POP SEO Tip #2: How to Build Backlinks the Right Way

Backlinks are well-known as one of the best ways to boost your WordPress page’s ranking on search engines. All too often, however, businesses go about this the wrong way. More than ever, search engines are factoring in the quality of backlinks into their web-crawling algorithms. This means that taking a scatter-gun approach to backlinks may hurt you in the long run.

So, I've put together some guidelines to help you build backlinks the right way. Follow the tips below and you’ll be sure to benefit from great backlinks and improved rankings on search engines.

Stay in Your Field

Not long ago, it didn’t matter very much where your backlinks originated. That’s simply not the case anymore. Your backlinks should come from websites that match your field. For example, if you're an attorney, it makes sense to have a backlink from an online legal directory, not from a construction website.

Be selective about what backlinks you use. Make sure they are relevant and would be useful for your customers or readers. This is the main focus. Having backlinks from places that have no bearing on what you do isn’t going to offer you any benefits. In fact, it can make your own reputation drop.

Cultivate Relationships

Whether you’re simply exchanging links or doing a guest blog, try to develop a relationship with that readership. You might earn additional links from other members of the community. Be generous and helpful as much as time allows.

It’s not only a kind thing to do but something you can reap the benefits of down the line. Relationships are king in business and you want to be sure you’re constantly making and improving them for your own benefit. Even a little time spent on this can make an impact.

Offer Great Content

If you offer content that is of value to people, then they will be inclined to share that content with others. The concept is simple, but in practice, it will take some effort. Be warm, friendly, and informative, and try to keep the sales pitch to a minimum.

That doesn’t mean you can’t advertise what you sell, but it should be done in a subtle way. By providing good content and making sure customers have the information they want, you can expect them to think of you as an expert. This will often bring them back time and time again, which could mean increased sales.

Make Sharing Your Content Easy

If you’re not using WordPress plugins that allow visitors to easily share your posts on social media, then research some good plugins out there. You will want to take advantage of social media sharing. It's easy to create Facebook sharing buttons; ditto for Twitter, LinkedIn. Make it as easy as possible to share your content!

If you're not using WordPress, the same principle applies; you probably will have other tools at your disposal. “Add This” has a quick way to add a share button if you don't have WordPress.

Whatever options are available to share content, learn how they work, and then proceed to use them. This is a great way to ensure more people hear your message. Those same people could end up being your next wave of customers.

Share Content from Others

Your visitors don’t care where your content comes from, so long as it’s useful to them. Sharing valuable content from others serves your customers and clients, and it may inspire other content creators to share your work as well.

This is a great way to provide relevant content to your audience and make relationships with other websites at the same time. Sharing links between each other will help out both brands and give customers what they are looking for at the same time.

Final Thoughts

By following the above guidelines, you should be well on your way to making quality backlinks an important part of your overall SEO strategy. It isn’t a difficult process, but you may need to update your current strategy. It will all be worth it when your SEO is improved and customers come rolling in. Give it a shot and see where it leads you.