Link building is an essential aspect of SEO. And due to the recent updates in the Google webmaster guidelines, you can no longer include press release marketing, guest blogging, infographics and comment links into your link building campaigns.
In spite of the fact that Google’s attempt to clean websites of manipulative tactics is an overall good move, it appears it didn’t really solve the problem. To put it simply, while trying to turn link building into a legitimate marketing strategy, webmasters continue to employ “dirty” methods to reach their goals.
Top 7 Don’ts Of Link Building
Let’s explore the bad tricks that you should stay away from in your next link building campaign.
Choosing quantity over quality
As far as this issue is concerned, things should be pretty clear by now: instead of taking your links on dozens of sites nobody really reads, focus your efforts on getting just one on a site appreciated by both users and Google bots.
Misunderstanding the anchor text’s role
Granted, with Penguin’s launch the number of backlink profiles that have a higher exact match with the anchor text – compared to the company name for instance – has dropped considerably. Despite the fact that anchor text plays an important role in link building and SEO campaigns, you shouldn’t obsess over it and ignore the rest of the critical elements.
While nobody can deny that you actually need the keyword link, it is also true that you have to convey the impression you DON’T really need that keyword. Besides, given the recent updates, you need far less exact-match links than you would have a couple of years ago, before Penguin to be more precise.
Mass article submission
Without denying the fact that content is a critical element in SEO, it is necessary to understand that not all content can get you the desired results. The practice of submitting the same article on all sites that accept it is just plain wrong. Sure, you’re trying to make yourself known and raise awareness about your business.
Still, submitting a high-quality blog posts to a site that actually matters instead of placing it wherever you can will land you better results in the long run.
Content spinning
Simply because you changed a few words here and there or you’re giving your posts a different title, that doesn’t mean you obtain “new content”. Content spinning should not be confused with re-purposing the content. To put it simply, it is OK to use the same information and content for a blog post, a Webinar or to convert it into slides, so you can place it on SlideShare.
Considering that each blog directory has its own established audience, the best approach in this case is to learn more about the readers and write FOR them.
Press releases with no news
Apparently not all webmasters understand how press releases work and even worse, they started using them as a method of getting more links to the sites they’re striving to rank in the SERP. Some may argue that PR posts that don’t include keywords or anchor texts are very unlikely to provide the expected SEO value.
However, if you’re the one distributing the posts, then chances are that the links are not natural and hence, they will be disregarded by Google. The primary role of a press release is to provide fresh, interesting news in the hope that you’ll get noticed by one of the major news outlets. In short, refrain from releasing a PR if you don’t have anything newsworthy.
Using bad content for guest posting
Once the article marketing has lost its shine, many have turned to good old guest posting for adding a bit of SEO value to their posts. Well, guest posting only works when it provides valuable content and useful information. Simply put, if you’re using guest posting as part of your SEO, then concentrate on providing quality information.
Not only will you be able to attract more readers, but you can also get a few valuable links as a result. If you try to use guest posting with a horde of bad content, it will affect your SEO efforts nonetheless.
Completely ignoring content marketing
Even though content marketing is yet another ingenious method of getting organic links, don’t forget that this is not its primary purpose. The role of content marketing is to offer your audience the content they need in order for them to make a purchasing decision.
Link building and content marketing are complementary tactics, so just leave them the way they need to be!
Article by Vishal
Meet Vishal Gaikar, the tech wizard hailing from Pune, India, who's on a mission to decode the digital universe one blog post at a time. When he's not tinkering with gadgets or diving deep into the digital realm, you can find him concocting the perfect cup of chai or plotting his next adventure. Follow his tech escapades on Twitter and buckle up for a wild ride through the world of innovation and geekery!
