7. And Goshdarnit, People Like Me: Backlinks
Whenever another website links to yours, it is called a backlink, inbound link or referral link and each one provides a vote of confidence that your site has value.
When Google sees a page with a lot of votes from other credible or high authority sites, it ’ s a PageRank signal that your site also produces high quality content and deserves to be noticed.
Pages with a lot of backlinks consistently rank higher in search results as they are considered more authoritative and trustworthy.
Did you know that Google retains a dedicated team of human page-quality checkers who are tasked with applying additional quality scores, by hand, in addition to the 200 automated algorithm factors?
Backlinks are one of those very important factors that human quality control looks at to determine your E-A-T score. Want a sneak peek at Google's official employee manual for evaluating a website by hand? https://yourhomebusinessonline.com/search-guidelines/ (Enter the Password: SEO)
If you run a site about home decor and you have a backlink from a site about marathon racing, it does not correlate with your main topic and will bring no value. In fact, there are instances where many links from low quality sites can actually damage your credibility, formerly known as link farming.
If you own a bicycle shop, write interesting content about the “heart healthy benefits of mountain biking” and get featured on an exercise blog or fitness news site. The contents of both these types of sites are related and will bring a wider array of link juice (also known as link equity) to your website in general.
5 Easy Steps to Getting GREAT Backlinks
1. Create great Content
This almost goes without saying but we must start right here. Providing unique, share-worthy content naturally earns the most backlinks, authority signals and ultimately… traffic.
With trillions of web pages already indexed, your content will need to stand out and deliver significant value to your audience so that they want to share and/or comment on your articles and keep coming back for more.
5 Basic Rules for Compelling Content
- It covers a topic more thoroughly or differently than other pieces.
- It ’ s authoritative with facts, statistics, case studies .
- It ’ s easy to consume with simple text in a well-designed page structure.
- It contains supporting graphics, video, charts, infographics.
- It ’ s up to date.
Take a quick look at the sites currently ranking for your main keywords. What can you do differently AND better? We go deeper into creating killer content in Chapter 9 and you will want to have this goal in mind.
2. Check your existing link profile to look for easy improvement opportunities
A healthy link profile will naturally include both high and low authority sites with varying degrees of link equity, providing a reasonable balance in the type of incoming links.
You will also want to include limited strategic external links on your pages and posts. Linking out to relevant sites will help the search engine further determine the main context of your website.
You can view your existing backlinks by using any of the tools mentioned in the additional tools section of Chapter 2 as well as Google Console.
You will also want to determine which of your pages are already indexed and which ones come up first. In the Google search bar enter site:yourwebsiteaddress.
3. Write and distribute a press release, become a reporter’s source
A powerful tactic to gaining inbound links is with a good old fashioned press release, with some new media strategies. Online press release services will often publish articles with valuable links to your site that will drive hot link juice to your website immediately.
Write a journalistically styled article that includes statistics, surveys or an industry study with a link to your site embedded in the article.
Most PR distributers allow active links throughout the body of your text and contact area, some allow only a certain number and some none at all. Check the distribution site policies for their specific formatting requirements. Most simply require standard press release format and do allow a small number of appropriate links.
Make your topic and hook are attention grabbing so it stands out and do not make it a blatant promotion for your business. Unlike your meta description tag, this is not where you write an ad.
Make it “newsworthy” and ideally relating to current events for a chance of having your article published across additional channels.
If you’re not comfortable writing your own press release, try hiring a freelancer to write and/or distribute it for you. I have used this service many times with good results. Fiverr : https://bit.ly/3gejBJf
Access a list of do-it-yourself online press release distribution outlets at: https://jodistout.com/online-press-release-tips
Haro (Helo a Reporter Out) is an interesting and potentially powerful source for getting press mentions and for generating positive publicity.
Basically, it allows you to present yourself as an expert or authority on a certain topic to journalists who are looking for stories, statistics and quotes. This provides a tremendous opportunity for you to be the quoted source in a related article. Sometimes this can yield a quote from you in a very high profile magazine or publication.
How it Works:

4. Update your existing directory listings and find new ones
Relevant industry directories can be gold mines for valuable incoming links. An often overlooked, easy way to maximize these sources are to simply make sure your website and profile are up to date and formatted well on industry and association websites that you already belong to.
If you are a member of the local Rotary, the engineering society, chamber of commerce, BBB or other industry/association/neighborhood/business groups, check those websites to make sure you are accurately represented and links to your website are referenced properly.
Same goes if you sponsor a fundraiser, host a local open house or are involved in any type of event that would likely be listed on a website and possibly in news outlets. Be sure you get a mention with a link if it all possible!
To find new online directories to get listed, search out “resource” pages and link roundups. There are many websites that curate lists of websites to provide helpful resources for consumers around a topic.
Find relevant directories and submit your site according to each one’s instructions. A fast and easy way to find roundups in your area of focus is to do a Google search for your topic along with an “inurl” modifier.
For instance, type “your keyword” + “inurl:links” to get a list of sites that provide “links” to your keyword topic (example below).
Many of these resource pages will have a “submit your site” opportunity to potentially get your website listed or you can email them directly with a “pitch” to be included.
You can use other modifiers as well to find additional directories related to your topic. Try variables such as “your keyword” + “ inurl: resources” to find pages that are titled “resources” along with your keyword. You can also switch out ”resources” for “helpful resources," “useful resources,” “how to, “best sites,” “learn to,” “link roundup” and whatever else you think may be relevant for your topic based on your keyword library.
Additional directories:
City Search: http://citysearch.com
Hot Frog- https://www.hotfrog.com/
Bing Places - https://www.bingplaces.com
Merchant Circle - http://merchantcircle.com
Yellow Pages - http://yp.com
Next Door - https://nextdoor.com
Blogarama- https://www.blogarama.com
5. Get links from guest posting, podcast appearances, influencers, social media
Seek out opportunities to appear as a guest on a podcast or as a content contributor to another blog or website. You not only gain very valuable, high-authority links but you dramatically increase your expert status and your overall E-A-T score.
Make direct contact with influencers, blog publishers or individuals that have a position in a specific company you may be seeking to get a link from and ask if they would be willing to connect to or feature your content. Offer value to them.
To find contact information for individuals in specific companies you want to target, search hunter.io and linkedin.com
Looking to partner with or get a mention from an influencer in your niche? Check out the app FlipperSplash that connects brands with influencers. https://flippersplash.com .
It’s absolutely vital for your website to receive ongoing social signals validating your website as not only alive and kicking but popular. An incoming link from a favored influencer can have dramatic ripple effect.
Check each of your social media accounts to ensure your correct website address is properly linked, has accurate company information and is listed in the correct category. Use links in your posts to articles that reference your website to help boost social signals and CTR’s.
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