What is an Inbound Link?
Inbound links are hyperlinks from external websites that link back to pages on your own website. Also known as backlinks, inbound links are a crucial part of SEO and driving traffic from search engines.
The more high-quality inbound links you have from authoritative sites, the better your website will rank in Google and other search engines. This is because Google views inbound links as votes of confidence – they help indicate that your content is useful and relevant.
So building an effective inbound link strategy should be a core focus of your overall SEO efforts. By securing more inbound links over time, you can improve website visibility, boost organic traffic, and establish greater trust and authority for your brand.
Why do I Need Inbound Links?
You need inbound links for several important reasons related to SEO and driving traffic:
- Inbound links signal to search engines that your content is valuable and useful, improving your ability to rank high in results. More inbound links = higher rankings.
- Inbound links drive direct referral traffic to your site. Quality links allow you to tap into the audiences of other sites.
- Inbound links help build greater authority and trust for your domain. A solid network of backlinks establishes credibility.
- Inbound links can improve your page’s relevance for specific keywords you’re targeting if the linking content contains those keywords.
- Inbound links help pages on your site get indexed faster by search engines like Google. Links send signals that help crawlers discover new pages.
- Inbound links allow you to gain ground on competitors by edging out their websites in search rankings over time.
- Inbound links distribute SEO “equity” that can boost other pages on your website besides just the ones being linked to.
Google’s algorithm determines your position on the results page by a number of factors, and the volume of inbound links is surely one of the most important factors determining how much traffic your website generates.
What do Good Inbound Links Look Like?
Here are the key characteristics of a high-quality, good inbound link:
- High Domain Rating (DR) – A DR of 50+ indicates a reputable, well-established website. Strive for links from sites with DR 60+.
- Strong Domain Authority (DA) – Look for sites with DA in the 30-90 range. Higher is better. Links from DA 90+ sites are ideal though hard to come by.
- Relevant Authority Score (AS) – The AS should closely match or exceed your own site’s AS, showing topical relevance.
- Organic Monthly Traffic – Look for sites that generate at least 10,000 organic visitors per month. More traffic = stronger signal.
- Topic Relevance – Inbound links should come from sites focused on similar topics or industries as your own. Stay laser targeted.
- Contextual Relevance – The textual content and keywords around the link should relate closely to your site’s theme.
- Prominent Link Placement – Links higher up on a page/post send stronger signals.
- Link Velocity – Steady, natural link building over time is ideal vs. an unnatural influx of links.
- Linking Domain Diversity – Links should come from a variety of external domains, not just the same ones.
- Competitive Link Gap – Getting links from sites your competitors don’t have links from provides SEO advantages.
Follow these guidelines and focus on quality over quantity to build an impactful inbound link profile.
What is an Inbound Link Strategy?
An inbound link strategy is a planned, ongoing effort to gain links from external websites pointing back to your own site. Executing this strategy entails:
- Identifying the best websites to pursue links from based on authority, trust, and relevance to your industry. Prioritize sites with high domain authority and traffic.
- Producing compelling, linkworthy content like articles, tools, resources, and data that other sites will want to link to. The content should provide value and fill informational needs.
- Reaching out to website owners, bloggers, influencers, and journalists to proactively request links to your content, pitching guest posts and contributor opportunities.
- Monitoring brand mentions and industry discussions to find and capitalize on link earning opportunities.
- Participating in linkworthy activities like surveys, studies, and reports that get cited often.
- Building relationships with key websites and constantly providing new reasons to link to your site.
Done effectively, an inbound strategy can deliver:
- Increased organic search traffic driven directly by anchored links.
- Higher search engine rankings as algorithms favor sites with more quality links.
- Greater brand visibility and authority for your website over time.
- Faster indexing of new pages by search crawlers.
- Long-term improvements in trust and credibility.
Gaining quality inbound links is critical because search engines heavily factor links into relevance and ranking calculations. Links indicate content value. The more high-quality links you earn, the higher your pages will rank.
Here is a Template for Executing an Effective Inbound Link Strategy
- Set goals for links wanted from tier 1, 2 and 3 websites.
- Identify the top 20-50 sites you want links from.
- Audit your existing content for “linkability” and create target pieces for outreach.
- Reach out to your list with personalized emails pitching relevant content.
- Promote link-worthy assets through your social media channels.
- Monitor link prospects like brand mentions, directory listings, etc.
- Develop relationships with key websites and keep providing value.
- Track new links earned and continue expanding your list.
- Analyze links for quality and opportunity to strengthen outreach.
- Report on link building accomplishments and refine strategy.
10 Proven Ways to Get More Inbound Links
1. Establish Your Brand on Social Media
Lots of website owners assume that social media and SEO are two totally separate things. But they’re extremely related to each other.
Social media is a free-to-use marketing tool that allows you to reach out to a wide audience. You can raise awareness of your brand and boost sales by connecting with people on social media.
