How to Create a Quality and Successful SEO Link Building Campaign
Before Google introduced its infamous Penguin and Panda algorithm updates, it was easy for businesses to manipulate SERPs by using techniques (now known as black-hat SEO) such as keyword-rich anchor text, keyword-stuffed content, paid links, email spamming and many more. A decade ago, Google ranked websites based only on the number of inbound links each website is receiving and this opportunity was well utilized by many people to gain higher SEO rankings and traffic.
However, the days of creating a large number of low quality links are over as search engines become smarter and internet users demand quality search results. Nowadays, Google and Bing have placed a larger emphasis on detecting and removing content from their SERPs that doesn’t deserve to be there. With this in mind, it is becoming important for webmasters to earn valuable and quality inbound links, not to build them. A successful link-building campaign now revolves around quality content posting that will attract organic links to your site. In this post, we will discuss about four good SEO practices that are effective and still used today, in creating a successful link-building campaign.
Content Development – Where it all Starts
For earning or attracting quality inbound links, you need good content that is at the same time must be relevant and useful to searchers. Every year, Google updates its content quality guidelines and its search algorithms with the aim of fulfilling semantic search. There are businesses which make the same mistake of publishing low quality or average quality content in hopes of boosting their search visibility. These days, images, videos, infographics and in-depth research articles are said to be crowd-pulling types of content that can attract quality inbound links.
If you are focusing on content development, you need to evaluate whether the content is truly link-worthy. If you aren’t engaging in a content marketing campaign you better start it now. A content campaign lays the foundation for a link-building strategy, providing SEO-friendly content while also strengthening your website’s authority and credibility, along with conversion rates.
Anchor Text Still Have SEO Value
The clickable words in a hyperlink called ‘Anchor text’ and it is still an important aspect of inbound links. There was a time when anchor text was used to include target keywords for getting SEO benefits. But now, Google stopped seeing it as a ranking signal and acknowledge it as a manipulative tactic when Google launched the very first Penguin algorithm update in early 2012. You can strategically include keywords in your anchor text for establishing topical relevance of the linked webpage, but its overuse will attract penalty from Google.
These days, anchor text should be relevant, natural and value-adding. Anchor text should be providing insightful information or resources to your audience, instead of seeing it as a tool for increasing your search result rankings.
Analyzing and Measuring Your SEO Efforts
For expecting positive SEO results, metrics are important for your link building strategy. There are several tools that can help you measure the value you bring to the web and your site via your links. There are some tools that you can utilize to your benefits and some of them include Google Webmaster Tools, Google Analytics, Majestic SEO, Screaming Frog and many more. Whether you use paid or free tools for extra insights, gauging the performance of any online marketing campaign is essential, and this is true for link building campaigns as well. You need to assess your marketing campaign in a definite way and thereby it will help you determine where you need to make necessary improvements.
Don’t Forget About Guest Blogging
Guest blogging can help you increasing brand awareness and not only a way to build links. It is one of the few SEO tactics remaining where you can truly develop links by being proactive rather than publishing content to your website and then hoping that it attracts quality inbound links. Guest blogging gives you the chance to align your brand with authoritative publishers and brands, and gains you access to a new audience.
As we move on to 2015, the above mentioned tactics or practices will be remains the same for any link building campaign. You need to create goals and plan ahead so that you will get the results as expected.
