By Chris Sheehy
Website links that point back to your business (website) are one of the most important SEO (Search Engine Optimization) factors that influence online visibility and search engine ranking.
These backlinks tell search engines of the influence and relevance your business has online while also triggering local citations of your business. Combined; these backlinks help to increase both the visibility of a business online as well as the discovery of that business over their competition by online searchers.
Why then aren’t more businesses linking out to other websites?
Here is my list of the Top 4 reasons why businesses are not linking-out enough.
1. It’s hard work and there are no shortcuts that actually work
Sustainable results are best obtained through sweat equity – in this case that translates to finger-numbing keyboarding.
Businesses have to commit to the notion that just as they have to be on the hunt for their next customer, so too do must they be vigilant with their online linking. When it comes to linking; there are no secret-tricks that other marketers do not know about other than “those that do – do well”.
2. Commitment and consistency are fleeting
A monthly strategy of creating a set-number of back-links seems to work best for most businesses. Stay on track and commit the time to get the work done.
Consistency here is key – an hour a day keeps the competitors away.
Search engines do consider how many backlinks your business gains within specific time periods; generating links to your business in bulk might give a short boost to your brand; but will hurt your business in the long run when your linking actions slack off along with your SERP rankings. Trickle linkonomics {yea, I just made that up} is the best strategy for lasting results.
3. Could you be linked-in with an SEO scammer?
There are seemingly, as many SEO scammers as there are specialists – telling them apart is not that difficult if you know what to look for . . . .
- Scammers promise quick results for quick cash.
- Specialists (refraining from the word “SEO expert” here) advise sustainable results over time and speak of your money spent as an investment rather than a quick ROI.
- Scammers speaks of guaranteed top listings
- Specialists will tell you nobody can guarantee search engine rankings, but can also show you a list of top ranking client sites or testimonials.
- Scammers promises to list your business on hundreds of directories and search engines seemingly overnight.
- Specialists speaks of listing your business on relevant directories and most likely will not list your business on search engines knowing well that if other elements of your online marketing are in place you don’t have to – search engines will find you holistically.
- Scammers speak of immediate results.
- Specialists speak of the big picture.
Listen to your gut – and if the promises sound too good to be true – they probably are.
4. Tricking the system will not treat you well in the big picture
Loopholes and SEO tricks are openly published online, taking advantage of this trickery will surly result in having less prospects knocking on your door – eventually. Ultimately, the search engines will figure this out and create a way to find the businesses that took advantage of this tactic – and will most likely reduce that businesses ranking – or remove their listing all together.
The practice of employing these aggressive SEO tactics is referred to as Black Hat SEO {think of it in cowboy terms}; while those which follow best practices are referred to as White Hat SEO specialists.
Businesses that rank high on search engines do so because of many factors – building backlinks to your website is arguably second only to website search engine optimization (On-Page SEO) in terms of importance and having lasting results.
Committing the proper amount of resources (time and money) to link building is a continuous process that will provide long-term competitiveness and visibility via greater online search engine discovery.
Remember; those that *do* – do well.
About: Sidewalk Branding Company is a Rhode Island internet marketing & SEO/SEM firm. Award winning and internationally published, they focus on getting solopreneurs and small businesses (less than 25 employees or so) discovered online – locally.
