Get Free Backlinks! | Tips For Getting High-Quality Backlinks
What is a backlink?
A quick refresher for those who need to brush up on their SEO terms, a backlink is a link on one website, that when clicked, directs the user back to your website.
Why are backlinks important?
Search engines, including Google, use backlinks as ranking factors when crawling your website. The more backlinks your website has the more likely you will rank higher for certain search queries. That is because search engines see backlinks as a vote towards your credibility. The more “credible” and relevant your website is, the higher it will rank on search engine results pages.
Why are they considered a huge ranking factor?
Quite simply, backlinks can be a bitch to obtain. It takes a lot of work and time on your part to earn them. Search engines know this, which is why they are considered major ranking factors. Don’t be discouraged though. By following these tips for getting high-quality backlinks you will know what measures you need to take in order to get free backlinks for your website.
By the end of this article, you will know how to get free backlinks and the basics for creating a backlink strategy.
Table of Contents
Find Broken Backlinks
Known as the broken-link building method, this technique is where you search the web for any broken links found on websites. Once you identify any broken links that could be of value to you, contact the webmaster of that website.
Recommend your website as a replacement for that link. Chances are the webmaster will reward you with a backlink since you are doing them a favor in the first place by identifying the broken link for them.
There are plenty of SEO tools you can use to find broken links but the quickest method is to:
1.) Use the following search queries in Google or other search engines:
- “the keyword you want to rank for” + links
- “the keywords you want to rank for” + resources
- “the keywords you want to rank for” + directories.
2.) Identify any broken links that could be beneficial to you.
- Find the best way to contact the webmaster. Usually, an email will be listed on a “Contact Us” or “About” page of the website.
- Contact the webmaster and recommend your replacement.
When contacting the webmaster, be kind. It is important to be as specific as possible and tell them exactly where the broken link is located on their website. Also, be sure to include the link to your website that you wish for them to use in place of the broken link.
Guest Post On Third-Party Websites
Now, I know Guest Posting sounds bad right off the start. It is hard to want to write content for another website that is not yours. However, it is a proven technique that goes beyond providing you with a quality backlink.
When you guest post on someone else’s website you are promoting yourself in front of a whole other audience. You’re increasing your exposure and online presence! It is a valuable backlinking method that will build your online reputation.
Now, you can find places to guest post by using search queries on Google such as the following:
- “the keyword you want to rank for” + become an author
- “the keyword you want to rank for” + guest-posts
- “the keyword you want to rank for” + become a contributor
- “the keyword you want to rank for” + experts wanted
- “the keyword you want to rank for” + submit an article
When reaching out to third-party websites, be polite and introduce yourself. Make sure you have content ready that showcases your knowledge on the subject you wish to guest post about. Also, be sure to verify with the third-party that in exchange for your guest post, they will provide you with a high-quality backlink.
Create Infographics
By now, you have probably looked at a variety of other articles for generating backlinks, and most likely you have seen this tip on every occasion. The truth is I’m sick of seeing it as much as you but there is a reason it makes every list. That’s because it works.
Infographics always result in high-quality backlinks. The reason is simple. They are appealing and are proven to increase traffic to your website. They are one of the most shared forms of content that you can find on the internet.
Now, I am not going to tell you how to go about creating an infographic because quite frankly there are plenty of different methods and ways to do so. However, I do have to say it is worth allocating the time and resources into making your own.
Once you have an infographic created you need to make it simple to share. Use a tool like Seige Media Generator or any other tool to create a code others can use to embed your infographic onto their website.
Once everything is in place, distribute your infographic online through social media, guest posts, etc. Each time someone embeds your infographic on their website you will be rewarded with a high-quality backlink.
Leave Comments On Other Articles
It may not be the most rewarding method but it is the easiest technique to implement. Commenting on other blog articles gives you a chance to throw your website name out there. Of course, doing this can be risky and may result in you being flagged as spam.
The best tips for going about getting free backlinks through commenting on other posts is to thoroughly come up with a well-thought-out comment that adds to the conversation.
When commenting, you want to add value to the piece and establish yourself as a thought leader on the topic. My only advice is to be careful where you leave comments. Nothing is worse than coming off as a Spammer and people on the web are not very forgiving.
Promote On Social Media
Social media is a great place to promote your content. Although they may not be as valuable, social media backlinks still can contribute to your search engine rankings.
By adding links to your website on social media platforms you are giving users another way of accessing your website. The tip here is to create content that is worth clicking on. Although shares and likes do not contribute to Search Engine Rankings, the more your link is shared the higher the chances you have of generating a backlink from another website.
With social media, link building is accomplished by getting your content in front of the right audience. If you want to go in-depth on what platform you should focus on, check out the difference between social media platforms.
Be A Contributor On A Podcast
Podcasts are the latest craze at the moment. Being featured on one could be your ticket to getting quality backlinks to your website.
Find a Podcast within your niche with a large audience. Reach out to the host and ask to be on the show by mentioning how you can contribute to the content they cover. I know this might sound crazy but if you truly have knowledge on the topics they cover, you most likely have a shot of them having you on.
Not only will you receive a high-quality backlink, but your time on the Podcast gives you the opportunity to promote yourself and your brand.
Now, this tip is not just limited to podcasts either. Any opportunity you have of being interviewed gives you the chance of generating a backlink.
Write Content For Experts
This is a more elaborate tip but if you stick with me you can understand why this will get your more backlinks.
When writing, you want to think of yourself as a reference for whatever people are searching about. More specifically you are writing content for the experts who share a similar interest in your niche. Let’s look at this example.
Scenario: I am a third-party blogger looking for the latest trends in SEO. Now, I am already familiar with SEO basics so I want to dive deeper into one of the aspects of SEO. For this instance, let’s say I am interested in writing a blog on how to conduct long-tail keyword research.
Since I already know keyword research basics I want to weave through the basic fluff. I am going to go directly to the blogs that provide further insight on the topic I am searching about. When I begin writing my blog on long-tail keyword research I am going to reference the blog who provided me with in-depth information on my topic.
Basically, what I am saying is that content that goes further in-depth on a subject is more likely to be referenced to. If you’re writing content in hopes of obtaining a backlink than that content needs to be written for the experts and not the common user.
Other experts in your niche will be the ones who provide you with backlinks.
Disavow Bad Backlinks
This tip is not so much on how to get backlinks, but the backlinks you need to avoid. I want to begin by saying no matter what, do not ever resort to paying for backlinks.
I am sure you have stumbled upon a few websites that offer backlinks at a price. Similar to curated reviews, backlinks you pay for do not possess the quality that comes from earned high-quality backlinks.
In fact, if search engines identify that you are paying for backlinks to your website you will be at risk of being penalized in search engine rankings. This is no joke, I once had a client who took part in bad SEO practices which consisted of purchasing backlinks and they are still suffering the consequences to this day.
Use free tools such as SEMrush’s Backlink Audit Tool to identify whether or not your website has any bad backlinks. If so, copy the referencing URL and upload it to Google’s Disavow Links Tool.
Closing Statement On How To Get Free Backlinks
The methods and tips mentioned above will help you get free backlinks for your website. However, you need to understand that link building takes time. The more effort you put into your outbound link building strategy the greater the results.
The last thing I want to mention about backlinks is this: backlinks are earned through collaboration, friendship and respect between two webmasters. Return the favor for whoever provides you with a backlink.