Posted: April 22, 2015
When it comes to your SEO priorities, link building isn’t No. 1. But the process of building links on your website is still pretty important, and it does relate to search engine optimization (SEO). Based on the links on your website, search engines are able to analyze the popularity of both pages and entire sites based on the number of pages that link to them. A page’s popularity can also be noted, as well as important metrics such as spam, authority and trust. You definitely want popular pages to link to your pages and website, but as you’re probably realized, it isn’t always so easy to accomplish.
Local businesses often face the biggest challenge to building a relevant, local link network. But at Jumpem, we’re here to help you grow your link network, your website and, in turn, your business. So, what kind of links should you be looking for?
While some SEO strategies may put importance on the sheer number of links, we prefer to also look at the purpose of the links. Those links that don’t just drive visitors to your site but actually bring in potential customers will serve your business better.
And although some link building strategies may work best for certain industries or types of businesses, we think you’ll find this list of ways to get links beneficial no matter what type of local business you have.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “There is no such thing as bad publicity,” or perhaps “All publicity is good publicity.” The kernel of truth to these phrases is that as your business draws attention in the media, your audience grows. Even being mentioned in the local newspaper, news cast or the front page of a media website can increase awareness of your brand.
Some businesses embrace controversy. There are plenty of nationwide restaurant chains that have spoken out on politics and religion. The thinking here is that customers who agree will align themselves with the brand, improving customer loyalty. These national companies spurred stories across some of the biggest newspapers and online media sites.
You don’t have to go on a rampage or tarnish the reputation of your business in order to create a controversy. You just have to do something, or upload something, that can go viral and make people want to share or talk about it. So, develop an idea and make it newsworthy. Share it on social media. Inform your local press, online forums and blogs, and try to widen the audience. When you share the information with bloggers, news agencies and online forums, be sure to include links to your original statement, video, business blog or web page that started the controversy.
Sponsoring a community event is a great way to build links. Whether you host the event, partner with another business, or just sponsor it, sites all over town will link to your website. You’ll want to reach out to the local chamber of commerce, city/town website, and any other businesses which are taking part in the event, and ask that they include a link to your site. Providing these organizations with an online press release that includes all the relevant information and links is a great way to get the ball rolling.
And if your festival, event or activity is countywide, then you can enlist the help of the official county website, fire department site, and sheriff’s department site.
Most local media organizations will want to include your event in a community calendar or briefs section. But don’t stop there. Are there local bloggers who promote events in your town? What about local business networking groups who can spread the word of your event?
Local events don’t have to cost a lot of money or be a weekend-long festival. Even topic-specific seminars, training and certification, or a food drive can be the perfect opportunity to build links.
Sponsoring a nonprofit organization or charity can not only improve the reputation of your business, and build brand awareness, but it can deliver those precious links to your website. There are plenty of clubs, groups and organizations in every town and city — all you need to do is a little research.
For example, if your target audience is mostly comprised of teenages, then sponsoring a local school’s sports club or music program can instantly increase your consumer base. Sporting equipment stores may choose to sponsor local chapters of Boy Scouts of America or Girl Scouts of Gateway Council, or even sponsor a father-son fishing tournament hosted by your town.
A pizza place that offers student discounts may be a high schooler's dream. If you offer discounts for students, veterans, active military members, senior citizens, pet adopters, or alumni to a certain school/university, put the word out there! Let everyone know about your discounts, and then ask relevant businesses and organizations to help spread the word.
For example, schools can publicize your student discounts, veterans affairs centers can promote your military discounts, and universities can link to your site so students have access to the discount.
By now, you’re probably noticing a trend. When you try to build local links, using community resources and local business networks will be to your advantage. There are a lot of ways you can get your name out there and ask for links to your website. You just have to put in a little research and have the confidence to go after them.
If you want to learn more about SEO, link building and improving your online presence, call Jumpem and work with the best.