Link Building 101: A Guide to Effective Link Building Strategies With Examples

Suppose you are a hiker looking to buy some awesome hiking and trekking gear in the States. A friend of yours who knows a friend who made a similar purchase recommends a store down a couple of blocks and has only good things to say about the genuineness of the products and the after-sales care. Chances are high that you will be tempted to check out the store in question on your next evening stroll down the hood. 

You got a good recommendation, tried it out, loved their stuff, and maybe left a good review in their store books, too!

The online world works similarly. Suppose you are a blogger or a webshop owner looking to make those extra sales. In that case, you will need solid recommendations in the form of getting links to your linkable assets, such as blogs, infographics, case studies, etc., from relevant and high-authority websites people trust. Google also trusts those who hold authority in a particular subject. This gets you higher SERP rankings as well!

Link building refers to the process of getting other high authority and relevant websites to link to your website.  Search engines like Google use links to find and rank websites for what people search for. Link building is good for SEO because it can make your website show up at better and higher positions on Google and other search engines, which can draw more people to your site.

Link building has many benefits, such as:

•  Making your website more visible and trustworthy. Links from good and related websites can tell search engines and people that your website is reliable and helpful. This can make your brand more known and respected in your field.

•  Bringing more traffic and leads. Links from other websites can also send people directly to your site, especially if they are from popular or trusted sources. These people may want your products or services, or they may share your content with others, making more people aware of your business.

•  Creating relationships and partnerships. Link building can also help you connect with other websites and influencers in your niche. By contacting them and offering something valuable, you can forge win-win relationships that can lead to more cooperation, referrals, or support in the future.

Some numbers or stories that show the benefits of link building are:

•  According to research from FirstPage, “the top spot on Google gets 39.6% of clicks. That’s more than twice as much as second place, which gets 18.4%.” Tenth place gets only 2.1%. Research from Ahrefs indicates a strong link between the number of relevant links that point toward a website and its traffic.

•  In a story by Siege Media, they increased organic traffic by 63% in six months by using a link-building strategy focused on making high-quality content, outreach, and guest posting.

In the following text, we will help you ace your link-building game with strategies that will turn the tables in your favor! Stay tuned.

Strategy 1: Guest Posting

Though many believe that guest posting has worked its way to the grave, it can reap benefits if executed strategically with the intent to provide value to the readers and not just get a link back to your website. One also needs to kick up a list of relevant, authentic, and high-authority websites that might be interested in publishing high-quality content from relevant and niche-based websites. 

Here are some best practices for finding and pitching guest post opportunities:

•  Find relevant and high-quality websites or blogs that accept guest posts. Deploy Google search operators, such as “keyword + guest post” or “keyword + write for us”, to find potential sites. You can also use tools like Moz or Ahrefs to check the domain authority and traffic of the sites. Cherry pick sites that have a large and engaged audience, as well as a good reputation in your niche.

•  Research the site and the editor before sending your pitch. You should read some of their previous posts, check their guidelines, and understand their tone and style. You should also find out the name and email address of the person who handles guest post submissions and personalize your email accordingly.

•  Craft a compelling and concise pitch email that showcases your value proposition. You should introduce yourself briefly, explain why you want to write for them, and propose some relevant and original topics or headlines that match their audience’s interests and needs. Include some links to your previous work or portfolio and end with a clear call to action.

•  Follow up politely if you don’t hear back within a reasonable time frame. You can send a friendly reminder after a week or two and ask if they have any questions or feedback on your pitch. You should also be flexible and open to suggestions or revisions if they ask for them.

Also, please peruse a sample script for writing a guest post pitch email:

Subject: Guest Post Proposal for [Website Name] Hi [Editor Name], I’m [Your Name], a [Your Title] at [Your Company]. I’m a big fan of your blog, especially your posts on [Topic 1] and [Topic 2]. I think you provide valuable insights and tips for your readers.I’m writing to you because I have some ideas for guest posts that I think would be a great fit for your audience. Here are some possible topics: • [Topic/Headline 1] • [Topic/Headline 2] • [Topic/Headline 3] Each article would be around [Word Count] words, well-researched, original, and optimized for SEO. I would also include relevant images and links to your existing posts. To give you an idea of my writing style and quality, here are some samples of my previous work: • [Link 1] • [Link 2] • [Link 3] I would love to hear your thoughts on these topics and if you have any suggestions or preferences. Please let me know if you’re interested in working with me on this.Thank you for your time and consideration. Best, [Your Name]

 Strategy 2: Leverage the power of the skyscraper technique

A short, sweet, albeit slightly tedious method introduced by Brian Dean in 2013 is a surefire way to get that organic traffic and those backlinks building by the day and night! He managed to increase his search traffic by a whopping 110% in a fortnight. And you can do it, too!

