Contrary to popular belief, backlinks actually matter.
With such large volumes of content being shared across the web daily; offsite content and backlinks are strategies needed to elevate your website traffic. Oftentimes, content marketers refrain from incorporating offsite into their content strategy as they’re worried about the dangers associated with this organic approach. Initially, the process was different. Brands would buy links and over optimise to improve results. Today that’ll get you penalised. So, there is an art to it. But, if you partner with content marketing experts who’ll engage trustworthy sources, and follow Google’s guidelines, you can reap huge benefits.
Every year, Google makes it possible to become more visible and increase your authority when you follow their lead. But that’s the trick; stick to their rules. And by rules, we mean their algorithm. The concept of E-A-T jumped on the scene in 2014 and has since encouraged businesses to incorporate three elements: expertise, authority and trust.
The purpose of E-A-T is to meet customers’ search intent with your content. In your content, it is advised that you incorporate at least two or three backlinks to support E-A-T. Depending on the quality and relevance of your links, it will help Google understand your content better.*You will only be rewarded with links, counted by Google, when an anchor text (seen on a third-party website), with a followed link, is clicked on. It will then be directed to your website.
So how do you get high-quality backlinks?
It sounds a lot easier than it is.
Again, the association has not done the concept justice.
But if you partner with a performance agency like Rogerwilco; experts in their field, we can help you obtain links. The more quality links you get back to your website, the better. Essentially, the primary reason why people want backlinks is to generate referral traffic to your website and become associated with a specific topic. Once Google recognises the influx of traffic, they will start rewarding you with rankings. This, of course, goes hand in hand with other ranking factors.
Here are a few ways that Rogerwilco can help you maximise your backlink strategy:
Analyse the value of the linking page
Among others, Google will reward you for traffic. This will, in turn, increase your website authority. This is every brand’s goal; for Google to notice you and start indexing your pages. Over time, multiple metrics will improve your website’s authority, allowing your brand to become more competitive. For example, inbound links and backlinks can improve your score. In addition, algorithms such as PageRank, will also start prioritising your brand's content if it is seen as trustworthy. This will, eventually, increase your website score, boosting your URL rating (UR) on individual pages.
Watch out for NoFollow links
Whether you choose to upload your content to self-upload sites or share it with third-party hosters, make sure that they allow followed links. Some website builds have a [rel=”nofollow”] attribute applied, instructing Google to avoid counting this link. This, of course, takes away from the aim of this process. So, whether you’re engaging with free self-upload platforms or paid placement providers, look out for this hidden process.
Be strategic about your placement
If the placements were as easy as 1, 2, 3, everyone would be distributing links and ranking on the first page of Google. So, Google has added another layer to the process; link placement. Your link value will be determined by where you place your links. For example, placing a link in a less obvious place can result in higher weight, or “points” for your website if you will. The most effective type of links appear within the body copy, surrounded by contextual relevance.
Anchor texts go hand-in-hand with links
As part of a greater SEO and content marketing strategy, you need to pair anchor texts with links. The keywords you use in your anchor text need to appear in the linked website to show correlation. Google sees the connection as contextually relevant information, which, in turn, supports the E-A-T algorithm. If you do not consider this approach, it can have a reverse effect on your rankings. Over time, “abuse” in Google’s eyes can lead to penalties. It is recommended that you become more diverse with your anchor texts and keywords.
Context drives relevancy
In Google’s eyes, contextual relevance has become a key factor for content analysis. Of course, search engines do not read information or consume information the way we do, so it’s important to be as detailed as possible in your delivery. Surround your link with semantics; descriptive words about the link. Add contextual relevance to your anchor texts.
Unnatural links affect your rankings
As previously mentioned, Google counts your links and qualifies them. When you start keyword stuffing and over-optimising to get their attention, it is seen as unnatural. This could lead to a penalty and make your brand appear in a negative light. Google wants you to follow their rules without manipulating them. It is a long-term process, so be prepared to commit.
Final thoughts on acquiring backlinks
There are different types of backlinks, as well as different ways to acquire them.
By consulting with an SEO company in South Africa, we can put together a search marketing, link building strategy to assist you. Not only that, but we can either consult you on your SEO copywriting approach or happily create this content for you. Get in touch today, and we’ll help you to achieve success with your backlink and marketing efforts!
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