Link building is a technique where you collect relevant links from other websites to your own website. These links, also called backlinks, must match the topic of your page. Link building is extremely important for the position of your site on Google. The more websites refer to your site, the higher your position in the search results and the more authority Google gives your website.
With link building, you have to look closely at the quality of the links. You have to make sure that the external websites are from the same industry and that the text perfectly matches the content of your page. In this way, a natural link profile is created, so that Google considers your website a popular and reliable page. Link building is very important for SEO, and with many high-quality links, your website will be displayed as one of the first.
Once Google notices that the backlinks pointing to your page do not match the content or appear manipulated, your website will no longer appear on the first page. Therefore, create a logical and strategic link structure in which the links are incorporated in the texts in a natural way.
The meaning of linkbuilding
Link building literally means building backlinks to your website. The links obtained then ensure that Google considers your page to be relevant, popular, and reliable. You can compare it a bit to a popularity contest. The number of links pointing to your website is actually a vote for your website. If certain companies choose your website to include on their page, this means that your page contains correct and relevant information.
It is important that you know that not every link is assigned the same value. The links on a hospital page that point to certain medical products have more value than links on a supermarket site that promote the same medical items. The link value is determined by the domain and the page on which the links appear. Links on pages that have been around for a long time and appear high in search results have a higher value than links that appear on newly created websites.
Link building and SEO: this is how they work together
SEO, or search engine optimization, is a very important marketing strategy. Organic traffic is essential for a company. By optimizing your website, you appear as one of the first search results and reach a wider audience. Search engines want to display the best and most relevant website for each query. To determine which sites best match the keyword, each search engine has developed an algorithm.
Search engines such as Google take four factors into account: the keywords they encounter on the website, the technical quality of the site, the content of the texts, and link building. Link building is a component of SEO that is often underestimated. However, Google attaches great importance to this, and the backlinks would determine your position by up to 50%.
A few years ago, Google mainly looked at the number of backlinks. However, nowadays, the quality of the links is becoming more important. Since search engines only want to display relevant pages, they find it important that your page is referred to from reliable and industry-related sites.
Internal links and backlinks have become one of the decisive factors in Google’s algorithm in recent years. Websites with many external links are assigned more authority and will appear in a higher position. A marketing strategy must therefore continuously optimize a company’s link profile. Link building is not difficult. With a solid strategy, you will quickly improve the position of your website, and you will immediately see the conversion rate increase.
The different ways of building links
1. Internal link
Building Internal link building is a very simple and important part of link building. With internal link building, you add various links within your own domain. With these links, you refer to relevant articles, certain blog posts, or other content on your website. Thanks to these links, visitors can find more information about a certain topic, and you can put related products in the spotlight.
With internal link building, you have to take a lot of elements into account. For example, you must first and foremost ensure that it does not take too many clicks to reach the target page. With a clear structure, you work very strategically and purposefully. You should also limit the number of ‘floating pages’. A floating page is a part of your website that you barely refer to. This content receives no visitors and has no relation to the other pages. Finally, it’s also a good idea to include keywords in the anchor text. This way, every visitor knows to which page the link will lead, and the search engine’s algorithm recognizes the internal link faster.
Search engines attach great importance to internal links. By applying a clear link structure to your website and combining the links with the most important keywords, you will soon get a better ranking in the search engine. For Google, a click on your page is a kind of confirmation that the content is relevant and valuable. The user-friendliness of your website will also improve considerably with a logical structure. Your visitors can easily navigate through the entire site and find the information they want right away.
2. External link building
External link building is a bit more difficult and takes more time. With external link building, you try to collect as many backlinks as possible that refer to your page. External links can determine your position with Google by 30%, sometimes even 40%.
External link building is a strategy that can be used in different ways. First and foremost, there are special pages on which you can create your own links. For example, business directories or blogs However, search engines know that you can create these types of external backlinks yourself and do not attach much importance to them.
You can also request backlinks from third parties or even purchase them in some cases. However, the best way to build external links is to earn them. For this, you need relevant content that contains extra value for the third party. By posting consistent and unique information on your site, other businesses will be happy to link to it.
