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I have been around the backlink building block a few times.
From building backlinks for Blogging From Paradise Dot Com to being pitched, I observe common backlink building errors routinely.
I do not give a rat’s rump about how hard you work at failing strategies. You will lose.
Spending 12 hours daily cold pitching strangers wastes time. Why not go for the sure thing? Why would you chase disinterested bloggers?
Develop the skill of building quality backlinks.
Put damaging backlink building errors behind you.
Benefits of Building Quality Backlinks
Over 80,000 links currently point to my blog.
Imagine 80,000 passive traffic sources. Readers trust these bloggers, making the traffic legitimate human beings. Some of these links nab dozens of visitors daily. Others generate over 100 visitors on certain days.
Google looks at backlinks as a way to determine blogging credibility. If a seasoned pro links to your blog then it must be trusted. The Google algorithm factors quality backlinks into ranking your blog. Think of receiving a high level backlink as a peer review or even social proof.
My blog popped up on page 1 of the Big G after Neil Patel Dot Com, Smart Blogger and Pro Blogger linked to Blogging From Paradise Dot Com.
I hop scotched the errors below to land sugary sweet backlinks from seasoned professional bloggers.
Look at these Errors First
Maybe you wish to look away from these mistakes.
But succeeding with any blogging venture usually means:
- looking at errors
- owning mistakes
- patiently following corrections to errors
- gradually succeeding as you put mistakes behind you for good
Everyone would pretty much rather be right than happy, free and successful.
Park your ego at the curb to defeat this alarming form of self-sabotage.
Look closely at your backlink strategy.
Address mistakes.
Own your backlink building blunders even if doing so burns the ego.
Correct errors.
Build high quality backlinks.
Be gentle with yourself but firm in following these steps.
1: Stressing Quantity over Quality
Do you attempt to acquire as many backlinks as possible?
Seeking a high quantity of backlinks is a common mistake.
The number of backlinks pointing to your blog does not matter. If nobody reads some of these blogs, then nobody sees your backlink. If Google does not value the blog, then your blog does not rise in SERPs.
Frame low quality backlinks as being irrelevant. Few if any people read these blogs. The Google algorithm certainly does not vet these blogs as trusted niche resources.
Quality backlinks matter.
Getting quality backlinks:
- drives legitimate human traffic passively
- positions your blog to pop up on page 1 of Google
Trusted backlinks serve as vetting mechanisms. Successful bloggers give your blog a vote of confidence with a backlink. The Google algorithm knows this. Readers who trust these bloggers know this too.
Gain quality backlinks. Guest post on respected blogs from your niche. Engage in genuine blogger outreach with successful bloggers from your niche.
Target quality blogs to land quality backlinks.
2: Buying Backlinks
Buying backlinks is a no-no.
Inorganic backlinks instantly lose value.
Linking to content because someone paid you $5 does not exactly instill trust. Never mind how cheap backlinks always point to low value, low traffic blogs.
Remember that this mistake usually co-mingles with mistake number one. Bloggers pay $5 of $10 for a high volume of low quality backlinks. Investing a few bucks to buy nothing sends no credible traffic to your blog. Nor does this tactic put your blog at position one on Google.
Earn legitimate backlinks by publishing long form content consistently. Solve reader problems. Target posts to drive quality traffic.
Bonus Tip
Never place backlinks for money.
Doing so damages blogging credibility.
Backlinks are not a “pay to play” deal.
Link to relevant resources because you trust the truly helpful content not because an individual gave you $5.
Linking to crappy blogs tells successful bloggers to never link to your blog.
Why would experienced pros link to a rough backlink ‘hood from their backlink penthouse?
The blogging neighbors we keep partially determine our blogging success or lack thereof.
3: Asking for Backlinks
Asking for backlinks flashes a red flag.
Backlink beggars prove themselves to:
- publish low value content
- have no trusted blogger friend network in place
Why would an experienced blogger put their reputation on the line for an unskilled blogger with no genuine connections? Pros never reach the top by playing “Blogging Russian Roulette”.
As with mistake #3, publish long form, targeted content consistently. Help successful bloggers from your niche to earn trust. Comment genuinely in response to their posts, link to their blogs and promote their content through social media.
Blogging buddies link to trusted content.
Create content. Build connections.
My blog spawns dozens of backlinks daily based on this simple but powerful strategy. Consistently publishing content and making blogging friends gains significant exposure for my blog in front of highly targeted peepers. Some bloggers link to my posts to augment their content.
Creating and connecting jump starts this process.
4: Not Publishing Detailed Content
600 word blog posts generally do not cut the backlink-building mustard.
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Thin content rarely inspires pro bloggers to link to it because full-timers gain credibility based on publishing highly detailed content.
Deliver 1200 to 1500 word posts. Add steps to walk readers from the problem to the solution. Set up a blog post outline. Break down sections into practical steps. Add bullet point lists to drill down thoroughly.
Experienced bloggers link to resources to:
- establish greater credibility
- offer readers rich guides
5: Focusing Only on Do Follow Links
Bloggers err in chasing only Do Follow links to increase Google traffic.
No Follow backlinks like blog comments:
- form relationships
- drive blog traffic
At day’s end, backlinks are backlinks. No Follow links offer bloggers sugary sweet benefits.
Drop genuine comments on blogs from within your niche.
Get quality No Follow links.
Amplify your success.
6: Exchanging Links to Low Quality Content
Resist the temptation to exchange links with struggling bloggers since you currently drive little blog traffic.
Everybody loses in this scenario.
Appearing on a low quality blog and linking to less than credible blogs via your post sullies your blogging reputation.
Link only to highly respected blogs.
Fortify your credibility.
Build links effectively.
7: Targeting Blogs Outside of Your Niche
Bloggers waste time pitching individuals outside of their niche.
Imagine being a blogging tips blogger who targets blogs from:
- the pet care niche
- the weather niche
- the dating niche
Pet care, weather patterns and dating have zilch to do with blogging tips. Why would bloggers from outside of your niche drop backlinks to your blog?
Stop wasting time.
Focus on blogs from within your niche.
Build backlinks through resonance.
8: Ignoring Internal Linking
Linking internally:
- boosts search traffic
- increases time spent onsite
- pops your blog up on the radar screen of successful bloggers
Yet bloggers neglect linking internally, lessening the likelihood of snagging high quality backlinks from seasoned pro bloggers.
Link to relevant posts internally. Point readers to valued resources. Send a clear signal to Google.
Visualize every blog post to be one node in a blogging spider web. Link every post to at least one other post.
Treat your blog as a collection of linked posts to get quality backlinks.
Google assesses the full body of work not standalone posts.
Rank on page 1 to gain exposure before backlink-offering, successful bloggers.
Conclusion
Address these errors.
Right your backlink building ship.
Get high quality backlinks to gain credibility and amplify your reach.
