As search engines become more advanced, link building strategies have changed. In 2024, the focus is on quality over quantity. It’s now more important to get high-quality backlinks from reliable and relevant sources.

In 2023, 67.5% of SEO experts saw the positive effects of backlinks on their content rankings. Despite challenges like Google algorithm updates, link building still saw an average annual spend of $10,000 (Aira).

For website or blog owners, link building should be part of their strategy to make money. Google will send more traffic to sites it sees as trusted. The real challenge is getting quality, trustworthy, and natural links.

This article will go over different strategies to create a successful link building plan for any business in 2024.

Link building is part of off-page SEO. It means getting other websites to link back to your website. When reputable and relevant sites link to yours, search engines like Google see your site as valuable and trusted. The process involves looking at the backlinks of competitors who rank higher in search engine results. Nobody wants broken links on their site, as they harm the user experience and can make the site seem less credible. 

Some say link building is less important now, but it still plays a key role in SEO. Here’s why it matters:

  • Digital PR is gaining traction, with a 433% rise among experienced link builders. This shows the increasing role of public relations in acquiring links
  • Creating link-worthy content is seen as the best link-building strategy. Long-form content, in particular, gets 77.2% more links than shorter articles
  • 61.7% of link builders use social media for outreach, resulting in 22% more links per month. This shows the effectiveness of social media in link-building efforts
  • SEOs spend 28% of their budget on link building

These points show that links are still crucial in SEO. They benefit your website’s content and social media presence. Many businesses still focus on link building to improve search rankings and drive traffic. Ignoring it means missing out on a valuable opportunity.

Not all backlinks are equal. Some help your SEO more than others. Some do nothing, while spammy ones can harm your site.

link building

Here are key factors to consider when building backlinks:

Authority

Higher authority sites give more valuable backlinks. For instance, a link from a known website is more impactful than one from an unknown blog. You can use an authority score, which ranges up to 100, to measure this. The score considers:

  • Quality and number of the site’s backlinks
  • Monthly visits from search engines
  • How natural the site’s backlinks look

Use tools like the Link Building Tool to check authority scores. While high-authority links are great, a mix of high and low authority sites makes a balanced profile. Even sites like BBC have more low-authority backlinks.

Relevance

Links from related sites are better for SEO. They show you are respected in your field. A backlink to relevant content is also more valuable.

For example, if your site sells hiking gear:

  • A link on a tech blog about smartphones has little SEO value
  • A link on a general outdoor activities blog has some value
  • A link on a hiking blog in a guide about the best hiking gear is highly valuable. It’s relevant and useful to readers

Placement matters. Google considers the likelihood of a click based on link location, called the “reasonable surfer model.” Links in sidebars, footers, or low on the page are less valuable. It’s best if your backlink appears early in the main content.

Anchor Text

Descriptive anchor text helps SEO. It tells search engines what the linked page is about. For example, “hiking gear” as anchor text is clear, while “click here” is not. But it should read naturally. Over-optimizing anchor text can look spammy and lead to penalties. Use the Backlink Analytics tool to check your anchor texts.

Nofollow, Sponsored, and UGC Attributes

Some links use attributes like nofollow, which tells Google not to pass ranking strength. Here’s a quick overview:

  • rel=”nofollow”: The publisher does not endorse this link
  • rel=”sponsored”: This link is paid for
  • rel=”ugc”: User-generated content like comments

These links don’t boost rankings but they can drive traffic. Dofollow links, without these attributes, are the ones you want for SEO.

In HTML, a nofollow link looks like this:

“`html

<a href=”https://example.com” rel=”nofollow”> Anchor Text</a>

“`

It appears normal on the page. Use tools to see a site’s ratio of nofollow to follow links. Check the “link attributes” chart in the Backlink Analytics tool for details.

Here are four basic ways to build links, with some working better than others. 

Earning links means other websites link to yours without you asking. This can be very cost-effective. You don’t need to worry about violating Google’s guidelines because you aren’t creating the links yourself. The best way to earn links is by creating high-quality content that people want to link to. Examples include visual assets like infographics, original research, online tools, and in-depth guides. To see which pages get the most backlinks on your or a competitor’s site, use the Backlink Analytics tool. The “domains” column shows how many different sites link to each page. You can click to view the content and see where all the page’s backlinks come from.

Asking for links involves contacting someone and persuading them to link to your website. They might link to you if there’s something on your website that their audience will find interesting or credit you if you’re mentioned in their content. The Link Building Tool can help you find high-quality prospects by looking at your competitors and the keywords you want to rank for. Set up your project, check the “prospects” report for suggested websites, and manage the entire process of quality link building.

Adding your link to another website manually is not a good way to build backlinks. Google doesn’t want to count links you might have placed yourself. This includes links to social media profiles, business directories, forums, Q&A sites, blog comments, and user profile pages. You can still add links in these places to drive traffic to your website, but only where they create genuine value for users. Adding links just for SEO value can be considered link spam and harm your brand image.

