It’s undeniable that building backlinks is one of the most important factors in SEO. But you really shouldn’t be pulling your hair over the number of websites because quality will mean more than quantity in the long run. In this article, I’m going to point out several helpful and solid tips that you should keep in mind when building backlinks.
1. Relevancy
Tip: Be sure the link you’re trying to get is relevant to your website.
The relevancy of a backlink has been preached countless times, but that’s because it really is that important. Before you even begin to consider obtaining a backlink from somewhere, you should always make sure it’s relevant to your website. Look at it from Google’s eyes. Their goal is to provide users with the best search results. But if your electronics blog is linked and featured on a gardening website, gardening users will not find yours useful at all – making Google appreciate the link even less.
2. Directories
Tip: Only submit your website to quality directories.
The worthiness of directories is slowly fading away but it still remains a useful way to get backlinks and (sometimes) traffic. Remember, don’t waste your time on crappy directories that are:
- Made just for money
- Advertise SEO friendliness or PageRank
- Banned from Google already
Google appreciates directories that provide a useful resource for the users. A directory that promotes themselves like: “Hey. My directory is PR 4 and SEO friendly so pay up and submit your website here!” is not deemed as a quality directory. Make sure any directory you submit to has these qualities:
- All submissions are human-edited, NOT auto-approved
- Has plenty of qualifications and requirements for websites
- Preferably focuses on one or a few niches related to your field
- Definitely focuses on the user experience
- Doesn’t contain website listings that look like:
online casinos, gambling, online poker, make money
http://www.online-casino-gambling.com/
gamble online, poker, make money, virtual chips, virtual casinos
order diet pills that will make you skinny in 2 days
http://www.order-diet-pills-Online.com/
physician certified diet pills online that will guaranteee to make U skinnie in just 2 days guaranteed!!!!!!!!
3. Paid Links
Tip: Don’t buy links specifically for SEO
Ever since Google announced their hatred for paid links, this has been a touchy and confusing subject for a lot of online marketers out there. I want to address this topic to make it clear to some of the newer webmasters. Google will only penalize you if you buy or sell links specifically to boost Search rankings. That means advertisements and paid listings are fine (Yahoo! Directory, BOTW, etc), as long as they don’t advertise something like: “Boost your PR and Search Engine rankings! Buy links today starting at $49.95.”
4. Outsourcing
Tip: Stay clear of services that offer “mass submissions” or the likes.
If you’re going to outsource links, you might as well go the full mile and sign-up with an established and trusted SEO company (look to SEOmoz’s marketplace for some trustworthy companies). Many link development services out there are really just one or two guys using an auto-submitter program. Your eyes should automatically ignore advertisements that promise: “For just $99, submit your website to over 10,000 directories!”
5. Blogs
Tip:: Don’t spam blogs with useless comments, reach out instead
Building relationships with bloggers in your niche will yield much better results than randomly commenting on blogs with irrelevant and pointless remarks. Don’t be afraid to send an e-mail to a blogger and politely and professionally inquire about a link partnership or an opportunity to write a guest post on their blog. It never hurts to ask.
6. Competitors
Tip: Look at your competitors’ backlinks and you will surely find some useful opportunities
This won’t gain you the edge you need over your competitors, but it will help in getting you caught up – especially if your website is newer. Look at the top 5 or top 10 results for your most important keyword. Pick out two or three authority websites in your niche, then see if you can also get any of their backlinks. Then repeat these steps with other important keywords. My favorite tool for this kind of research is Link Diagnosis. I encourage you all to check it out as it is the most comprehensive free link analysis tool I’ve toyed with so far.
Questions? Comments? Disagreements? Let me know your opinions.
WOW this Link Diagnosis site is just perfect! I’ve been looking for something like this forever, thanks
Great tips! Agreed on the directories…they are still good links to add to your mix. Lynn Terry over at Clicknewz wrote up a great post about guest blogging (how to and not to approach a blogger about being a guest blogger on their blog).
Forums are also a great way to build links while also participating in a community and driving traffic from that community organically (add your link, in anchor text form if allowed, to your sig and actively contribute and participate).