The Ultimate Link Building Strategy for 2013

The game has changed in the world of Search Engine Optimisation. We have had to think outside the box when creating our link building strategy for 2013. Prior to the Google Panda and Penguin updates, link builders were able to manipulate the system by building /submitting links in a number of ways (article marketing, directory submissions, blog comments etc). This was great for Link builders as it made the task a lot easier. The problem came when people started abusing the system using spammy automated techniques.

Google is now fighting back against this by introducing the latest algorithm updates. We are now finding that links from a spammy website can negatively affect your site. With this in mind, it calls for a well thought out link building strategy.

[divider]

The Death of Link building and the rebirth of Link earning

The video below was taken from SEOmoz, which talks about old link building methods and what we should be doing to keep up with the modern changes “Link Earning”.

Link Building Strategy for 2013

We have created a strategy based on this; which consists of guest posts, relevant directory submissions, content creation for the website that targets longtail keywords and finally social sharing.[hr]

Guest Posts

The idea behind guest posing is to approach relevant industry related websites and offer them an article in exchange for some links (maximum of two). In essence this has become a PR’s game as relationships need to be built with various bloggers / webmasters. Article ideas need to be pitched, which align with the website’s audience. Content will need to be of good quality and provide value.

Benefits of Guest Posing:

[unordered_list style=”star”]

• Builds on brand recognition
• Build relationships with industry related businesses
• Establish yourself as an expert in your field
• Tap into new audiences / communities to promote your brand
• To build quality related links back to your website

[/unordered_list] [box type=”note”]Amanzi Digital values this as our most important link building strategy for 2013[/box][hr]

Relevant Directory Submissions

In South Africa there are only a small number of business directories. It is still a good place to start and can help to achieve multiple positions on the search engines for industry related keywords.
[hr]

Content Creation

Google prefers websites that are updated regularly such as news sites or blogs to static websites. It rewards websites that are up to date and fresh. This calls for a well thought out content strategy that provides value to the website and the people viewing it. We are able to position our content strategy based on the following metrics.
[unordered_list style=”star”]

• Fully compressive competitor analysis – This ensures we are on top of what your competitors are selling and how they engage with the market via their website and social media properties. With this in place we are able to see what types of content is most engaging (received comments and shared on social media platforms) and build it into our content strategy.
• Longtail Keyword Research – This allows us to find industry related keywords that have a fair amount of searches and has low competition. This helps to rank for a wider range of keywords without having to aggressively build links to those pages.
• Brainstorming – This helps us find a number of topics that could provide valuable information to your website’s visitors.

[/unordered_list] [box type=”note”]Content creation is a valuable asset and if done correctly, can help establish yourself as a market leader as well as build a community by providing valuable information[/box] [hr]

Social Sharing

I think we all know by now that social media is here to stay. This is a great place to engage with your market at their leisure. The concept is to take your brand to the people rather than wait for them to turn up on your door. On top of this, Google has introduced social into their algorithm especially with the introduction of Google +. Google is now serving search engine results based on peer recommendations. In other words results can be displayed if members in your circles have +1’d a particular page.

[google_plusone size=”standard” annotation=”none” language=”English (UK)”]

The following video by Google explains this beautifully.

In a nutshell Google is trying to crowd source whether a website or webpage is good by the amount of likes, tweets, shares and +1’s a website receives. It has also been proven that you can get your content indexed quicker by sharing it on Google+.

Your brand could also benefit from finding social influencers related to your market and engaging with them. If they like what you do or say you could benefit from them recommending your brand to their community. Hello viral and hello free publicity!

Although, links created by social sharing are not a major influencer in link building at the moment, it is certainly a great way for promoting your brand. There is also a strong possibility of becoming more influential in the future.
[hr]

Conclusion

Amanzi Digital aims to incorporate an all-rounded approach to digital marketing. This is to ensure long lasting results with a positive return on your investment. Please share or comment on this post if you found it interesting. Alternatively, you could click on the following link to find out more about our SEO services.