When you research any topic using your search engine of choice, the chances are you won’t look beyond the first page of results. Getting to the top of Google – the most used search engine in the world – requires being able to speak Google’s language.
Talking to Google isn’t easy. Many other sites cover the same ground as yours, and standing out is a real challenge.
That’s where SEO (search engine optimization) comes in. There are two parts to any SEO strategy: off-page and on-page. In this article, we will focus on one off-page SEO strategy in particular: link building.
If you’ve never heard of it, read on to find out more about this valuable set of tools that will get you ranking better on Google, among other things. And you don’t have to do link building on your own – you can always hire an agency specialized in link building services.
Let’s look at the 6 major benefits of link building.
What is link building?
Link building is an off-page SEO strategy which involves constructing a network of links that point back to your domain page, otherwise known as backlinks. You’ll literally be building links to increase traffic to your webpage.
This activity shouldn’t be taken lightly. Simply inserting a link in some text won’t suffice, and won’t make you rank better or increase traffic to your site by itself. A link building strategy goes beyond that.
Build relationships with other sites. Get more site or brand mentions. Google always considers the relevance of your brand.
Search engines are programmed using Artificial Intelligence that will measure the value of your site to the internet at large. The word “intelligence” has real significance here. Google’s algorithms know what they are looking for. Play their game, stick to the rules of Google engines, and you should be fine.
Why are links so important?
Links have been the essence of the internet since 1990, and this doesn’t seem likely to change any time soon. Links take the user where they want to go. They make up the address of your domain. And the Google search engine relies on them to work.
It all begins with webpage tracking, as Google follows all the links that lead to a given website.
How does it work?
Bots visit a page and index its contents, keywords and other structural information. Then, these bots follow the links contained on that page.
In Brazil, there is a saying: tell me who you’re with and I’ll tell you who you are. Google thinks the same way. If a link to your site is included on a well-known website, Google will think that you are well-known too. This reputation by proxy is known as link juice.
Get to know the term: Link juice is the ranking power that a page holds and transfers to any sites that it references via links.
Learn the 6 major benefits of link building
Your brand stands to benefit in multiple ways by starting a link-building strategy. You must be very busy, so let’s focus on the 6 main benefits of link building.
1- Better ranking on Google
It’s worth repeating. Good use of link building is sure to get your page to a higher rank on Google. The goal is to end up at the top of the engine’s search result pages.
Content is important here. Create valuable and unique content and share it, then build better results with relevant links.
2- Increase credibility
As other pages link to you, your authority will grow. Google wants the best for its users, so it will present them with only the most relevant and credible pages.
Better ranking on Google is synonymous with credibility. Only high-quality publishers stand out on search engines, and become a relevant source of content for their audience.
3- Boost your site’s traffic
Link building is the best way to get relevant audiences to visit your website, precisely because they are already searching for your type of content.
Getting linked to by an external website is your chance to reach new users. Bear in mind that web traffic is a good indicator of your website’s health.
4- Better metrics
If your strategy is well-executed, your metrics will shoot up. Domain Authority (DA), Domain Rating (DR), Page Rank (PR) and Alexa Rank should all increase as a result of your link-building strategy.
5- Better relationship with your niche
A strong link building strategy relies on establishing good relationships with others sites in your niche. In addition to generating relevant links, this can lead to new business opportunities.
6- Become the authority in your niche
The natural path of any construction with solid foundations is to reach the top. You are building a strong structure and should receive your rewards for it.
If you seek out recognized sites to link back to you, then in time your site should become the one that new users seek out themselves.
Brand leaders experience better sales, as people see them as a trusted page and a voice of authority.
Celebrate this moment. All your hard work wasn’t in vain. And keep going. Google’s algorithms never stop looking for sites that talk to them.
Remember: if you forget about Google, Google will also forget about you. Your goal is always to be mentioned. So keep producing using SEO tactics, and getting good backlinks.
Final thoughts
Make the most of the time you have to perfect your link building strategy. Don’t waste time with empty, spammy or purposeless links. Time is money, and working smart is better than working hard.
Hopefully, this article has been helpful as an introduction to link building. In the words of a famous Brazilian author:
Those who walk alone may arrive faster, but those who walk with others will certainly go further – Clarice Lispector.
So pursue your goals and seek out the benefits of link building which we’ve listed here. The sky – i.e. the top of Google – is the limit.
This is a submitted article.