Do not buy SEO links meant to influence your rankings. Only pay for backlinks if they are qualified with the rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow” attribute, which tells search engines to ignore them. Unqualified paid links violate Google’s guidelines and can result in penalties for both sites. Google can also recognize paid links and ignore them. You can pay for link-building services from a freelancer or agency, but the sites hosting your backlinks shouldn’t receive any payment, products, or services in return.

Here are some strategies for successful link-building in 2024:

Writing and Sending Outreach Emails

Outreach involves contacting people in your industry to tell them about your content and ask for a backlink. You don’t need specific content. You just need something worth linking to. This could be your product, service, tool, or even your website’s homepage.

Linkable assets are often the best choice for outreach. These are things that other websites will find useful. Examples include big blog posts, infographics, and similar resources. Reaching out to websites and informing them about this content can be very effective.

When you contact your outreach targets, gently suggest where you would like the link to go. This isn’t pushy. It’s helpful. If you don’t, they’ll have to figure it out themselves, which might be less effective.

Guest Blogging 

Guest blogging is a powerful strategy for enhancing your backlink profile and establishing credibility in your field. It involves writing articles for other websites within your niche to get different types of backlinks.

When you contribute a guest post, you can get links within the article itself. They can be in your author bio at the end of the post, or through editorial placements by the site’s editors. It’s crucial to ensure your content is genuinely valuable and aligns with what you promised in your pitch. If the content doesn’t deliver on its promise, it could harm your credibility.

For example, if you’re an expert in SEO, you might write a guest post for a marketing blog, including a backlink to your website in the article or bio.

Not all websites accept guest posts, so research is needed. Look for sites relevant to your industry. Focus on high domain authority, active reader engagement, and a reputation for publishing quality content. Follow their guidelines closely to increase your chances of getting published. Consider what unique insights you can offer their audience and how your expertise can benefit them. 

Hire Recent Graduates

Look into recent graduates’ networks, which are often overlooked. This involves using alumni networks and resources from universities.

Here’s how you can do it:

If you’ve hired recent graduates, check if their alma maters feature success stories from alumni on their websites. Contact these universities and highlight how hiring their graduates has benefited your company. Ask them to feature this success story on their website, linking back to your company’s site.

Many universities have career centers eager to showcase their alumni’s achievements. Share a compelling story about the graduate’s role and accomplishments in your company to secure a valuable .edu backlink.

Make sure to check your backlinks regularly to see if any have become broken or disappeared. In SEO SpyGlass, go to Backlink profile > Backlinks and update your website’s Backlink Page Info. The tool will re-check the pages you choose and alert you if any links are no longer there.

If you use Ahrefs, you can find lost backlinks under Site Explorer > Backlink Profile > Backlinks > Lost Backlinks.

There are a few reasons why your links might disappear:

  • The site owner may have removed the link
  • The page containing your backlink may no longer exist
  • The website itself might be temporarily down
  • The page may have a noindex tag, preventing it from being indexed

To recover a broken backlink, reach out to the site owner. You can ask them to reinstate your link on another page or remove any noindex tags from their pages.

Strong Connections with Industry Leaders

Industry influencers, thought leaders, and experts share a common trait. They wield significant influence and have large followings. These relationships can result in various types of backlinks from their websites, social media shares, and even collaborative content efforts.

Platforms like X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and specialized forums offer direct access to these influential figures. Engage with their posts, share insightful comments, and initiate conversations.

As these connections deepen, opportunities often emerge, such as:

  • Writing guest posts
  • Collaborating on content
  • Exchanging backlinks

While the primary goal isn’t immediate link building, these genuine relationships often lead to natural, high-quality backlinks over time. Stay authentic in your interactions. Provide value and be patient.

Creating Valuable Resource Pages

A comprehensive resource page gathers a curated selection of links and information on a specific topic. These pages aim to serve as go-to destinations for users seeking extensive resources on a particular subject.

Resource pages offer significant benefits for:

  • Experts in the field
  • Educational platforms
  • Bloggers focusing on niche topics

By bringing together diverse resources, you provide substantial value to your audience. For example, a tech website might feature a resource page with links to coding tutorials. 

Other websites may notice your comprehensive resources and link back to your page. Even if they don’t, these pages tend to attract more visitors and establish your credibility as a trusted source in your field. Resource pages are practical and informative. They naturally draw inbound links from other sites that find your collection valuable.

By learning about the importance of valuable links and using ethical methods, websites can improve their SEO, attract more natural visitors, and become respected in their fields. Try out these strategies to boost your online presence and grow your business steadily.

Ready to elevate your link building strategy? Start implementing these proven tactics today to boost your website’s visibility and authority in search engines. Visit our website for more information.