Getting High Quality Links to Increase Ranking

Ritesh Warke

Despite the many changes in search engine ranking methods in the last year and many more expected to come the most reliable way to increase your rankings is still to get links to your site from high power high ranking sites and domains. Ultimately content is the most important factor you have control of in achieving higher rankings consistently regardless of any changes made to search engine algorithms. That is the actual purpose of the search engine – to seek out and provide search results based on relevance and reliability of the content in the results. Despite this, it is still necessary to utilize Search Engine Optimisation strategies. 

Realistically getting from page 2 on the results to the 1st page and top 10 in the rankings typically requires some effort on your part. If you have done the basics like implementing social media SEO strategies, done all of the on-page optimizations, and provide quality, fresh content relevant to your niche there is still another avenue to consider.

Getting links to your site from other websites is still a tried and true method of increasing your rankings. Ideally, as you get better known in your niche and increased traffic to your site some other sites will begin to quote or cite you in their content and include a link to your site with a link as a reference. In the real world this happens but not as often as needed typically to truly push you up the rankings.

There is an overlooked method of getting these links that are so vital to increasing your rankings. By offering your expertise and passion on a subject as a guest contributor you will typically be allowed to include a link in either the content you author or the by line of the content. To make this work for you there are of course considerations.

• All links are not created equal. The easiest way to determine the value of a link is to do a search and look at the first page results. High ranking websites will have greater value than lower ranking sites.
• Highly effective links come from sites with relevancy to yours. If your site niche is cell phones a link on a fashion blog is not as effective as a link on a consumer electronics or communication site.
• To optimise for a keyword find a site that already ranks well for that keyword. Once again, a simple search using the keyword or phrase you wish to optimize will give insight as to the value that site will have. 

To offer to contribute to a site for the opportunity place a link you need to have something to offer. All blogs want good high quality content relevant to their blog and readers. If you can provide a unique piece of quality content then most will consider if you approach them in the right way. Keep in mind these things.

• Many websites sell space for links in content. The initial reaction may well be an offer of content and link placement for a fee. This is not strange or rude, it is very common. If they often get paid to have a link in content then you need to offer seriously good content for them to consider it for free.
• When making the inquiry include a specific topic of relevance to them and enough background on yourself to show you have the skill to write that content.
• They will naturally want to see the site you wish to link to. They will want your website to be in keeping with standards that their readers may expect and likely are not interested if your site is overflowing with spam and advertising.

Of course you need to keep you own site filled with fresh quality content but if in exchange for a few hours of your time each week you are able to place high quality links to your site it will pay dividends. As well as higher rankings it may result some extra traffic and readers for your site. You may also make some friends to network with for other ideas and insights in a mutually beneficial way.