Don't Just Request Backlinks
When the conversation turns towards the creation of semantically rich content, those of us in the digital marketing field are all ears. If the subsequent claim is a timid suggestion that the individual or company simply needs to generate as much content with chatGPT as they can and buy bulk backlinks, you might witness a few dismissive shakes of the head. Why? Because stating that you need backlinks is like saying you need tools. The reality is, there are as many types of content as there are tools in a carpenter's toolbox. If done correctly, each piece of content will be thoughtful and serve a unique purpose.
All digital text, like tools, share the same overarching goals for businesses (to communicate your value and increase your online visibility), but understanding how different pockets of text contribute to these goals is essential. Just as you wouldn't use a hammer to paint a wall, you shouldn't pay someone to generate nonsense content that happens to have your keywords and also happens to have links to your website (which, incidentally, is what most SEO companies do).
Confused yet? It's more complex than most people realize. The nuances are significant. Details matter. Everything is contextual. Everything is interconnected. Everything is achievable. But understanding the landscape, as well as what different types of content to avoid, is paramount to the success of any digital marketing campaign.
We'll do our best here to define the different types of content and their intended use. Please read through each carefully before making a decision, as you may find you are able to do all of this on your own! The best possible scenario, from our perspective, is that you'll walk away from reading through these resources with a renewed confidence in your ability to create value online.
If you're busy, or simply don't want to deal with the intricacies of content creation, we're here to help. But we sincerely hope you make an effort as it will make you a better digital marketer.
And remember, we no longer engage in bulk backlink orders. They're disingenuous and counterproductive. Don't fall for the "SEO experts" who tell you all you need is backlinks. In the world of digital marketing, quality trumps quantity every time.
The Best Sort Of Backlink...that money can't buy...
Here's a tried and true list of the most important backlink types that you should be aware of.
Editorial Backlinks - Editorial backlinks are the holy grail you should constantly be aspiring towards. These are backlinks that, because of your incredible content, have come about naturally. People are linking to your website because they dig what you're saying.
They're picking up what you're laying down.
That means you didn't pay for it, didn't ask for it, and are simply receiving it as a peripheral benefit of having excellent content that provides unique answers to people's questions.
All we can do here is suggest you focus on your content. If you haven't already gone through the process, conduct a full Keyword & Topic analysis to ascertain what niche topics you can actually provide value for online.
Content Sharing on External Platforms
Platforms like Scribd, Medium, Substack, and LinkedIn offer a wealth of opportunities for sharing valuable content. These platforms, often overlooked, are crucial for establishing your expertise, building your brand, and driving traffic back to your services.
The process is straightforward: create engaging, relevant content about your industry or field of work, post it on these platforms, and link it back to your services. This not only helps to establish your authority in your field but also drives interested readers back to your primary platform or website.
The beauty of these platforms is their reach and diversity. From long-form articles on Medium to industry insights on LinkedIn, there's a platform for every type of content. And the more platforms you're active on, the wider your reach.
But remember, the key here is valuable content. It's not about spamming these platforms with promotional material, but about providing genuine value to readers. This builds trust and credibility, which in turn drives engagement and conversions.
We've had many clients over the years who have seen significant boosts in their online visibility and engagement by leveraging these platforms effectively. Now this activity is more important than it's ever been before. The small effort of creating and sharing valuable content on these platforms can yield big results.
So, wherever you can post content about your field of work and link it back to your services, you should. It's a simple, effective strategy for enhancing your online visibility and establishing your authority.
Guest Blogging - WARNING - RUN AWAY!
If your inbox is inundated with unsolicited emails, you're likely familiar with this term. Guest blogging, as proposed in these spam emails, is often portrayed as a golden opportunity to enhance your site by hosting content from unknown sources, with their backlinks to your site serving as a form of 'payment'.
These emails typically originate from obscure sources, asserting they have content that aligns with your own, and they propose posting their content on your site in exchange for links. The credibility of these sources is often dubious, and the value of their backlinks is questionable at best.
Feeling overwhelmed by these spam emails? You're not alone!
It may also come as no surprise that SEO companies commonly push "Guest Blogging" services. The irony here is most "Guest Blogging" services are all coming from the same common SEO providers, and because they're focused on selling SEO agencies everything in quantity, quality flies out the window.
It's not always a popular opinion depending on who's in the room, but we strive to explain to our clients that these unsolicited guest blogging offers are rarely a valuable use of your time. Even less rarely of your money.
The time and effort spent sifting through these offers, verifying their credibility, and managing the posting process often outweighs any potential benefits. Moreover, the quality of the content and the value of the backlinks are often subpar, doing little to enhance your site's reputation or visibility.
Instead, focusing on creating and sharing your own high-quality content, building genuine relationships with other reputable sites, and investing in a cleaner vision of who you and what you do can yield far better results. Remember, in the world of digital marketing, quality always trumps quantity. Focus on the best parts of what you do and work on conveying that to the world.
LLM Optimization via Business Listings - If you're new to the field, just starting out, or unfamiliar with the concept of business listings for LLM optimization, you should continue reading. More importantly, you should seriously consider conducting a Business Listing Audit.
Business listings that provide your company's Name, Address, and Phone Number, often referred to as NAP accounts, are a key component of this process. It's easy to underestimate the importance of these listings, but it's crucial not to dismiss them. They're vital for optimizing your language model's performance.
Everything from your company's Google My Business profile, to Yelp reviews, and various social media accounts can significantly influence your LLM's ability to understand and generate relevant content. If you have listings with slightly different names, or (as is often the case) have listings you're not even aware of with incorrect information, it can negatively impact your LLM's training and performance.
We've had many clients over the years who come to us puzzled over why their LLM's performance is subpar, only to discover that outdated business names or incorrect details are hindering proper data training. The small details really do matter here.
The Leftovers You Should Consider...
Sitewide Links- Sitewide links are the most ubiquitous, and hence are not given as much relevance as other sorts of contextual links.
BUT... if you are a digital agency, or have some reason for crediting yourself or your business across a site outside of your own, you should take advantage of this low hanging fruit.
Add your company's name to the header or footer so it displays sitewide (hence the name). Remember to provide a link to your website :).
Acknowledgement Links - These are just as it sounds. If you have provided something of value for an institution or individual, don't be afraid to ask them for acknowledgement.
Badges- If you run a business that in some way provides accreditation or opportunities for accomplishment, strongly consider creating a badge that recipients can place on their website for proof. This is a completely viable backlink that many qualified organizations overlook.
Forum/Comment Links- We're actually here going to diverge from many SEO companies and suggest that you use incredible discretion when it comes to submitting backlinks through comments and/or forums.
Why? It's obnoxious.
Except when it's not. If there is a legitimate reason for linking back to your website, because it will help explain or elaborate upon a topic of interest, then by all means provide a backlink.
Just don't be that online user who floods every comment with their affiliate links to raybans on Amazon. There's a special place in internet hell reserved for those people.
