The Role of Content Creation in Your Link Building Strategy

 

As we have mentioned, a solid link building strategy revolves primarily around content creation. Other websites need a reason to link back to your site. Give them that reason by producing original, quality content.

 

Let’s review the two ways you can use content to your advantage:

 

1. Host content on your own website in order to cultivate a network of links. The key is to create a resource that can’t be found elsewhere, that will prove helpful to a wide range of people, and that is strongly associated with a few search engine keywords.

 

Once your resource is ready for the world, you need to promote it. This could be a multi-pronged approach: asking outright for a link to be included on a website, linking to the resource as part of social media Q&A efforts, or writing blogs for other people’s websites.

 

And that note brings us to tactic number two …

 

2. Create content for other people’s websites. You have a bit more control in how your link is presented to the world if you simply create the content yourself. You can choose the keyword anchor text, and you can choose which part of your site to link to.

 

The key is to make sure the link placement makes sense. Some site owners are happy to let you include a link back to your own site in exchange for great content. On the other hand, others are wary of linking to a potential competitor. To avoid having your link or your content rejected, create content that is suitable for the audience of the other website and make the link look as natural as possible.

 

The Power of the Top Ten List

 

Not sure where to start? Here’s a great example of content that websites love to publish, that people love to read, and that can actually lead to some great conversions for you: the Top Ten List.

 

Let’s say you write a blog about your mountaineering adventures. Wouldn’t it be great if someone thought your blog was worthy of a Top Ten List? Here’s a secret: you don’t have to wait around for someone else to write that list. You can write it yourself!

 

Write an article called “Top Ten New Mountaineering Blogs of 2016.” Place your own blog at the number two or three position. (Note that you don’t have to always make it a Top Ten list. It could be a Top Six list or a Top 14 list … whatever works for you.)

 

The tricky part is pitching such an article to other websites in the outdoor niche. This article is inherently self-serving, and the editors are bound to notice. You may need to pitch it under a pseudonym or ask a friend to help you out. It is worth bending the rules a little bit on this one, because once the article is published, it will drive more traffic to your site than any other link placement. The article title will attract people who are interested in reading blogs like yours, and they’ll likely check out at least the top three suggestions. From there, it’s up to your site to convince them to subscribe.

 

Content Is the Backbone of Link Building

 

Link building campaigns will fizzle out without quality content to work with, both on- and off-site. Pay attention to content creation. Allocate resources to it. Put someone in charge of managing it. An outstanding content team won’t simply complement your link building team … they will be the heart of all your link building efforts.

 

You don’t need to pitch hundreds of blogs. In fact, one or two exceptionally useful resources can drive just as much traffic to your site … as well as propelling your site up through the search results and toward that coveted number-one spot.

 

There’s no better time than the present! Assemble your content team and start brainstorming.