Patricia Oliveira
As we all know, back-links are a critical factor of search engine ranking algorithms. Getting more incoming links from better sources is a sure-fire method for improving a site’s position in SERPs. With the coming of Google’s Penguin algorithm update, techniques that seek to build links in ways that look unnatural are being penalized. Google wants its rankings to reflect the needs and interests of its users, and those sites that are employing shady link-building techniques are thought -reasonably- to be less likely to meet that aim. With that in mind, here are three ways that webmasters and site owners can generate backlinks that aren’t going to ring alarm bells in Mountain View.
Content
At ASEOHosting, we’re always eager to avoid a cliche, but it has to be said: quality content sits on the throne of link-building land, and dominates all the lesser methods (almost avoided it). Give users what they want, and they will come, and moreover, they will link. This means providing rich, original textual and visual content that is going to be of interest to people in your site’s target group. Infographics and videos are especially fruitful in this respect, but the humble blog is of major importance too. As well as helping with other SEO considerations, interesting and provocative blog articles will generate discussion, interest, and sharing from others in your niche. They can also provide a venue for content that your site might otherwise not generate: it’s hard to produce scintillating, link-worthy content if your site is mostly comprised of product pages for socks or slug pellets, for example. A blog is a place to demonstrate passion, personality and a flair for your niche, which will attract links.
Use Social Media
Once you have something on your site to attract visitors, the next step is to get the word out, and social media including, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and Pinterest are the perfect tool for that. Search engines consider social links to be valuable signals of relevance and quality, so getting your content out there and +1ed, shared, and pinned is important. Google’s Search Plus Your World brings social sharing into the SERP, so this is a great place to target resources, although of course, Facebook is still the social network of choice. Keep in mind though, social networks are only useful insofar as signal outweighs noise for users, so be smart about your social media strategy; avoid spamming and share high-quality content.
Focus on Local
If your business has a local presence, there are many resources for building links that will cement the relationship between your site and a particular locale. If you are the owner of the Schenectady Sock Emporium, getting links from local business listings, businesses, chambers of commerce and so on will help you rank for “I need socks in Schenectady.”
Of course, this is only a fraction of the possibilities for building a natural link profile. If you have any ideas to share, join the conversation here in the comments, or on Twitter.
