Even though link building is something that’s been around for a while, it’s clear there’s still quite a bit of confusion around it. The fact is the truth about link building can be confusing. You hear things like, “don’t ask for links,” or “avoid link building altogether,” but what should you believe, and what should you ignore?
The fact is SEO is an everchanging industry. What worked last week or yesterday may not work today. The people at Google don’t always help either – they may add fuel to the fire. That’s why you need the information found here. It will help you ignore the lies and myths and find out the truth – once and for all.
Myth: “If You Build it, They Will Come”
There is a notion among some digital marketers and SEOs that if you generate quality content and resources, people will come to you. If you are a widely recognized website or brand, this may be a true statement; however, if your site is like most of the website’s “out there,” it could be a huge mistake.
To ensure people can find you, you create the paths that will take them where you want them to go. This is where link building is essential.
Most people searching on Google will wind up clicking the results that appear organically. You may not know that for each click generated by paid results in Google, there are an estimated 11.6 clicks on various organic links.
If you want to build your rank in SERPs, you must have links.
Myth: Links Aren’t Needed to Rank
While it may be hard to believe this in 2019, it’s something that is still believed.
The more relevant and authoritative backlinks you can build, the higher your site will rank for a target keyword. This doesn’t mean that links are the only factor considered in Google’s algorithm, but there is no question they are a factor you can’t afford to ignore.
Myth: Only the Links with Higher DA Matter
If you are building links, you need to find sites with higher metrics. However, these are not the only prospects that matter.
In some situations, a lower domain authority (DA) may be a sign you have found a new site. Stop thinking about the metrics for a minute. Along with authority, relevancy matters, too. If you find a link prospect that is relevant to your website with a lower DA, you should still try to target it. Sometimes, sites that are relevant to yours may not have the best metrics, and that is because they are such a niche. Usually, relevancy is more critical than DA.
If you focus just on metrics, you may wind up losing out on relevant opportunities. It is important to note that any link that sends trust signals will be more valuable than a link that is considered important according to metrics that are devised by an entity besides Google.
If you want to ensure your link building strategies will be effective, make sure you don’t fall for the myths mentioned here. It will also help to work with the pros, who can help you develop a quality link building strategy.