Common Link Building Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

In this post we are gonna talk about common link building mistakes that people often make which result in no ranking in search engine even with hundreds of links to site.

Everyone in the SEO business  brandbookcloud always tells you to build links to rank higher in search engine results pages. In a bid to get to the top, some practitioners launch campaigns driven by hundreds and thousands of internal links, external links and backlinks. But there is more to creating links than meets the eye.

Link building looks easy from a distance but when you look closer it has its fair share of challenges. Even a seasoned SEO company makes elementary link building mistakes sometimes. The thing is waiting for results keeps you on your toes – not to mention the long list of internal and external pages you need to carefully handpick for your link building strategy.

Unless you have an organised, data-supported and content-rich SEO campaign, the effects of link building could be ambiguous. There are algorithm standards to adhere to and you cannot just build links here and there. That is why it is necessary to get the formula right. If you are looking to jump start your link building strategy, you would do well to avoid these common link building mistakes:

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1. Not Doing Your Research

It pays to do your research before deciding on a link building strategy. Meaning, you actually allocate time to plot out all your internal links, relevant external links, and websites or pages where you want your links to appear. Having a clear idea of where and how your links should be dispersed will steer your SEO in a positive direction.

The caveat, however, is that it takes time to see results. Many other factors need to be considered too such as:

● Link authority
● Link reputation
● Content length and quality
● Anchor text placement and consistency
● Keyword relevance
● Website’s crawlability and readability

As you start the linking process, especially external links and backlinks, make it a point to assess the legitimacy and ranking of the websites you deal with. Patiently read through each website and assess whether you can link to them or place backlinks on their page. Avoid shady and spammy websites. Linking to them will hurt your SEO rankings.

Here are some characteristics you should look for in a link:

● Moderate to high page rank
● Non-invasive website ads
● Fast loading time
● Deemed safe by Google Transparency Report
● Frequently visited by target market

2. Using the Wrong Link Building Strategy

Creating an effective strategy is tricky. Link building techniques are a work in progress. What experts say and what really works for your business are two different things sometimes. While it is important to take your cue from them, the rest of the time you are left to your own devices.

No two SEO campaigns are the same. You need to find your own style and identify techniques that correspond with your campaign priorities. It does not have to be a textbook strategy patterned after the recommendations of SEO gurus. A simple approach with a clear goal in sight would suffice.

Your strategy must also revolve around the following:
● Neighbourhood – This pertains to the category, industry or location a link belongs to.
● Appropriate and relevant keywords – Keywords help search engines redirect the right audience to your neighborhood.
● Target audience – Link to sites that are useful to or will likely earn traffic from your target age group, gender or professionals.
● Anchor texts – Inbound links within anchor texts must relate to your industry.
● Social media – Social networking sites are great platforms for building backlinks because they generate traffic, let you customise content, and are less restricted.
● DoFollow and NoFollow attributes – Use DoFollow if you want a link to influence your SEO ranking; otherwise, use NoFollow (applicable to links placed on platforms within your direct control).

3. Focusing on Quantity over Quality

Whether you are doing SEO or generic online marketing, quality should always precede quantity. Times have changed and SEO is no longer the rat race it used to be. It does not matter if your link supply is running low. You can work on that later as your company profile expands and your network grows.

The best SEO company prioritizes authentic and Google-approved links to leverage online marketing efforts. Search engines assign values to links depending on domain age, quality, placement, traffic or SEO readability of website infrastructure. New algorithms can detect unnatural link patterns. If you use an automated mass linking software to make your link building work, you run the risk of having your site ignored or punished by Google.

Remember that a single link placed on a high PR page is worth more than thousands of low quality links scattered everywhere in the web. Even if you’re still taking baby SEO steps to get your business out there, your focus must be on getting quality links to, from and across your website.

Move Forward with A Good Link Building Strategy

Coming up with a systematic link building strategy is a tough order particularly when time is of the essence and your competitors continue to rank well. However, if you want to attract the right kind of traffic to your site and get into the good side of search engines, your link building strategy must be real, organic and ethical.

So do your research, use a strategy specially tailored for your SEO campaign and focus on quality at all times. Your efforts will pay off in no time.