In the ideal world of Google, all link profiles arise naturally. This way, the search engine knows exactly which sites or pages are relevant and popular. In practice, of course, this is different. There are various techniques to collect strong backlinks, and there are more and more programs or third parties that can help you with this.
With external link building, it is also essential that you keep checking the backlinks obtained. You probably update your website regularly, and you must therefore constantly check whether the links do not return any errors. Nowadays, there are various tools that allow you to verify external links in a few seconds. Thanks to this software, you can be sure that the links are of good quality and do not refer to incorrect pages.
How important is link building?
The exact algorithm of a search engine like Google is a big secret. However, many specialists agree that backlinks determine your ranking in Google by about 30 to 50 percent. Link building should therefore be one of your priorities and should certainly be included in the marketing strategy.
Google is getting stricter when it comes to backlinks. The search engine thoroughly checks the quality of all links. You need a lot of links, preferably from reliable websites. Relevance is also an asset. The ideal backlink comes from a website in your field. The text in which the link is processed must also match your website. These links have much more value and will therefore positively influence your position in the search results.
When many backlinks are generated to your website, Google considers your page authoritative for a particular keyword. By paying enough attention to link building, you can get a nice head start on your online competition. Your website will appear as one of the first results, and the organic traffic on your page will increase enormously.
How long does it take for link building to pay off?
It takes a while for the results of link building to be visible. Depending on the industry and competition, it takes a few weeks to a few months for your page’s ranking to improve. Google needs time to find and approve the new backlinks. Once the search engine has checked the quality of the backlinks, the links are included in the algorithm, and your position is reviewed. So be sure to be patient when you start a new link-building campaign and don’t give up too quickly.
It is also very difficult to measure the exact results of link building. There are several factors that play a role in Google’s algorithm. For example, you have to create unique and relevant content and incorporate the keywords into the website in a natural way. You should also look closely at the technical side of your page. Google also takes into account the loading time and other technical elements. It doesn’t matter how many quality and relevant links you collect; if you don’t take the above elements into account, you will never reach the first position.
Watch a video about link building here
Which link-building techniques can you apply?
Link building can be done in various ways. Some link-building techniques are easy and simple, while others require a lot of time or even an investment.
The ideal link profile consists of a combination of different techniques. Do not try to bypass the system. Google pays a lot of attention to the quality of the links and mercilessly punishes unfair link building.
1. Press Releases
Posting a press release is a very simple link-building technique. If you have a special event or nice news to report, you will automatically get some backlinks from other websites.
The big advantage of a press release is that it is often shared on other websites. Especially if the content of the message is valuable, it will also be posted on other news sites. As a result, your press release will be read by a wide audience, and you will receive even more backlinks.
While writing a press release, you should make sure that the content contains valuable information. If you use the message to increase brand awareness or promote a certain product, the entire press release will soon be labeled as spam.
2. Outreach
Outreach is an outdated form of link-building. With this technique, you approach other websites and try to get a backlink. Outreach can be compared to business development. You contact several companies that you do not know yet and introduce your company to them. Then you explain to them the importance of the links and ask them if they want to place a backlink on their page.
3. Home Pages
One of the best-known link-building techniques is collecting backlinks on homepages. Keep in mind that these are not strong links. Rather, this method is used to expand and diversify your link profile.
Acquiring links on homepages is an activity that costs you no money and very little time. You have to choose the homepages carefully. Only links from popular and relevant pages strengthen your link-building campaign.
Some companies have more than a hundred or even a thousand homepages in their link profile. This is not always a good idea. Your link profile should certainly not consist of links from home pages for more than 20%. We therefore recommend that you include some homepage links in your profile, but do not forget to also look for links from strong external websites.
4. Industry-related websites
The best way to improve your ranking on Google is to collect links from related websites. If many backlinks refer to your website from optimized and well-written texts, Google immediately knows that you are a popular and reliable player in your field. They will assign you authority, and you will appear higher in the search results.