It’s important to consider which social media platform is most suitable for your target audience. For example, Facebook is especially popular among the demographic group aged 45-54 years old. Whereas, Snapchat appeals most to younger users.
Part of staying relevant (and developing links!) is making sure your social media accounts are up to date and that you are connecting with your audience via Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
2. Review Services & Products Online
Another important way of increasing your inbound links is by reviewing stuff.
But what kind of stuff? Anything really. Although, it’s best to review stuff that’s relevant to your brand image and products.
This allows you to make connections with other websites that promote products or services to the same target group as you.
3. Guest Blogging
Guest blogging is when you write a blog for another website. Yes, it’s kind of giving something for nothing. But there’s always benefits too.
By writing blogs for other people, you get the opportunity to reach out to a completely new audience.
Furthermore, you can show off your expertise and knowledge. Thus, establishing yourself as an authority within your niche.
The best websites to guest blog are those that have a similar audience base, but a totally different product.
You need to identify a website you’d like to write for and pitch a post. If they like, you’re on board.
4. Join the Debate Online
By joining the debate online around your niche, you can adventure out of your website. You need to be able to connect and engage with your target audience.
This includes writing blog posts about an important topic in your niche. Or, producing a Youtube video that demonstrates your fresh twist on an old topic.
The aim of the game is to get your name out there as a credible authority. By showing you know what you’re talking about. And you’re not scared of sharing your opinion with others.
5. Outbound Links
Why would anyone link to your website if you don’t return the favor?
One of the surest ways of improving the quality of your inbound links is by linking to other authoritative websites. By associating yourself with the top players in your niche, you’ll capture the attention of Google’s algorithm.
Make sure you link to websites that are relevant to your website. For example, if you’re a business style website, link to Forbes, Huffington Post and the Financial Times.
6. Co-Publish Blogs
Do you know someone in the industry who would be willing to co-publish a blog with you? Collaborating with others is a great way to boost your profile in your niche. If the other blogger has a wide following, this plays to your advantage too. Do you have a totally different perspective to the other blogger on a specific subject? That’s a great way to raise an issue and show both sides.
7. Update Your Business Listings
Keep your business up to date on hours, sales and more. Keeping your business listings up to date, your website design fresh, (which includes making it load quickly and making it mobile-friendly), and make sure everything you link to is relevant. Have you updated your directory and business listings recently?
If you don’t have updated and consistent listings you could damage your brand’s reputation. Make sure you have all of the important information, such as; address, website, social media profiles and business name.
8. Get a Design Makeover
Of course, when it comes to driving traffic to your website, it’s style over substance. However, users also enjoy navigating around a website if they prefer the design.
Maybe your website is looking a bit last year. You might consider getting a makeover to see if you can generate more traffic that way.
9. Mobile Friendliness
Since 2016, mobile devices have been the most popular method of accessing the internet. If you don’t have a mobile-friendly website, you’re risking alienating a large percentage of your audience.
You simply can’t afford to miss out on the traffic you could be generating by ensuring you have a fast-loading mobile-friendly site.
10. Create Infographics
Infographics are an incredibly effective format for earning high-quality inbound links. Unlike dense blocks of text or stale lists, infographics employ visual storytelling to present data and information in an engaging, eye-catching manner. This makes them irresistible link bait.
Websites aiming to provide value to their audiences through fresh content are magnetically drawn to relevant, well-produced infographics that align with their own themes.
Infographics can concisely communicate insights, summarize research, or tell entertaining stories using charts, graphs, illustrations, and minimal text. This scannable format has become incredibly popular for distribution and sharing across the web.
11. Produce Great Content
This is always what you need to start with. Informative, relevant content.
It doesn’t really matter if you do all of the above if you don’t produce great content that people actually want to read.
You can produce all kinds of different types of content from Youtube videos to infographics to blogs to podcasts. Whatever drives people to your website.
The best content is unique and relevant. Don’t just repeat what someone else’s doing on another website. But also, make sure your content is related to your brand image.
Lastly, don’t forget to ensure that your content is SEO-optimized with keywords and packed with links.
Time to Drive More Traffic
Building a strong profile of quality inbound links to your website is one of the most important investments you can make for long-term search engine optimization success.
By actively pursuing strategic link-building activities like leveraging digital PR, producing magnetic infographics, guest posting on authority sites, and forging win-win partnerships, you can dramatically amplify your website’s reach and referral traffic intake.
Approach link building as an ongoing process, continually finding new opportunities to get credible sites to link back to your content. Track your link-building wins, analyze the impact on organic performance, and double down on the tactic that moves the needle most over time.
With a data-driven methodology and persistence, your days of minimal search engine visibility will soon be a thing of the past. The power of inbound links is real – now go harness it to unlock record levels of sustainable traffic growth.
Do you want to find out more about SEO marketing? Get in touch with us today for advice and guidance on your digital marketing strategy.
