So now we come to the crux of the issue: the science and art of reeling in links. We have already established that inbound links are the currency that drives search rankings. And we have established that the more links you earn, and the better quality sources those links come from, the higher you will rank. By now you are on board with the general concept of SEO link building. But the question remains: how can it be done?
It is a good question. After all, you don't exactly have the power to force other sites to link to yours. In fact, the whole point of Google's link-based algorithm is that because you don't control those sites, they are considered more trustworthy sources than you.
But there is one reliable way to reel in links: earn them.
The process is twofold. First you must generate truly unique, compelling, and entertaining content that people actually want to link to. Then you must spread the word every chance you get, using the unprecedented penetration of the Web to enhance your presence loudly and often. Let's take these in order.
The Power of "Link Bait"
What kind of things do people link to? The answer is simple: people link to stuff they want to share — anything that reflects well on them, that they believe can help someone, that feels important or useful, or that is simply entertaining. People link to things that are just plain worth your time. The official name for this kind of content is "link bait," but it's really just another way of saying Things People Love.
Link bait can take several forms — compendiums, lists, guides, glossaries, great resources, personal stories, fascinating ideas, interesting media. This kind of content can bring your site a lot of attention, and a resulting boost in rankings. But coming up with pitch-perfect content is creative work that requires an incisive understanding of why certain videos go viral, how the perfect blog post can bring you an avalanche of traffic, and when a simple tweet can net thousands of new followers in an hour. Link bait isn't easy.
The Power of Outreach
Still, let us say that you have cracked the code to generating terrific content on a daily basis: now what? Unfortunately the best content in the world won't do you much good unless people know about it.
You've gotta get the word out.
Send out a heads-up every time you post something new. Engage other competitors, bloggers, colleagues, industry sites and major media portals. Post online in discussion groups, and leverage the dazzling power of social networks to make yourself heard every day.
Effective SEO link building is gets far easier when you have the content to back it up. As we like to say around here: be worthy, be tireless. Put both these ingredients together in a sleek and professional way, and you will quickly discover that the secret to successful SEO is nothing more mysterious than effort.
And there it is. Link Building 101. We have left out a few specific details because we don't want to give away the store, but the basic idea is simplicity itself. Do you want to learn more? Feel free to contact the SEO content experts of Breakthrough Content today.