Here’s how you go about it:

1. Scoop out link-worthy content pieces that everyone is linking to.
2. Build a piece of content that’s even better than this.
3. Conduct personalized outreach to those who might be interested in linking to your tour de force

The purpose of this technique is to improve your SEO ranking, drive more organic traffic, and establish your authority in your niche.

The best practices for creating and promoting skyscraper content are:

•  Find relevant and high-quality content that has a lot of backlinks. You can leverage tools like BuzzSumo or SEMrush to search for popular content based on keywords, social shares, or domain authority. You want to target content that has at least 50 referring domains.

•  Make your content better than the existing ones. You can do this by adding more value, depth, freshness, or design to your content. For example, you can include more tips, examples, data, images, videos, infographics, or case studies. You can also update any outdated information or improve the readability and layout of your content.

•  Reach out to the right people who might be interested in linking to your content. You can use tools like Ahrefs to find the websites that are linking to the original content and get their contact information. You can also look for other relevant websites or influencers in your niche that might benefit from your content.

•  Write a compelling and personalized outreach email that pitches your content. You should introduce yourself briefly, explain why you are contacting them, and how your content can add value to their website or audience. You should also include a clear call to action and a link to your content.

Here is a script for writing a skyscraper outreach email:

Subject: I loved your post on [topic] Hi [Name], I’m [Your Name], a [Your Title] at [Your Company]. I’ve been following your blog for a while, and I really enjoy your posts on [topic]. I recently came across your article on [original article title], and I found it very helpful and informative. You did a great job of explaining [something specific from their article]. I actually wrote a similar article on [your article title] that I think you might like. It’s an updated version of [original article title] with more [value proposition]. For example, I added more [tips/examples/data/images/etc.]. I think it would be a great resource for your readers who are interested in [topic]. Here’s the link: [your article URL] Would you mind taking a look and letting me know what you think? If you like it, maybe you could consider linking to it from your article or sharing it with your audience. I appreciate your time and feedback. Best, [Your Name]

Strategy 3: Sign up as a resource with HARO (Help A Reporter Out).

HARO stands for Help A Reporter Out. It is a free online service that connects journalists and bloggers with sources who can provide them with relevant information, quotes, or stories for their articles. HARO works like this:

•  Journalists and bloggers sign up for HARO and submit requests for sources, also known as queries. They specify the topic, the deadline, the requirements, and the contact information.

•  Sources who have expertise or experience in the topic sign up for HARO and receive daily emails with queries that match their interests and niches. They can also browse the queries on the HARO website or use filters to narrow down the results.

•  Sources who find a query that they can answer send a pitch to the journalist or blogger via email. The pitch should include a brief introduction, a relevant and original response, and some links to previous work or credentials.

•  Journalists and bloggers review the pitches they receive and select the ones that match their needs. They may contact the sources for further information, verification, or clarification. They may also ignore or reject the pitches that are not suitable or helpful.

•  If a pitch is accepted and used in an article, the source may get a mention, a quote, or a backlink to their website or social media profile. This can help them gain exposure, credibility, and traffic.

Here is a script for writing a HARO pitch email:

Subject: [Query title] – [Your name] – [Your title] Hi [Journalist or blogger name], I’m [Your name], a [Your title] at [Your company or website]. I saw your query on HARO and I think I can provide you with some valuable information. [Write a brief introduction about yourself and your expertise or experience in the topic.] [Write a relevant and original response to the query question. Include some facts, data, examples, or stories to support your response.] [Write a conclusion that summarizes your response and invites further communication.] Here are some links to my previous work or credentials that showcase my authority and credibility: •  [Link 1] •  [Link 2] •  [Link 3] Please let me know if you have any questions or need more information from me. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best, [Your name]

Conclusion

On that note, we have delved deep into the top three strategies for link building, which, when followed in letter and spirit, will yield the desired results of better SERP rankings, more organic traffic, and of course, enhanced trust, credibility and expertise in the eyes of the target audience.

If you’d rather let the experts take over and build amazing link-building strategies, then Team Mavlers is just a couple of clicks away! Do hit us up with a plan, and we will deliver tangible results.