Links are one of the most important factors used by Google and other search engines to rank websites. Search engines discover new content through links – and it’s also, in part, how they judge the quality of that content online.
Effective link building is one of the most powerful weapons you have at your disposal to enable website owners to build brand awareness, increase their visibility online, climb to the top of search results and drive more traffic to their website. Building links isn’t easy though, it requires work and must be done ethically otherwise you’ll be penalized by Google, and no one wants that.
It is therefore important to create a foundation of organic, relevant and valuable links that improve user experience in an ethical manner (white-hat link building), rather than use spam tactics as a quick attempt at SEO advancement (black-hat link building).
SEO link building involves acquiring backlinks(hyperlinks) from trustworthy high-quality sites to help rank your website higher in search engine results. Below are several techniques that can be used to build effective SEO links without much effort and expenses:
1. Asking for backlinks
A good way to start, especially if you are a beginner, is asking for backlinks. They could be from your friends, relatives, colleagues, partners, clients who have a blog or a website. Ask for in-content links instead of links in the sidebar or footer. For maximum impact, make sure that the backlinks are relevant to your niche.
2.Giving Testimonials
Testimonials are beneficial to any website. They tell readers that real people have tried your product or service, and they love it; many businesses offer you the chance to say a few words about your experience using their products. As the business gets another testimonial to place on their site, you get a new backlink for your website.
3.Earning links
Link earning requires a great amount of effort and time, but gives the highest quality links that competitors will struggle to replicate. The best way to earn relevant links is through creating unique, relevant content that can naturally gain popularity in the Internet community. When a third party decides to link to your website, they are doing so because they have a reason to. This adds value to both their content and your website as a result.
4.Working with influencers
Putting your product, service, or site in front of influencers in your industry, such as popular bloggers or people with a large social media following. The best way to work with an influencer is on a review basis. Simply send them a free product sample or invite them to try out your service for free, then ask them to provide an honest review on their website. In most cases, they’ll link to your website as part of the review. Depending on the type of deal you make, you may need to pay for their time or content, but others are happy to do a contra deal.
