…fast forward to the end of the article, to answer this controversial question:

Does Link Building “Work” for SEO in 2024?

Even longer answer & TL;DR (for those of you that don’t want to read the whole article)👇

Key points to consider for link building in 2024:

• Quality over Quantity: Focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable and relevant websites. Google and other search engines place more value on links that come from authoritative sources in your industry.

• Natural Link Building: Search engines prefer natural, organic link building over manipulative or spammy practices. Creating valuable, shareable content can naturally attract links from other websites.

• Diversified Link Profile: A diverse backlink profile with a mix of different types of links (e.g., guest posts, editorial links, social signals) can be more beneficial than relying solely on one type of link.

• Relevance: Ensure that the links pointing to your site are contextually relevant to your content. This helps search engines understand the topic and theme of your website.

• Avoid Black Hat Tactics: Stay away from black hat SEO practices, such as buying links or engaging in link schemes. These tactics can result in penalties and harm your website’s rankings.

• User Experience: User experience and engagement on your site are increasingly important. Quality content that keeps users on your site and encourages sharing can indirectly contribute to better SEO.

All right, let’s tackle things in the right order and kick off by going through the basics.

In this guide, we’ll dive into the fundamentals of link building and why it’s still crucial for SEO in 2024. We’ll also explore various strategies and techniques to find high-quality links. So, let’s get started!

Disclaimer: I will recommend more sources and tools, but they are not sponsored, or affiliated, just my personal recommendation. 

Chapter 1: Link Building Fundamentals

What is Link Building?

Link building is the practice of acquiring one-way hyperlinks, also known as backlinks, to a website with the goal of improving search engine visibility. It involves various strategies, including content marketing, building useful tools, email outreach, broken link building, and public relations.

Why are Links Important?

To understand the importance of links, let’s take a trip back to the early days of the internet. Search engines like Yahoo! and Alta Vista ranked their search results solely based on the content of a webpage. However, Google revolutionized the game with its PageRank Algorithm, which took into account the number of people linking to a page. Even after two decades, links remain the best indicator of a webpage’s quality, making them Google’s go-to ranking signal. 

While Google now focuses on link quality rather than quantity, high-quality links from authoritative and relevant websites are still key to improving search rankings.

Chapter 2: Finding High-Quality Links

Before diving into link building strategies, it’s essential to understand what makes a good link. 

Here are some factors to consider when identifying links that will positively impact your Google rankings:

1. Authority of the Page

The authority of the page linking to you is crucial. Links from pages with high PageRank or domain authority pass more authority to your site. Tools like Semrush or Ahrefs can help you evaluate the authority of a page using metrics like Page Authority Score and Authority Score.

2. Relevancy of the Site

While authority is important, the relevance of the site linking to you also matters. Getting links from authority sites closely related to your niche carries more weight. Google’s focus on relevance highlights the importance of linking with sites that share a similar theme to yours.

Example: If you own a beauty salon, a relevant backlink would be one from Cosmopolitan, Marrie Claire, ELLE, or e.g. the women’s section of a News website.

3. Link’s Position on the Page

The position of your link on a page is significant. Links within the main body content of a webpage hold more value compared to those buried in footers or sidebars. Aim to have your links placed prominently within the main body of a page.

4. Editorial Placement of the Link

Links that are editorially placed, meaning they are given naturally by others who genuinely appreciate your content, carry more weight. Google places more value on editorially-placed links compared to those created through self-promotion.

5. Link Anchor Text

Anchor text, the clickable text of a link, is a ranking signal for Google. While keyword-rich anchor text was previously abused, it’s still valuable if used naturally and sparingly. Avoid excessive exact-match anchor text and focus on diverse and relevant anchor text.

6. Link Co-Occurrences

Co-Occurrences refer to the words and phrases surrounding your link. These provide additional context and relevance to your link. Google likely uses these co-Occurrences as a form of “baby anchor text” to understand the content and context of your page.

Example:

Let’s say you have a blog post about “healthy smoothie recipes,” and within that content, you include links to various related topics, such as “nutritional benefits of fruits,” “best blenders for smoothies,” and “easy workout routines.” In this case:

Link 1: “healthy smoothie recipes” links to a page about the “nutritional benefits of fruits.”

Link 2: “healthy smoothie recipes” also links to a page discussing the “best blenders for smoothies.”

