It’s true that SEO is all about link-building. Yet, modern backlinking isn’t easy. Further, the world of digital marketing is ever-changing. This means what worked a year back won’t get you the desired results today.
But one thing that remains unchanged is the importance of backlinks or link building. It is still the best way to rank higher on Google search results and build authority for your business. That’s why businesses should focus on getting high-quality SEO backlinks even in 2024. But, they need to enhance their link building strategies to gain desired results.
Scope of Backlinks in 2024
The latest poll by Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable revealed a shocking report. It shows that a large number of marketers no more believe in the usefulness of backlinks as before. But, in reality, that’s not true.
Today, Google no longer focuses on quantity but on the quality of backlinks. This means having a lot many backlinks will no longer boost your website’s ranking. Rather, you must now get high-quality links from reputable sources.
With artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, search algorithms have become smarter. This makes it easier for them to differentiate and penalise low-quality backlinks. So, websites that use unethical link-building strategies to earn more backlinks are at great risk. They might damage their ranking instead of improving it.
Instead, marketers should focus on earning natural, organic backlinks from creditable sources. Creating high-quality, relevant content will maximise the benefits of backlinks. Moreover, search engines will not consider penalising their websites.
Best Link Building Strategies To Use In 2024
Top seo services Melbourne companies suggest some effective, organic link-building strategies. Using these strategies can help you receive high-quality backlinks organically.
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Backlink Hunting in Competitor Profiles
Building links yourself can be quite difficult. But there’s an easy way to do it - spying on your competitor's backlink profiles.
Highly successful websites already have a strong link-building foundation. Their backlink profiles have many competitors' domains. These domains are keen on websites similar to theirs and yours.
Use your preferred SEO tools to search for your competitor's domain. Access their backlink profile overview, number of domains, and other relevant information. Focus on the referring domains and identify the ones that are pertinent to your website. Check the URL source of each domain and see if you can feature your website in the same source.
By reaching out to the source, you may be able to get a link. Or, you may only collect some domains to target for content marketing or outreach.
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Fix Broken Links
Fixing broken backlinks directed to your website is an effective link-building strategy. These are links that were before directed to your site but may now be broken due to a removed page or a technical error.
To fix these broken links, you can use a good SEO tool designed for broken link building. Once you have found the broken links, reach out to the relevant domain. Request them to restore the link to your website or fix the original source. You can offer them something of value in exchange for a backlink.
Often, this can be a simple oversight that can be easily resolved. They will re-add your link to the original source or a new source.
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Convert Unlinked Brand Mentions Into Backlinks
For getting a backlink, another website needs to mention your site. Sometimes, a brand might mention your site but forget to link back to it. You can take advantage of these unlinked mentions to build links.
The good news is that you don't have to do much work for this strategy. That's why it's one of the simplest ways to build links. All you have to do is contact the person who can edit the page and ask them to add a link.
Note that a mention is not limited to words alone. If someone uses an image from your website, count it as a mention too. If you discover someone has used your images, you can convert them into backlinks using the same method. Simply use Google to search for your original images and find out who is using them.
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Generate Unique Sources of Valuable Data
You have probably heard the phrases "content is king" and "make high-quality content" many times before. But what kind of content do you need to create if your goal is to get backlinks?
Any content can attract links if it reaches the right audience. But some types of content are more likely to receive links than others. They include surveys, graphs, infographics, research results, and case studies.
The key is: Anything that contains valuable information can attract links.
Statistics and percentages are popular to cite in content. Ever searched for a source on Google to include numbers in your content? After finding the source, what did you do next? You added a link to it.
If you can create this type of content for your website, people will likely cite you. This is especially true if you have rare data and are considered an expert. It can be difficult, but it's worth the effort.
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Update Your Content Regularly
Outdated content is a common issue. If you aim to create new and quality links regularly, you must keep your content up-to-date. Link building is more than just about making new links. It is the process of creating a strong link profile including:
- Building new backlinks.
- Eliminating spammy backlinks.
- Maintaining or retaining good quality backlinks.
While you may have some great backlinks in your profile in the past, those sites may stop linking to you if they find better sources out there.
In fact, creating and offering better linkable content is one of the best-known link-building techniques. However, in this case, you could be on the losing side.
To avoid becoming the “loser” in this scenario, ensure your content is always in top condition. Add the most up-to-date and helpful information. That way, you will retain more backlinks and prevent your domain authority from dropping.
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Go With The Trend
New trending topics emerge every day. These cover everything from world news and technology to pop culture and food. Trending topics present great opportunities to create engaging content that can attract links.
Google Trends is an excellent resource for finding and using these trending topics to create new content.
You can use the search engine to discover hot topics and turn them into blog posts. For example, you may use topics like "Best AI Devices For Your Business in 2024” or "Best Blockchain Platforms for Game Developers."
Creating content based on trending topics makes it more easily discoverable. Using the word "best" can make it more appealing. This combination can help you create content that captures people's attention, engages them, and earns links.
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Share Your Expertise With Others
Are you confident in your skills and expertise? Is your brand’s name well-known in your community? If so, you should put your reputation and expertise to good use.
Find websites where you can add value through your input. Reach out to the content makers of those websites and:
- Write guest articles.
- Get published in online journals.
- Give interviews.
- Participate in podcasts.
These opportunities are excellent for building links. They consistently result in a backlink, often from a trustworthy source. You can also reach a wide audience in this way.
What's difficult is reaching a point where your opinion or statement holds significant influence. But, once reach there, creating backlinks becomes a lot easier.
The Takeaway
SEO backlinks are here to stay and will impact your search rankings undoubtedly. Hence, you must include a solid link-building strategy in your marketing plan to get quality backlinks.
To get backlinks naturally,
- Focus on creating high-quality and relevant content that provides value to users.
- Avoid using link-building schemes that search engines can detect and penalise.
- Build relationships with other websites and experts in your industry.
- Monitor your backlink profile regularly. This will ensure the quality of the websites linking to you and detect any spammy inbound links.
- Find and work on broken link fixing and unlinked mentions.
- Use tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and Semrush to gain insights into your backlinks and anchor text.
- Creating useful content is the best way to attract high-quality backlinks.
- Don’t miss out on trending topics in your industry to seek maximum audience attention.
Overall, by following best practices and organic link-building strategies, you can earn natural, high-quality backlinks. If you still have issues, it’s a good idea to look for a reputed SEO services in Melbourne company near you. They will understand your business and accordingly, build an impactful link-building strategy that works best for you.