Effective Link-Building Strategies for Improved Search Engine Rankings

Last Updated on October 3, 2023 by Corey Fox

Getting your website to the top of search engine rankings is a major factor in improving your marketing impact, driving more traffic to your site, and bringing in greater returns. But getting there requires an effective link-building strategy which can be complicated and time-consuming.

To help take the guesswork out of it, I’ve put together this comprehensive guide on effective link-building strategies that will give you the edge over your competition and bring about sustainable improvement in search engine ranking for your website.

What Is a Link-Building Strategy?

A link-building strategy is a methodical approach to creating external links to a website in order to improve SEO.

The goal of any such strategy should be to acquire as many quality backlinks from relevant and authoritative websites as possible.

To do this, digital marketers need to research popular link-building strategies and choose the ones that best suit their business goals.

Types of Links

When it comes to link building, there are two basic types: inbound and outbound links.

An inbound link is one that points from an outside source (such as another website) to your own website or blog post.

Outbound links are those that point from within your content outwards toward other websites or web pages.

Furthermore, all links can be divided into two further subcategories – followed versus nofollowed links.

A followed link will send “link juice” which helps boost rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs), while a nofollowed link does not pass any ranking benefits but still directs visitors through referrals, which affects visibility on SERPs.

Therefore, both types are important for any successful SEO strategy however each situation may require different approaches when it comes to acquiring them.

The Top 11+ Link-Building Strategies

In order to effectively build high-quality backlinks that benefit search engine rankings, you need to choose the right strategies for your business needs and target audience.

Here is a list of the top link-building strategies recommended by digital marketing experts:

Create A Blog

Creating a blog is one of the most essential link-building strategies that any digital marketer should have in their repertoire today.

After all, running a blog can help attract visitors to your website who are looking for quality content that you can provide and establish yourself or your business as an expert in your particular niche.

Not only will blogging help you build links, but it could also result in more sales or leads if done right!

Plus, creating content regularly, with the assistance of content writing tools, helps increase user engagement and can even enhance SEO capabilities.

So when it comes to link building, start off by setting up a blog – it really pays off.

1. Choose the right platform for your blog – WordPress and Medium are popular choices, but there are other options as well such as Blogger or Tumblr.
2. Develop content that is valuable and relevant to your industry or niche – this will help attract readers and increase the chance of them clicking on links in the posts.
3. Promote your blog across multiple channels including social media, forums, newsletters, etc., to ensure you reach as many potential readers as possible.
4. Monitor performance by tracking metrics such as page views, scroll depth, time on page, etc., so you can see what kind of content works best for your audience and adjust accordingly.
5. Make sure there is an easy way for readers to share posts they find interesting with friends/followers – this will help spread the word further about your work.

Use Strategic Guest Blogging

When it comes to link building, strategic guest blogging can be an incredibly effective way to drive more traffic to your site and improve its SEO.

Guest blogging means writing articles for other websites or blogs with the aim of achieving greater visibility and promoting your brand.

This is done by including links back to your website in the article; when readers click on those links they will be directed back to your website.

By finding what kind of content and bloggers fit best with your niche and providing quality content that fits with their specific voice, you can boost both organic traffic as well as backlinks.

Because these are guest posts, they are not considered just ads which helps you avoid being flagged as spammy by Google.

If done right, strategic guest blogging can be a powerful marketing tool with tremendous benefits.

1. Make sure the blog post is fresh and original, not repurposed content from your own site or elsewhere.
2. Research blogs relevant to your niche or industry and get familiar with their style and tone to ensure you provide content that matches their aesthetic.
3. Include links back to your own website both in the body of the post as well as in the author bio section – this will help readers find you more easily and build credibility for you as a writer.
4. Take advantage of social media platforms where you can promote your guest posts and engage with potential readers – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. are all good places to start depending on who your audience is.
5. Try to become an active member of communities related to the topics you write about so that when you share posts people will understand what context they’re being shared in and why it’s worthwhile reading them.

Perform Broken Link Building

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The most important thing when it comes to link building is making sure that all of your links are high quality and relevant. That’s where broken link building comes in. Broken link building is the process of finding broken links on websites and then replacing them with your own high-quality links. This is a great way to get high-quality backlinks to your own website.