Link 3: “healthy smoothie recipes” further links to a page on “easy workout routines.”

7. Nofollow vs. Dofollow Links

Nofollow links include a tag that tells search engines not to count them as endorsements. While dofollow links pass authority, nofollow links can still be valuable for referral traffic and brand visibility. However, for SEO purposes, dofollow links are preferable.

Now that you understand what makes a good link, let’s move on to the next chapter to explore how to obtain them.

Chapter 3: Obtaining High-Quality Links Through Content Marketing

Content marketing is a powerful strategy for building high-quality backlinks. However, simply publishing content is not enough. To effectively use content marketing for link building, you need to create specific types of content that are more likely to generate links. Here are four types of content that tend to attract the most links:

1. Visual Assets

Visual assets such as images, diagrams, infographics, and charts are highly shareable and linkable. When you create visual content, people are more likely to link to and share it. 

For example, publishing a chart on your site can result in links whenever someone shares that chart on their site, Pinterest, etc.

2. List Posts

List posts, which present information in a numbered list format, are highly popular and shareable. BuzzSumo’s analysis of 1 million articles revealed that list posts generate more backlinks compared to other content formats like quizzes, videos, and infographics. List posts provide value in a concise and easily digestible format.

3. Original Research and Data

Content that reveals new data from industry studies, surveys, or original research is highly linkable. Statistics and data provide valuable insights that others may reference and link to. 

Conducting your own research and sharing the results can attract links from authoritative sources.

Example: You own a travel agency and create a report on the most popular family vacation places in Greece.

4. In-Depth Ultimate Guides

Comprehensive guides that cover a topic in-depth and provide valuable information are often seen as go-to resources. Ultimate guides consolidate a wealth of information into a single resource, making them highly linkable. By creating the most comprehensive guide on a specific topic, you position yourself as an authority and attract links from others in your niche.

Once you have created link-worthy content, it’s time to focus on building links through email outreach. 

How to do SEO in 2024 – the Ultimate Guide [Beginner Friendly] 

Chapter 4: Building Powerful Links Through Email Outreach

Email outreach is a valuable technique for building white hat links in 2024. However, it’s important to approach email outreach in a way that avoids spam folders and generates positive responses. 

Here’s a step-by-step process for effective email outreach:

1. Find “Likely Linkers”

Identify websites and individuals that are likely to link to your content. You can use reverse engineering techniques to find likely linkers by searching for your target keyword in Google and analyzing the backlinks of top-ranking pages. 

Useful tools: Ahrefs and Semrush can help you identify potential linkers.

2. Find Their Email Address

Once you have identified likely linkers, find their email addresses. 

Useful tools: Hunter.io and VoilaNorbert can assist in finding email addresses associated with specific domains or individuals.

3. Send a Personalized Script

Craft a personalized email script that highlights the value of your content and explains why it would be a valuable addition to the recipient’s website. Take the time to customize each email and make it appear less like a scripted template.

By following these steps, you can increase the chances of receiving positive responses and building valuable backlinks through email outreach.

MUST READ 👉  How to Do (Effective) Outreach — Actionable Experience-Based Tips

Chapter 5: The Skinny on Black Hat Link Building and Google Penalties

While white hat link building strategies are recommended for long-term success, it’s essential to understand black hat link building and the potential consequences. Black hat link building involves using spammy techniques that go against Google’s Guidelines. These techniques include shady guest posting and blog comment spam.

Google has implemented penalties to combat black hat link building practices! The Google Penguin algorithm specifically targets sites using spammy link building techniques. To avoid penalties, it’s crucial to focus on building white hat links and adhering to Google’s guidelines. Disavowing unnatural links and filing a reconsideration request can help recover from manual penalties.

In the next chapter, we will explore three battle-tested link building strategies with step-by-step tutorials.

Chapter 6: Three Battle-Tested Link Building Strategies

In this chapter, we will explore three highly effective link building strategies that have been proven to generate world-class backlinks.

1. Resource Page Link Building

Resource pages are pages that link out to valuable content on a given topic. These pages present excellent link building opportunities. To utilize this strategy, follow these steps:

1. Use search strings in Google to find resource pages related to your niche.
2. Evaluate the authority of the page and determine if it is worth pursuing a link.
3. Identify content from your website that would be a good fit for the resource page.
4. Send a personalized email to the site owner, highlighting the value of your content and suggesting it as a potential addition to their page.

