Advanced Link Building Strategies for SEO - Skillfloor

When it comes to improving your website’s visibility on search engines, link building is one of the most important strategies I've come across in digital marketing. It involves getting other websites to link back to your site, which tells search engines like Google that your content is valuable and trustworthy. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more likely your site will rank higher in search results, driving more traffic to your pages.

However, not all backlinks are equal. Over the years, I have learned that simply gathering a large number of links won’t do the trick. Instead, it's about using smart, advanced strategies to build links that make a difference. Here, I’ll walk you through some of the most effective link-building techniques I have used in digital marketing, which can help you improve your SEO in a meaningful way.

Introduction to Link Building

• What is Link Building?

Link building means getting other websites to link back to your website. These links are called "backlinks," and they help show search engines that your site is trustworthy.

• Why Is It Important for SEO?

Search engines like Google use backlinks to figure out if your website is valuable and reliable. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more likely Google is to rank your site higher in search results. In short, backlinks are like votes of confidence from other websites, helping boost your site’s visibility.

What Makes a Good Backlink?

Not all backlinks are equally useful. Here's what makes a backlink valuable:

• Authority of the Website: Links from popular and trusted sites (like big blogs, universities, or government websites) carry more weight and are more valuable.

• Relevance of the Website: Links from sites related to your content are better than links from unrelated sites. For example, if your website is about fitness, a link from a health blog is more valuable than one from a tech blog.

• Dofollow vs Nofollow Links: Dofollow links pass SEObenefits to your site, which helps improve your rankings. Nofollow links don’t pass SEO value, but they can still bring in traffic.

Advanced Link Building Strategies

Here are some advanced ways to build high-quality backlinks.

1. Guest Blogging

Guest blogging is when you write articles for other websites in exchange for a link back to your site. To stand out, focus on writing for high-quality websites in your niche and offer content that’s detailed and valuable.

• How to Do It: Don’t just write basic articles. Create content that is in-depth, well-researched, or based on unique data, which will make your guest post more appealing and likely to get published.

1. Broken Link Building

This strategy involves finding broken links (links that don’t work anymore) on websites in your industry and offering your own content as a replacement.

• Step 1: Use tools like Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to find broken links on relevant websites.

• Step 2: Reach out to the site owner and let them know about the broken link. Suggest they replace it with a link to your relevant content.

1. Skyscraper Technique

The Skyscraper Technique is about finding popular content in your industry and creating an even better version to attract backlinks.

• Step 1: Find top-performing content with lots of backlinks in your niche using tools like Ahrefs.

• Step 2: Create a more detailed, updated, or visually appealing version of that content.

• Step 3: Contact the websites linking to the original content and suggest they link to your improved version.

1. Resource Page Link Building

Some websites have pages full of useful links and resources for their readers. You can target these pages to get a backlink.

• Step 1: Search for resource pages in your industry by using Google with terms like "best [your topic] resources."

• Step 2: Reach out to the site owner and explain why your content is a great addition to their resource list.

1. Unlinked Brand Mentions

Sometimes, other websites mention your brand or website but don’t link to you. These are easy backlink opportunities.

• Step 1: Use tools like Google Alerts to track when your brand is mentioned online without a link.

• Step 2: Contact the website and politely ask them to add a link to your site.

1. Content Partnerships

Team up with other websites or businesses in your industry to create content together, like blog posts, eBooks, or webinars. This way, both parties promote the content and link to each other.

Using Data and Statistics to Attract Links

People love to link to fresh data and statistics. By providing original research or insights, you can attract more backlinks.

• Create Original Research: Conduct surveys or gather data and publish the results. Websites often link to original research as a source.

• Publish Case Studies: Share stories of how your product or service helped solve a problem. These real-life examples attract links because they provide valuable insights.

Using HARO (Help a Reporter Out)

HARO connects journalists with experts for their stories. If you provide helpful information, they might link back to your site.

• How It Works: Sign up for HARO and respond to requests from journalists when they’re looking for experts in your industry. If they use your input, they’ll likely include a link to your website.

• Tips: Be quick and specific with your responses to increase your chances of getting featured.

Advanced Outreach Tactics for Link Building

Outreach means contacting website owners or editors to ask for backlinks. Here are ways to make your outreach more successful:

• Personalized Emails: Don’t send generic emails. Take the time to mention something specific about their website and explain how linking to your content would help their readers.

• Offer Value: Instead of just asking for a link, show how linking to your content benefits their readers. For example, your content might fill a gap in their existing information or provide a fresh perspective.

• Follow-up: If you don’t hear back after the first email, send a polite follow-up. Sometimes emails get lost, and a second attempt can lead to a response.

Monitor and Track Your Backlinks

It’s important to track your backlinks regularly to see what’s working and to avoid harmful links.

• Tools to Use: Use tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to monitor your backlinks. These tools show where your backlinks are coming from and if they’re helping or hurting your SEO.

• Why It Matters: By tracking your backlinks, you can identify any low-quality or spammy links and remove or disavow them, keeping your site healthy.

Avoid Common Link Building Mistakes

Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

• Buying Links: Google can penalize your site if you buy backlinks. It’s against their rules, and your rankings could drop.

• Focusing on Quantity Over Quality: A few links from high-quality websites are much better than lots of links from low-quality or unrelated sites.

• Getting Links from Unrelated Sites: Links from sites that have nothing to do with your content won’t help your SEO and could even hurt it.

Building high-quality backlinks is an important part of improving your website’s SEO and online visibility. While it takes time and effort, using advanced strategies like guest blogging, broken link building, and content partnerships can make a big difference in how well your site ranks. Focus on getting links from trustworthy, relevant websites, and always aim to provide value with your content. By staying consistent and patient, you’ll see long-term results that help boost your site's authority and drive more traffic.

I am Anash Khan, a digital marketing professional with 1.5 years of experience. I specialize in growing businesses online through SEO, social media, and content strategies. I am passionate about helping companies succeed in the digital world.