The World Wide Web can be a great place to be in, especially if you know the right techniques. If you are in the world of SEO and online marketing, then link building and content marketing are two concepts you need to not only know but also familiarize with to ensure success.
By definition, link building is the use of tactics to increase the number and quality of backlinks or inbound links to a webpage. This helps in indicating the importance or popularity of a particular website to reach a wider audience. On the other hand, content marketing is the creation and distribution of relevant and consistent content to attract a specific audience.
How can these two work together and help you make your blog grow? Here are eight essential ways to build links through content marketing.
Build Links Through Content Marketing
1. Guest Blogging
Matt Cutts once said that guest blogging is dead. Believe it or not, it is still one of the best ways to increase your search ranking, get your brand noticed, and build links. In order to succeed using this technique, make sure you build quality content to be published on relevant and quality sites according to your niche.
Tip: Build a relationship with the author of the website. Before you pitch your posts, leave comments on the blog or follow the author on social media to make a warm connection.
2. Influence the Influencers
Here’s the thing: writing great content is just one-half of the digital world battle. If you want to reach out to a bigger audience and build more links, make sure you influence the influencers or the people or companies with established credibility.
It is important to find out who the influential people are in your niche then write a personalized email introducing yourself, your site, and the purpose of your message. This may take time – and some may not respond – but it will pay off.
3. Get Listed on Directories
Google is not a fan of this tactic since tons of pages were created for the purpose of exchanging links. Nonetheless, listing your website can still help you increase your search engine ranking and obtain strong backlinks.
Yelp, Google Places or Yellow Pages can greatly benefit your website, so make sure you take advantage of these directories.
4. Snag an Interview
Do you want to give your content marketing campaign a boost? Get an interview with an industry expert.
Industry interviews help you build a relationship with an industry expert and at the same time, expand your network. You will also have fresh content on your site. Snagging an interview could also help you secure backlinks since there is a higher chance that your subject will share the content with his or her network.
Tip: Interviewing a person face-to-face or by phone will do, but it is best to do it through email. It is more flexible too.
5. Expert Roundup Posts
If snagging an interview with one industry expert can be a big deal for your blog, imagine creating content with two or more industry experts.
When executed properly, expert roundup posts could help your site gain additional online exposure and the possibility of earning quality links. Gathering experts in one place, where they get to share their expertise and knowledge about a particular subject, could also benefit your readers since they are able to learn something new.
Tip: Before you make an expert roundup post, make sure you have a professional-looking website with published quality content. Making friends with at least one industry expert is a must in order to increase your chances of snagging an interview.
6. Broken Link Building
Broken link building is an old strategy where you discover dead links on quality and relevant websites. Then, you contact the website administrator, point out the dead links, and in a polite manner, and offer your services to replace the broken links from your website. Offering new and relevant contents could also help
Websites like Broken Link Check and Domain Hunter Plus can help you identify dead links on quality websites. Free Broken Link Checker is also helpful in checking all links on a certain domain.
7. Manage Your Community
Where do you often share your content? Sharing your posts on your social media accounts can help you build a relationship with your readers, but believe it or not, this strategy may not be enough. It is important that you learn how to manage your community.
How will you do this?
Start your Twitter chats by using a unique hashtag that can be attributed to you. Conduct polls, have quizzes or games, and answer emails and comments left on your blog and social media accounts. This will keep your community involved and engaged, which makes it easier for people to remember your brand. Managing your community could also motivate them to share your content as well.
8. Gain Publicity
Press releases, like getting listed in directories, are frowned upon by Google. If executed poorly, the post could be tagged as spam and you might be penalized as well.
Tip: Use press releases for its actual intention – a publicity tool. Inform the online world about your new product or service, upcoming event, or other important updates in your company or website. You may earn link backs not just from your readers, but also industry influencers to help you get noticed.
Building links through content marketing can be tedious and time-consuming. However, the combination of right techniques, patience, and effort, you will be able to enjoy the benefits in no time.
What About You?
What are some link-building strategies you use? Let us know in the content box below.
About the Author:
Vincent Hill is an expert writer who writes on different categories like how to start a blog, content writing, blog design and much more. His writing is not only descriptive but also meaningful. He loves to share his ideas on different categories.
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