Don’t know how to approach your link building strategy? The solution is here! Learn more about the best white hat SEO link building tactics.
A strong online image is a necessity today if you want to succeed. Top rankings in Google can help you attract more clients.
How can you achieve that?
I strongly recommend you concentrate your efforts on white hat link building. It can be a bit hard and time-intensive. Yet, the results speak for themselves.
Today, I’ll tell you about some practical methods for generating quality backlinks. In this article, I’ll cover:
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- What is white hat SEO link building;
- Top 5 techniques;
- Link building methods to avoid.
What is White Hat SEO Link Building?
Let’s begin with the definition of white hat SEO link building.
It’s the practice of obtaining backlinks to your site through ethical methods. They fully comply with search engine protocols. This approach focuses on adding value to users, unlike black hat tactics.
Links from respected sources demonstrate that your site is credible and valuable.
Ethical techniques build a strong foundation for long-term SEO success. Here are a few benefits they can offer you:
- Higher rankings;
- More natural traffic;
- Increased DA;
- Stronger reputation;
- Improvements in UX, and much more.
5 White Hat Link Building Strategies from Scratch
You already know the intention of white hat link building. It’s all about getting your content to the top rankings ethically.
Now, you are probably curious about the best white hat link building strategies. So, let’s discuss some practical solutions.
I gathered the top 5 alternatives that actually work. Get familiar with them below!
Link Insertions
The first technique I want to suggest is link insertions. Basically, you take the materials that are available on a site and edit them to include a new hyperlink.
The first stage in link insertions is to find materials that are closely related to your niche. They should already have a good amount of traffic and involvement.
What should you do after identifying possible options?
Your next step is outreach. You have to connect with the site manager or editor to suggest the insertion. It’s important to give them an explanation of how your link will be useful for them.
Compared to other techniques, this one brings results faster. Also, link insertions are rich in context. People are more likely to follow them, as they are set within valuable materials.
To get the most out of this strategy, you can delegate it to professionals. Editorial.Link will easily handle this task for you. We can get you premium backlinks from sites with a DR of 70 or above. We emphasize quality and individual approach above all.
Guest Posting
The next strategy you can try out is guest blogging. Let me explain how to approach it. Here are the steps you should take:
- Look for influential blogs in your field that admit guest posts;
- Check their reputation and DA;
- Suggest your idea and highlight the value of your proposal;
- Produce instructive and engaging materials;
- Naturally incorporate a few strategic backlinks.
Guest posting will help you extend your brand’s exposure. It usually leads to more followers and conversions.
Also, posts on respected resources showcase your expertise. Prospects will consider your source reliable and might get interested in your offerings.
Not to mention that this tactic gives many networking possibilities. You can connect with influential people and online platforms. It’s pretty beneficial for future collaborations and partnerships.
Unlinked Mentions
Another white hat link building strategy I want to suggest is unlinked mentions. Actually, it’s often overlooked, but it can strengthen your profile.
You’re probably interested in how this method works.
You start with detecting references to your brand or product across the web without an accompanying link to your resource. I recommend using instruments like Google Alerts or Mention to monitor discussions.
Next, you need to communicate with the author and ask to convert the mentions into clickable links. Try to form a polite and individualized outreach message.
This technique is simple and high-reward. It mostly focuses on delivering value rather than exploiting the algorithms.
HARO Link Building
Another widespread strategy that is worth your attention is HARO. Now, it’s a part of the Connectively platform. It matches journalists with expert sources who can provide useful info.
It’s a win-win scenario.
Reporters get quality information or quotes. You earn backlinks from respected sites in return.
Here’s how it works:
- The platform sends daily email alerts with requests from reporters;
- You observe them and respond to those that match your background;
- The journalist includes a backlink to your source when using your response.
It’s a legitimate and ethical way to build links. Features in well-known publications improve your brand awareness and trustworthiness.
Broken Link Building
The last method I want to suggest is broken link building. As you can guess from the name, it revolves around discovering and capitalizing on broken links.
Let me explain how to approach it:
- Find niche-specific broken URLs (use Ahrefs or Screaming Frog);
- Asess the content that they were pointing to;
- Develop materials that can become a substitute;
- Contact the webmaster or an editor and offer your alternative;
- Review the results and follow up if needed.
What Link Building Methods You Need to Avoid
We can all agree that white hat link building is the best way to get your site to the top. Nevertheless, some people still may use unethical tactics to get results faster.
It’s important to avoid these typical link building mistakes if you don’t want to face penalties. So, I created a list of some risky methods that you shouldn’t use.
Resource: 18 Link Building Mistakes to Avoid in 2024
Buying Backlinks
This tactic might seem like an easy way to elevate your rankings. Yet, it brings many risks and ethical concerns.
Do you want to know about the pitfalls of this technique?
- Major search engines have strict guidelines against buying backlinks;
- Severe penalties and long-term damage to reputation;
- Quality and applicability issues;
- Limited control over the placements;
- Temporary boost and lack of sustainability.
Using Automated Link Building Tools
Automation is a great solution in many cases. However, I recommend avoiding it when dealing with link building. Here’s why:
- Automated tools often generate links from low-quality or spammy sites;
- They can trigger algorithmic penalties;
- These tools do not account for the context or value of links;
- High possibility of spam;
- Lack of personalization.
Using PBN (Private Blog Network)
Another controversial method in SEO is PBNs.
What is it exactly? It’s the creation of a network of websites specifically to build backlinks to a main site.
Remember that artificial inflation of ranking violates the guidelines. It usually results in de-indexing or significant drops.
The benefits are pretty short-term and in most cases, you’ll be penalized. Also, the costs associated with maintaining a PBN can outweigh the benefits.
Moreover, links from PBNs often lack genuine authority. They will negatively affect your credibility. And even if this method succeeds, the usefulness of these links may decrease over time.
Conclusion
So it all adds up to this – white hat link building is the only proper way to get backlinks to your site. This approach meets all the ethical standards. It allows you to strengthen your reputation and attract more visitors.
Remember that quality content and valuable connections are your keys to success here. Concentrate on genuine outreach and ethical techniques I described above.
Hope that my guide was useful for you! Try out the methods I mentioned here. Or you can always partner with Editorial.Link. We’ll gladly help you with all your link building initiatives!