97% of consumers use the web to find local businesses.
There’s no debate: Your business needs an online presence.
But with so many businesses competing for a spot on the first page of search results, it can be challenging to get noticed. The good news is getting found online is not as difficult as it was a decade ago. Build a site, optimize it for SEO, add some social media participation and you’ll see market traction and sales.
In this article, our focus on link building, a key strategy in SEO.
Continue reading to learn how you can use link building to establish authority and give your site a much-needed boost.
How to Use SEO Link Building Services to Boost Authority, Traffic, and Sales
Your business and site start with zero reputation unless you’ve got connections.
Google doesn’t play favorites. The company treats every new site with the same level of trust and authority. You earn Google’s trust over time by creating a great experience, sharing good content, and building a reputation.
Online reputations get built through a few methods:
- Associations and relationships
- Backlinks and brand mentions
- Presence and outreach campaigns
It’s the backlinks we’re looking at.
Backlinks are among the best ways to improve authority and search rankings. They are one of the biggest signals conveying website value. Sites with lots of quality backlinks get higher rankings and with it come more sales.
Let’s get into the what, why, and how of building backlinks shall we?
The Basics of Backlinks
Backlinks are anchor links from other websites pointing to your site. Google and other search engines use backlinks as a major search ranking factor. A backlink is like approval from other sites stating yours provides value.
There are many ways to build backlinks on your own:
- Create great content people want to share and reference
- Guest post or write articles for other sites and include a link back
- Leveraging platforms that let you include links in profiles/listings
- Building awesome assets and tools people want to link to
- Conducting interviews or being on shows where you’re mentioned
- Press releases for legitimate, industry news and business events
You may also choose to build backlinks using local platforms and listings.
Link building isn’t just getting as many as you can. Quality trumps quantity with link building, especially if building links from low-quality sites. Using “dirty” tactics the industry labels as “Black Hat” will hurt your website.
Your links may end up here, but do avoid these temptations:
- Blog comments
- Q&A platform spam
- Forum signatures
- Cloaking or injecting links
- Buying or doing link exchanges
- Wherever they seem too open or forced
Penalties are quick and fierce when Google finds out that you’ve been building shady backlinks. Your site rankings will tank and so will your business earnings!
Earned links are better backlinks as they’re natural and organic. Natural link building also creates sustainable improvements and long-term growth.
You can take a passive approach and hope others link to your site. Or, you can start outreach campaigns and nudge it along. Backlink services let you take a hands-off approach to this if you rather focus on other activities.
The Benefits of Backlinks
Why do we build links? Isn’t it obvious?
Higher Perceived Authority
1st-page results are difficult but lucrative. Your site showing in the top spot(s) convey you’re both trusted and authoritative. People visiting your site know they’re in good hands and tend to convert at higher rates.
Every backlink from a trusted source builds your authority — sources like:
- Industry websites or blogs
- Influencers and market makers
- Veterans and legacy experts
Relationships boost credibility, both online and in the real world.
More Traffic
The top position(s) in Google search results isn’t the end-all, be-all of online success. Yet, 1st results carry about 71% of all clicks and traffic. Top placement is what you want to get more site traffic.
As noted:
- Backlinks are important ranking factors
- More quality backlinks improve site authority
Combine lots of links & authority and you’ll rank higher in search. Pair SEO with great content and you’ll cement your placement through helpfulness.
A strong link portfolio will also keep you high in rankings as time goes on. Of course, you’ll want to continually add to it.
More Sales
Generating sales needs you creating and running a great sales funnel.
You’ll feed the funnel through:
- Ads
- Content
- Social Media
- Influencers
- Outreach
- Networking
The inbound sales funnel you’re building relies on backlinks to keep going. Otherwise, you’re constantly seeking leads (resetting the work daily). Links offer long-term growth potential as you’re planting ways back to the site!
- High placement and authority makes you an expert
- Your improved brand presence and perception makes it easier to sell
- More sales help you reach more people when customers get talking
Pretty awesome, right?
How Link Services Play into All This
You have three resources:
- Time
- Money
- Energy
Unfortunately, you only get to choose two. That’s what working on a big project feels like. That’s what business is about — never quite having everything 100%.
Business owners start and stop projects like they are nothing. Other times, we’re so invested we waste money because we’re so sunk into the cost. We’re chasing everything but never truly finishing anything.
That got philosophical but the idea is this:
Outsourcing lets you focus on what you enjoy doing in business. You aren’t forced to learn a new skill nor spend time and energy better spent elsewhere.
Link services fall into one of these worthwhile items to outsource.
What You Can Do Right Now to Improve Your Business Online
First, explore DIY link building methods you could handle. This likely involves guest post on industry sites (reach out and ask!). Second, get SEO link building services going for difficult strategies you can’t handle. Third, find keys to link building that will provide you with easy and effective suggestions.
Remember: Link building is but one of several ways to grow online.
Contact Blue Atlas whether you need blogging, PPC management, or anything between. We’re your experts in building an amazing online presence. See our complete Digital Marketing page to go beyond the basics, or schedule a call today!
