Posted by on Thu, Aug 23, 2012 @ 10 PM
Awhile back, we posted what was to be the first in a short series on utilizing backlink strategies in your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Then we got distracted by something shiny and forgot to write the rest. Oops. So, slightly belatedly, let's return to the subject and talk about utilizing external sites while trying to build inbound links in your SEO.
To Review
Inbound links are the single most important aspect of determining your Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings on Google, making up more than half of the total "weight" Google assigns to various aspects of your site. The more quality sites are linking to you, the higher you rank.
However, building these links is difficult, since you only have indirect control of other people's linking strategies. None the less, there are still ways to utilize external sites to help boost your backlink SEO strategies.
Utilizing External Sites to Build Backlinks for Search Engine Optimization
One of the most constantly popular ways for people to create more inbound links to their site is to, effectively, make them personally. The main way of doing this is via article-submission services such as EzineArticles or Squidoo.
The basic strategy is to submit articles to these services that all link back to your website. If the article becomes popular by itself, then that will carry over to the links it sends you, boosting your inbound traffic directly as well as your SERP results.
Unfortunately, these sites are not held in terribly high regard by Google, so it can often take a lot of submissions to create a noticeable boost to your SEO rankings. However, with time and dedication - as well as a willingness to make sure these articles are actually worth reading - it's a strategy that can still give you some "juice" for your Search Engine Optimization, while costing nothing aside from the time involved.
Social Linking
The other main way you can help inspire backlinks is through a heavy push into social media. If you focus on putting out quality content and making sure it's easily-shared, this can lead to an increase in people sharing and linking to your content, which in turn hypothetically leads to higher SERP rankings.
Yes, it's extremely indirect, and there is conflicting evidence as to just how much impact social sharing has on search page results. The short answer to the question of "How much do Facebook shares impact your Google ranking?" is a plain "We don't know." That's something Google hasn't talked about directly, and there are too many other variables at work for us to answer the question through logical deductions. (We might revisit this in a later blog, in more depth...)
Never the less, we feel it's a strategy that's still worth engaging in. After all, even if all those Facebook shares are only making a minimal impact on your search page placement, you're still getting the word out there and inspiring people to talk about you. That's worth a lot in online marketing by itself. If it helps your SEO, that's just gravy.
Coming Soon To A Blog Near You
There are a few other link-building strategies we haven't talked about yet because, quite simply, they don't work. Most of these are techniques that used to be viable, but have become antiquated thanks to changes in Google's procedures. Some can now actively harm your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) rather than helping it.
So, tune in next time when we explore some things that you should not be doing to try to build your backlinks.
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