The world of search engine optimisation (SEO) has evolved dramatically since link building practices and black hat techniques were at the height of popularity. In fact, the SEO scene is changing so much on a continuous basis that the net is filled with helpful guides about which SEO trends to use NOW and what tactics to ditch to garner the most effective solutions for your business. Link building is one area that has been chopped and changed more than any other in the SEO world, and for good reason. In their quest for better usability and value, the likes of Google and other search engines have grown to favour more natural links – just look at Matt Cutts’ 2009 blog post on the very subject – instead of the non-natural links generally generated through link building. Contrary to popular belief however link building is not dead, nor buried, just changed…

Google needs links and so do users. Links are in fact the cornerstone of presenting the most valuable and relevant information we find online to the people who need it. The online world simply can’t be link-less or SEO-less, how will browsers find the best and most revered content that answers their questions? The way the businesses and sources looking to share content with these browsers has altered. The forum and blog comment links that were so heavily relied upon and so quickly curated no longer have a place but there are a number of great link building strategies that do. Read on to discover what builds links and what doesn’t.

Content builds links

We hate to be predictable but content is still king, and in the quest for more natural links, having a well-stocked blog roll or social media feed certainly comes in handy.

Top ranking content always has more links, that’s a fact, but it’s not all that having 100,000 backlinks. Quality links matter and the only route to quality links is to produce and publish quality content. Content that is well-researched, informative and valuable isn’t easy to create but spending that time and effort doing so will see your link profile boosted, your authority rank higher on Google and your website the recipient of tons more visitors. You can thank us later!

Going off-site works too

Guest blogging is no new tactic. It’s been a method of building links, establishing authority and reaching new audiences for a number of years but it still works… if it’s done correctly that is. Just like blogging on your own site, the content created must be relevant, industry-specific and high quality, and so should the site of placement. There are countless generic websites accepting guest blog submissions but going as niche as possible when sourcing guest blogging partners is important.

Use influencers to your advantage

Influencer marketing is growing in popularity, just as we predicted in one of our earlier blog posts. Like many marketing changes to expect in 2018 keeping influencer content concise and relevant to your target audience is imperative. Influencer-mentioning, round-up articles have become a favourite on the new and improved link building scene, with mentions even gaining recognition from the influencers themselves. Choose your influencers wisely, and let the links flow in.

Looking to add link building to your marketing strategy? Get in touch with us and our SEO experts will be in touch!