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Links are the seeds that we embed in our content to reap the fruit of high SEO rankings…right? Ten years ago, that might have been the case. But search technology has evolved. People abused the linking process to game organic search rankings. In response, Google and other search companies built new technologies to create harder-to-cheat algorithms. So if you’re still relying on link quantity over quality, your competitors are probably leaving you behind.
The following are some factors in modern linking strategy that could be affecting your rankings, for better, or for worse.
Link Building Without Links
It sounds counter-intuitive. However, the idea is that Google and Bing don’t need actual links to determine the importance of a page. (Think of it more like “link-less mentions” rather than “link-less links.”) Previously, the number of reputable pages that linked to your page was the most important ranking factor. Today, the search engines can associate mentions of a brand or website without a link. Then they use that as a kind of “trust signal” to determine page ranks.
Google Penguin is Watching
This isn’t as creepy as it sounds. Once upon a time, buying links from reputable sources was a common practice. It was a way to artificially boost organic search ranking. Google’s Penguin spam filter is now a part of its core algorithm. As a result, buying links could actually worsen your search rankings if you do it incorrectly. You don’t want Google to label you a “black hat” content provider for cheating. Maybe you’ve got existing pages that now rank poorly because of link violations. In that case, cleaning up those links can actually give your content a boost.
Change the Way you Engage in Link Campaigning
So now that you know that “spammy” links aren’t getting you anywhere, how do you cultivate reputable links? You can ask, of course. But many marketers find link-begging annoying and are looking for ways around it. Guest blogging is a great way to cultivate organic links by leveraging the power of someone else’s link potential, according to digital marketing influencer Neil Patel, who notes that guest blogging should be a two-way relationship.
“You provide a great article that takes time and effort, and you get the reward of links and traffic back to your site,” he wrote.
Don’t Forget Content Quality
This should be obvious. Still, one of the most important ways to improve your ranking is to improve your content quality. Use more desirable content such as infographics, lists, case studies and humor that might induce readers to share your content more widely. Focus on reader pain points – perhaps even by talking to customers!
As search becomes more sophisticated, so must your methods of link building. Instead of looking for short-cuts, focus your time on ways to improve organic search results organically.
Keyword Performance helps companies to build their brands on a local, national and international level. Our years of experience with keyword optimization have helped us obtain long-term search engine placement for keywords and keyword phrases. That placement has pushed many companies to the top of the SERPs. We offer a wide array of services to build your brand and create buzz around any of your company’s services or products.
Interested? We offer free consultations for SEO and would love the opportunity to speak with you.
Our link building services focus on careful, white-hat links that support your content marketing. Our manual link outreach services build relationships with real site owners and editors.