1. Find broken backlinks on competitor sites by using SEO tools such as Ahrefs or Screaming Frog.
2. Reach out to the webmaster of the site with a personalized email explaining what you found, offering up content that could replace the broken link and include a link back to your own site.
3. When creating content to replace the broken link, make sure it provides value and contains unique information – this will increase the chances of a successful outreach campaign.
4. Make sure you check if the target domain has already been contacted in relation to broken links – you don’t want to waste time reaching out with duplicate requests.
5. Monitor the progress of your campaign – track who responds and how long it takes them to do so, as this will help inform future outreach efforts.

Replicate Your Competitor’s Best Relevant Links

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When it comes to link building, try to replicate your competitor’s best relevant links.

After you identify their biggest and strongest sources, see if there are any opportunities to acquire similar links.

Of course, since the link-building landscape is constantly changing and no two sites will have identical links, each website must aim to create content of a similar quality as its competitors, rather than just mimicking backlinks.

Quality is paramount: creating top-notch content and making sure your site has appropriate authority can ensure that you have attractive options for potential publishers to link back to your site.

1. Use Search Engine Optimization tools such as SEMRush, Ahrefs, or MozBar to identify links from competitor sites.
2. Look for relevant sites that offer similar content or products but with different target audiences – this will help ensure you are getting the most value from your outreach campaign.
3. Try and replicate the best-performing link – this could mean duplicating the link exactly, swapping out keywords for more relevant ones, or simply providing better quality content for users to click through to.
4. Monitor any changes in rankings or traffic once you have replicated the link – this will give you an indication of whether or not it was successful and allow you to tweak future strategies accordingly.
5. Finally, make sure you track progress over time so you can see how individual efforts are contributing to overall success.

Create Data-Driven Content

When creating your own content for link building, it’s important to make sure you have the facts and figures to back up your points.

Data-Driven Content means creating content that leverages real data-driven facts, trends, and insights to support your message.

Not only will this data help make more persuasive arguments, but it also promotes trust and credibility for you as an expert in your field.

Link building is a great way to get exposure—making sure the content is backed by data will only make it stronger.

With carefully collected data from reliable sources, you’ll be able to create valuable and persuasive content that supports your case, giving readers a deeper understanding of your message.

1. Research topics that will be of interest to your audience – use data from sources such as surveys, polls, or analytics reports to identify trends or interesting points.
2. Analyse existing content – this could mean looking at existing blog posts, articles, videos, etc., and understanding what types of content are resonating with your readers.
3. Use data visualization tools such as Tableau or PowerBI to create eye-catching graphics that best illustrate the data you’re presenting – these visuals can be very helpful in communicating complex information quickly and easily.
4. Present the data in a logical and easy-to-understand format – break down any complicated ideas into simple concepts so your readers don’t feel overwhelmed by the information presented
5. Include actionable takeaways wherever possible – highlight areas where improvements can be made or suggest solutions based on the findings from the research you have done.

Make Your Website More Visible

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Link building can be a great way to make your website more visible on the web.

It involves building relationships with other relevant websites and exchanging links with them—all of which can boost your website’s search engine ranking and visibility.

You need to make sure you’re thinking strategically when it comes to who you approach for backlinks, as each link adds credibility and trustworthiness to your site.

Plus, not all links are created equal—you definitely want to invest in quality ones from reputable, high-authority sites rather than engaging in link schemes that could hurt your website’s reputation.

Putting in the effort to establish quality relationships is worth it in the end, as it will ultimately increase awareness of, and traffic to, your website.

1. Optimize your website for search engine visibility – use metadata, keyword research, and other tactics to ensure your site is optimized for search engines such as Google or Bing.
2. Create content that is valuable and relevant to your audience – focus on providing quality content that will encourage readers to link back to your website, thereby increasing its visibility.
3. Engage in social media marketing – post regularly on platforms such as Twitter or LinkedIn, responding directly to users who mention you or comment on your posts.
4. Take advantage of local SEO tactics – if your business caters to a local audience, make sure you take advantage of local listings, directories, or map services such as Google Maps which can help improve visibility in the geographical area you are targeting.
5. Monitor any changes in traffic or rankings over time so you can adjust tactics accordingly – this will provide an indication of whether the strategies you have employed are proving effective or not.

