Getting Links

[Studio33]

Hi,

Links from Directories are bad.

Links for low quality sites are bad.

Paid links are bad.

Guest blogging is "maybe rumor has it" google's next big Penguin.

Where and how is everybody getting all these great links from, is there anywhere left??

All advice welcomed as we really need good links quick!

Thanks

[KarlBantleman]

Hi,

I can seem pretty hard to get some quality links nowadays but I think the best thing to do is not to think of it as "getting links" and to think about where your content will be seen by your potential/existing customers. Guest blogging can still be useful because if it is on a relevant and powerful blog then there is a good chance that people will read your post, realise you have a good knowledge on the subject and look for more information.

The secret is to give enough information about the subject you are writing about but enough in reserve to make readers want to know more. Think about creating some content (without the subject of the website you are looking to build for it is hard to be specific) and adding it to your website. As saw this before on Direct Travel's website (www.direct-travel.co.uk/infographic/uk-aviation) and thought it'd be a good example. They created this infographic and they can now contact different travel-related websites to ask them to link to this page. On the page where you create the "linkable asset", make sure you have details about the products/services you offer because you want to entice people to search through the website and ultimately convert.

This is just one way of getting links but it can be quite successful if you find the right type of content.

Hope that helps!

[TakeshiYoung]

Not all of the tactics you mentioned are necessarily "bad". The only one you want to avoid is direct paid links, where it's obvious that you paid for your link. Beyond that, links from guest blogging & directories can be helpful, you just want to make sure to target high quality blogs & directories, and avoid being spammy.

The best links are:

• Editorially given (someone else had to put them there, it's not a site where you can just place your link)
• From a relevant site
• From a high authority site (pagerank/mozrank is a good proxy for authority)
• Embedded within relevant content
• Uses relevant anchor text, but not to an overwhelming degree

If you're looking for specific link building strategies, here is a great list: http://pointblankseo.com/link-building-strategies

[Studio33]

Thanks we are an online invoicing software provider so am at a loss really on what content we can provide that anyone would ever want to link to. It's not the most interesting of sites/subjects to link too.

[TakeshiYoung]

Check out the list of ideas I posted, there are a ton of good ones: http://pointblankseo.com/link-building-strategies

Some ideas off the top of my head:

• Get links from the websites of satisfied clients/customers
• Give away free copies of your software to business related blogs for reviews/giveaways
• Create a slideshow about the importance of invoicing/how easy it is to create invoices with your software, and post it to slideshow sites
• Create an infographic about how much money & time people can save using your software
• Start a blog or q&a section that addresses common problems people face with invoicing. Use Google search suggest to find questions people are asking ("how to do invoicing properly", "how to set up an invoicing system", "invoicing when self employed")

Don't just limit your link outreach to invoicing, think broader like business, small business owners, accounting, etc. If you get creative, there are lots of different angles you can take.

[odegi]

Hi,

I would first like to say that to get "good links quick" is an ideal strategy that will involve some Blackhat tactics and money invested into some good directories like Yahoo or Best of the Web. As such, your best bet to get good links quick at a respectable pace is to build relationships with influential experts within your industry or niche. If you are dealing with a branded client, pick people who have the potential to become ambassadors or affiliates in the future, ways that will not only boost your SEO/ranking, but your SALES! Even if they are not well known at first, they can still have a valuable influence locally and their knowledge is always a valuable asset.

A study by Forrestor Inc concluded that 80 percent of consumers say they discover a product/brand/website via word of mouth. As such, find experts and get on your social media to build relationships. In the end, it will cost you the same amount of time and hours as outreach or blackhat tactics.

Cheers.

[toddmumford]

Be an expert in your niche, and contribute to the community. And ask yourself

What pain points do consumers in this industry experience?
What content could be refreshed and / or curated in this industry?
How can you contribute your expertise to add value?

Asking yourself these questions will help you develop content ideas, which will, in turn, potentially yield inbound links if you can build great content and share it with industry influencers.

Hope this helps
Todd