Link building is one of the most important aspects of SEO. Webpages on the internet are always under the strict scrutiny of Google’s algorithms and those pages that have the most links tend to be considered authoritative, while those that do not have any are bound to obscurity. You can use search rank checker to know the standing of your site. Let’s discuss some basic things you need to know about link building to help your site rank and perform better.

How To Build Links?

Adding Links

Adding links is the strategy of visiting a social media profile, platform, or any other site that doesn’t belong to you and placing your link there. It is one of the most common and easiest strategies to build links but there is a downside to it. Google does not consider it a good practice and may even flag you as spam.

Furthermore, adding links does not give you a competitive edge over your competitor either. If you can do it easily, that means your competitor will be doing it as well. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take part in link building. You should know how to use it the right way.

Asking For Links

Asking for links is exactly what it sounds like. You should connect with the website owners you want a link from. Keep in mind that you will need to give a compelling reason as it is the most crucial factor. The reason is that the website owner does not benefit from offering you links. It does not benefit them monetarily.

Therefore, before you reach out to them, you should think about what you can offer in return. For instance, you can offer guest blogging or give positive reviews and feedback about their products and services.

Buying Links (Not Recommended)

Let us tell you right from the start that buying links is not recommended. However, if we were not to mention this point, it would be unfair as a lot of webpages indulge in such activity. Buying links is a risky step especially if you are a beginner as you will simply end up wasting a lot of money.

Moreover, you can also end up penalized. It might seem easy but you will need to find a safe way of doing it as the majority of the experts won’t suggest the same as there is simply no safe way of doing it.

Earning Links

Earning links is perhaps the best way of building links. When people link to your website pages without you having to ask them, it is earning links. This is a major achievement if you own a website. This means that you are producing something outstanding that is provoking website owners to mention you on their websites.

However, the catch here is that no matter how impressive your content is, nobody is going to know about it if it does not exist. This means that you will need to invest in its promotion. So, with more promotion of the content, more people will see your page.

What Makes A Good Link?

Authority

Authority is the primary factor that makes a good link. As you are already aware that Google counts links as votes. So, a website that has several links will have better authority than a site that has none. At the same time, the source of the link also holds significant value.

In other words, having a link from a prominent website out there is different from getting a link from your friend’s blog. The former is going to have far better authority.

Relevance

Relevance is another important factor that differentiates a good link from a bad one. For example, if you have published a guide on grilling a perfect steak and want it to rank high on Google. You have two options, Joe Rogan or Gordon Ramsay. You should choose the latter even if Joe Rogan has more following.

The reason is that Gordon Ramsay is an experienced chef and any advice coming from Joe Rogan may be wrong for many reasons. This relevance is exactly what Google considers when ranking pages.

Conclusion

Link building is surely an art. However, if you were to consider the tips mentioned above, you will master them in no time. Just make sure that you are authentic and transparent throughout the process, regularly use a rank tracker tool, and avoid bypassing Google as that can put a heavy dent to your credibility.