Keep Track of Your Links

Link building is a key component of SEO, but it can get overwhelming.

That’s why it’s essential to track all of your links, both incoming and outgoing.

This will enable you to check each link for accuracy and make sure that everything is up-to-date. It also allows for tracking performance over time and ensuring that all of the hard work in terms of outreach is paying off.

Keeping a record of link activity avoids wasted effort from multiple people reaching out for the same link or tracking down an outdated link.

The best way to stay organized with your link-building efforts is by keeping a spreadsheet detailing where each link was placed, who reached out, and whether or not it was accepted, so you know where to focus your energy in the coming months and years.

1. Create a detailed spreadsheet with all the relevant information – including things such as URL, anchor text, target page, etc., as well as any notes about the link-building campaign for future reference.
2. Use a tool such as Ahrefs or Majestic to check if the links are still live and indexed – this will help you determine which ones are worth keeping and which should be removed from your list.
3. Monitor the performance of each link over time – use analytics reports or monitoring tools to gain insights into how your links are performing, which can help inform future decisions about link-building campaigns.
4. Track backlinks from competitors – using tools such as SEMrush or Moz Pro can help you stay ahead of the competition by seeing what types of links they have acquired.
5. Keep an eye on any changes in rankings – this will allow you to assess whether the link-building efforts being made are having an impact on organic search results and adjust tactics accordingly.

Share Your Content on Forums

A great way to establish yourself as an expert in your field is by sharing your content on forums related to your business.

Creating threads with a link back to your website can draw attention while responding to other threads provides further opportunities to get your content noticed.

But be patient when it comes to forum engagement; engaging too heavily could get you labeled as a spammer and have you banned.

Take the time to genuinely assist others on the forum and create interesting discussions – this will pay off for you in the long run.

1. Research relevant forums – use search engines and social media platforms such as Twitter or Reddit to find forums that are related to your business or topic of interest.
2. Create an account – most forums will require you to sign up before you can post links, so make sure you take the time to set up an account and fill out any necessary bios or contact details.
3. Read the rules of engagement – each forum will have its own rules around posting, so make sure you familiarise yourself with these before proceeding.
4. Share valuable content – ensure that any posts or links you share are interesting and of value to forum users, as this will increase the chances of them engaging with it and clicking through to your website.
5. Monitor comments/feedback – keeping track of any feedback received from forum users is important in order for you to gauge whether your link-building efforts are paying off!

Include Infographics

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Infographics can be a great way to help reach your goals when it comes to your link-building strategy.

Infographics help break up long blocks of text, increasing engagement with readers who are overwhelmed with jargon and too much information.

Not only that, but they provide a visual on a page making it more inviting and more likely to incite visitors to stay longer.

On top of being eye-catching, they also provide an easy way to convey complex ideas and create links between content topics that would otherwise be difficult to articulate.

Including them in your link-building strategy will help keep readers engaged and connected with the subject matter.

1. Identify an interesting topic – create an infographic that people will actually want to read and share, so make sure you do the necessary research before you start designing.
2. Create a visually appealing design – use colors, shapes, symbols, and images that will draw viewers’ attention and help convey your message in a clear and effective way.
3. Optimize for search engines – include keywords in titles, descriptions, and captions to help Google understand the content of the infographic, as this has a direct impact on search engine rankings.
4. Submit the infographic to directories – submit your finished piece to sites such as Visme or Piktochart so that it can be shared with their networks and picked up by other websites who may wish to link back to you.
5. Promote the infographic across social media – share it on platforms like Twitter or Facebook as well as any industry-specific forums or groups where people might find it interesting and relevant!

Get Listed On Resource Pages

One of the best ways for your link-building strategy is by getting your business listed on resource pages.

Resource pages are blog posts or websites that have information about a certain niche or industry; they often link out to blog posts and websites related to their topic.

Getting your website listed on a few relevant resource pages can be a great way to get some high-quality backlinks, as well as introduce more people to your site and services.

