Online real estate is growing sparser as organizations have come to realize the incredible marketing potential of back linking to promote their content. For that reason, the old link building strategies we’ve grown accustomed to are becoming outdated.
Aside from the competition that makes it difficult for your specific link to get noticed, Google has started cracking down on old link building practices. If a link is too obvious or the article isn’t useful, the ranking benefits will be denied. Consumers are also learning to pick up on spammy links.
The problem isn’t that link building is dead. On the contrary, it’s still one of the best ways to boost your rankings and gain online attention. The problem is that people use outdated strategies when they should be using more modern practices.
In 2017, here are some of the most popular link building tactics:
Thorough and Lengthy Content
Gone are the days when 400 word blog posts that barely scratched the surface were effective. Instead, Google wants lengthy, exhaustive guides. These blogs naturally attract links because of the high value offered to readers.
In some cases, you might create an eBook or PDF that’s dozens of pages long. This would look at every aspect of a topic and go into detail with examples and actionable tips. This is a costly and time-consuming method of content creation, but it’s one of the best ways to brand your site as an authority and attract links.
In other cases, you might create a 2,500 word blog post. It would focus on a specific topic, aiming to inform a reader who’s looking for a quick, yet thorough solution. Add some interesting or interactive visuals to enhance your content and rank higher.
Link Networking within TLDs
Single Grain, a digital marketing company, ran a study on 1 million back links to analyze what works and what can land you penalties according to Google’s algorithm. A key finding in their study of Airbnb showed that when the accommodation site performed link networking from their own TLDs, they had a back link ratio of about 472:1.
This might seem like it’s stretching the limits of Google’s patience, but because the intent was not so much manipulation as it was the natural structure of cross domain linking, it was a very effective way to raise rankings.
List Posts
For several years in a row, Buzzfeed has been the top-ranking blog in the world, largely due to their list-format posts. It’s true that the quality of these list posts isn’t quite what you’ll find in a detailed guide or longer authority post, but they still manage to attract a lot of attention. They’re fun, informative, and can be read in a hurry, which is something those with a short attention span love to see.
List posts also create high user engagement. If you’re promising “10 ways to stop your pest problem,” it makes it sound like you have a definitive answer. With links to useful resources and products in this instance, consumers are more likely to click on links and even make purchases.
Videos
Text will always carry a lot of clout, especially where link building is concerned, but videos can make a big difference. Visuals make the text pop, adding interest and higher engagement. This type of media is ideal for establishing authority and influence in a niche.
Videos can contain links as well. You’ll incorporate them in a different way, but users can still click back to your site with the help of a video. They may be more likely to visit your site, since you’re vocally reminding them to click the link.
Reviews
If you’re a fan of a website, blog, or product, write a review. Most organizations welcome testimonials, and they’ll let you put a link to your homepage at the conclusion, which can generate some organic back link attention.
Word of mouth marketing is the most effective form of marketing, and companies will be happy to let you get some free promotion out of the deal.
Don’t give up on back linking in 2017. If your strategies are no longer effective, consider renewing your tactics.
