Debunking Link Building Myths
Search Engine Optimization is growing as you are reading this blog post – right now, while you were reading this, Google provided results for 40,000 search queries. That’s how fast, powerful, and consumer-oriented the digital world has become.
If you have dipped your toes in digital marketing, you might have come across a few myths about it. There are old myths and new ones, and they remain in the minds of digital marketers as unchartered territories they’ll never cross. In this article, I will be debunking these myths helping you understand the importance of sticking to facts. So, keep reading below to enhance your knowledge about digital marketing.
Importance of Link Building
When new to Search Engine Optimization or just starting, you will be interested to know the importance of link building. There are 1.95 billion websites over the internet, and not all of them are lucky enough to rank on Google’s first page. So, if you are just starting your online venture, you should know what link building can do for your website.
1. Helps Rank Higher on Google
Have you ever wondered how Google ranks websites? With over 1.95 billion websites, how does Google manage to show the right website to 4.2 billion internet users worldwide? – With simple link building.
Google uses references from other websites to determine ones that are trustworthy and serves their customers well. Google does this by following links from one website to another, and this is where link building comes in. To rank on Google, businesses need to have links from other websites.
It might seem unreasonable for an eCommerce store to link to its competitor, but it works. For example, you won’t expect a barber to say that the one next block has good air conditioning. However, a retail store might point you to a better barber in town.
This is exactly how link building works to help Google find relevant sites. Many websites seek links from businesses that are not their direct competitors. After all, no one would want to give up their customers to help their rivals win. When Google finds enough backlinks (or you can say referrals), Google will rank that particular website above its competitors.
2. Builds Relationships
Link building helps businesses build better and stronger relationships, because it’s a give-and-take situation or more of a link-for-a-link situation. When businesses want backlinks to their sites, they contribute meaningfully. Link exchange usually takes place when a business provides relevant information to another business or offers monetary incentives.
However, the best way to score backlinks and build relationships is through discounts and promotions, and most websites are earning backlinks this way. Just reach out to the website you are targeting for a backlink offer to write content for them or share your discount code so they can provide it to their audience. This method helps both businesses acquire new customers and expand together.
3. Strengthens a Brand
Link building is crucial for brands looking to boost their awareness. When a link is shared between two webmasters, they share their terms. Whether the link will be a “DO FOLLOW” or a “NO FOLLOW” depends on their terms. How your brand gains momentum depends on how many and what sort of backlinks you are getting. Where DO FOLLOW link allows Google crawlers to visit a website, NO FOLLOW restricts Google crawlers. However, backlinks are clickable for web visitors, and it increases your brand awareness.
Debunking Link Building Myths
Now that you know the importance of link building, you will easily understand link building myths and why it’s important to debunk them.
Myth Number 1: Category and Product Pages Don’t Get Links
Most marketers believe that product and category pages don’t receive backlinks. However, that not true. It depends on what you are offering to the web host you are targeting. No one will link to a product or category page to divert their traffic and never hear from them again. However, if you offer promotions and discounts to the web host, you might be able to score some Do-Follow links. The best part about offering your discount codes on other platforms is gaining new customers.
Moreover, by making exclusive discount codes for web pages you are targeting, you can build a relationship with different websites. For instance, if you send a note to a webmaster telling them that their “readers” will get exclusive discounts, they will be inclined to post that link because it will improve their readership. On the plus side, websites you are targeting for link building will get along because they will gain more web traffic from word-of-mouth marketing when they offer your discount.
Another way of scoring backlinks for and from product/category pages is by researching your target websites. If you come across their subject of interest and your business aligns with it, you can offer content in exchange for a link. For example, you run a clothing brand online and want a backlink from a famous blogger. By offering top ten summer wear, you can ease their burden of writing every day and score a valuable backlink.
Myth Number 2: Top-Tier News Sites don’t Give Do-Follow Link
This is one of the biggest myths trending on Twitter, and marketers are living off others’ poor experiences. Many websites have scored Follow links from tier news sites that are known for not sharing a follow link. They managed to do so by actively researching their content and their editorial policies.
Many journalists are not interested in SEO, and they only share links that their web traffic can follow. However, businesses seeking a follow link from such sites often forget to even ask. It’s not that journalists don’t want to share a link. They are just unaware that you want one. But that’s half the story. Another substantial part of getting backlinks from top-tier sites is offering them something in return.
