5 Benevolent Steps for SEO Linking
Inbound links used to be one of the most, if not the most important aspect of search engine optimization. Due to this fact, many webmasters, SEOs and business owners got involved in linking schemes, generating thousands of links to their websites in order to manipulate Google algorithms. However, these methods made for bad user experience, and Google has, to some extent, downplayed the role of links in search query results. That being said, links still matter, but it’s more of a quality than quantity scenario than anything else.
So, in order to avoid going on about the purpose for a benevolent linking strategy, here’s a plan to follow if you want high-quality links to your website:
1 – Make Your Website as Good as Possible
Like this, right?
This should go without saying, as this step affects every part of your online presence, but having a modern, simple, beautiful, informative website encourages people to link from their own websites. By generating helpful, insightful and generally useful content, you give bloggers and other webmasters a reason to link to your site.
2 – Donate to Charity
The Mac Groups does not necessarily support any of these logos…
If you can, donate to charity. This won’t guarantee a link from the charitable organization, but they might be willing to link to your site in appreciation of your generosity. Often times, charities will have .org domains, which offer better clout than a .com.
3 – Contact Your Alma Mater
“May your hats fly as high as your dreams” – Michael Scott
Depending on your field, you might have to go about this in different ways. But, if you are an expert or, in the least, very involved in your field, your college might want to have you as a speaker or writer. If that’s the case, linking to your website should come automatically, and .edu links are worth far more than most others
4 – Foster Good Relationships
“Why, of course, I will link my incredibly esteemed website to your website”
Do things for others. Be a nice person. Offer pro bono work. The list goes on. When you act kindly to others, especially without a motive, they tend to respond with some sort of kindness as well. Granted, you have the motive of getting site links, but having a lifestyle and a business perspective of helping others will overshadow any sort of back scratching trading game that you often see in business.
5 – Get Involved in Your Community
“Run… rabbit run…”
Teach children, volunteer, run in local 5Ks, etc. By involving yourself and your business in the community, you not only build a stronger neighborhood, town and region, but you open doors for .gov links to your website. These sorts of sites can offer some of the most authoritative linking in terms of search algorithms, so they are worth the work that you put in to get them. That being said, doing things to strengthen your community without the end goal of links is pretty cool in and of itself.
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Hopefully, if you noticed anything about these steps, you noticed that they all involve doing something for others. It’s interesting to me that some mathematical formula in a Google computer somewhere in Silicon Valley encourages these sorts of benevolent actions in order to gain positive linking for local businesses. Whether or not this was the intention remains to be seen, but the end result is pretty cool nonetheless. I know that Google does focus, to some extent, on growing communities, and they seem to accomplish this through their newer focus on high-quality linking, as opposed to infinite quantity. So, get involved and get solid links by doing cool things.