The Importance in Link Building to Your Website

While virtually all website owners understand the importance of search engine optimization (SEO), not everyone understands the role link building plays in garnering those all-important high search engine rankings. Even though content is still king when it comes to qualities search engines look for, Google and other search engines also look closely at the site’s links to confirm the site’s authority. If you’re unsure how links fit into your marketing plans, keep reading.

What are Links? 

Marketing experts agree that sites with quality inbound links, commonly referred to as external links or backlinks, create traffic and promote a site’s authority. In other words, those external links direct traffic to your site from other trusted sources. The links build your site’s reputation across industry categories and act as referrals from other site owners. Industry experts always recommend working closely with experts when building links for your website.

Internal links, on the other hand, provide guidance for site visitors as they seek information on a specific site. Visitors can click on internal links to quickly move from one part of a site to another, which makes finding information easy for anyone. While there are still websites including a limited number of pages, today’s sites routinely include a lot of information on many pages. That means site visitors would probably find it difficult to locate specific types of information without those internal links.

What is Link Building?

In a nutshell, external linking allows customers of all types to move from one website to another. Search engines look at the number of links directing traffic to your site as an indicator of a site’s authority. While it takes time to develop relationships with other site owners, the effort pays off handsomely when a site’s ranking improves and more customers visit the site. 

While there are shortcuts used to increase the number of links to a site, their use is not recommended. Routinely referred to as black hat strategies, those links provide little value as Google and the other search engines quickly figure out what’s happening and penalize sites for using those less-than-honest tactics. Working with experts ensures appropriate links that actually generate traffic are built and maintained.

Is Link Building Really Important for a Site’s Ranking?

The short answer is a resounding yes! The algorithms Google and the other search engines use are complex and constantly evolving, but they’ve routinely used existing links as a barometer of a site’s authority. One issue site owners face is obtaining links from other authoritative sites. All search engines look for links from other authoritative sites when ranking sites. Links from other established sites are always more important for a site’s ranking than links from a new, unproven site. That’s another reason site owners are encouraged to work with experts when building links.

Building Quality Links Takes Effort

Getting other sites to link to yours generally takes some effort. Site owners may contribute content to other sites to entice that site owner to provide a backlink. In some instances, business acquaintances and other industry associates may be willing to provide links, but it’s always important to ensure those businesses are related to your industry to establish credibility. 

If your site lacks external links, now is the time to start link building. Industry professionals are always ready to assist, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Once the ball is rolling, building new links becomes easier.