2018 will see Google’s machine learning technology get even smarter, ultimately helping this powerful search engine to match content with user intent. Link profile data will form an integral component of this process, which means that the construction of a healthy and strong link profile should very quickly find itself shuffled towards the top of the priority list for every business. It is a competitive marketplace out there and you need to do everything possible to put your business in the best possible position to reap the rewards.
It is certainly no secret that sourcing quality link prospects is becoming a more complex process, but to demystify this methodology, here are 4 of the most important components of every successful link-building strategy.
Client consultation
Comprehensive client consultation is an essential first step to successful link building. Every good optimization expert will not only listen to your ideas, but genuinely value what you have to say. Although SEO teams will go on to conduct further research, your industry experience, knowledge of technical terminology, and list of primary keywords will be invaluable during these initial stages.
You should expect to be consulted on several different elements during this process, and preparing as much as possible in advance will always put you in the best position to proceed as efficiently as possible. You might be asked for a list of keywords that you currently rank well for but struggle to convert keywords you believe are important but aren’t being highlighted well enough by your current content, or even a selection of keywords that your employees view as being particularly valuable.
Utilising tools as part of a refined research process
There are now countless tools available claiming to assist in the research process and although many of them are undeniably helpful, utilizing them all will very quickly result in a level of complexity that is both overwhelming and unnecessary. The process itself is already complicated enough, so making things even more difficult should always be avoided.
The best research tools will always speed up the discovery process whilst also delving deeper to uncover more opportunities that might be missed when relying solely on a manual search methodology. All parties will find both the customisable reports and the alerts features useful, ensuring that content ideas, discovery potential, and unlinked brand mentions do not go unnoticed.
Social media and influencer marketing
Although useful information can be gained from all social platforms, Twitter is often particularly useful for uncovering new link-building opportunities. Twitter’s own advanced search tool is invaluable, allowing for simple and targeted searches for important keywords.
Social media searches and influencer marketing almost go hand in hand. Influencer marketing, the collaboration between your brand and relevant social media influencers and bloggers through sponsored posts, reviews, and specific campaigns, is set to increase throughout 2018. Audiences value authenticity and maintaining transparency when working with influencers can both help your link profile and build meaningful relationships with new audiences.
Competitor analysis
Finding fresh, untapped sources will always be preferable to replicating the success of your closest competitors, and it is important to keep an eye on what has and hasn’t been working well for them, to help inform key strategic decision making processes moving forwards.
