Get your Backlinks

Content, keywords, and on-page optimization are vital elements of SEO, but the truth is that if you want to multiply your efforts and really compete in Google search results, you need backlinks.

I’m not going to give you a detailed explanation of why backlinks are important for SEO, as you can probably Google that, so I’ll give you 3 quick reasons:

 They help increase the authority of your website. And by authority, I don’t mean the metric used by some SEO tools, but how important your website is compared to others from Google’s point of view.

One way Google determines this is by looking at backlinks. If it finds relevant links coming from high-authority websites, that will increase your authority.

 They improve your topical relevancy. Both the anchor text and the content of the external website help Google understand your content's main topic, thus helping you rank for your main topic as well as related ones.

 They can increase referral traffic to your website. A backlink puts your website in front of the audience of another website, thus generating relevant referral traffic to your content.

How to get Backlinks

The first thing you must understand is that backlinks can’t and should not happen overnight, especially if you are just getting started with SEO.

There are exceptions to this, for example, when a PR strategy or a piece of content goes viral, but backlinks generally happen organically over time.

Here are some suggestions on who you can get backlinks for your website:

Foundational backlinks: This is where you should start if you have a website with little or no backlinks. These are easy to create, and even though some may be no-follow or won’t have huge authority, they can help you get started and increase your domain and topical authority.

Examples: Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, Startup directories, product alternative websites, etc.

 KatLinks has the Backlinks Opportunities section, which is a collection of high-quality, easy-to-get backlink opportunities for your website.

Guest posting: As the name suggests, this involves posting content as a guest on someone else’s website. This is one of the best strategies because the backlinks are packaged around relevant content, which strengthens them.

There are several ways to find guest post opportunities. One is to use your network and personal connections to find relevant websites. For example, I’ve connected with other makers on Twitter who are open to exchanging guest posts.

The other option is to do guest post outreach. This requires knowing how to get the contact info from relevant websites and sending cold emails. Check out this guide to learn more about this.

Create shareable resources: Another great way to get backlinks is to create resources that people can share on their own websites and include a link back to the source (you). This can be done with infographics, slides, widgets, polls, checklists, and even high-quality blog content that people would want to reference and link back to.

Things you should avoid:

• Buying backlinks in bulk like those “get 1,000 backlinks for $5” sellers

• Buying backlinks in general (unless you know what you are doing)

• Use tools to create automated backlinks at scale

There are many more backlinks strategies, so I encourage you to do your research, learn as much as you can, and find the best options for you.

Are there any specific topics you want me to cover in the coming weeks? DM me on Twitter and let me know!