Link building is an effective SEO strategy when applied correctly. However, without understanding, link-building can be easily misused, resulting in further decline that will affect everyone negatively.
The following are some propagated myths, which we must get away from if we’ll safeguard the future of linking as an SEO strategy.
- Quantity is as important as quality
Days when it mattered how many links you had are gone. Quality is far more important than quantity today compared with a few years back. Google is only interested to know what sources your links come from, and the level of authority each source has. It is far better to have 20 links from five high-authority sources than 100 links from 2 authority sources. One high quality link is better than 20 low quality ones.
- Only manual linking works
This is also a dated SEO practice, when webmasters logged onto directories, forums or other sites and posted links until you got the required numbers. Today, you are better served by naturally attracting links. Let the links come naturally by publishing great, useful content that people will want to cite, share and link to. It might be costly to create this content, but you won’t have to build any manual links if you do it right.
- All link-building earns penalties
Many a webmaster’s fear of link-building stems from this misconception. If Google sees lots of manipulative or spammy links, it may ignore it. Only in cases where you’ve done something so glaringly wrong and extreme would you earn a Penguin or manual penalty. Provided you stay away from manipulative practices and ensure your links are from quality sources, you’ll be fine.
- Link-building is independent
While content marketing can be both independent and part of SEO strategies, link-building can never be considered independent of SEO. Links should never be independently built just to raise rankings. For maximum efficacy, link-building would be integrated with other internet marketing techniques, like content marketing and social media sharing all of which can naturally build great links.
Conclusion
By correcting these prevalent misconceptions, we can bring back the glory lost tolink-building. Shift focus to building your brand, and links attracted this way will be the most organic and natural links you can get, which is what we all want, where rubber meets the road.
