Building links to your website doesn’t have to be unethical. If your business wants to increase its PageRank and move up the Google search rankings, it can use a range of free link building strategies to do so.
These three link building strategies are far from the unethical, black hat garbage that you’ll see on most SEO forums. Instead, they’re useful ways to build inbound links to your website that benefit your business and web users as a whole.
- 1. Business Directories
Google has been quite vocal about its distaste for mass directories. While most web directories are spam-filled garbage dumps, there are a few industry directories that are beneficial for both your SEO and your customers.
Search for directories that specialize in your industry – for example, marketing and PR or engineering and construction – and submit your website for a free link that’s helpful to potential customers and web users alike.
- 2. Industry Bloggers
Bloggers love writing about fresh developments in their industry. If your company is hiring new employees or searching for interns, let your industry’s top bloggers in on the process and you could earn a few great one-way links.
Email bloggers asking if they would be willing to help with your hiring drive. Offer a small commission for finding a good applicant. If they take you up on the offer, you’ll gain both high quality links on great blogs and skilled employees in your industry.
- 3. Client Testimonials
Does your business offer a service to clients? If so, are they happy with the service that they’re receiving? If your clients are constantly asking about how to help with your business, give them a great option: build a one-way link to your website.
Instead of asking for testimonials on your own website alone, ask your clients to list your business in the ‘partners’ section of their website. This links will generate both a measurable PageRank boost and an increase in your referral leads.