end up with broken links after you update your site. Additionally, you do not want to have any type of discrepancy in the indexed URL and preferred URL. This sends the search engine mixed signals, which hurts your ranking. That is why it is important to pay attention to the technical side of internal linking.

Consider Products and Services

For e-commerce sites, it is beneficial to link between products and services. This not only creates a reasonable structure to your site that benefits your SEO, but it also will help to increase the sales you receive. The same rules apply here: link products that relate to one another. Do not simply link for links sake; instead, provide value to customers by showing them similar items in which they might be interested.

Don’t Forget Quality Content

Above all, when developing an internal linking program, do not forget about quality content. You can have as many links as you want that take people all around your site, but it will not help you if you do not have content worth reading on the page. Working with SEO friendly content writing services can help you have high-quality, fresh content that builds your site and creates even more opportunities for internal linking.

When developing your content marketing SEO strategy, do not forget about the invaluable role that internal links play. By including them in your overall plan, you not only create a better experience for your visitors; you also improve your site rankings.

Years ago, SEO professionals may have bought links in bulk from distributing websites and crammed as many as possible onto each page, but both of those practices are now frowned upon and new advancements from Google are pushing spammers out of search results. So how do you navigate the new rules and keep your site on Google’s good side, all while creating a strong link-building network? By following these simple content marketing hacks.

Hack #1: Free is the Way to Be

Adding links to your page used to be pricey, but now it can damage more than just your bank account. With the release of Google Panda, links from bulk sites are more likely to hurt your page than to help it. If Google detects links on your page that show up on lots of other pages, you’ll likely fall from the rankings. This is why it’s important to avoid even a single purchased link: while Google may not pick up on one, if they do notice the link appearing on multiple sites your page will be penalized.

Hack #2: Keep Things Fresh

Content marketing should be evergreen, but that doesn’t mean links will. Keep an eye on your pages to make sure all past sites you’ve linked to haven’t gone stale. Pages that used to be popular can wane as information changes, so periodically check that all sites are still relevant.

How do you tell if the site is fresh? Take a look at a few things:

• Recent updates: If you’ve linked to a page that hasn’t been updated in years, it’s likely to have slowly dropped in viewers and ranks. A fresh site will have been updated several times.
• Social media coverage: Was the blog topic once trending but has now waned in popularity? If you linked during a spike, you may want to consider creating a link to a more pertinent site.
• Google search volume: You can also check the popularity of your keywords through Google’s search feature. If you find that a keyword you’d previously linked to has dropped, it’s time to replace it with a new one.
• News coverage and blog hits: If your topic has continued to gain momentum, you’ll likely have plenty of options for new links. The number of news stories and blog posts about the topic can be good indicators of how hot it is. If you find that your link subject is old news, replace it with a better source.

The geniuses at Moz.com state that “updating older content works amazingly well when you also earn fresh links to the content.” This image from the January update of a Technical Site Audit Checklist can help indicate the importance of this step.

While the aspect of freshness will affect some industries and topics more than others, it’s always a good idea to carefully review your links to be sure they’re not getting lost with old pages.

Hack #3: Follow the Crowd

You want to be unique, to stand out, to be the one with new ideas, but in some aspects of your link-building strategy it’s best to follow the crowd. Why? Because Google judges the relevance of your page partly on the popularity of your links. Their new formula for determining ranking is complex and one of the many aspects involves just how beneficial your links are. If you’re linking to spam, you’re out. If you’re linking to stale pages, you’ll be considered stale yourself. Keep in mind the previously mentioned clues to judge a page’s freshness, but also look at how many links have been made to that page from other sites. If they’ve continued to increase, the Google bots will smile upon your page and move you on up the rankings.

Hack #4: Make Your Links Count

You may wonder how these sites you’re linking to continue to get new links and remain relevant. One key is that their information is useful and so are their links. If the links you’ve created aren’t useful to you or your content marketing strategy, your audience isn’t going to care much for them either. On the other hand, if you’ve created links that truly benefit your viewers you’ll get many more clicks and be recognized as an authoritative site, earning your page additional backlinks from other sites.

Hack #5: Keep it Natural

Don’t create links simply for the sake of linking. Links should be there for a purpose, not just to get recognized by Google. Kind of like keeping your mouth shut if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t bother linking unless you have something worthwhile to share.

