Link building is one of the most important and often hard to achieve goals for any search engine optimization campaign. Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via “natural” or un-paid search results. The number and quality of other websites linking to yours is an important part of the SEO work because it help the search engines paint a picture of your authority. The more authority your business website has, the more likely you are to go up the ranking.
What are the best practices for link building:
1. Don’t take shortcuts – Link building is a legitimate search engine optimization practice. To avoid any disappointment make sure to act within the search engine guidelines.
2. Link building never ends – Take SEO and link building in particular in mind for your future online marketing activities. Get a link to your website when ever you can.
3. In moderation – Build your links in moderation especially if you’ve recently launched your website. Gaining too many links is a short time could attract unwanted attention.
Here are 10 small business link building tips:
1. Populate your social profiles – We all use various social networks and forums from time to time such as Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. Most will allow you to list your website in your profile even though some links might be nofollow compared to follow links.
2. Ask family and friends – If you just ask around, there’s a high likelihood that amongst your family members and friends one or even couple of people will have a website.
3. Niche directories submission – Almost every industry has a number of high quality niche directories. Don’t submit your business website to hundreds of unrelated directories because you’ll see little investment back on your time and money.
4. Do a guest post – After reaching a status of business owner or manager, chances are you have some valuable information which you could share with others. Look for guest post opportunities were your experience and knowledge can help others.
5. Ask suppliers and contractors – We all use suppliers and contractors, from your local florists to your business accountant. Nowadays most will have a website so it is worth asking to link to your business website.
6. Article distribution – Websites such as ArticleBase.com will allow you to write articles on a variety of topics which others could use on their website with a credit to your website. Similar to niche directories submission, don’t distribute your article across many websites and use only one or two of the leading sites.
7. Pursue bloggers – Blogs tends to carry a lot of weight in most industries and getting your product or service reviewed by an influential blogger can drive sales and help your link building. Start by finding relevant blogs on Technorati.com and prepare your pitch.
8. Participate in the conversation – There are a number of Q&A websites such as Yahoo Answers and open forums such as Google Groups which will welcome your two cents. Only link to your website if indeed you have a solution so you won’t be flagged as a spammer.
9. Create content – Content creation is the best long term SEO tip. It will require you to offer a blog or news area where you are able to post useful and unique content. Web users who come across this content will share it with others. The most popular types of content are guides, how-to pages, top 10 list etc.
10. Profile sharing tools – Social sharing tools the likes of Addthis.com and Sharethis.com were initially only seen on blogs, but quickly spread to all types of website sites including small business and corporate. By including a social bookmarking tool web users are encourage to share your content across the many social sharing sites.
I hope you found my tips useful.
Guest article by Michelle Strassburg Co-Founder at Wood and Beyond online sellers of wood flooring and worktops.
Michelle has over 10 years experience managing online marketing and is an active blogger.
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Thank you for the information. It was useful. However, it was not clear whether your link building strategies are for those who are trying to get more good traffic to their site through the links themselves, or for those who are just trying to build up their page rank.
I have been trying – honestly trying – do get point 8 working but I think it is a waste of time, for my “niche”, very very little traffic generated even when the link proposed was the best of the lot. And I won’t even discuss the total lack of thanks from the original poster. Plus the links are usually nofollow.
You’ve got a very nice Thesis site there – from another Thesis fan
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Tom@NetAccountant´s last blog ..15 ideas that will get links to your accountancy practice website
Thank You! I always appreciate comments!
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