Module 5 – Backlinks
In the previous module, you learned about on-page SEO. That is, how to optimize web page content for search engines and users. This included optimizing title tags, content, internal links, and URLs.
There is also something called off-page SEO that refers to all the things that happen off your website that impact people's perception of your website: it's popularity, relevance, and trustworthiness. How do you optimize for something seemingly out of your control? Backlinks.
Backlinking is the process of getting reputable sites to, in essence, vouch for your website by linking to it.
Backlinking is so important that Google includes it in their top 3 ranking factors. A successful backlinking strategy is not necessarily about the quantity of backlinks, but the quality.
Google cares a lot about the authority of a website (and its relevance – that's the dynamic duo of search). 1000 substandard, irrelevant paid backlinks will do you no good, it may even damage your website's reputation if you get a penalty from Google for doing black hat SEO.
However, just one good backlink from an authoritative website considered to be legitimate and an 'expert' in that niche, can do wonders for your own website's authority in Google's eyes. This includes getting a link from an industry influencer's blog that has many subscribers or a news publication like The New York Times.
By increasing backlinks to your website, you will increase your page and website authority and rank higher in searches.
Strategies To Get High-Quality Backlinks to Your Website
Check Out Your Competitors' Backlinks
Research backlinks of competitors who are trying to rank for the same keywords as you. Ubersuggest's backlink checker allows you to enter up to 5 competitor domains to compare. The free version lists the first 5 backlinks that each competitor has that you don't.
Approach the same websites that link to the competition, or let their backlinks inspire you.
For example, let's say you have a small B&B and you normally focus your marketing efforts on direct guests (business to consumer marketing). But you notice that your competition has backlinks from large websites that market to the travel industry and large agencies (business to business). Now, they aren't necessarily going to get business from these sites, but the link authority is unbeatable.
When working on your backlink strategy, it is helpful to think beyond the normal limits of your marketing efforts.
Guest Blogging
You've checked out the competition and many of the external sites that link to them are probably blogs. Some of the posts are written by the bloggers themselves, but there is another strategy you can use: offer to write the post yourself.
Guest blogging is a great way to demonstrate your expertise, forge relationships, and establish connections. It is also part of an effective backlink strategy.
The idea isn't to stuff your post with multiple links to multiple pages on your site. First off, it's bad form. Secondly, and most importantly, Google doesn't like it. Each link you add diminishes authority for your site, and if you link too many times, your post will get flagged by Google.
Instead what you want to do is add one strong link up top, within the first couple of paragraphs. Make sure it is completely relevant to the blog and the specific topic you are writing about. Your link should provide readers with a valuable resource.
You can also include a link in your biography or 'about the author' section. This link has context and won't look like shameless self-promotion: you are providing readers with a way to find out more about you and what you offer.
Hyperlink the part of your biography that is most relevant to the keyword phrase you want to boost. For example, if you want to highlight your coaching services, link that and direct people to your services page. If you are launching a new product, link from there and direct them to your product page. If you are working on lead generation and have a blog post set up to help you with that, direct people there. Think carefully about which SEO and overall business goal you want to achieve with this backlink.
Guest Podcasting
Similar to guest blogging, being a podcast guest can increase valuable backlinks to your site and boost your SEO ranking. Research podcasts that are compatible with your core offer, product, brand, and/or target keyword(s) and listen to some episodes while driving, commuting, or folding laundry. Get to know the podcast well. Follow the podcast page on social media and if the host has their own pages, 'like' them too. Interact with other followers and see what they're saying.
Once you are familiar with the podcast, then pitch yourself as a guest for the show. It might take a bit longer than blanket pitching dozens of podcasts at once, but your odds of landing a spot are much higher if you understand the mood and tone of the show.
Once you land a guest spot, make sure you ask the podcaster to link to your website or blog on their social media pages and from their website. The link is usually placed within your biography and in the promos for your episode.
HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
Content sourcing services are a great way to build backlinks. Services like HARO match journalists with sources – which could be you! Register and three times a day you will be sent a listing of different articles, blog posts, or productions that need expert quotes, insight, or interviewees. Find something relevant to your industry, expertise, or personal experience and respond.
If you are chosen to be a source, you will get a relevant backlink from a potentially large, influential media site with high authority.
Key Takeaways:
⦁ Backlinking is the process of getting reputable sites to 'vouch' for your website by linking to it.
⦁ A successful backlinking strategy is not necessarily about the quantity of backlinks, but the quality: one good backlink from an authoritative 'expert' website boosts your own website's authority.
⦁ By increasing quality backlinks to your website, you will increase your page and website authority and rank higher in searches.
Action Steps:
1. From your chosen pages, select one page to focus on for your backlink strategies. (It's a good idea to use the same page you are using for your internal linking strategy). Build authority for that page using some of the strategies in this lesson. Once you have chosen the page you will test out your backlinking strategies on, review the page's target keyword, keyword intent, and primary target audience (and what actions you want them to take). Keep this information in mind as you work through the following steps:
⦁ Research your competitors' backlinks, using sites like Ubersuggest. Go through the list of their backlinks, taking the top 5 from each, and approach those same websites or similar ones. Let your competition's backlinks inspire you to look into backlink sources you hadn't previously considered.
⦁ Brainstorm and create a contact list of blogs, websites, and podcasts that would be compatible with the content, topic, and audience of the page you are building backlinks for.
⦁ If you haven't already, set up a ⦁ HARO account and sign up to be a 'source' for journalists. Think about the areas you want to specialize in (related to your target keywords and audience) and then prepare a pitch template that can be customized (short bio, relevant experience, contact information)
⦁ Set aside time for 'backlink outreach', or set a goal for how many bloggers, podcasters, or websites you will contact each week. (e.g., 'Research and pitch three bloggers a week').
Go to Module 6
In the previous module, you learned about on-page SEO. That is, how to optimize web page content for search engines and users. This included optimizing title tags, content, internal links, and URLs.
There is also something called off-page SEO that refers to all the things that happen off your website that impact people's perception of your website: it's popularity, relevance, and trustworthiness. How do you optimize for something seemingly out of your control? Backlinks.
Backlinking is the process of getting reputable sites to, in essence, vouch for your website by linking to it.
Backlinking is so important that Google includes it in their top 3 ranking factors. A successful backlinking strategy is not necessarily about the quantity of backlinks, but the quality.
Google cares a lot about the authority of a website (and its relevance – that's the dynamic duo of search). 1000 substandard, irrelevant paid backlinks will do you no good, it may even damage your website's reputation if you get a penalty from Google for doing black hat SEO.
However, just one good backlink from an authoritative website considered to be legitimate and an 'expert' in that niche, can do wonders for your own website's authority in Google's eyes. This includes getting a link from an industry influencer's blog that has many subscribers or a news publication like The New York Times.
By increasing backlinks to your website, you will increase your page and website authority and rank higher in searches.
Strategies To Get High-Quality Backlinks to Your Website
Check Out Your Competitors' Backlinks
Research backlinks of competitors who are trying to rank for the same keywords as you. Ubersuggest's backlink checker allows you to enter up to 5 competitor domains to compare. The free version lists the first 5 backlinks that each competitor has that you don't.
Approach the same websites that link to the competition, or let their backlinks inspire you.
For example, let's say you have a small B&B and you normally focus your marketing efforts on direct guests (business to consumer marketing). But you notice that your competition has backlinks from large websites that market to the travel industry and large agencies (business to business). Now, they aren't necessarily going to get business from these sites, but the link authority is unbeatable.
When working on your backlink strategy, it is helpful to think beyond the normal limits of your marketing efforts.