Hack #6: Search Like a Boss

Okay, so you’ve decided to take the free route and hit up Google for a little research on some link options. Now what? If you’re running a clothing shop and decide to type in “style blogs” you’re going to end up with some great ones, but it will probably require a lot of sifting and scanning. Instead, be more specific about exactly what you want. Is this for your new baby line? Search “infant style blogs.” Are you wanting the latest in back-to-school trends? Include that in your query. To get good results even faster, let someone else do most of the work for you. Add “list” at the end of the search terms or “top” at the beginning, so “top puppy style blog list.” Now you’ll have a list of great blogs to choose from that somebody else took the time to search for and create. Work smarter, not harder. (Well, okay, maybe a little of both.)

Hack #7: Claim Credit Where Credit is Due

Link-building is always a two-way street. You’re linking in your content marketing and so is everyone else, but what if your site is being mentioned without the author linking back to it? The more links that are created to your site, the more authority you gain, so it’s very important to make sure your fans are linking back to you. Periodically take a moment to search for your brand and URL and see if you find any mentions that lack a link. If you’ve been around for a while, this is an even more likely possibility. If you do find some, there’s no reason to panic. Pat yourself on the back for being so outstanding that people are talking about your stuff, then email said people and let them know that you appreciate their mention of you and you noticed there was no link. A kind reminder that you’re trying to grow your brand can earn you links and maybe even a continued reciprocal relationship.

Becoming a link-building master can increase your presence across the web in countless ways. Follow the rules and play fair and you’ll be able to hack your way right into the top spots of any search results list.

Link building is the networking of digital content. When someone links back to your site, they’re putting their reputation on the line in order to promote something you’ve posted that they think will be of value to their readers. They’re introducing you to their network in a way that simply liking or sharing never will. To create the kind of relationship that inspires others to cite you as an expert in your field or recommend you to their fans, you need more than just frequent content creation and catchy headlines. You need rich content that appeals to readers visually while offering valuable expertise and data-driven content.

Add Images

A 2012 study by Moz found that posts with images receive many more links than copy without images.  Intuitively, this makes sense. Images make a post easier to read, remember and comprehend. But why?

As we’ve become more accustomed to using devices all day every day, we’ve gotten used to getting what we want instantly. In fact, our attention spans have shortened from 12 seconds in 2000 to just 8.25 seconds in 2015. Since our brains can process visual images 60,000 times faster than text, pictures (including photos, graphics, diagrams and charts) are more satisfying and more impactful.

Create Depth

Content that is short is perceived as shallow. The previously cited Moz study found that readers may “like” an interesting tidbit of information, but they won’t consider it substantial enough to link back to. Longer content is judged more credible, more in-depth and more heavily researched. Of course, this means that longer content should, indeed, be credible, in-depth and heavily researched. Its perceived weight makes it more valuable, and linking to it creates a halo effect that adds value and depth to the linker’s site as well.

Use Science and Math

Not all posts have to be lengthy in order to get links. A page that offers statistics, surveys, studies, data or research results gets linked because writers of all kinds need them to grant legitimacy to their own posts. Bloggers, writers and editors need sources and evidence to support their arguments and bolster their own credibility.

Not all bloggers have original research or statistics to cite. As an alternative, use your post as an opportunity to share the significant findings of others, to compare multiple sources of information, or to curate the best studies on a single topic.

Ask Questions (And Give Answers)

Many people who are experts in their fields fail to realize just how little outsiders or novices know about their domain, and just how sought-after their specialized knowledge is. Gather questions from your customers, clients, new employees and veterans in the field who are looking to keep up on current developments, then create an in-depth FAQ page. You could publish multiple pages directed at different audiences or update a single page weekly with new questions and shout-outs to the customers who asked them.

Another way to share your expertise is to give an in-depth look at a single issue that plagues your industry. If you’re a teacher, give an in-depth history of the Common Core, discuss its goals and implementation, explore the controversy surrounding its adoption and conclude with your own opinion as an expert in the field. While much of this information can be found elsewhere online, it is likely that it has not been pulled together into a single source.

Don’t Self-Promote

No one is interested in marketing your company for free, so content that is blatantly self-promotional will get few links. Making reference to your product or service or including links back to your own home page or store makes your entire post suspect. Readers will (rightly) feel that your post is nothing more than a thinly-veiled advertisement, and you will lose credibility as well as links.

Don’t Recycle Ideas

What is the point of your post, and is it a point that has been made before? If it’s simply a recycled version of ideas that have already been shared, then visitors will see no point in linking to it. There are over 123 million articles on “How To Boil An Egg,” so unless you have something new to say on the subject, or can say it in a very unusual way, your post is unlikely to garner links or attention.

By building links, you’re building relationships within the larger network of your industry. Focus on creating high quality content that is both visually and ideologically rich and free from self-promotion, and your links and your audience will grow.