How To Build Quality Backlinks For Your Blog/Business
Sunday, April 18, 2021 Growing your DA score can be difficult, especially for new bloggers. Building up a range of quality backlinks can help you grow your blog quickly. Building backlinks are great things for your blog. It helps your DA score, gets your name out there and allows you to add to your portfolio. It can be a struggle to build your links, so here are some of the best places to find them and grow! Personally, these are ways I've found best to grown my backlinks.
What Are Backlinks?
Backlinks are weblinks to your blog. Another blog or website links back to your content from their own site. For example, one blogger may recommend your review in their post, adding a link to your collection. It's better to have 100 backlinks from different websites than 50 from the same one. There are different types of links, and some are more valuable than others.
Internal Links
Internal links are between your blog only. Linking across your blog is good for SEO but doesn't count as a backlink. For example, throughout blog posts, you may find a blogger promoting another post on their site. This is internal linking and can be beneficial for traffic.
External Links
External links are when you link out to another blog. You may have been inspired by a blog post so link to the original idea. Equally, an external link could be another blogger linking to your site. For backlinks, you want people to link to your blog.
Dofollow Vs Nofollow
When you're linking to another page, you have to option to select nofollow. This means that Google will skim past the backlink, and it doesn't benefit your blog as much. Nofollow links are usually found in comment boxes and paid advertisement. You can get penalised for using a dofollow link for paid ads. When linking, your blog will probably automatically select dofollow, so check this before hitting publish. When you're building backlinks, you want as many dofollow links as possible. It shows Google that you're trusted, so it can rank you higher on a web search.
Why You Should Build Backlinks
For new or hobby bloggers, building backlinks may not be a priority. It can be time-consuming and difficult. I started building links as soon as I started my blog. There are so many reasons why you should aim to increase your number of backlinks:
- You can increase your DA score, increasing your opportunities
- You get recognition for your work
- Traffic can be directed to your blog through established sites
- You can get a new audience bought to your work
- Your blog can get discovered easier and quicker
- You can build meaningful relationships with other bloggers
Participate In Round-Ups
A round-up blog post shares lots of different ideas or opinions. I have created recipe round-up posts where I give a dofollow link to those who I include. Round-up posts are a great way to get your content noticed while also building valuable backlinks. I find some of the best opportunities on Facebook in round-up groups. You'll find people looking for travel guides, recipes and DIYs the most, so perfect for bloggers in those niches! I like participating in these types of posts because they don't require a lot of work to do. Your blog post will already be written, so all you need to do is provide a link and give permission for the blogger to use any images. If you're hosting, make sure you ask permission to use content first. It's considered a copyright violation if you don't ask before using other people's images or blog posts. You also shouldn't copy work, only recommend visiting their site.
Guest Write For Bloggers
Most bloggers will accept guest posts, which is where you write a blog post for another blogger. It saves them time and gives them something different to publish. Guest blogging allows you to write something that may or may not fit in with your niche. It gives you a space to promote your blog posts, share your social media and get your name out there. I have a page for guest blogging, but some bloggers may not advertise accepting blog posts. You can always send them a message or ask Twitter. When deciding who do a guest blog for, there are a few things you should consider:
- How much time you have to write - you shouldn't take on too many posts and never get round to finishing them all. It can build bad relationships, and you can lose backlinks.
- If the blogger is allowing you to add in your own links and social media
- Their requirements for words count - Consider how much you have been asked to write. Some bloggers may ask you for more words than you write for your own blog.
- Their deadline and how it impacts you - Be realistic. Can you write a post in 48 hours while managing your own schedule?
- If it fits in with your niche or style of writing - You don't want to write a high-quality post for a blogger in a different niche. It won't be as beneficial for increasing your traffic.
- If they have a higher DA score - Backlinks are better quality and more valuable if you write for someone who has a higher score than you.
Use Facebook Groups
There are lots of Facebook groups for bloggers to join. Most of them will allow you to find backlinks. There are lots of different opportunities to be found on these pages. I've been included in recipe roundups, adding tips to blog posts and even have guest blogged for businesses. I’ve received backlinks from both bloggers and brands. Both have helped me to increase my DA score in the process. Some of my favourite groups for opportunities are:
- Blogger Opportunities
- Bloggertunities
- RoundupPalooza
- Boss Girl Bloggers
- Blogger Round Up Requests
- Blogger Roundups
Replace Broken Links
If you’ve found a website or blog with a similar niche to you, make sure you check if their links are broken. If you send them an email with the broken links, you could ask if they could be replaced with one of your blog posts. For example, if a link to a festive recipe was broken, you could ask for it to be replaced with a Christmas recipe of your own. It doesn't always work, but the blogger or brand will be grateful for your help never the less. I like to send email to other bloggers or to websites I genuinely like.
