Unless you adopt the best practices of the industry, there is little chance to succeed with SEO campaigns. You have to follow the Google guidelines in implementing SEO in the right way by undertaking link-building exercise based on organically acquired links. The backlink profile of your website has a strong bearing on the search rankings and the reason why you must pay all attention to its correct implementation. Link building is one of the most critical aspects of the blueprint SEO strategy that you create. Although by looking at the concept of link building, it might appear not so challenging to implement, in reality, it could be just the opposite if not done with proper understanding and guidance.
Why are links important
Link building in its simplest form consists of acquiring links from other websites by creating a relationship with the site owners who agree to share the link with you. Google insists that you have to adopt fair practices in building links based on an organic process. It should happen naturally that other websites find enough merit in your site and get interested in connecting with you by way of sharing links. Google is extremely sensitive about links because it considers links as a signal related to the quality of websites and it uses the signal in its ranking algorithm. When some other site is eager to connect with your website, Google considers it as a qualitative compliment and thus gives importance to it for ranking. Links, therefore, serve the purpose of sites as well as search engines.
Balancing quality and quantity
Although the quality of backlinks rules supreme, you must get sufficient quantity too. Therefore, you have to strike the right balance between the quality and quantity of links to get the desired results. Now the question that you might face is how to determine the correct amount? It can be tricky to answer because the number has to be optimal to convince Google that the links are not spammy and that the process of acquisition is organic. At the same time, you have to establish that the quality of links has its own intrinsic value and not obtained just for gaining mileage in SEO.
The quality indicator of links
The do-follow links found on third-party websites are what we call backlinks, but it hardly reflects the qualitative aspects attached to it. To understand the quality of links, you have to look under its skin to discover other dimensions of the links that point to the quality. The qualitative aspects of links reveal its worth and differentiate it from links obtained from spammy sites or directory listings. It is just not enough to collect links left and right, but links must have a relation to the proper context of the website that shows its quality. It is essential to judge the context of the link before deciding to include it in your backlink repository.
Follow the best practices
Just knowing the importance of link building is not enough because you must follow the best practices of the industry to ensure that you stay tuned with the latest guidelines. Google keeps updating the SEO guidelines frequently, and you have to remain alert about the right ways of implementing links. Since Google emphasizes quality links over quantity, although quantity is necessary, you must formulate link-building strategies that help to meet the goals.
Strategies for organic link building
Place the link building process on a solid foundation of quality content that reflects innovative ideas and contain authentic and relevant information in the industry niche. Create attractive content that expresses your thoughts most convincingly with the help of images, animation, videos and text articles. The content should demonstrate your authority on the subject and on finding it authentic, informative and relevant, other websites would feel interested in staying in touch with you and offering links for sharing. Building relations with industry peers is essential for link building as it spreads your identity as a credible source in the industry. Create a communication strategy for effective public relations and implement it by using various PR techniques. Participating in numerous forums, speaking with industry authors and giving presentations in the industry are some ways of staying in touch always.
Demonstrate your authority
The links that you acquire would increase the flow of traffic to your website. However, to ensure that you earn links from quality websites you first have to establish and demonstrate your authority that could draw the attention of others. To prove yourself as an authoritative source in the industry you have to develop the right connections and take it forward so that you earn the respect of others.
Being in good company assures that the links you acquire are from quality sources only that contribute to a healthy backlink profile.
Author bio: Derek Iwasiuk has spent almost twenty years in the SEO industry. He has helped numerous online marketing companies with creating blueprint SEO strategy that proved very useful. Derek is a social activist and attached to an NGO.