Industry-related websites may also post links on their homepage. These special backlinks strengthen your profile and only benefit your ranking.
At Blogdrip, we have an extensive network of websites. By linking your page to our platform, we put you in touch with other industry-related websites. This way, we can optimize your link-building campaign, and you will immediately have more high-quality backlinks.
5. Link Exchange
Link exchange is a link-building technique where you enter into a partnership. Good examples are promotions by well-known influencers or testimonials from satisfied customers. The third party is happy to provide a link to your website on their page in return.
Google focuses heavily on the natural origin of backlinks. The search engine prefers that the links be placed only on the basis of their content. Link exchange is therefore a dangerous method. As soon as Google suspects that the links have been manipulated, you will be penalized, and it will be very difficult to end up on the first page of the search results.
6. ABC backlinks
A technique similar to link exchange is creating ABC backlinks. This complex technique involves three different pages: website A, website B, and website C. Websites A and C are managed by the same person.
Website B places a backlink to Website A on a page. In exchange for this link, the website manager places a link from website C to website B. In this way, you bypass Google’s algorithm. The search engine does not recognize this technique as a link exchange and will consider the backlinks as natural.
To be able to apply this technique, the content of the websites must match. The links must be relevant. If the content of the page is not in the same field, the links are not relevant to Google, and your website will not rank higher.
7. Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing has become a widely used marketing strategy in recent years. You can use influencers to increase brand awareness, promote a certain product, or even interact with your target group.
Nowadays, influencer marketing is increasingly used in combination with link building. By choosing the right influencer, you can easily reach your ideal target group. As soon as the influencer refers to your website, the followers will immediately take a look at your page. These backlinks are therefore very strong and certainly add value to your link profile.
A collaboration with an influencer brings another great advantage. A promotion, an interview, or a presentation by a blogger brings you a lot of valuable content. Influencers usually have a loyal following, and you will immediately see the number of views and conversions increase.
8. Product testers
This technique also often involves bloggers or influencers. With this link-building method, you give away a product to a blogger. This influencer then writes a review about the item and refers to your website in his article.
Product testing is often used to promote low-traffic, high-turnover pages. Try to choose a product at a low price. This way, you don’t lose too much money and can make more profit.
A product review is not only useful for SEO. The descriptions also bring you more visitors. A large portion of the followers will immediately click through to the product in question.
9. Skycraper Technique
Writing good and unique content is a very efficient way to get strong backlinks. The Skyscraper Method, also known as the Skyscraper Technique, plays a handy role in this. In this method, you first and foremost need to analyze the websites in your industry. Take a good look at which content has the most backlinks and which information the articles contain, so that you get a clear picture of the information value that is missing.
Then you have to get started yourself. Write a new article with better and updated information. After writing, you can contact the websites and ask them if they want to include backlinks to your new content in their article. Most companies certainly agree with this. They want to inform their visitors correctly. Moreover, with the Skyscraper method, you also optimize the content of your website, which can give your ranking in Google a huge boost.
10. Claim links that write about you.
If your webshop has unique products or if there is valuable content on your website, you will certainly be mentioned by other companies. Links are not always added to these listings. This is, of course, a missed opportunity for your company. You could even miss dozens of relevant links.
Many companies are therefore engaged in the detection of linkless listings. By entering your company name in Google, you immediately see on which sites you are listed. As soon as you come across your business on a page, you can contact the web administrator and claim the links. Normally, the company in question will add the link without any problems. The backlink is very relevant and will positively influence their position in Google.
This is how you check your link profile
Link building is an essential part of SEO. Nowadays, there are several tools that allow you to check how many backlinks you have and on which pages they are located. In addition, some programs also give you the opportunity to monitor your competition. You get an overview of the sites on which they have backlinks, so that you can contact these pages if necessary. Most marketers use one of the following programs :
1.AHREFS
Ahrefs is the most complete link-building tool. You can literally measure anything with it. For example, Ahrefs not only shows you all your current backlinks but also gives you an overview of the lost links and the links of your competitors. Furthermore, Ahrefs also immediately shows you which anchor texts are used and which keywords you can add.