One of the easiest ways to find broken links on a website is to put the URL into a link checker. It will bring up a whole list of links that no longer work, and you can choose which ones suit your blog the best. Don’t try to replace all of the links. I’ve had the most success when I list a few broken links and only submit one or two of my own. That way you’re not overwhelming the other blogger/website owner. You’re also helping them out more as you’re giving them multiple broken links that they haven't noticed, so the owner is more inclined to insert your links.
Find Callouts on Twitter
Bloggers are always looking for help with blog posts. There are always bloggers asking their Twitter followers to contribute in a blog post where they offer a backlink in return. You can find opportunities by following different bloggers. Make sure you follow a range of bloggers, so you’re more likely to find opportunities. You can also find guest writing spots and backlink opportunities in the hashtags # bloggerswanted, bloggersrequired and PRrequest.
Unfortunately, you will have to weed through other bloggers using the hashtags for self-promotion rather than sharing an opportunity. I’ve found lots of backlink opportunities looking through Twitter, and there are also sponsored post opportunities in these hashtags! Twitter is an amazing place to network and find backlink spots. It can take some time for a good one to pop up, but they’re worth it!
You should look to build up your backlinks, especially if you’re planning on working with brands.
Backlinks can help you increase your DA score. I managed to jump from 0 to 16 with a 4-month-old blog by writing guest posts! If you want to guest write for me, I am always accepting bloggers! Backlinks are also a gateway to future collaboration – something that is key in the blogging world. Where do you like to look for your backlinks? Let me know if I have missed off any great places!
14 comments
This is great advice. Understanding what a back link is and why it is so valuable is really important. I had no clue for a long time and now it is something I am constantly thinking about x
ReplyDeleteI've read on multiple occasions that Google doesn't actually count guest posts as backlinks (depending on the situation). These are some fab tips for link building! X
ReplyDeleteSuper helpful post! Thank you! Backlinks are something that I tend to neglect but for no reason other than, I'm trying to be proactive with creating content. But, I know it is SO important!
ReplyDeleteRosie
Really helpful post. I think gaining those backlinks can be one of the trickiest parts of building your SEO and DA score. Internal linking is brilliant because it's all in your control! x
ReplyDeleteThanks for these tips! Some I hadn't considered.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, these tips are great for understanding what backlinks are :)
ReplyDeleteNic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes
This is such a useful and helpful post Em! Backlinking can be a bt of a mind overwhelm when you fisrst start out, can't it? I need to work on my backlinking, so this has given me lots of ideas. Checking borken links is the worse though...so time consuming, so I always put it off haha!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing :)
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
This is such a helpful article! SO informative. My technique in building quality backlinks is commenting on other people's blogs! I haven't been doing guests posts as you said because I'm still trying to make more content for my site, but ofc I'll be guest posting very soon. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletewww.lifebeginsattwenty.com
Building backlinks is something I've been thinking about lately, so I'm grateful for the advice! It can be hard to know where to start with something like this. Thanks for sharing your experience :)
ReplyDeleteThese are all great tips! I never thought about round-ups and facebook groups to find some backlinks. Thank you for sharing x
ReplyDeleteSome amazing tips for backlinks Em, I need to do a broken link check soon, even though I did it a couple of weeks ago, it's amazing how quickly they can build up! x
ReplyDeleteLucy | www.lucymary.co.uk
These are some really helpful tips! I spent a while optimising old posts, guest posting and working on broken links and it has really helped my DA xx
ReplyDeleteHello Em!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this tips. I knew about some of this tips already but some of them I didn't know. This article was really helpful.
I'm gonna try the Facebook groups and see where it goes.
Edgar
https://www.sharemystoryed.com
I am always going to use this post to refer back to - I'm trying to go but it's frustrating at times! This is honestly one of the most comprehensive and informative posts I've ever read on growing a blog and really want to thank you for taking the time to put it together!
ReplyDelete