10 ways how to get website backlinks for a small business
Backlinks are an essential part of any SEO checklist, but getting those backlinks isn’t always easy. The main idea is to offer something of value in exchange for the website backlinks you’re getting. You may be wondering, how do I get backlinks for my website? Here are 10 tips to help you out.
1. Guest blog posts
Writing guest blog posts can be a lot of work, but it’s one of the most effective ways to get backlinks for your small business website. The idea is that you write a blog post for a website that you want a backlink from, including a link to your website written organically within the blog post. This website will publish that blog post because it’s beneficial to them, but it will also result in a backlink for your website.
It’s important to keep in mind that guest blog posts are only valuable if you’re writing quality content. You can hire somebody to write your guest blog posts for you, but you should vet your hires to make sure you’re choosing good writers. Providing quality content is the best way to get other website owners interested in your guest blog posts.
2. Look for broken links
Looking for broken links is another good strategy when it comes to how to get backlinks. Websites and blogs link to other websites all the time, and some of those outbound links may break when the websites they link to are shut down. If that happens, you can get in touch with the owner of the website with the broken link and provide your link in place of the broken link.
When you’re using the broken link strategy to increase backlinks, you should look for spots where your backlink would fit in nicely. If you have a product that’s similar to the product that a broken link is attempting to link to, you can contact the website owner about replacing that broken link with a backlink to your website. This is one of the simplest methods of building backlinks.
3. Find unlinked mentions
You can also use tools to find websites that mention your website, your brand, or your products. The goal here is to look for any websites that might mention your brand or product without linking to your website. If you find a mention of your brand that doesn’t include a link to your website, you can contact the website owner and request that they include a link with the mention of your brand or product.
Some website owners might not respond to your requests for a backlink, but you should keep contacting other website owners either way. The more backlinks you can build with reputable websites, the higher your website will rank on search engines.
4. Create content that’s easily linkable
One of the most important steps to building backlinks is creating content that’s easily linkable. What this means is creating content that gives people a good reason to link to it, whether that’s an infographic, a comprehensive guide about something, or a product that simply can’t be beaten. While there are other factors at play, the quality of the content you create is the biggest determining factor in terms of how shareable that content is.
Don’t be afraid to try different types of content to find something that works for your website. Infographics are great for businesses that have certain types of information to share, but they may be next to useless for others. Experiment with different types of content that provide value to your audience, that way you can find something that works for your brand and the people who support it.
5. Get mentioned in a “best” article
Another link building strategy is to get mentioned in a “best” article. People write articles that outline the best of a particular product or service all the time, whether it’s the best gaming mice or the best tools for building a website. When people create these “best” lists, they generally include links to all of the products, services, or brands they’re talking about.
As you might have guessed, it’s not necessarily easy to get mentioned in a “best” article. You might need to get in touch with website owners to inquire about being included on their lists. Certain “best” lists may also be harder to get on than others, so it’s all about creating a quality product and talking to the right people.
6. Try infographics
People like to share certain types of content, and infographics are one of the most shareable types of content. Infographics are great because they’re simple, but they can also convey a lot of information. A quick glance at an infographic can tell readers all about the numbers behind a particular topic. Plus, these infographics are easy to slide right into a blog post or web page, so people love using infographics that others have made.
The more people share your infographics (with proper attribution), the more website backlinks you’ll build up. If you can create really high-quality infographics, you might even be able to get backlinks from a few high domain authority websites, which can give you a real boost in terms of DA.
If your infographics aren’t being shared enough, consider doing some research to find out what sort of infographics people might be interested in.
7. HARO
HARO, or help a reporter out, is a well-known strategy when it comes to how to create backlinks. HARO connects reporters with people who have the expertise to be a source for articles. For example, a reporter who wants to write a story about people who design websites can use HARO to reach out to web designers for quotes, expert opinions, and more. When a reporter decides to use the information you provide them, you get a backlink to your website.
Using HARO to get backlinks for your business is simple, but it can take a bit of work in terms of submitting sources. You can start by signing up for a HARO account and activating your account via email. Next, you can set up your profile, which includes choosing the topics you want to provide information about. Simply start replying to the queries you receive and wait for people to use you as a source in their stories.
People like to share content that provides valuable information, and few things on the internet are as valuable as long-form guides. Long-form guides give you the opportunity to cover a topic in its entirety, whether you’re breaking down email marketing or teaching people how to start fishing. Other websites are happy to link to these long-form guides because they do such a great job of explaining a topic from start to finish.
The big benefit of long-form guides is that all you have to do is create and wait. If you create quality content, people will link to it at some point. The better your content is, the more people will share it and the more it will increase backlinks.
9. Get backlinks from business associations
If you’re a part of a business association, you may be able to get a backlink from that business association. Many local areas have business associations, which in many cases is the Chamber of Commerce. If your local Chamber of Commerce has a website where businesses are listed, make sure your website is listed there with a link. This isn’t the best strategy when it comes to how to get backlinks consistently, but it can help kickstart your DA a bit.
One thing to keep in mind is that there are some backlinks that may have a negative (or neutral) effect on your domain authority. You may get a few of these when you’re first learning how to get backlinks, but you want to avoid them as you learn to spot them.
10. The skyscraper technique
The skyscraper technique is a time-tested and proven technique for building backlinks. With the skyscraper technique, the idea is to look for content that ranks highly and has a lot of backlinks. Next, you want to look for any weaknesses in this content, including incorrect or missing information. The final step is creating your own, better version of that content, which allows you to capitalize on the shortcomings of the content you’re using as inspiration.
Perhaps the best part about the skyscraper technique — aside from the fact that it works — is the fact that it also allows you to create quality content that drives more traffic to your website. With an increase in traffic and a higher domain authority as a result of more backlinks, your online presence will be significantly stronger.