15 Feb Why You Need Link Building to Grow Brand Authority
Why You Need Link Building to Grow Brand Authority
You have most likely stumbled on link building if you know about search engine optimisation (SEO). It is an effective tactic for brand building and establishing authority.
And, search engines do take note of proper link-building tactics. It is a sign of trustworthiness and authority within your niche. It gets even better if the inbound or outbound links are on high authority sites.
Yet, the reality is that many marketers have a big challenge with link building SEO. Up to 41% consider it the most challenging aspect of SEO. It is also interesting to note that over 94% of online content will not get any external links whatsoever.
You must be patient with SEO link strategies. 51% of marketers say they begin to see results after 1 to 3 months of concerted effort.
But, the results are well worth the wait. Brands that do it well have seen significant improvement in brand visibility and authority.
So, how can link building help grow brand authority? Let’s explore the topic in greater detail below. We will also share some workable tips on how to go about it.
Exploring Link Building
Link building is the concerted effort you take to acquire hyperlinks to your site. When the online visitor clicks on the link, it will redirect them to your site. The search engines also use the links as a vehicle to crawl the web.
There are three types of links you need to know.
- Inbound links also go by the name backlinks. It happens when your link appears within the content on a high authority site. Think of an article in Forbes or the Guardian linked to your site. Every time someone clicks on the link, it brings them to your site.
- Internal links connect pages on your website. You could, for instance, have a link on the home page to a specific article in the blog section. It is a fantastic way to guide online visitors to particular content you want them to interact with more. And, the search engines use such links to crawl through your site. Aim for a healthy mix of inbound and internal links for better SEO.
- Outbound links are the opposite of inbound links. In this case, you place hyperlinks from other sites on yours. The benefits of doing these are numerous. Linking to an article on, say, an educational website shows that you have done plenty of research. It makes your content more believable and trustworthy.
How to Build Links
Link building may sound pretty simple. How hard can it be to get another website to post a link? Well, that may not be difficult at all. Thousands of websites do it for a fee. With a budget, you can buy as many links as you want.
But, wait a minute, don’t try this. If the search engines catch what you are doing, you will get in trouble.
You see, platforms like Google frown on the practice. It could earn your website some pretty stiff penalties.
The best way to go about it is to adopt white-hat link-building techniques. That means you adhere to the rules of link building as per the requirements of the search engines.
Any strategy you take must be positive and aimed at building organic audiences. There are tons of white hat link building strategies. These include:
- Sharing relevant content on your blogs
- Guest posting opportunities on authority websites. The best way is to approach those sites that attract traffic. It improves your chances of broader exposure. One idea is to explore PR and media relations. Editors and journalists are always looking for content. Contributing well-written and researched newsworthy editorial can earn you a link. If they post your piece, they should not have any problem linking back to your site. In the future, they could come back to you for more articles.
- Creating linkable content in white papers, case studies, and research findings. When audiences realise that you are a reliable go-to source for information, organic traffic to your site will increase.
- Developing online relationships with the right people. These include influences, media, networking communities, and professional groups.
These white hat link building strategies will earn you organic traffic, connections with other niche websites, and a thumbs up from Google. Google will favour your content and website if you practice white hat link building strategies.
Do not resort to any tactics that aim at deceiving the search engine. Some marketers will use black hat SEO tactics. Such include using their networks to create links. Others opt for automation to help them with the job.
In the middle is grey hat SEO linking strategies.
It is a balancing game between white and black hat link building. The search engines are not very clear about what they are.
But, they could land your site in serious problems. Some tactics include building blog networks, finding broken links, or spinning available content.
Link Building and Building Brand Authority
When building brand authority, there are some fundamentals you must achieve. One of the most critical is brand visibility. How can you be an authority if no one knows about you? No, we are not talking about creating a scandal for the sake of being notorious online.
Instead, it should be a steady and continuous approach to get your name out there with authority links. And it includes all aspects of marketing and advertising.
Link building, which falls under digital marketing, provides a powerful tool to build brand authority. That is why it must be a part of any sound marketing strategy. The benefits are numerous, as we will highlight below.
Link Building Is a Critical Ranking Factor
As we have pointed out, search engines use specific factors to rank sites. Let’s use Google as an example. It looks at:
- Backlinks.
- Content quality provides tons of leeway with what you can do. It could be articles, posts, videos, and white papers.
- Mobile optimisation is critical because many internet visitors use such devices.
- A fantastic user experience on the website pages.
- Fast page speed with minimal loading time.
