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Link Building for SEO: Strategies for High-Quality Links

Links are and Remain an Important Factor for Ranking High in Search Engines. But how Do I Build Links for SEO? And Specifically, Effective Links that Cannot be Copied and Pose No Risk?

However, before we get to that, we need to clarify a few things. Many gray-hat methods prevail in link building that clearly violate Google’s guidelines – and which we reject. For good reasons. Furthermore, Google’s algorithm has changed significantly.

What this Article Covers

Three Common Questions about Link Building and SEO

What is Link Building?

Link building in SEO means generating external links for a website. That is, being linked from other websites. Every external link strengthens one’s own website and thus its Google ranking. There are various strategies and approaches for how to obtain these external links.

What Link Building Strategies are there?

In the SEO industry, there are different strategies and approaches for link building. One approach relies on buying and exchanging links. However, these methods violate Google’s guidelines. Therefore, there is another approach that focuses on clean, voluntarily placed links. However, this is significantly more difficult to implement.

What Do I Need to Consider for Link Building?

What to pay attention to depends on the SEO and link building strategy. Those who focus on high-quality, clean linking must invest a lot of energy in PR and brand building. Those who engage in link trading must primarily ensure they are not scammed and not caught by Google.

Link Building and SEO: an Example

Here is an example of clean link building in the form of a link bait – that is, a targeted campaign to generate links.

For the link building project, a free tool was developed. A tool that did not yet exist on the market in that form. Subsequently, a PR and content marketing campaign was carried out for the tool.

We discuss this example in our SEO Academy.

Link Building and SEO: how it Used to be – and Often Still is Today

Buying Links

The common practice in search engine optimization was and often still is to buy and sell links under the table. Website operators place a so-called do-follow link in exchange for a one-time payment. Often, it involves several hundred euros per link, depending on the quality of the link seller’s or broker’s website.

Renting Links

Another common method is link rental. Here, a monthly amount is debited for the placed links. This results in ongoing costs for the renter. At the same time, they are in a permanent dependency on their service provider. Especially since it is often not known exactly which links have been placed. The true extent of dependency is difficult to ascertain.

Exchanging Links

A reciprocal action for a link can also simply be a link back. For this purpose, entire networks of websites were previously built, solely for the purpose of placing a reciprocal link. Even if no money changes hands here, it is still a deliberate manipulation of search engines.

“If you wish, we can link to each other in return” – a classic link exchange request

The Causes of Manipulative Link Building

Lack of Alternatives

Companies that buy links often simply lack alternative concepts. New methods are not known. Or they shy away from the effort involved. This is also because organic link building works completely differently. It is significantly more complex. And you need the right creative ideas.

High Competitive Pressure

This is also often the case: one knows that they are violating Google’s guidelines and that the risk is high or even existential. Nevertheless, it is done. Because the competitor does it – and thus achieves short-term success. The responsible SEO or management is under pressure and acts out of necessity.

Guaranteed Results

This also applies: those who have purchased links have received guaranteed results. A placed link is visible, controllable, and measurable. The purchasing process is manageable in complexity. The method appears scalable at first glance. Furthermore, there are service providers in the market with their own link networks.

These are the Risks of Gray-Hat Link Building Methods

Ranking Loss and Penalties

Link building with such gray-hat methods was very successful in the past. Some still are today. However, since the “Penguin Update” in 2012, Google has been massively combating such unnatural links. Former link sellers and buyers were severely penalized. Link networks were dismantled. The consequences: Through a readjustment of the algorithm, companies suffered significant ranking losses. Or they were manually penalized via a message in the Search Console.

Existential Business Risk

The consequence of a penalty: A significant loss of ranking and traffic. While it is possible to recover from a Google penalty, the unnatural links must be removed – a link detox. Subsequently, links must be built organically. This is a complete cultural shift that almost no company manages. The result is often the end of the company, unless it is a brand company or has established other major marketing channels.

As part of the “Penguin Update,” Google penalized websites that had built unnatural links.

The Two SEO Worlds: Smarter than Google or not?

Yes, Smarter

A part of the SEO industry holds the opinion that the purpose of search engine optimization is to manipulate with gray-hat methods and trick the algorithm. New measures are constantly being discussed here. Previously, it was purchased links. Currently, for example, it’s the purchase of clicks, the so-called CTR manipulation. Many SEO service providers still offer such measures today.

No, not Smarter

We take the position that a search engine operator has more expertise and resources available than a single company. That is why we decided long ago to work with Google – and not against the corporation. Google wants the best result to rank highest. How can we contribute to earning a top position? By creating content that deserves to be linked voluntarily.

Tip: how the SEO Industry Discusses Link Building

The discussion about link building is as old as the SEO industry itself. Even today, prominent representatives of the industry hold differing opinions on it. You can also read the discussion we had on LinkedIn.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fabianjaeckert_seo-linkbuilding-onlinemarketing-activity-6622761227795877888-WM-Q

Organic Link Building: New Approaches

Hero Content

Companies develop a lot of good content. For example, helpful tips, informative texts, blog articles, videos. This content is important. However, generating links requires more. This is about developing outstanding content. This is also often called “Hero Content.” Ideally, content that does not exist in this form within the industry. This requires a completely different perspective that goes far beyond one’s own company: What would be a great help, an inspiration, or entertainment for our visitors, our customers?

Content Marketing

There are two ways to develop such outstanding, link-worthy content. Firstly, through content marketing campaigns, i.e., self-contained projects. Or through continuous content marketing, for example, on the website (e.g., tools, e-books, blogs), through one’s own video channel, a podcast, or other media that continuously provide content. A “one-shot” appears more attractive at first glance. However, if success fails to materialize, the disappointment is great. Content marketing requires a long-term commitment.

Other Topics We Address

Social Media for B2b

Besides Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, there is also a social network that has primarily established itself in the B2B sector: LinkedIn. With a good content strategy for LinkedIn, one can generate significant organic reach and build a stable network. More on this can also be found in our LinkedIn Workshop.

Online Marketing Overview

Link building is a sub-discipline of search engine optimization. At the same time, there are many other channels and approaches in online marketing that we discuss in our podcast and often combine. Here is an overview of online marketing topics that concern us.

More SEO Topics

In our podcast, we discuss many SEO topics in depth. From SEO strategies to SEO texts and snippet optimization. Plus interviews with leading SEOs and speakers from the industry. Feel free to browse our SEO podcast – ideally directly in your smartphone’s podcast app.

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