Making Your Content Link Worthy

The old phrase stating that respect is earned and not given can be applied to quite a few different areas in life and spun to fit a variety of situations.

That phrase

As odd as it may seem, can even be applied to the art of gaining backlinks.

 

One cannot simply demand that people give them backlinks, sit by and wait for backlinks to walk right in the front door on their own, or even assume that they are due to you if your content is “good enough”.

In short,

You can get links by creating valuable content and getting that content seen by the correct audience.

Assume That You Won’t Get Backlinks

When attempting to get people to give you backlinks always ask yourself one question – why should they do it?

If even you can’t provide a good reason for why people should be willing to provide you with a backlink then something is very wrong.

Explaining to people that you want a backlink simply because “you need it” won’t cut it either.

Using this answer, or some other version of it that is just as paper-thin and flimsy is a horrible response and a surefire way to lose any interest that your prospective audience may have had in providing you with a link.

By stating that the page you are trying to get a backlink for is relevant to the visitors of your prospect’s website, or that your page offers something of value to your prospect’s audience, you have a much better chance of getting your hands on that ever-valuable backlink.

Of course,

Simply telling them that your page carries value does not automatically make it so.

You still need to actively create something that is valuable and is tailored to fit a specific audience.

Ensuring that you do all of this is what you should be aiming for every time you create content. Making good content is the key to getting backlinks, no ifs, and, or buts.

Don’t fall into the trap of simply contacting anyone and everyone available and trying to convince them to give you free advertising in the form of backlinks.

There’s no beating around the bush, that’s essentially what it boils down to if you simply try to get people to give you backlinks without any incentive or benefit on their part.

Big brands that have built quite a name for themselves may be able to get away with simply asking people for backlinks, but for the majority of websites and pages out there you’re going to have to put in a lot more work to earn those backlinks.

Don’t Copy What Competitors Are Doing

If you notice that your competitors have links that lead to shoddy content or pages that are thin and badly crafted then just leave them be.

Copying this type of technique is something that you want to steer away from, even if it seems to “work” for your competition.

You may not even realize that your competitors are not performing well due to their backlinks.

Blackhat techniques are still quite rampant on the web, and Google can be quite slow in stopping pages that utilize such underhanded techniques.

Other factors may be at work,

…and that is what is fueling the performance of your competitors.

While links are undeniably important there are still a plethora of other methods for appearing high in the rankings of the search engine. Don’t focus on what others are up to, and don’t think that you are entitled to the success that your competitors are enjoying.

Instead,

Work towards making your own formula so that you can reach the goals that you have set for yourself.

Take strides to improve your content and constantly grow through organic methods.

Also,

Do a bit of research and analysis on the backlinks of your competitors.

While it does not give you tons of opportunities very often, it is still good to have an idea of what your competitors are doing.

Oftentimes they are simply using shoddy conversions of product pages and pointless links, spammy domains, or some other form of outdated or irrelevant content that is simply there to surround the links.

No matter what the competition may be using

Simply focus on yourself and your own page’s progress. Get links only on your own terms, and don’t cave the cheap tactics even if the competition is implementing them.

 

Making Link-Worthy Content

The basics for crafting content that is worthy of earning a link include the following:

• Make content that is crafted with a specific purpose in mind
• Know the audience the content is meant for and ensure that it is purpose-driven
• Strive to make your content better than other similar content that is offered

If you can make sure that every piece of content you make follows these simple guidelines then you should have a much easier time getting links.

Make Your Content with a Purpose

This is where many pages fail – right here on the very first step.

When trying to get site owners to provide you with a backlink make it clear that a link won’t cost them anything at all monetarily, and that your link can benefit them in some way.

Make your content compelling and very pleasing to site owners.

Informative and entertaining content, content that is helpful and interesting, and generally any other form of content that provides the readers with some form of value without asking anything from them other than their time is ripe for a backlink.

Tailor Content to a Specific Audience

Define the audience that your content is made for and tailor it to that audience.

If you can convince the site owner that your content doesn’t cost them a penny and it actually benefits their audience they will be much more open to providing you with a backlink.

 

Make Your Content Better Than the Alternatives

Making content that is better than others already out there doesn’t mean that it has to be original, creative, or special in any way. Simply know what you are providing and what your readers are looking for.

Aim to end their search with your content, solve their problems, or provide ample information on the topic so that they leave your content satisfied and pleased that they decided to give it a read.

Take advantage of the SERP so that you can further improve your content and continue to churn out quality pieces of work.

 

Concluding Part;

At the end of the day, you need to keep in mind that the web is quite a big place.

It’s tough to grow if you fail to get your content out there and seen by other people.

Being able to create link-worthy content that appeals to relevant target sites is one of the best ways to get your foot in the door and begin growing.

Don’t wait around for something to happen, don’t rush to make things happen without taking the proper steps to gain links, and don’t assume that your content is worthy of links.

Make an effort to improve, and strive to produce quality content that is worthy of a link.