Link building might be a necessary step, but very few of us like doing it. It’s boring. It’s monotonous. It gets aggravating, but I figure the best way to get over it and actually enjoy the work is to concentrate on two things: diversification and creativity.
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Diversification is important for more than just maintaining your sanity too. It stops you from making a huge mistake. Consider, for example, if Google outright ignored links from directories. Would your site’s rankings survive? What if Google said they no longer counted links from article marketing and press releases?
I’m not saying they are or aren’t counting them right now or how much weight these types of links carry. That, my friends, is a debate for a different day. My point is to get you to consider what your link profile looks like and whatsort of audience they’re reaching.
There are several different types of links to consider:
- Generic Link Building – These include the straight link generation with very little to no content involved. Directories and social profiles are a good example.
- Content Link Generation – This type of link building involves mass written content and often involves distribution. Article marketing, press releases, advertorials, blogs, and reviews, for example.
- Social Media Link Building – To be perfectly honest, I see these as being more about traffic than actual links, but I’ll included it here regardless. These involve social bookmarking sites, Twitter, Facebook, and other similar formats.
- Alternative Media Link Generation – This is the creation of videos, podcasts, widgets, and apps, all of which link back to your main website.
- Audience Generated Links – Online quizzes, contests, and link bait all fall into this category. These tactics encourage others to share your content and link back to you for various reasons.
- Content and Media Placement – Instead of buying thousands of dollars worth of links, this type of link building involves a much higher investment into the actual content. This content is then placed on authority sites in an effort to gain permanent, high quality links.
- Link Networking and Feeder Sites – Creating networks of different sites that all link back to your main site.
How you choose to use these methods and what ratios you choose are totally up to you and should depend specifically on your audience. After all, if you’re going to build links, you may as well generate some interest and traffic with it, right?
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Here is a collection of some more excellent hints, tips, and guides for quality link building:
Setting Up, Techniques and Tips
How to Set Up a Link Building Campaign for a Web Site or a Blog
Ask Kalena tells Excel fanatics how to track links using a series of worksheets. While this might not be the best for everyone, I think it gives us a great starting point and the system can be easily manipulated to match your particular tastes and needs.
Ask the Link Builder — SMX East 2009
Again, this content is a bit older, but I think the ideas and tips covered here are worth a read, even if you’ve already seen it. BruceClay also covered this topic, but has a slightly different version than Marketing Pilgrim you might find interesting. (I’m pretty sure there was an ‘Ask the Link Builder’ session at SMX 2010, but didn’t happen to see it online. If it is around somewhere, I’d be more than happy to add the link here, and would be interested to see it.)
Link Building Techniques and Tips
Over on David Naylor’s blog, Paul Carpenter left a great post on link building, but I particularly like it’s focus on quality content (surprise, surprise 
). These points aren’t deep secrets of professional link builders, but I think they’re vital for good link building and helping to build your site’s authority. Definitely a huge bonus! (David also has 10 Link Building Tips that are worth checking out while you’re there.)
Link Building With Content Ideas
In this post, Link Spiel’s Debra Mastaler gives a really good example of how to come up with content that should do well in terms of encouraging linking. It also gives some good ideas on how to promote and use that content for link generation. A lot can be taken out of this article for those who are willing to apply the lessons covered here.
Link Building — How To Build Quality Links For Free
This time, it’s the Wordstream Team with some interesting thoughts on link generation. And while I could care less about PageRank, it does a really good job of covering the basics as well as some great links on the topic of PageRank that are worth checking out.
A Big Bunch of Link Building Ideas
The link queen, Debra Mastaler, covered a number of Twitter tools and techniques you’ll be able to incorporate into your existing strategy and help you get the most bang for your buck. (Again, if you’re looking for more info on link building, her blog Link Spiel is definitely worth wandering through. Wiep Knol’s Wiep.net is another fantastic link building blog I find myself returning to rather frequently. My favorites are the ‘Link Building This Month’ posts because he usually finds some I’ve missed.)
Link Bait and Getting the Most Linking Power From Your Content
Jordan Kasteler takes a look at the finer points of link bait over at Website Magazine. This has some absolute ‘must’ do’s for good content and the social sphere. If you’re planning any sort of major link baiting strategies, you’ll definitely want to have a look.