These links don’t always come easily, though; you may need to research directories and request listings from the site owner.

But if you put in the effort, you can end up with great backlinking opportunities that will bring more traffic and boost your rankings in the SERP.

1. Identify relevant blogs or sites – use search engines and social media platforms such as Twitter or Reddit to find websites that are related to your business or topic of interest.
2. Contact the webmaster – send an email, make a phone call, or reach out via social media to let the webmaster know you would like your site to be included in their list of resources.
3. Provide necessary information – include all necessary details, such as link URL and anchor text, in order for the webmaster to add the link quickly and accurately.
4. Offer something in return – consider offering something in exchange for being listed on their resource post or page, such as reciprocated links or content contributions.
5. Monitor your placement – keep track of where you have been included so that you can take action if needed (e.g., if a link is removed).

Create a Roundup Blog Post

Link building is an important tool for any savvy digital marketer.

While link building may seem daunting at first, there are tons of helpful resources available to help you get started.

A great way to find quality sources is by creating a roundup blog post! Roundup posts allow you to summarize the valuable insights from multiple sources into one comprehensive guide.

By creating a roundup post that provides useful information about link building and including backlinks for each source you cite, you can generate meaningful results for your website in terms of traffic and SEO ranking.

Although it’s not always easy, roundup posts are an effective way to build credible links online and position yourself as an authority figure in the digital marketing space.

1. Choose a topic – start by selecting a relevant topic or question that multiple bloggers can easily contribute to.
2. Reach out to the experts – make sure you contact the people who know their stuff and can offer valuable insights into the topic at hand.
3. Craft an introduction – introduce your round-up in an engaging way that connects the blog post together and explains why the topic is important.
4. Feature individual posts – include links and content from each contributor, providing enough detail so that readers have an understanding of their perspectives without having to click away from your page.
5. Promote the post – use social media platforms such as Twitter or Facebook to promote your round-up post and broadcast it further!

Create Surveys

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Creating surveys is an effective way to generate more backlinks to your website.

Surveys are a great way to collect data, engage users, and get others interested in interacting with your website.

It can be as simple as reaching out to a blog owner who has already linked to similar content and asking for their input through a survey.

This can help you discover topics other people have shown an interest in – which will then provide you with additional ideas for related content that could be seen as valuable and relevant by those same users.

Additionally, when you inform the original linkers of your completed survey results and include them in the process it shows appreciation for their contribution and may lead to additional links or citations when their friends notice their involvement.

So look into using surveys as part of your link-building strategy — they could really pay off.

1. Create a survey – develop a survey that focuses on topics relevant to your industry, such as customer satisfaction or market trends. Make sure the survey is concise and easy to understand.
2. Share the survey – distribute the survey via email, social media posts, or other outreach channels you have access to in order to increase the response rate.
3. Analyze responses – leverage tools such as Google Forms or Survey Monkey to track responses and identify patterns in the data.
4. Leverage insights – use the data collected from your surveys to inform your content creation efforts and create more targeted pieces of content for link-building purposes.
5. Promote findings – share any interesting results from your surveys in blog posts, press releases, and other digital formats so that other websites can link back to them when citing findings mentioned in the survey results.

Use Social Media

With the increase in social media and the abundance of content available, link-building can be made far more accessible through platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Reddit.

Not only is it a great way to build relationships with industry-related accounts but it’s also an effective way to interest users with relevant topics.

Link building done through social media can create long-lasting relationships and cause exponential growth in your website’s visibility and traffic.

It’s also a viable option for people who have limited budgets or resources but are looking to increase their website’s traffic.

If you aim to strategically utilize the various aspects of social media, such as instant interaction, messaging capabilities, hashtag use, tagging influencers, etc., you’ll find that your link-building efforts will truly pay off.

1. Create an effective strategy – come up with a plan on which social platforms you will use and how you will promote your content.
2. Connect with influencers – reach out to key influencers in the industry and collaborate with them on link-building opportunities.
3. Share content – post relevant and valuable content that appeals to the audience within each platform, providing links back to your own website or blog when appropriate.
4. Participate in discussions – engage with followers by participating in conversations, answering questions, and offering feedback when possible.
5. Monitor progress – track metrics such as likes, comments, retweets, and clicks to identify trends in user engagement and optimize your efforts accordingly.

