I was looking for ideas on how to begin this blog post, and I think to myself, why not start with a FAQ? (I’m getting an earworm now 🎶)
It’s a simple way to get started, right? Anyways, long story short, here are the most frequently asked questions to help you understand the subject better.
1. What is link building?
When you create a website or blog, you should optimize the content to rank higher on the SERPs (Search Engine Result Page). Link building is one technique that can help you with this.
With link building, you can increase the quantity and quality of backlinks from other websites. Google then uses these inbound links to determine the authority and relevance of your site for specific search terms.
2. Are backlinks still relevant to SEO?
Beyond question! Even in 2023, backlinks are still an essential factor when trying to rank for SEO. So, accept the fact that you will need to do link building for your blog and keep reading 🤓
3. Why are backlinks important for blogs?
To best answer this question, I'll refer you to a previous blog post where you can find a more detailed explanation of why backlinks and link building are so important. And if you're already aware that this is a pivotal element of SEO, you can skip ahead to the next question.
4. How many backlinks should a blog have?
The correct answer is: it depends. There's no actual number of backlinks that a blog should have. The number varies according to your niche, size, and goals. However, keep in mind that the 'the more - the merrier' rule does not apply here. The quality of the backlinks is what matters.
If you want to learn how to avoid link spamming, make sure to read all the way to the end of this article.
Now that you understand the fundamentals of link building, it’s time to move on to the heart of the matter 👇
12 Creative Ways to Get Quality Backlinks
If you’ve searched the internet, there are plenty of link building ideas for blogs. But the sources are repetitive and have general tips, for instance, finding broken links and unlinked mentions, writing reviews and testimonials, commenting on blogs, and so on. But in this article, I’ll cover innovative and creative ways to get quality backlinks for your blog.
Getting backlinks varies in difficulty depending on your niche. On the graph below, you can find different areas for link building ranging from the most difficult to the easiest 📊
So what are the most effective and creative ways to get quality backlinks for blogs in 2023 (and beyond)?
- Video Content
- Original Research or Study
- Podcast
- Original How-To Guide
- Whitepaper
- Infographics
- Link Pages
- Business Partners
- Quizzes or Polls
- Forums
- Press Release
- Tools and Widgets
1. Video Content
Video content has long been a part of our everyday lives. As a result, it is now nearly impossible for a company to be a part of the digital world without creating video content (among other things). This type of content has the potential to generate some high-quality backlinks on its own 🔗
Optimize your videos by adding captions, descriptive titles, and transcription.
When creating videos, use relevant keywords and meta descriptions to optimize them for search engines. The more people who see your video, the more likely they will want to use it, resulting in backlinks to your site. Furthermore, you can later share the same video in shorter parts as YouTube Shorts or Reels, exposing it to a whole new audience.
2. Original Research or Study
If the nature of your business allows, you should conduct an in-depth study in your niche. This way, you can create not only unique content but also provide valuable information that is not available elsewhere. Furthermore, you will establish credibility and trust among your audiences. It’s a surefire way to create original content, and high-quality, unique content attracts high-quality backlinks.
Also, you can replenish the research by displaying numbers or statistics in an infographic. That increases the likelihood of getting backlinks to the infographic as well. Remember, by creating superior research or study content, you will increase your chances of attracting backlinks and improving the SEO of your blog.
3. Podcast
Looking for a new way to reach out to new audiences? Podcasts are a great way to build links. 🎙
According to Podcast Industry Insights, there are currently 3,877,707 podcasts.
This figure is quite high, and the number of podcast listeners is growing daily. So don’t miss out on this opportunity to reach a new audience. If you create a top-notch podcast, you can gain backlinks and be shared on social media. You can also turn your vodcast into short video content to increase the number of shares.
Whether you’re just starting out or not, consider narrowing your focus and targeting a smaller audience. Over time, it has become clear that when a podcast is more niche-specific, more people are interested in listening to it.
4. Original How-To Guide
As with any original content, writing a thorough and authentic how-to guide will increase your chances of receiving high-quality backlinks. First, choose a topic that is relevant to your target audience. For instance, if you have a travel agency blog, you can pick a topic like “The best way to pack all essentials for a vacation”. Next, you’ll need to write a step-by-step guide with tips and details and some graphics to break up the monotony. And this is your comprehensive how-to guide.
This is an effective way for getting backlinks because other websites can use your content to support their own.
Here’s an example of how a well-written how-to guide should appear: How to Export WooCommerce Products. You should divide the content into sections and use steps and bullet points to make your guide more visually appealing.
5. Whitepaper
A whitepaper is a detailed research document that represents the author’s analysis and point of view on a specific problem. It can be a valuable backlink strategy for your blog. Yes, it may take longer to complete, but this unique content will add significant value to your blog. And the chances of getting backlinks increase if the content is relevant and contains some unique viewpoints.
To write a good whitepaper, you should first identify a specific problem your target audience may be experiencing. Then, conduct extensive research on the issue to try to find a suitable solution. Next, support your answer with relevant facts, statistics, and data. Finally, include some visuals to keep your points. And Voila! You now have a great high-quality whitepaper that will attract links to your blog.
