Continue to Build Links for Results

For those wondering if they should continue to build links, the simple answer is YES! Google has and always will put a lot of weight on links and it continues to be the biggest signal that their search algorithm uses in order to return results. Whenever a major update or refresh is rolled out by Google everyone freaks out, and even discussion about guest blogging turns into people saying that guest blogging is dead. It is time to relax and continue to do what you are doing to rank your websites. Should some individuals be worried? Well, yes, if you are building low quality sites and jam packing them with crappy scraped and spun content and blasting them with mass spam links then you need a new strategy. Those that are plugging along working on obtaining relevant high quality links shouldn’t stop.

Want proof?

This question was recently addressed by Matt Cutts, head of Google’s webspam team:

Hi Matt, does the big G have a version of the search engine that totally excludes any backlink relevance? I’m wondering what search would look like and am curious to try it out.
BlueBumbleBee, Colchester, UK

Here is the video:

This was a very good question and Matt didn’t beat around the bush, responding by stating, “So, we don’t have a version like that, that is exposed to the public, but we have run experiments like that internally, and uh, and the quality looks much much worse. It turns out backlinks, even though there is some noise and certainly a lot of spam, uh for the most part are still a REALLY REALLY big win in terms of quality for search results.”

So, there you have it. Backlinks are still the main deciding factor. They always have been, and always will be. Now the focus isn’t on the pure number of backlinks, but the quality and relevancy of them. So, stop trying to reinvent the wheel, just adjust how you are conducting your link building. Struggling to build high quality links? Here are some simple ideas that you can implement right now:

Blog more

One way to build more links is to put out more content that has a good shot at getting shared. If you are currently only adding one new blog post a week then start to add two, then three, and then eventually build it up to a point where you are updating your website with new content daily. This not only provides more content for people to share, but it also shows the search engines that your website is a constant source of information. This will help your rankings as well, and when you combine it with natural link building from the spreading of your content it is a link building strategy that should not be overlooked.

Engage socially and build that following

Continue to build up your social media following but make sure you do not ignore your social connections. Do not just post offers looking for sales. When you begin to treat your social following more than just potential customers they will start to interact with you more. Once you experience your followers start to re-tweet and share your posts with their social connections you will see your content spread fast and you will notice other blogs and websites linking to your content and mentioning it within their content. This can drive more traffic to your site and also help you acquire nice backlinks.

Distribute an infographic

Infographics get shared often and if you have a hot topic to discuss then they are great ways to gain backlinks. They can be quite costly to have produced and can take a couple of weeks if you are having them produced through an agency. If it is a time sensitive topic that you are trying to capitalize on then you might want to try one of the template programs. Many times the topic alone will trigger the sharing and not necessarily the actual design. In some situations a well thought out design is key, but in other situations you don’t need a $1,500 infographic in order to get it viral. Knowing when to go all out with the design and when to just get one out there is crucial.

Develop a guest blog strategy

Guest blogging is far from dead, so reach out to websites that would be great sources of links as well as traffic and see if they would be interested in your contributions to the website. Do not send a generic copy/paste message to every website you can find. You will not get a favorable reply and you are just wasting your time. If you are interested in learning how to reach out to websites and conduct research to find great guest blog opportunities then make sure you check out the SEO Tribune tomorrow. We have a post that explains the correct way to get guest blogging opportunities.

There are four things that you can put into motion right now and end up getting relevant backlinks from naturally. When you develop your link building strategy this way then there is a much less likely chance that you are hit with a penalty. Stop worrying about trying to game the ranking system and put all of your energy into building high quality links. A couple high profile links are worth the time and effort, instead of using automated software to create thousands of low quality links. Be cautious of your link building strategy, focusing on quality and you will see your website traffic constantly increase.