Sign up to Help A Reporter Out (HARO)

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Signing up for Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is an efficient and cost-effective method that works.

HARO sources high-quality journalists from all around the world, which can bring an influx of new opportunities to those who sign up.

When you sign up, you will get daily emails with opportunities that match your specifications such as needed keywords and geo-targeted jobs.

This can help improve the visibility and organic search rankings of any website by providing authoritative backlinks.

If link building is something that interests you, signing up for HARO should definitely be part of your plan.

1. Identify media outlets – quickly locate reporters, editors, and publications that match your niche on HARO.
2. Source opportunities – find opportunities through the queries posted by reporters in search of sources for their stories.
3. Respond quickly – keep monitoring your inbox and respond to relevant queries as soon as you can to ensure you’re at the top of the list when reporters are searching for sources.
4. Build relationships – continue interacting with reporters over time to develop relationships that may lead to more exposure in the future.
5. Track progress – monitor progress by tracking response numbers and using analytics tools to measure outcomes such as website traffic or conversions driven by HARO interactions.

Find Link Opportunities With Reverse Image Search

With reverse image search, you will uncover considerable opportunities to draw links back to your website.

All that’s required is an interesting photo or graphic; upload the image and the search engine will find web pages that contain similar content.

From there, evaluate potential links and make contact with sites that may have a use for your content.

Not only can this method of link building be really effective, but it can also be super time-efficient too – a true win-win situation for any website owner.

1. Upload an image – start by uploading the image you want to search for in your chosen reverse image search engine.
2. Enter keywords – enter relevant keywords that describe the image so the search engine can show results for similar images.
3. View results – view all the websites and pages that feature the same or similar images as yours.
4. Identify link opportunities – look for authoritative sites that are likely to link back to your site if you provide them with valuable content related to their topic of discussion.
5. Reach out – contact the website owners and offer content they would be interested in, such as an article or infographic, along with a link back to your site.

Find People Using Your Images

Finding people using your images can help with link building but it can be daunting.

However, with a little bit of effort, it’s actually quite simple.

There are two primary ways to find people searching for your visuals: using reverse image search and using creative commons licenses.

By using reverse image search tools like TinEye or Google Image Search, you can discover who is using or linking to your images and where they are using them.

When opting for creative commons licenses, make sure to link back to the original source or author of the image so that others can easily find yours as well.

Link building doesn’t have to be a tricky ordeal – by taking off some of the legwork, you’ll begin seeing a lot more success with this marketing technique.

1. Monitor the web – As previously mentioned, use a tool like Google Images or TinEye to monitor the web for copies of your images.
2. Check backlinks – check the backlink profile of any website that is using your image and see if there are any opportunities to exchange links in return for using the image.
3. Contact website owners – contact website owners who are using your images and politely inquire about exchanging links in return for allowing them to use your image on their site.
4. Request credit – request proper credit be given to you each time your image is used, such as a link back to your site or an attribution mention at the end of their article or post.

Find Influencers in BuzzSumo

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If you’re looking for influencers for a link-building campaign, BuzzSumo is the perfect place to start.

It not only offers you an extensive database of influencers but also allows you to filter your results according to your specific needs.

With its revolutionary search engine, you can narrow down exactly who has been successful in building links, and use that data to your advantage when crafting your link-building strategy.

This invaluable tool will help ensure that you get the most out of your link-building efforts and find people that have already achieved success in this area.

Use it wisely and reap the rewards.

1. Log in – log into your BuzzSumo account and navigate to the “Influencers” tab.
2. Enter keyword – enter relevant keywords that describe the topic you’re researching so BuzzSumo can provide results for related accounts and topics.
3. View results – view all the influential accounts that appear in the search results, including their respective follower counts and engagement metrics.
4. Filter results – use filters such as location, follower range, language, and type of influencer to narrow down your search for specific influencers who fit your criteria.
5. Connect with influencers – reach out to any relevant influencers you find by engaging with their content or sending a message directly inviting them to collaborate on content or other projects related to link building.

