No matter what industry you’re working in, one thing is for sure: you need a website. However, after everyone tells you to get a website to help your business, art or passion, most people are left wondering how to get someone to see their site. If the Field of Dreams was built on the Internet, they would not come. Once a site is created, it takes a lot of work and dedication to make your site visible to search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. And even after all that blood, sweat, and tears, it may not be enough. That’s why smart linking is key to getting your site and business visible on search engines.
Just think about how you use a search engine to complete a daily Internet search. You type what you’re looking for and then skim through the first three, maybe four search results on Google. If you never go to the second page in Google, don’t think that nobody else in the world will find your site. The real success on the Internet is found in the first four results of Google. And I do say Google, because they dominate the market. Google’s market share tends to hover around a whopping 66%. So how do small businesses, internet marketers and bloggers compete with the large conglomerates that have teams of SEO professionals and websites with strong page rank due to reputation and age of the website? Smart link building. It’s going to be tedious, but if you’re going to jump into the Wild West we call the Internet, you’d better bring your wits, because you’re not going to have the biggest guns. Without further ado, here are the top 5 ways to get backlinks and thus increase web page rank:
Write quality articles
After Google Panda and Penguin, many sites have been “beaten” due to low quality backlinks that do not provide valuable content for users. There are two ways around this: Don’t pay to build links and write quality articles that people actually want to read. Publishing quality and unique articles is essential not only because it will prevent you from being slapped by Google, but because it should be about more than just getting a backlink. You need to think about the content you would like to read and then do research on Google forums and keywords to see what others want to read. What questions do people have that need answers? Then, once you write a quality, relevant article, this will help drive traffic through those sites and provide more than just a link to move up the search rankings. These readers will respect you for your knowledge and may click on your backlink to read more of your content or purchase your product. Quality articles should be published in high page rank general article directories such as EzineArticles or GoArticles. You can also get more specific backlinks by posting on niche sites. So if you’re running a personal finance blog, what better way to find people interested in personal finance than to post in an article directory dedicated solely to finance.
Post quality comments on recent forum/blog posts
Posting on blogs and forums is only part of this point. Forums and blogs related to your product or service can provide a wealth of information about what people in the area are talking about. So if you sell vintage car parts, find a forum where people discuss vintage car parts. So, don’t just spam these readers with a link to your site, but answer their questions and become a trusted source of information. Many forums allow you to put a backlink in your signature and once people trust you, they will most likely click on your link. Also, read as much as you can on the subject. Blogs and forums in your niche area can provide material for your next article to be published in a directory or blog post.
Create a people friendly website
Building a website based solely on search engines will never give you the results you want. Major blogs, news sites, and business websites are designed for the consumer. For example, optimization is just one small reason why The Huffington Post receives millions of hits every day. They write quality content that is trending. Once people start talking about something on your website, share a page or post on your blog, or share it on Twitter or Facebook, this is where the true power of the backlink comes into play. If people want to read information on your site, they will spread that backlink naturally. This is often where backlinks are built the most, when your site is not keyword riddled and provides value to the consumer.
Guest Post
Commenting on blogs often comes with an unfollowed backlink. This can still benefit your site, however the real money is in guest posting on a reputable blog with an already existing following. So if you are an internet marketer selling how to make money online with limited cash and your website has the content you need to impress a blogger in the same area, why not contact them and see if you can guest post. ? Bloggers are always looking for fresh, new content, and if they like what they see on your site or in a writing sample you send them, you may be able to get a high-powered backlink, along with your current audience. Blog.
free content sites
Sites like Hubpages or Squidoo have very high page rank and can be valuable when building links to your site. This is similar to posting on article directories, but they have different regulations and allow you to post more things, like affiliate links, images, and surveys. I personally think sites like these are more fun than article directories since you can actually do more, but it’s important to diversify your links. Another great advantage of free content sites is that you can implement affiliate links and earn money. For example, you can post a Squidoo lens and review different types of video editing software if you sell this type of software on your own site. You can then post links to Amazon or eBay and if people buy these items you will receive a commission. Just remember to provide quality content and not just a bunch of links selling stuff. And focus on a niche! Become an expert and people will trust you and keep reading your content or buying from your business.