6. Infographics
A picture is worth a thousand words. Well, so are infographics. They are a more straightforward way to show and understand numbers. For example, imagine what would happen if the chart above about “the most difficult areas for link building” was displayed as plain text. It would appear to be a jumble of data and numbers. Illustrating the information as a graph makes it easier to understand.
You should display complex data and information using infographics!
You increase the chance of getting backlinks to your infographic when you present your content visually appealingly. Additionally, an attention-grabbing infographic can drive social media sharing, which is also a plus.
7. Link Pages
Link pages contain carefully curated lists of useful links on a specific topic. They provide helpful information on a specific topic and, in some ways, offer a macro view of the topic. Link pages are an excellent way to increase the number of links to your blog.
Let’s look at an example of how to create a link page 👉 If you have a blog about first-time parents, you can create a link page dedicated solely to baby foods. You can tidy up your link page by adding categories such as fruits, vegetables, meat, etc. Additionally, you can include links to useful food-tracking apps.
8. Business Partners
And this link building technique depends on your business type, that is, whether you have business partners. If you have business partners or suppliers, you can ask them directly if they are willing to include a backlink for your blog on their website. If their website is reputable, your blog will gain more authority.
Make sure the links are natural and not forced.
For example, if you run a book review blog, your business partner with a book-selling website can backlink to your blog. Alternatively, you can write a guest blog on their site and include a backlink to your blog to increase traffic.
9. Quizzes or Polls
Quizzes and polls are excellent tools for building backlinks. Do you know why? They can be fun and engaging and can drive a lot of traffic. For instance, if you own an entertainment blog, you could conduct a quiz about popular movies, similar to movie trivia. This will engage your audience and encourage them to share your links.
Here are some of the best polling and quiz tools to use on your next survey:
Furthermore, you can combine different link building techniques. For example, if you want to conduct research on a specific topic, you can use a poll to gather firsthand statistics. Later, you can present the results of the quiz in a shareable infographic or engaging video to broaden your audience even further.
10. Forums
Depending on the niche of your blog, you may be able to use forums for link building. First, you need to find a relevant topic for your business, and you can join a discussion where you would help the participants solve a problem. Consider carefully the type of discussion in which you will participate. If your only goal is to leave a backlink, you better don’t write anything. You must contribute valuable information rather than simply promoting your website.
Using forums to get backlinks can be an effective strategy, and here’s an example of how to do it well. For illustration, if you have a fitness blog, you can participate in forum topics about workout routines or healthy lifestyles. First, find a discussion in which you can resolve a problem or dilemma. Next, provide an answer using facts and insights. Then, if it’s appropriate, include a link to your blog for those who want a more detailed explanation.
11. Press Release
One of the easiest ways to get plenty of high-authority backlinks is via PR. But, of course, this is only true if you have some great news or an announcement to share with the public. For example, if you’re a book author who has recently published a new book, now is the ideal time to get your book in front of a larger audience. You can do so through press releases, blogs, journalist stories, and other media publications.
In some cases, you have to write the press release yourself. In that case, make sure you write it in a professional tone and make it relevant to your niche. Then, after you complete the story, pitch it to the most competent journalist in your area. When they publish your story, your company will undoubtedly receive the attention it deserves.
12. Tools and Widgets
And last but not least, you can create tools and widgets as an SEO technique to gain quality backlinks. Create a one-of-a-kind feature or app that will assist your target audience with a problem or improve their experience in some way.
For example, if your blog is about women’s health, you could create a period-tracking app or an ovulation calculator. Or else, if the content topics revolve around books, you can develop a book reading tracker app.
If you create original interactive tools, you can give them away for free to other websites in exchange for backlinks. Furthermore, if you create an interactive widget or app, you can encourage users to share it with others.
Link Spam
Can link spam affect a website’s credibility and reputation? Definitely! Links are extremely important in determining the relevance of web pages in the eyes of Google. That means they’re very strict about link spam.
But don’t worry; I’m here to help you keep your website from being penalized for link spam. Here are some DON’T DOs regarding this:
- DON’T buy or sell links to improve your search engine ranking. And if you do buy links, remember to qualify them with the attribute values rel=”nofollow” or rel=”sponsored”;
- DON’T overuse link exchanges (aka the “You link to me, I’ll link to you” strategy);
- Avoid placing multiple links in the footers or templates of different websites;
- Eliminate untrustworthy backlinks;
- Avoid poor-quality directories;
- DON’T use automated link generation;
- DON’T use low-quality, keyword-rich links.
Google is now fighting link spam with SpamBrain, an AI-based system that can detect sites buying links!
Summary
It makes no difference whether your website is large or small, whether you are just starting out or have been in business for years… When it comes to backlinks, you can’t afford to ignore this SEO tactic.
Therefore, if you want to improve the search engine visibility of your blog, you should implement some of these creative tips listed above to get quality backlinks.
