The goal of any website should be to get as high on Google search pages as it possibly can. With better search engine rankings, a website can gain tremendous increases in its number of views on a regular basis.
With Google’s current algorithm, content and back links play a major role in determining how high you’ll rank in the Google index.
Content is like a blog with helpful information for your target audience. Back links are like “votes” for your website. Think of a back link like a road leading people to your home on the Internet (your website).
With so many people going online to make buying decisions, what’s the best way to get more viewers at your website? The short answer is that you need to have plenty of quality content and back links.
Google would likely say “be a helpful resource,” and continue publishing high-quality helpful content. A search engine marketer tends to say it’s more complex than that. You need to publish large amounts of helpful content, yes, but you also need to work smarter while you’re working harder.
One thing is certain, it’s extremely vital that you play by their rules if you desire the best results.
As with most effective marketing resources, back links have now become something that every online marketer around the world has rushed to find and implement. This has made it much more difficult to get high-quality back links.
Luckily, although the task is more difficult, it’s not impossible. Here are some tips for finding high-quality back links.
Commenting On Blogs
There is a lot of debate as to whether commenting on blog posts is a legitimate way to earn more back links. Although this process has become a bit muddied, it’s a viable option.
The problem is that most people who aim to get back links on blogs do not strategize. They post a comment that is completely irrelevant just to appear on the blog. This can annoy other readers, which means most blog owners will not publish your comment.
When you comment on a blog, make sure you’re providing valuable insight about the conversation. Readers will take the post more seriously, and the value of the back link will be greater.
There is a party happening right now on the Internet. Join the discussion on relevant blogs in your industry, and leave a link to an article you wrote on your blog (in your comment), but make sure it truly adds value to other readers.
Before you give up on blog comments as a viable option for back links, simply reconsider your approach.
Getting Blog Reviews
Another option for getting back links through blogs is to attract web reviews. Not only do reviews of your product or service bring in more traffic, but they also add links for reliable and high-quality websites. When you couple this with the fact that they likely will provide valuable keywords, this will generously help you rank higher on search engines.
Once you know what sort of bloggers you’re going after, be sure that you approach them in an appropriate way. Avoid sending spam, but instead personalize your message for each blog. This will go a long way toward building a personal relationship, which can lead to further posts for your blog.
Networking With Other Businesses
As previously mentioned, partnering with other business can be a gold mine when it comes to getting high-quality back links for your website. As in the real world, online success can often be about whom you know and the size of your general network.
If you’re able to build an online network, then you can work together to implement back links and draw attention to one another. As you then start to build this network to include more resources, the value of the back links will continue to increase and generate more positive benefits. If you can come together with complementary online resources at the same point, it can be mutually beneficial.
Providing Testimonials
Businesses are always looking for people to provide testimonials on their websites. If you recently used a service, purchased an item or had an experience with a company, you can leave feedback on their website. During that testimonial, provide a back link to your website. If the company approves of your testimonial and lists your comment on their page, the back link will be accessible by those who view the website.
If you’re looking to get more testimonial posts, be as detailed and honest as possible. These look more realistic, and elicit much more interest from viewers. In addition, as you’re reaching out to companies and requesting to leave testimonials, ask them if they’ll post a live link in the testimonial. This will make it easier for people to access, and will result in more views on your page.
Get Feedback On Your Site
For those who are still failing to generate interest to their website, it might be time to consider getting feedback from a site that reviews others. Along with reviewing your site, you’ll also likely get a back link that will direct back to your website.
While these sites are wonderful for back links, keep in mind that they can also be helpful improving your site as a whole. When using any of these review sites, you can list what your goals are for the site and who you are targeting. They will then provide you with feedback about improvement. This is truly a win-win situation, as the constructive feedback is just as beneficial as the back link.
If you want to win at search engines, or at least be in the game, you must put a heavy emphasis on back links for your website. Be sure to consider these resources for getting high-quality back links to your site. It won’t take long to find out what works, and the increase in traffic will make the effort well worthwhile.
— Taylor Reaume is an e-Business coach and founder of Search Engine Pros. He can be contacted at taylor@thesearchenginepros.com, or 1.800.605.4988. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.