Everyone is looking for something valuable which they either don’t or can’t have. It’s your job to find out what they want. Sometimes it’s information and discounts, but most of the time, tp-their news sites are looking for content worth awarding a Do-Follow link.
If you are running a campaign for a business that is innovative, new, and puts a solution on the table, you can add value to top-tier websites by offering information about your business. If you manage to successfully sound valuable without being condescending, scoring a Do-Follow link will be a breeze.
Myth Number 3: Editors Only View Pitches In The Morning
Most digital marketers believe that pitching n the morning is the best time. However, that’s not true either. There are tons of campaigns that have received tremendous success by pitching in the afternoon or the evening.
This is something people believe in to hide their poor research. A key point to remember is that link building requires researching your prospect. Try to learn more about your target website before sending a pitch. Figure out what they are looking for and when they are active. It’s easy to stalk a website by watching their social media activity.
Try to place yourself an hour or longer before their social media is active; this is the time when editors are preparing for a meeting and sharing content for their social media.
You want to strike them when they are actively seeking information to post. If you manage to land your email in your favorite editor or journalist’s inbox at the perfect time, you might score a powerful backlink plus save someone’s job at the same time.
Even if you can’t track your prospect’s online timings and determine when their editors brainstorm, you should avoid sending emails in the morning. Ask yourself, “are you lightheaded and fresh at 9:00 am in the morning to give thought to a foreign email?” In most cases, editors and webmasters are occupied with organizational responsibilities at this hour, and they won’t pay attention to your email. So, make sure you strike when the iron is hot!
Myth Number 4: Relevancy Doesn’t Matter
This is an ongoing debate among top digital marketers, and they can’t find a conclusion. Most top-tier digital marketers believe that relevancy isn’t important, and getting backlinks from any site can soar their Google rankings and boost their web traffic.
While the latter part of it is true, the former lacks credibility. It’s important to note that statements such as “relevant links don’t matter” stand from a personal perspective, and amid the jungle of backlinks established brands have, they tend to overlook their number of relevant links and their contribution. Thus, you hear people say that relevancy is not important.
John Mueller shared a snippet stressing the importance of relevancy in link building strategies. He explained that Google looks at backlinks in a completely different way, and instead of focusing on getting more links, websites should stress the relevancy of their link providers. Expect the phrase “content is the king” will soon be replaced with “relevancy is the king.” This information serves as a conclusion for digital marketers still debating over the importance of relevant backlinks.
Moreover, Mueller also informs business owners that one relevant link is better than hundreds of irrelevant links. This proves that Search Engine Marketing is changing, and established brands will look for relevant links instead of sharing their website with every other online platform.
Relevant websites don’t have to be your competitors; however, if you happen to score a Do-Follow backlink from your rivals – kudos to you. By relevancy, Mueller means that websites that operate in the same industry. For instance, a fashion brand can leverage from a blogger that writes about fashion. In the same way, an eCommerce store will leverage from websites that write about products that are being sold on the eCommerce store.
Myth Number 5: You Should Never Directly Ask For a Backlink
This is one of the oldest and most absurd myths of all that we have debunked so far. The digital marketing world has matured enough to know why someone is pointing out their broken link or wants to write for free.
Webmasters have realized when someone will go through the efforts of reaching out to them, and it’s not just to let them know they have an ‘Error 404.’ So, if you are still re-phrasing your email and trying to sound like you are not hungry for a backlink, just stop. You are only raising more red flags this way. Although you should outright demand for a backlink, it’s not taboo to ask for one either.
You should be polite when writing an email to a webmaster because it’s basic etiquette. However, not asking for a backlink is sounding too good to be true. Moreover, if you don’t ask, you will never know if the webmaster was willing to share links with you or not. So, stop beating around the bush and make it simple, sweet, and clear.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty more myths about link building where these came from, and they result from poor experiences. Digital marketing is a vast domain that’s slowly getting acceptance. As more businesses adapt to digitalization, marketers will be more careful about what they say because their words become a testament for rookie Search Engine Optimizers. If you have been facing difficulties navigating these myths, you can comfortably plan your digital strategy without worrying about what you can and cannot do.
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