21 Tips to Earn Links and Tweets to Your Blog Post
Rand composed a post outlining a bit of his link bait strategy in this SEOmoz post. While I don’t necessarily agree with all of it, nor is that all there is to it, I think it’s a great post for beginners and webmasters who aren’t super familiar with the concept.
Determining the Value Of Links
Link Worth — What’s Yours Worth
Tim Nash tackles the complex world of link worth, including a number of factors he feels determine the amount of power each one has. It will definitely get you thinking about your own link strategy and content placement programs.
A Guide To Qualifying Link Prospects For Relevance, Value, and Potentiality
Garrett French also looked at the value of links when he visited Search Engine Land, but in a slightly different manner. He has a link in this article to another link building worksheet you may find helpful.
Link Builder’s Guide to Historical Ranking Factors
While we’re on the topic of link quality, head over to David Harry’s blog and check out his guide to historical ranking factors. It may just inspire you to improve your linking strategy!
10 Factors That Determine the Value of Inbound Links
David Wallace took a stab at defining the value of various links over at SearchRank. Again, I’m not sure if I agree with everything he covered here, but I definitely think the ideas he brings up here are worth some consideration and thought. (David Snyder’s thoughts on link value can be found here at Search Engine Journal.)
Wiep spent some time chatting and questioning a number of the industry’s biggest and brightest on their link building beliefs. You’ll find the download link for the results of that research on the bottom of the page.
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Video Link Building and General Link Building Worksheets
12 ‘DoFollow’ Video Sharing Sites to Distribute Videos and Build Links
Ann Smarty put together a great list of video sharing sites over at Search Engine Journal. And while it was written over a year ago, I find it’s a really convenient page, particularly if you don’t normally focus on videos and video SEO. (By the way, if you’re interested in learning more about video SEO, you’ll want to sneak over to Reel SEO. I found them through Joseph Morin, and I’ve yet to be disappointed.)
These guys have a great collection of tools, worksheets, and research that will make you a much better link builder. This includes their Link Building Outreach Worksheets as well as their Link Qualification Worksheet.
SEO Content Inventory Worksheets — One of my favorite patent geeks, Bill Slawski released an excellent Excel sheet and article on content inventory. I loved it, and I think you will too.
Helpful Link Building Tools
Majestic SEO — Let you gather link data, backlink history, and have a bulk backlink checker, but they also have a neighborhood checker that’s pretty cool.
Raven SEO — The dark boys at Raven have put together a great set of tools that make it easy to watch and manage your website as well as identify adjustments your current campaigns may need. Their collection includes a contact and competitor manager, keyword research and manager, design and quality analyzer, link manager, website directory, content management system and a whole heap of other stuff you’re going to love.
Bad Neighborhood Tool — Created by Michael VanDeMar, it…well…scans your site and flags possible issues.
Linkbait Generator — You give it a subject, and it comes up with link bait titles. Not really sure about this one. I’ve never actually used any of the titles it’s created, but I did find it worked well for coming up with ideas. Something to try if you’re stuck.
Backlink Watch — These guys let you get a good quick look at your backlinks. I like the additional information they provide here. Of course, there is the Back Link Analyzer software from SEOBook as well.
Debra Mastaler and Wiep Knol also created some great lists of link building tools you may find helpful.
There ya go! By the time you get through this list, you’ll be a link building master. What about you? Do you have any favorite links for link building?
Angie,
Thanks for including WordStream on your list. We’re flattered.
Cheers!
Ken
Hey Ken,
No problem! Easy to share when you have such a great collection of info
Angie
Great collections on links building. Better fro starters, good pros
I get these emails from various SEO companies everyday, telling me how and where to link to blah blah blah, telling me I can use these tools and use this and that. It’s basically articles full of useless links to other SEO companies and tools I have to pay for, sign up for this and get a FREE 7 day bulls*it corse on how to be the best at everything in the world ever- in just 7 days, yes thats right 7 days look at all these people using the 7 day FREE plan blah, blah,blah. when is anyone going to send me something I dont already know it seems these topics get covered everyday time and time again by the same people, what is this professonal spamming, do you think it would even be possible to squeeze a few more SEO related links in there, and big up all your friends. C’mon suprise me. Send me a dam article not a list of links.
