Sure, your website has great content. But is it getting found by your target audience? With so many content being created and published by other companies, your content can be easily buried under higher-ranking pages. This is why it’s important for brands to pay attention to link building. Link building is the process of getting links from websites of high quality, credibility, and authority.
Previously, submission of links to create backlinks was automated, but with Google’s recent algorithm change (Penguin), link building has become more stringent. The algorithm now penalizes those who go for paid links and link farming, pushing brands to opt for quality links that lead to quality, credible content. While challenging, there are still practical benefits to link building that can give your business the leverage it needs and can influence how your brand is perceived online. Here are some of the benefits your business can reap.
Improve domain authority
Domain authority refers to the measure of the quality and quantity of backlinks for your website as a whole. When you link websites to your articles or to your homepage, you pass on link juice that helps the ranking of your article and also improves your domain authority. The higher your domain authority, the more likely you are to appear under relevant searches, thereby improving your organic ranking as well. Just make sure that your links are do-follow links instead of no-follow links, and that you use the do-follow link when posting on relevant websites.
Get indexed quicker
Backlinks help get your website crawled, which is crucial if you want your website to be indexed. When Google crawls your website, it follows a path through your links which then leads to the search engine looking into your website. This is why it’s recommended you create a sitemap for your website as it contains all the links present in your site which Google can use to scan your website thoroughly. Along with good content, having more backlinks helps search engines recognize you as a trustworthy and reputable source and can get your website indexed and added to search results quicker.
Increase referral traffic
Referral traffic is the traffic you gain from visitors who click on your links other than through direct traffic or via search results. By posting your links to other websites, such as social bookmarking sites, you can expose your website to more people that could lead into conversions. Do remember to link build contextually to ensure that your links are relevant to where you post them and to attract customers whose interests align with what you offer.
Allow brand exposure and visibility
Posting links to your content on other websites allows your website to be seen by more people who may be interested in what you have to offer. More than website traffic, you also get to introduce your brand and what you do or offer. Associating your brand with quality content can help position your brand as an expert and authority in your industry.
Long-lasting investment
Many people overlook link building in favor of search engine marketing (SEM). But while SEM does provide temporary paid exposure in the web, link building is more lasting. These links exist forever, unless you take them down or your social bookmarking sites shut down. You can get referral traffic through these links for as long as they last, which is better for long-term should you not have the budget for constant paid placement on search engine results.
Link building may seem tedious due to the restrictions of the Google Penguin algorithm, but it will definitely benefit your brand in the long run. See this instead as an opportunity to create quality content and to link build strategically. Through proper link building practices, you will see a significant impact to your brand’s online presence.
Need help with your link building strategy? LeapOut Digital offers digital marketing services such as social media marketing, website development, SEM, and SEO with link building. If you’re looking to outsource for SEO services, get in touch with us now!
