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If you’re optimizing your website for search engines, you’ve got to consider backlinks. Your backlink profile, along with a good technical backend and great keywords and content, is one of the 3 foundations of solid search engine optimization (SEO).
And this makes sense. One of the key ways Google develops trust in your website is by borrowing it from other people.
That is, Google looks to see what other websites link to your website and it uses those links as a credibility marker.
Quality Over Quantity
A note and a word of caution.
When it comes to backlinks, it’s way more valuable to have a handful of high-quality backlinks instead of a lot of lower-quality backlinks.
High-quality backlinks point from websites that produce content relevant to what you do. The context of the link matters.
Domain authority matters too. A website like the New York Times has higher authority than my local newspaper. A business owner who’s been blogging on their website for 10 years probably has higher authority than a business owner who just hit publish on their website.
The upshot is, that a link from a high domain authority site like the New York Times will potentially be worth more than a link from a lower authority site like you’re mom’s knitting blog.
Again, content matters.
The point is: Use integrous strategies to build links and let your link profile develop organically.
With backlinks, quality always wins over quantity.
10 Strategies To Build Quality Backlinks
So now, how do you get those links?
I like to build links organically. I use my network. I use link building as an opportunity to GROW my network. And most of the time, it’s pretty fun.
Here are 10 strategies you can consider as you are putting together a link-building strategy. For what it’s worth, these are the same things I’m doing to build a backlink profile to THIS website since it’s a fresh website without a lot of links pointing to it yet.
1) Pitch Podcasts
Podcast guesting is one of my absolute favorite link-building activities. I think it has some of the greatest ROI on your time and effort and it’s FUN!
Pitch yourself to appear as a guest on podcasts relevant to your niche. In addition to increasing your reach and building your reputation, each guest appearance comes with a couple of backlinks to your website.
Start with folks you know who have their own podcasts. You can also look to see where colleagues have appeared and consider pitching those as well.
2) Guest Blogging
Guest posting can be super rewarding although it’s more of a time commitment than guest podcasting.
Pitch folks you know OR blogs that frequently host guest content.
Pro tip: Do not pitch your guest post to folks you don’t know and who don’t regularly take guests. Those emails will get deleted and are not worth your time!
3)Take Advantage Of Certification Directories
This. Is. Low. Hanging. Fruit.
Make sure you’re listed in every directory you’re eligible for, including those specific to your niche, certifications, and local directories.
A lot of continuing education courses offer a directory for folks who have completed their course. Your name should be there!
Fill the profiles out completely and do your best to fill these out so your information is CONSISTENT across directories.
4) Give Testimonials
Kate Toon, my SEO mentor, calls this “Good Karma SEO” and I love this.
Leave testimonials for service providers whose work you’ve experienced and value. And? Where appropriate, request a link back to your site from the testimonial byline.
You do something nice for them, they do something nice for you:)
5) Speak At Events
Put yourself in front of new audiences!
Speak at memberships, masterminds, or other community gatherings to build your brand.
There are 99 reasons to get in front of new audiences and just one of those is the backlink to your website that will appear on the event’s speaker page.
For a backlink, speaking gigs are a heavier lift. But there are so many great reasons to put yourself on a stage that I think they’re worth considering.
6) Use HARO For Media Mentions
Be a resource for journalists.
Sign up for Help a Reporter Out (HARO) which compiles a daily digest of media queries sorted by industry.
When you see something relevant you can respond and maybe get yourself a citation in their story!
7) Sponsor Community Events
Get involved in sponsoring local or niche-specific events like fun runs or baby fairs.
If you serve a local clientele, this is a super fun way to expand your local network and earn a backlink in the process.
8) Use YouTube
Create and post content on YouTube relevant to your audience. Remember, YouTube is a search engine too. Use SEO best practices when naming and captioning your content so that your videos get seen. In your video descriptions, link back to your website and blog pages.9) Create Great Content Around Low-Volume Keywords
This is the most organic strategy out there.
If you can write a blog post that ranks in the top 1-3 positions of the search results page, you’ll naturally start collecting organic backinks.
The easiest way to rank in the top spots? Write content around low-volume or zero-volume keywords.
It doesn’t take a ton of eyeballs to start collecting those links. It takes being in the top position when the right person performs the search.
Keep in mind SEO best practices. Don’t choose your keywords and content ONLY for the sake of earning backlinks. Write about topics that are genuinely useful to your audience.
Your ultimate goal should be to become a valuable resource for your audience, otherwise, what’s the point?
Choose your topics first, then research relevant keywords that you have the best chances of ranking well for.
10) Online Communities And Forums
Become an active member of online communities and forums like Reddit or niche-specific Facebook groups.
While providing helpful answers and insights, you can include relevant links back to your blog posts as appropriate (and of course, where allowed by the community rules!).
If you use this strategy, be sure to lead with value and establish yourself in the community before sharing your links. And share judiciously.
Don’t be the tone-deaf party crasher who shows up and just talks about themselves.
Don't Buy Links. Build Them.
Do not, and I’ll say it louder for the folks in the back, DO NOT purchase links to your blog.
A link profile is best built organically and slowly over time. While it can feel slow and potentially frustrating, that’s how it SHOULD happen.
Purchasing links goes against Google’s guidelines and you will earn yourself a nice fat penalty if Google suspects you’ve been purchasing links1.
Don’t do it. Not worth it.
What's Your Backlink Strategy?
The strategies I covered in this list span a range of time commitment to pitch and time commitment to deliver. They’ll also appeal to different personalities.
Treat this like a menu. Take what serves you and leave the rest.
Maybe it’s easy to pitch 2-5 podcasts a month. But only one speaking event a year.
Maybe you don’t want to speak, but you can pitch a guest post quarterly.
Maybe you commit to posting 2-4 blog posts a month. But you leave testimonials only as the opportunities arise organically.
Above all else, have a strategy. Take control of your SEO and your online visibility. A solid link-building strategy will help you wrangle both.
Need support building a bespoke backlink strategy? Book an SEO Power Hour and I’ll help you identify the strategies most aligned with your business and your goals.