YAWN
Hi Angie,
Thanks for this wonderful post and about mentioning the types of links. I was wondering how Google looks at anchor text links from profiles that we create on social networks just for increasing our keyword(s) rankings. Is it ok with Google or can the site face a penalty?
Thanks!
I am very new at this and have learned a lot by reading many of these items. Keep up the good work.
I’m still a newbe in this area but thanks for a real insight into the whole world of link building. There is so much diverse information around that it’s great to see such good information indexed and commented this way.
Thank you very much
Fred Morgan
A page that is worth sharing, thanks a lot.
Great resources. Every link is worth reading. The comments on them are equally informative. Keep up the great work
Now that is a comprehensive, if not exhaustive, list of tools and tips. Definitely worthy of the “master class” label.
A mass of information there, I’m off to spend an hour reading everything!
Wow, this may be my real interest. I’m relatively new to my own SEO although I do use one to some degree. I like her because she makes me do a lot of it myself.
I’m really spending a lot of time and effort in all these areas you mentioned. Thanks for the great post.
I’ve read that link building velocity is also taken into account. If what I’ve read is true, if your site was to get 100 links within a day, the high ranking wouldn’t be sustained for as long compared to getting the 100 links spread across a month. A large spike in links from weak sources would set off alarm bells.
Hi,
I’m currently using linkvana and have achieved quite a good result.
However, once i enter niches that have higher competition, I couldn’t get good ranking anymore, do you think it is because I need to build links as such to achieve ahigh ranking in high competition niches?
I agree with dion, this article says about linking to quality sites etc, yet the tools you are telling peope to use to find keyword related sites are just bringing up a list of pr0 directories and cr*ppy comment linking, In fact one of your links here sends you to a blog that says what bad practices are with link building and yet your promoting it, Im not sure you understand what your talking about your pointing people in 2 directions saying one thing then leading to another.
Yes link building I do agree seo page rank but by doing all this do we really get business. lot of enquires but none are maturing.
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This is great sum up on links, the various kinds. And yes, building, creating links in monotonous and time consuming. This article gives great insight into the variation of link building, something I need to tackle. This is still fairly new to me so this is a great help. Thanks for sharing.
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Good list- there’s a couple here I haven’t read. It’s always worth going back over old quality articles, you always miss something 1st time round.
Great collection of resources and info. Just one thing though — it would been much better if you made it an e-book where original posts by experts around could have been cited and included rather than this blogpost which takes to many market leader blogs!
@danny Well, first of all, there is nothing being sold here. It’s a list of some of the best posts I’ve come across. I’m sorry you already know everything and didn’t gain from the post, but overall, it received great feedback. Also, according to a recent poll, link building is one of the areas SEOs are weakest in. Perhaps you’re disappointed that I missed one of yours on the list? If so, send it my way and I’d be happy to have a look. I did look to see if you had a site, but unfortuantely, you don’t rank for your name so I couldn’t find anything. Oh, and for the record, I’ve yet to meet and don’t know most of the people on the list. They simply produce good posts and are good at what they do. I felt the information was important and decided to share.
@SEO Firma That depends on a number of different elements and using social networks simply adds to this.
@Fred You’re most welcome. I find it very frustrating when I have to dig for hours to find the good posts, so ones such as these make life a lot easier. Glad you enjoyed it.
@dion Yes, absolutely. It’s generally accepted among the SEOs I’ve talked to that it needs to be kept as natural as possible.
@GS it’s impossible to stay without looking at everything as a whole.
@danny You were really having a bad day weren’t you? I think you need to have yourself a beer, a nap, and start over. Oh, and if you read before you comment, it gives me a chance to understand and respond appropriately. Thanks!
@Gareth Absolutely! There’s so much good stuff being published regularly and so much junk to dig through it’s virtually impossible to catch everything or absorb all the info the first time through.
@John The thought of making it an ebook did cross my mind, but I didn’t for two reasons: Not everyone is happy to give up original content to be duplicated in a publication not downloadable from their blog (they gain very little). Also, I felt the ability to visit these various blogs is a great way for people who don’t normally read these authors to explore other worthy sites and find new sources of premium information.