High-quality links will give you a competitive edge. The search engines will, for example, look at bounce and stay rates. As the names suggest, these refer to how long people stay on your pages or how fast they leave.
High bounce rates can be indicative of a problem on your website. It could be content your audience does not relate to, making them leave your website as soon as they land on it.
The user experience may also be poor. When was the last time you stuck around for a website that takes forever to load? In that case, you can’t expect your audience to stick around waiting for your website to load.
There could also be broken links on the site resulting in 404 errors. Take immediate steps to rectify such. Otherwise, your rankings on the search engines will suffer. A broken link builder can help identify such errors, allowing you to rectify them.
Wondering how to link build? Here is how to go about it.
- Natural links have an organic foundation. They tend to be within non-sponsored content for purposes of references. Natural link building is the best way to improve authority and relevance.
- Manual link building requires the use of outreach. The digital team looks for backlinking opportunities from niche websites. Partnership with bloggers or influencers can achieve the same. As in the case above, the content must be relevant and valuable. If not, those websites, bloggers, or influencers will not agree to publish.
- Acquired links are those that you pay for. As we stated above, this could get you in trouble, so tread carefully. Google has identified link schemes that could result in poor site ranking. They are categorical that there should be no exchange of money, goods, or services for links. And that includes freebies to influence the sites to publish a link.
- Self-created or non-editorial links fall in the black hat category. Some people will, for instance, embed widgets in content. Google link-building guidelines frown upon such practises and will penalise offenders.
Increase In Organic Traffic
Any digital marketer knows the value of organic traffic. These are people who come to your site because you give them value. You position yourself as a solution provider or go-to source for information.
You could always use paid avenues to generate traffic. But, such audiences do not have any loyalty. It can therefore be tough to convert them into lifelong followers.
Converting organic audiences into customers is more manageable. They already trust in what you have to offer or say. That is why they are flocking to your website in droves.
With the correct targeting, white-hat link-building strategies provide a fantastic way to increase organic traffic to your site.
Remember, good content is a critical ranking factor. People will interact and engage better with good content. It signals the search engines that your website is trustworthy. Good rankings make your brand more visible.
The chances of potential customers finding you increase exponentially. After that, all you need is the right product, service, and tactics to convert them into purchasing customers.
Build Credibility With Link Building
Let’s go back to our mention of high-authority websites like Forbes. If you find a link there, would you have any reason to doubt its credibility? Chances are very high that you will click on it for more information.
That is the same thinking that most online audiences have. They understand that such a high-authority website would not stake its reputation by linking to disreputable sites.
Build quality links with authority niche websites. This is an excellent way to show credibility.
Remember, it should all be about quality and not quantity. What good is it to have 100 backlinks from websites no one knows about? Wouldn’t you rather have five good ones linking to your site?
Create Better Connections With SEO Link Building Strategies
The more you establish yourself as a noteworthy brand, the more opportunities you get. Think of it as networking opportunities with like-minded individuals. It can open up avenues that may not have been available to you.
One thing to note is that high authority sites have a huge follower base. Getting attention from some of their followers can catapult your brand to the next level. And, it provides an avenue to build lasting relationships with thought leaders in your industry.
Influencer and blogger backlinks can also give you much exposure. Their followers trust everything they have to say. Thus, a link on their site shows they have endorsed you as worthy of trust.
Local SEO and Link Building
The aim for digital marketers is to have a presence everywhere. But, you must never forget the critical role of local SEO. Audiences may run a search query like link building services near me. They are looking for link building solutions operating in their locality.
Lack of such information on the available outreach companies could impact rankings on the search engines. The search engines will display specific search results depending on the query.
So, having the best outreach company will not help if the user is looking for a local company. And, if you are within the locality but have not indicated the same, you could still miss out.
That is why it is critical to:
- Have complete contact information and site map if possible.
- Listing your business on platforms like Google My Business and local directories is a good start. Put a link that directs the
- visitors back to your site.
- Develop local content that is relevant to audiences living within the region.
Final Thoughts
Quality link building is a powerful tool for any brand that wants to establish itself as an authority. The trick lies in doing it well.
The search engines will penalise any tactic that seems inappropriate. Google link building guidelines, for example, do not allow for buying or cross-sharing of links.
The best way to get optimal output is to use white hat link-building strategies. These include tactics like good content that is relevant to the target audiences. Others are guest posting and developing relationships with the right people.
Remember, there are no quick wins in backlink building. It is a process that will take a little time before you start to see ROI. But once you get it right, the benefits will be clear to see.
The most important is building organic audiences for your website. The sales and marketing team can convert them into loyal, lifelong purchasing customers.
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