Link building has been an SEO tactic that has been certainly abused by spammers. So now that Google has tightened its view on quality links, link building has become more like “think building”.
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Link building must start with a well-thought out content strategy; a strategy driven by creating valuable content for users.
And here is where most business owners get stuck.
What can I publish that is of value to my users/readers/customers?
Yes, link building has become a lot harder, and a lot more expensive. If a company is serious about ranking, it will be necessary to employ the expertise of a Content Marketing team, just as it’s necessary to hire Adwords experts. It is an added expense for businesses, but a necessary expense in the new era of digital marketing. After all, a business owner should be focused on running their business and not on running an editorial strategy, writing, publishing, and promoting content, all which is required to build authority online.
So what is a business owner to do?
The key is the change of paradigm when it comes to marketing spend. Online marketing continues to beat the cost of traditional advertising, yet business owners have a hard time believing that it is not only cheaper but more successful in acquiring customers.
I know many small businesses that spend between $5k and $10k a month in traditional marketing (print, local TV, PR). If owners only knew what that budget could achieve online if they would just give it a chance.
Whether you’re hiring an SEO company, or doing it yourself, you must think about the strategy behind link building efforts. A link building campaign that is not based on a well thought-out content strategy will be flawed. This means you will be wasting time and money in a potentially contra productive link building campaign.
