A backlink is a hyperlink that directs from an outside web page back to your site. Backlinking can be an extremely useful SEO tool, but it can be very tricky if your site isn’t well established. So how can you get other sites to backlink to you?
Here are some easy, effective ways to grow your reach.
Great content helps generate backlinks
Let’s start with something that seems obvious: The better your content is, the better your chances are that established sites will link to you. While this alone may not yield results, there’s never a downside to striving to produce better. Study the top organic (not paid) results from a search on your chosen topic. Evaluate their images, titles, word counts, tags and metas…and learn from them.
Perform an original study or survey
If you have data or original information that can be sited, your chances of more and better sites backlinking to you goes up. You don’t have to be conducting scientific research (although, if you can, great!). You can simply build a google forms survey, email it to anyone you wish, and publish the results on your web page.
Infographics are your friend
Just as great content drives backlinking, so does great-lookingcontent. If you can present your information in a visually appealing infographic, you’ll draw more eyes and clicks towards it. Not a designer? No problem. Use a tool like Venngage to get started for a very small cost, or even free.
Align your social media messages (but keep it manageable)
The more platforms from which you can amplify your message, the better. Have a great piece of content to share? Align the message across your website and social accounts while tailoring the content to jump out in a way that’s platform-specific. One warning: While it would be great to do this across every conceivable platform, if you don’t have the time our resources to handle all your social accounts, focus on 2-3 key ones. Quality beats quantity here.
Interact and build relationships!
Finally, you must work to establish yourself and your credibility. Leverage social media to use your unique voice to speak up for yourself. Explain in a conversational way why you are qualified to contribute your content. Backlink to established sites you admire. Engage with them, and interact with those who engage with you.
Backlinking can seem like an unachievable goal when you’re an unknown player online. But it can also take off very quickly if you land on the right sites by following some of these guidelines!
