Those who have tried SEO know that it can be very complicated. Google and other search engines use a number of factors to rank websites, which means you need to pay attention to various aspects when building your SEO strategy.
On top of that, the Google ranking algorithm is always changing, which makes it even harder to stay on top of SEO. However, one thing remains constant – backlinks.
Backlinks are a crucial part of SEO and a vital ranking signal. In fact, Google itself considers backlinks to be one of the top five ranking factors. This means that getting high-quality backlinks is absolutely necessary for your site to rank high in SERPs.
White Hat Vs. Black Hat Link Building
In the past, all backlinks were considered equal, which resulted in the development of black hat linking methods, such as using PBNs (private blog networks) or automated link building tools that focus on quantity instead of link quality. Things are different these days; your website could easily end up penalized if you try to use black-hat schemes to improve your rankings.
To stay on the safe side, you need to focus on white hat, i.e. legitimate link-building strategies that still work. White hat link building refers to strategies that encourage high-authority sites to link to you organically. Of course, these tactics are not as easy to implement as black hats and require more time and effort. But the good news is, if you learn what they are and do them right, the rewards will be worth your while. You can also always consider getting outside help and outsourcing your link-building campaigns in order to get the best results for your website.
In this article, we’re discussing 6 whitehat link building techniques that will help you improve your position in search engine results pages.
6 White Hat Link Building Strategies
1. Create High-Quality Content
High-quality content is always relevant, which is why you should consider starting a blog where you will post on topics relevant to your industry. If the content you create is valuable and useful to the readers, it will eventually attract traffic and result in backlinks.
When creating your posts, be sure to have SEO in mind because even the best pieces of content will be useless if no one sees them. In addition, pay attention to the length of your posts. In our experience, longer posts tend to gain more traction. In fact, a HubSpot analysis for the length trends in 2021 showed that the ideal blog post length should be between 2,100 and 2,400 words.
Besides written posts, you could also offer useful information in the form of visuals, such as videos, infographics, images, and slide-share presentations. According to Venngage, well-designed visuals increase people’s desire to read the content by 80%, and articles with images on every 100 words get twice the shares of other articles. In addition, other bloggers might reference your visuals in their blogs.
Don’t forget to install social sharing buttons so that your readers can share your content in their network and help you gain backlinks.
2. Focus on Guest Blogging
Guest blogging is one of the effective ways to build links. In fact, by writing guest posts, you don’t only get links but also build relationships with other website owners and earn appreciation that helps establish your authority in the industry. Websites that allow guest blogging often promote posts on their own social channels, which means more traffic and engagement for you.
If you’re interested in guest blogging, start by creating a list of websites with a similar niche to your own that allow guest posts. Then, reach out to website owners/editors asking them to contribute as guest authors.
Be sure the article you create is of good quality as brand reputation matters and avoid promoting your company. Instead, you can provide your introduction and site link in the ‘About the Author’ section. Once it is published, you can share your guest post link with your network.
3. Ask for Links
Sounds too simple but this really is the easiest way to build good links for your site. Who should you ask for links? The answer is everyone – members of your family, friends, employees, partners, and customers who have their own blog or website.
You could also get in touch with industry experts and influencers and ask them to review your products or services. This way, you will not only get back-links but also valuable testimonials that increase your business’s credibility.
Consider internal linking as well, as it helps Google find and index all of the pages on your website.
4. Use the Skyscraper Technique
The skyscraper technique is another whitehat link building tactic consisting of three steps:
- Identifying a keyword you want to rank for
- Creating a piece of content superior to what’s already ranking well in SERPs
- Reaching out to the websites that have linked to the original piece of content and asking them to consider switching the links to your content
The most important part of this tactic is to create something better than what’s already out there, a piece of content that stands above all others just like a skyscraper stands above everything else in a skyline.
The skyscraper technique works so well because you’re taking something that has already been proven to be effective (has attracted quality backlinks) and making it even better. And while the technique does take some effort, the rewards can be massive.
5. Consider Blog Commenting
Blog comments are an excellent way to promote content and build out an organic link profile. One of the biggest advantages of this tactic is that it’s very easy to execute. However, be careful as it can easily turn into dark hat practice if you automate it, stuff too many keywords, or comment on spammy websites.
If you want to do it right, start by finding a high-authority blog relevant to your niche or the keywords you are targeting. Be sure to check if the blog allows comments from visitors and that the comment section doesn’t implement a no-follow tag.
Once you find a quality site that meets these criteria, leave a comment that includes a link to your site. Bear in mind that obvious link insertions will probably be deleted, so make sure your comment contributes to the discussion. Over time, blog commenting will create additional organic traffic and improve your ranking.
6. Make Niche Edits
Niche editing is a technique in which a contextual link is added to an existing web page or a blog post. These edits are done by reaching out to website owners/editors directly and requesting them to add your link to a relevant post.
What makes niche edits a great white hat link building tactic is the fact that both parties have a benefit: you get a link and the website linking to you increases the value of its content.
It should be noted though that some website owners will request payment before making a niche edit, which isn’t wrong but can affect your budget if you aren’t prepared. The best approach is to get to know the website owner and their requirements before you start creating the content.
Final Thoughts
Making efforts to get high-quality organic backlinks to your website is a sure way to improve your rankings. That’s why the six whitehat link building techniques described in this article should be at the core of your SEO strategy.
Choose the ones that make the most sense for your website and give it your best shot. SEO and link-building are time-consuming, but if you’re patient, the results will be worth your while.