Guest Blogging
You've checked out the competition and many of the external sites that link to them are probably blogs. Some of the posts are written by the bloggers themselves, but there is another strategy you can use: offer to write the post yourself.
Guest blogging is a great way to demonstrate your expertise, forge relationships, and establish connections. It is also part of an effective backlink strategy.
The idea isn't to stuff your post with multiple links to multiple pages on your site. First off, it's bad form. Secondly, and most importantly, Google doesn't like it. Each link you add diminishes authority for your site, and if you link too many times, your post will get flagged by Google.
Instead what you want to do is add one strong link up top, within the first couple of paragraphs. Make sure it is completely relevant to the blog and the specific topic you are writing about. Your link should provide readers with a valuable resource.
You can also include a link in your biography or 'about the author' section. This link has context and won't look like shameless self-promotion: you are providing readers with a way to find out more about you and what you offer.
Hyperlink the part of your biography that is most relevant to the keyword phrase you want to boost. For example, if you want to highlight your coaching services, link that and direct people to your services page. If you are launching a new product, link from there and direct them to your product page. If you are working on lead generation and have a blog post set up to help you with that, direct people there. Think carefully about which SEO and overall business goal you want to achieve with this backlink.
Guest Podcasting
Similar to guest blogging, being a podcast guest can increase valuable backlinks to your site and boost your SEO ranking. Research podcasts that are compatible with your core offer, product, brand, and/or target keyword(s) and listen to some episodes while driving, commuting, or folding laundry. Get to know the podcast well. Follow the podcast page on social media and if the host has their own pages, 'like' them too. Interact with other followers and see what they're saying.
Once you are familiar with the podcast, then pitch yourself as a guest for the show. It might take a bit longer than blanket pitching dozens of podcasts at once, but your odds of landing a spot are much higher if you understand the mood and tone of the show.
Once you land a guest spot, make sure you ask the podcaster to link to your website or blog on their social media pages and from their website. The link is usually placed within your biography and in the promos for your episode.
HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
Content sourcing services are a great way to build backlinks. Services like HARO match journalists with sources – which could be you! Register and three times a day you will be sent a listing of different articles, blog posts, or productions that need expert quotes, insight, or interviewees. Find something relevant to your industry, expertise, or personal experience and respond.
If you are chosen to be a source, you will get a relevant backlink from a potentially large, influential media site with high authority.
Key Takeaways:
⦁ Backlinking is the process of getting reputable sites to 'vouch' for your website by linking to it.
⦁ A successful backlinking strategy is not necessarily about the quantity of backlinks, but the quality: one good backlink from an authoritative 'expert' website boosts your own website's authority.
⦁ By increasing quality backlinks to your website, you will increase your page and website authority and rank higher in searches.
Action Steps:
1. From your chosen pages, select one page to focus on for your backlink strategies. (It's a good idea to use the same page you are using for your internal linking strategy). Build authority for that page using some of the strategies in this lesson. Once you have chosen the page you will test out your backlinking strategies on, review the page's target keyword, keyword intent, and primary target audience (and what actions you want them to take). Keep this information in mind as you work through the following steps:
⦁ Research your competitors' backlinks, using sites like Ubersuggest. Go through the list of their backlinks, taking the top 5 from each, and approach those same websites or similar ones. Let your competition's backlinks inspire you to look into backlink sources you hadn't previously considered.
⦁ Brainstorm and create a contact list of blogs, websites, and podcasts that would be compatible with the content, topic, and audience of the page you are building backlinks for.
⦁ If you haven't already, set up a ⦁ HARO account and sign up to be a 'source' for journalists. Think about the areas you want to specialize in (related to your target keywords and audience) and then prepare a pitch template that can be customized (short bio, relevant experience, contact information)
⦁ Set aside time for 'backlink outreach', or set a goal for how many bloggers, podcasters, or websites you will contact each week. (e.g., 'Research and pitch three bloggers a week').
Go to Module 6
