Link Building remains one of the most sought after and intriguing techniques in modern SEO, and is an integral aspect of the off-page optimization of a website. Plenty has been said about link building practices in the past, but this topic still remains a favorite among internet marketing professionals owing to mass delusions about what is considered the best, or what are malpractices associated in this regard- within the global SEO community. Through this article, we will cover the importance of high quality link building strategies observed in modern day SEO, along with the necessary tips to avoid that could land your website’s SEO in trouble.
Before we dive deep in to link building, let’s try the shallow water first. Basically link building involves getting the much fawned upon link juice for your website by getting high quality backlinks. This entire episode is directed at enhancing your website’s SEO by increasing its Page Rank (PR), which ultimately facilitates in its improving the site’s search engine ranking results. So how do we decide which links are high quality and which are considered bad by Google and other search engines. In order to understand this difference, we would need a better and more elemental understanding of search engine optimization process.
Why High Quality links are at the focal point of all Link Building Techniques?
It is important to note that Link Building isn’t a one day process, and the entire work done in this regard, has direct affect on a website’s future search engine rankings. This is why high quality links form the basis of all major link building exercises owing to their better shelf value from an SEO stand point.
One may ask, just how exactly do we define whether a link is bad or good for SEO?
The answer to this question isn’t solely dependent on the search engine metrics like Domain Authority (DA), Page Authority (PA) or Page Rank. In my opinion, if your site’s backlink structure involves links from authoritative or niche service websites, then whether that link is used for branding purposes or has direct money keyword as its anchor text, it will be considered good. On the other hand, if majority of your backlinks fall in the neighborhood of cheap, low quality directory sites with no relation to your website’s key service areas, then you will come under Google’s spam radar and might get penalized for spamming as well.
The Don’t’s – associated with contemporary Link Building SEO practices
Say NO to Low Quality Directory Submissions
If you fall in this trap then life saving procedures are extremely long, highly unreliable and heartbreaking. Consider this, you are marginally above Google’s threshold for backlinks from below-average, average (hardly matters) directories with direct keywords in anchor text. Somehow, you come under Google’s spam radar, and it punishes your website by dropping its rankings to pages you or your target audience never imagined existed.
Paying For Backlinks – At your own RISK!
Matt Cutts, the Grim Reaper of Anti Spam at Google, couldn’t have stressed further in this video that paying links is something against they have the most stringent rules. If Google’s search algorithm catches you red handed while being involved with paid link mafia, then you should probably just forget about your site’s ranking, since its days would soon be over.
Reciprocal Links – You think you are smart, well Google is SMARTER
Getting backlinks in exchange for a backlink, or even a service is something that all webmasters must AVOID. Exchange linking is regarded on the same lines as paid links, and if you have any doubts regarding just what’s wrong with doing that- Well Google the term Rap Genius. I am sure your doubts would turn away, and head would possibly get clearer, if not lighter.
If earning a backlink didn’t made you sweat, then it isn’t worth it
If you don’t sweat it out, then the workout was meaningless. I’m sure this gym instructor to trainee analogy would help you in realizing the gravity of the above statement. Earning high quality backlinks for your website is an arduous job and takes time, energy and an awful lot of perseverance. Hence, ignore the temptation of easy back-linking strategies and follow a more meaningful and substantial approach.