2. Broken Link Building

Broken link building involves finding broken links on websites and offering your content as a replacement. Follow these simple steps to implement this strategy:

1. Use tools like Check My Links or LinkMiner to find pages with broken links.
2. Check for broken links on these pages.
3. Email the site owner, notifying them of the broken link and suggesting your content as a replacement.

3. The Skyscraper Technique

The Skyscraper Technique involves creating highly valuable, comprehensive content and reaching out to relevant websites to promote it. Here’s how you can implement this technique:

1. Identify existing content in your niche that has generated a significant number of backlinks.
2. Create content that surpasses the quality and value of the existing content.
3. Reach out to websites that have linked to the original content, notifying them of your superior content and suggesting they consider linking to your resource instead.

I’ve provided my personal examples and tips to nail your outreach! ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

How to Do (Effective) Outreach

Chapter 7: Incredible Case Studies

In this chapter, we will showcase real-life examples of successful link building campaigns. These case studies highlight the power of various link building strategies and their impact on organic traffic and search rankings.

Disclaimer: I’ve used case studies originally presented in this Backlinko’s amazing article – just needed to share & motivate my audience with these examples.

Case Study #1: How Matt Built Links to His Ecommerce Site

Building links to ecommerce websites can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Matt Lawry, the owner of an Australian gift website, struggled to acquire backlinks due to the nature of his product-focused pages. However, by creating valuable content on Australian gin and conducting targeted email outreach, Matt secured numerous backlinks from authoritative sources. This resulted in increased visibility and sales (!!!) for his ecommerce site.

Case Study #2: How Julie Used The Skyscraper Technique to Boost Organic Traffic

Julie Adams, the owner of Our Beautiful Planet blog, struggled to acquire backlinks despite publishing high-quality content. She decided to implement the Skyscraper Technique and created an exceptional resource on a specific topic – Facts About Mars: Life On The Red Planet.

Through email outreach, Julie secured backlinks from authoritative sources in the science niche. As a result, her organic traffic increased by an impressive 194.1%.

 🎁  Bonus: Advanced Link Building Tips

Hey, for you that made it this far, I wanted to share advanced link building tips to take your strategies to the next level. 

Here they are:

👉   Get “Bonus” Links with Reverse Image Search

Use Google’s reverse image search to find websites using your images without proper attribution. Reach out to these websites and request a link back to your site.

👉 Create Visualizations of Concepts, Ideas, and Strategies

Utilize visual content like illustrations and diagrams to enhance the shareability and linkability of your content. Visual assets are more likely to be linked to and shared by others.

👉 Send Out Feeler Emails Before Going for the Close

Instead of immediately asking for a link in your initial outreach email, send feeler emails to gauge interest and establish a connection. This two-step approach can increase the success rate of your outreach efforts.

👉 Get Interviewed on Podcasts

Appearing as a guest on relevant podcasts can generate valuable backlinks. Seek out podcasts in your niche and offer your expertise as a guest.

👉 Expert Roundup Collaborations

Conduct expert roundups on specific topics within your industry. When you feature influencers and experts, they are likely to share the content with their audience, leading to more exposure and potential backlinks.

👉 Guestographics

Instead of traditional guest posting, offer a guestographic – a guest post in the form of an infographic. This visual content can be more appealing and shareable, increasing the chances of earning backlinks.

👉 Sponsoring Events or Webinars

Sponsorship of industry events or webinars can not only provide brand exposure but also opportunities for backlinks. Event organizers often link to sponsors’ websites, acknowledging their support

👉 Testimonials and Case Studies

Provide testimonials or participate in case studies for products/services you use. Companies often include links to the websites of satisfied customers, offering you a chance to gain authoritative backlinks.

👉 Collaborative Content Projects

Collaborate with other businesses or influencers on content projects. This could include joint research, co-authored content, or even co-hosting webinars. Such collaborations often result in shared content and backlinks.

To Wrap Things Up

In conclusion, YES, link building remains a crucial aspect of SEO in 2024. By understanding the fundamentals, employing effective strategies, and utilizing advanced techniques, you can build high-quality backlinks and improve your website’s search engine rankings. 

I can always give you a hand if needed, please, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Happy link building! 🥳