Create How-to Guides and Tutorials

If you want to build and master a link-building tactic, writing how-to guides and tutorials might be the best way to start.

By doing this, you can lay down key concepts and include step-by-step instructions on how to create backlinks successfully.

You can also use visuals such as diagrams or infographics as part of your guides, which can make them more engaging and easier to follow.

Plus, sharing your expertise will open a door for networking in the SEO field which might lead to future opportunities.

So if you’re looking into furthering your knowledge of link building, taking the time to write meaningful how-to guides could be one of your best investments yet.

1. Identify topics – begin by researching popular topics relevant to your industry or niche that would be of interest to influencers and other potential collaborators.
2. Outline the guide – outline the structure of the guide and plan what helpful information it will include, making sure it covers all steps necessary for readers to complete their task successfully.
3. Draft content – draft each section of the guide in detailed step-by-step instructions, including visuals such as screenshots and videos where appropriate.
4. Test & review – test out the tutorial yourself to ensure it is accurate and complete before having a third party review it for accuracy and feedback.
5. Publish & promote – once finalized, publish the tutorial onto your website or blog and reach out to relevant influencers or collaborators interested in linking or sharing your content with their audience.

Get Interviewed on Podcasts

Podcasts are becoming an increasingly popular way to get your voice heard, especially when it comes to link-building.

There’s nothing more powerful than letting yourself be heard by a potential customer.

Being featured on a podcast is a great way to do this as it allows you to connect with the listener in a conversational, personal setting.

If you have something interesting or valuable to say that’s relevant to link building, then getting interviewed on a podcast can be an invaluable asset for your business.

It’s also worth noting that being featured on podcasts is an effective way for organic promotion, as it is likely that other listeners of the same show will come across your interview and learn more about what you have to offer.

There’s no limit to the awesome potential benefits of podcasting when it comes to link building so don’t miss out.

1. Research podcasts – research and identify podcasts relevant to your topic or industry that have the potential to reach a large audience interested in what you have to offer.
2. Submit proposal or application – submit an application or pitch your topic idea along with a short bio of yourself and a sample audio clip demonstrating your speaking and interviewing skills.
3. Follow up – be sure to follow up after submitting your proposal as many hosts may be dealing with a large volume of applications and may not always respond right away.
4. Prepare for the interview – once accepted, create an outline of topics you will cover during the interview and practice ahead of time so you are confident in your delivery when it comes time for the actual recording session.
5. Promote episode – once published, promote the episode by sharing it across your social media accounts and with relevant influencers who could help spread the word about it even further.

Curate Awesome Content

Curating excellent content can help maximize your results.

Along with the effort required to generate quality content, devising a plan for gathering, organizing, and using the best external sources is also necessary to ensure your link-building efforts are successful.

Finding reliable information from respected sources is absolutely essential in providing readers with excellent resources that deliver relevant and helpful data.

It may be beneficial to include more than just text-based content too; eye-catching images, informative videos, podcasts, engaging infographics, and How-To guides are all popular content varieties you should consider.

Invest some time into investigating what types of content would spark interest in your target audience and take steps to present the information they will appreciate while also strengthening backlinks to improve SEO rankings.

1. Research topics – begin by researching popular content relevant to your industry or niche, as well as existing resources that influencers and other potential collaborators are already sharing.
2. Identify content sources – identify reputable websites, blogs, and social media profiles where you can access quality content regularly.
3. Evaluate & select – evaluate each piece of content and decide whether it is worth including in your curation process based on its quality, relevance, accuracy, and adherence to best practices guidelines.
4. Aggregate content – once approved, aggregate the selected pieces of content into one news feed or list with appropriate descriptions and attribution for each item.
5. Publish & promote – publish the curated content onto your website or blog and share it across social media accounts or reach out to influencers who may be interested in featuring it in their own networks.

Conclusion

Link building is a complex and time-consuming process, but it is essential for anyone who wants to improve their website’s search engine ranking.

This guide provides an overview of effective link-building strategies that will help you get the edge over your competition.

By following these tips, you can unsustainable improve your website’s search engine ranking and bring in more traffic and higher returns.