Within Ahrefs, the alerts are a very popular feature. For example, you can receive a notification if you have received a new backlink, if your company name is mentioned without a link, or if you are found on a new keyword.
Finally, Ahrefs is a program that also looks at other aspects of SEO. The program checks your content, analyzes the use of keywords, and keeps track of the position in which your website appears. Keep in mind that this program has a free and a paid version. The paid version is very extensive, while the free module is rather limited.
2. Majestic SEO
Majestic SEO is a very popular program used by a large portion of SEO experts. This program is paid, although it is significantly cheaper than the paid version of Ahrefs.
Majestic SEO focuses on tracking, building, and analyzing backlinks. This tool indicates, among other things, how many links you have, how the links are structured, and which anchor texts are used.
One of the most popular features of Majestic SEO is the Trust Flow. This is a score that the system assigns to a particular website. Each website is given a score between 1 and 100. The higher the score, the more reliable the page. This way, you can immediately know which toxic backlinks you need to remove. These are backlinks you get from pages with a low Trust Flow. These links affect your ranking in a negative way and should be removed as soon as possible.
3. MOZ
MOZ is a complete SEO tool. In addition to checking your backlinks, you can also use the program for various SEO-related matters.
MOZ’s Link Explorer gives you all the necessary information about your backlinks, ranging from the number of links to your domain authority and even the spam score. MOZ is an excellent tool with which you can work well, although it must be said that Majestic SEO and Ahrefs can get more information.
4. SEO Spyglass
Finally, you can also use SEO Spyglass. SEO Spyglass is a tool that uses the largest backlink checker on the internet, namely SEO Powersuit Link Explorer. With this program, you can check all your current backlinks, and you can even download links from Google Analytics.
A very popular feature of this program is that you can check the quality of the backlinks. SEO Spyglass indicates which links positively influence your position with Google and which links are more likely to jeopardize your ranking. You can then pass on risky links to Google so that the search engine can remove them immediately.
Furthermore, you can perform a lot of analysis with this program, and you get a clear picture of the backlinks of your direct competition. This way, you can optimize your link-building campaign and immediately improve your score with Google.
An overview of all link building concepts
- Anchor: The anchor text is the piece of text behind which the backlink is placed. Usually one of the keywords is processed in this text.
- Backlink: A backlink is a link on an external website that points to your site or page.
- Disavow: Disavow is a special mechanism from Google where you can report bad or toxic links. You indicate which links you find irrelevant, and Google will then remove them.
- Link profile: Your link profile consists of an overview of all backlinks and pages that refer to your website.
- Toxic links: Some backlinks come from bad pages or don’t work. These toxic links have a bad influence on your ranking and should definitely be removed.
- Trust Flow: The Trust Flow is a score that the Majestic SEO program assigns to each page. The higher the Trust Flow, the more trustworthy the site.
- Link value: A value is assigned to each backlink. This value indicates the quality of the link and depends on the context and content of the website.
- Nofollow: By attaching a nofollow tag to a link, you instruct Google not to follow this link. This backlink will then not count when determining your position.
- Authority: The number of backlinks and the quality of the links determine your authority on certain keywords. Your domain and certain pages are also assigned an authority score. The DA, or domain authority, indicates how your website scores in the search engines. The PA, or page authority, then refers to the score of a specific page.
Link Building In 2023
Link building is a technique that has become increasingly important in recent years. A few years ago, Google mainly looked at the number of backlinks. The quality was less important; it was mainly about the fact that your website was often referred to.
In 2022, this will be completely different. Google is increasingly looking at the user experience and placing the quality of the links above the quantity. A few high-quality backlinks will affect your ranking much better than a bunch of low-quality links.
The relevance of the links is also extremely important. Make sure that the external websites are industry-related and that the texts match your products or services. Moreover, the content on your page is also of great importance to the search engine. Strengthen your authority and write texts that target consumers or users. Whatever you do, try not to take advantage of algorithm flaws. Google is punishing these practices more and more, and you can even disappear completely from the search results.