Like every aspect of SEO, link building has been through its ups and downs. The ongoing Google Penguin updates between 2012 and 2016 penalised websites that contained unnatural or unrelated links, resulting in a rethink of link building strategies across the globe. While some concluded that the value of link building had declined, the real message from Google was that it would penalise spammy link building tactics and reward quality backlinks with higher rankings. In 2018, link building remains an integral part of Google’s algorithm, so let’s take a closer look at what link building in 2018 looks like and how your site can benefit.
What Is Link Building?
Link Building is more difficult than it sounds. It involves acquiring hyperlinks (also known as backlinks or just links) from other websites to your own. So what’s so hard about it? This explanation from SEO Hacker sums it up best:
“Links aren’t easy to get – just as people’s referrals aren’t easy to get. Unless, maybe, you pay them – which I personally don’t recommend. That’s why Google used the link factor – because people will only link to you if they find value in what you have to offer them.”
In other words, spammy link building is easy because there is no consideration for the user’s needs (where they will be directed and what they will learn). An effective link building strategy revolves around high-quality and original content. Each link, whether inbound or outbound, should be valuable and focused if you want your website to rank in the organic search results.
Benefits Of Link Building
Put simply, the more quality links you have on your website, the higher it will rank. Google determines how valuable a particular page is to other people – a measurement known as page authority – by the quality and quantity of inbound links. Domain authority is the same measurement but applied to your website as a whole. When you have a high domain authority, your site will rank highly for relevant search queries. In addition to higher rankings, a successful link building strategy will also result in an increase in referral traffic and a boost to your brand visibility and authority.
Link Building & SEO in Nowra
Need help with your link building and SEO strategy? Nowra Web Designer has a team of dedicated SEO analysts who know how to get your site ranking and keep it performing well for targeted keyphrases. High-quality link building forms part of our SEO strategy which we tailor to the needs of your business. Contact Nowra’s leading SEO agency – Nowra Web Designer – to get started.
