While search engine optimization continues to be a vast ever-changing terrain, some constant components help website owners rise higher in rank. Although SEO strategies will continue to develop, there is still a keen focus on link building. Those who are new to SEO practices and seasoned veterans will all find this guide to offer the information they require, to create strategies that will propel them to higher levels of traffic and turnovers.
The Importance of Link Building Has Never Been So Paramount
Before delving too deeply into the importance of link building, it is essential individuals first understand how a link is created and how search engine result pages view these links and categorize their importance.
Components of Links
There are a few components search engines read when scanning a link. These parts are each important in their own way, allowing Google and other search engines to index a site appropriately.
The Beginning of the link tag
The anchor tag is the beginning of the link tag. This anchor includes a message to the search engines that a website link is to follow. This tag also opens the link.
The link referral location
A link first includes href, which stands for hyperlink referral. The text that resides within the quotation marks shows where the link points. The link does not have to be a website link. It could point to an image or a downloadable file.
The anchor text
The anchor text is the only part of the link users will see on a website. This text is highlighted or formatted in a way that makes it stand out from other text on the page, letting users know it is a clickable link.
The closure
The closure alerts that this is the end of the link tag, so search engines know there are no further components to crawl in the link.
How Do Search Engines View and Use Links?
There are a couple of key ways search engines use links. First, they will use the link to find new web pages that need to be crawled. Links also help search engines determine the quality of a web page, to determine its rank.
When a search engine is crawling a web page, they look at several factors to determine how it should be ranked. Although content is of prime importance, search engines also factor in the number of links from outside websites. The quality of the external websites is also a part of the ranking process.
For the most part, websites that have many high-quality website pages are going to rank better on search engine result pages. Google started using linking to rank websites back in the 1990s, and their system has allowed them to dominate the search engine world and remain one of the most trusted search engines.
The Invention of PageRank
Larry Page, one of Google’s founders, invented PageRank, and the search engine used it to help determine the quality of the website or page, based on the number of links pointing to the website. In the beginning, PageRank became a valuable tool that helped determine whether a website was an authoritarian on the subject.
Unfortunately, as with most things, people began learning to manipulate PageRank. When SEOs were found to be manipulating the system in mass, Google began regularly chugging out updates that were aimed to take care of those attempting to increase their rank using manipulative means.
Links Are Still Highly Important
Despite some changes to Google’s secretive algorithms and constant updates meant to discover rank manipulators, link building remains an integral part of a website’s rank. Those who want to rise in rank on search engine result pages need to be aware of the steps involved in link building and how they will affect a website’s rank.
Important Steps Involved in Link Building
Having the right link building strategy is integral for improving a website’s rank. Not only is link building an important part of any SEO plan, but it is also essential for drawing traffic to a website. Consider the following steps as a part of link building.
- It is imperative website owners know their audience. Website owners need to evaluate their current audience and the one they would like to obtain.
- Making a list of the websites that appeal to your audience is important. These websites should be authoritative and offer stellar content.
- Creating amazing and informative content will help with link building. Successful websites are more likely to link to other websites that offer superior content.
- Once you have the best content, it is time to match the subjects with the list of websites you made. Reach out to each website owner that fits the topic of your content explicitly. If the content is authoritative and informative, websites will want to link to because your content adds value to theirs. Those visitors coming from linked websites are more likely to convert and become repeat visitors.
Reaching out to website owners can seem intimidating at first, but it is the best way to start with link building. Ask website owners to write about your product or service. You can also ask to write a guest post blog for link building. Although by phone is the best method, you can also use email. Make sure to be informative, positive, and grateful for their time.
There are other methods you can use for link building. Many website owners use a combination of the following.
- Directory submission
- Dofollow social media posts
- Dofollow comments
- Infographics
- Video content
What Should You Look for in Linking Sources?
Finding the right linking sources is critical. As stated above, Google is serious about rank. They did not get to the top of the search engine chain by allowing poor website content to reign.
Not only should a website have many websites pointing to it, they also need to be high-quality websites. There are three fundamental things you should look for when determining which websites to seek for linking.
- The website should be an expert on the topic.
- The website should be considered an authoritarian on the subject.
- The website should be trustworthy.
The more authoritative a website, the more weight its links will carry. Before contacting any website owners, research is critical. Checking the websites for their content, rank, and following will help you determine if the website will add value to your site and improve its rank. You should be very picky regarding which websites you choose for linking.
What Are the Benefits of Link Building?
Link building is a complicated subject. Once a person feels they have grasped the subject, search engines change their rules, and website owners must scramble to keep up with the changes. Despite the many changes over the years, link building remains a key aspect of SEO practices. The following offers insight into the benefits of link building.
- Increased visibility for your blog or website
- An influx of traffic from other websites pointing to yours
- Increased rank in search engine result pages
- Reduction of time to index your site
- Increased chance of your website being considered an authoritative source
Discover Your Link Profile
Your link profile is not only about the number of websites pointing back to your website, but also involves their quality. To assess your link profile appropriately takes a concerted effort and a careful eye.
Remember that search engines like Google use links to understand how your website relates to others. Aside from the following considerations, many tools can test your link profile, so you can make beneficial changes as needed.
- How many websites are pointing to yours?
- Are the websites diverse?
- What is the quality level of each website?
Evaluating your link profile regularly is critical for SEO. There is always room for improvement and growth with any profile. By improving your link profile, you can increase brand awareness and see a better conversion rate.
If you are concerned about your link profile, start taking action now. It will take time to improve your profile, but hard work pays off in the end.
Bottom Line
If you are new to link building, this guide should provide you with the basics. It can be difficult to stay abreast of the latest rules regarding link building, but the landscape seems mostly unchanged as of now.
It is important to remember that you should never attempt to begin link building without having something of value to link. Why should any website owner want to link to your website? Think about this question and ensure you can answer truthfully.
It will take time to go through the process of link building, and you can never say it is finished. Highly ranked websites consistently look for new link building strategies, and you should too.
With this guide, you should be well on your way to better understanding the principles of link building. Knowing how link building benefits a website makes gathering links more enticing. Get started now and soon see results.