Instead of using old-fashioned SEO tricks like mass-producing content and keyword stuffing to improve traffic, savvy content marketers can find substantial benefits from utilizing backlinks in their content.
Everybody wants more organic web traffic, and it’s no secret that generating and applying links to your content is one of the best ways to get more eyes on your material.
A link’s influence on page ranking as found by Moz
How important is it? A 2015 search engine ranking factors survey by SEO consulting firm Moz provided some insight: link-related features were considered the most important aspect of getting better page rankings when compared against metrics related to content relevance, keyword usage, article length, and social media impact.
Getting linked means a higher ranking. A higher ranking means you get found more easily. And when you’re easily found, better traffic growth is only a step away.
With that mind, let’s have a look at a few ways to grow your traffic with backlinks.
1. Generate Media Exposure
As with any form of advertising, getting your links out there is a good start to building more traffic. Engage with consumers in your field via industry forums like HARO or Quora that allow you to answer questions and provide value for a readership that already has an interest in your material. Once you’ve provided a helpful response (you don’t want to spam, after all), look for opportunities to include relevant links to get your name out there and direct traffic to your blog.
2. Leverage Your Competition
As the saying goes, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” And while they surely weren’t talking about backlink value in Google rankings, there’s no denying the truth of the statement for your SEO efforts.
Linking to other relevant sites provided by your would-be competitors can provide value by exposing you to the following of readers that your competitors have. These readers have an interest in the type of content you provide, but might not yet be aware of what value you can bring them. Leverage this potential market of viewers and foster positive relationships and teamwork within your industry at the same by linking to other valuable content. You may find that your competitors will surprise you and give you link backs or social media shares for your trouble.
3. Give Them a Shout-Out
However, you don’t have to directly link to your competitors to your ranking potential. In a process known as co-citation, brand mentions on pages (even without directly linking) can boost your SEO by increasing the authority and ranking of the material by building indexed associations in Google’s network. What this means is that when Brand A mentions Brand B in its content, an association is developed in Google’s search algorithm, increasing their relevancy and creating a system of promotion where searches for either A or B produce results for both.
This method of cooperative indexing can create authority for your content and increase your exposure all in one move.
4. Stay Focused
If you want to build more traffic for your site, it’s in your best interest to stay as focused as possible on your niche. Why?
It’s all about authority. The top results that search engines like Google return will be sites that are considered authoritative and high-quality, based in part on the amount of other sites that link back to you. Google’s ranking algorithm doesn’t just check for links in your content, it checks to see how many other sites with relevant content are referencing your material. The more of these links you have, the more “authority” your site will have and the better it will do in search rankings.
To aggregate as many of these links as possible, keep your outreach targeted towards a specific market that is more likely to promote your content.
Building Authority and Exposure
Utilizing backlinks isn’t always the easiest way to build traffic for your site, but it can be powerful when done correctly. Proper use of backlinks can enhance your page’s authority and increase your Google search ranking, while increasing exposure for your content and even building social connections within your industry. Once your backlinks have been optimized, your page will be primed for the linking and sharing that will increase your outreach and overall following.
What other ways have you used backlinks to boost your page growth? Let us know in the comments below!
