Link building outreach is a critical component of any successful SEO and marketing strategy. It involves proactive efforts to secure high-quality backlinks from other websites to yours. This process not only boosts the visibility and credibility of your site but also enhances your rankings in search engines.
If you do well in link building, you can significantly improve your page performance and outpace competitors for space on relevant, authoritative websites. Despite the potential benefits, link building can be very challenging and competitive. Let’s look into it here.
Why is link building outreach important for SEO success?
As you acquire backlinks from high-authority sites within your niche, these backlinks serve as endorsements, signalling to search engines like Google that your content is trustworthy and relevant. A robust link building strategy – a mix of outreach emails and guest posts – can lead to higher SERP rankings, increased organic and referral traffic, and more conversions.
How we do link building at The Munro Agency
Opt for pages that not only align with your target keywords but also feature high-quality content that other sites would be eager to link to. The quality of the content is the key here, as it makes your site more link-worthy. Remember, do your research and choose wisely. Not every site is worth getting linked from; you don’t want to end up in a link farm, which can do more harm than good to your site.
Choose where to build links
Opt for pages that not only align with your target keywords but also feature high-quality content that other sites would be eager to link to. The quality of the content is the key here, as it makes your site more link-worthy. Remember, do your research and choose wisely. Not every site is worth getting linked from; you don’t want to end up in a link farm, which can do more harm than good to your site.
Find the right person with the right tools
You should leverage tools like Ahrefs and Google Search Operators to identify relevant websites that align with your content. This approach helps you compile a list of potential link partners who are more likely to engage positively with your outreach campaign. On Ahrefs you can make use of either the Keyword explorer and see pages ranking for keywords or the Content Explorer to find relevant pages. You can do something similar with Google Search Operators and discover pages with specific keywords or figures that would be excellent to reach out and propose a backlink to. Read on below to discover more in detail how I use Google Search Operators or have a read over this Google resource here.
Write engaging emails
Now that you know who to reach out to, write a direct, genuine email to address your intention of link building. Avoid overly formal tones; instead, opt for helpful content that clearly communicates the mutual benefits of linking. Have a look at a genuine example from one of our past campaigns:
For context:
- {{WWW}} is their own page
- {{Snippet_15}} is a page they are linking to because they have featured their SEO statistics.
- {{SNIPPET_9}} is my own statistic page which you can view [here]
Good timing can help you win!
Effective link building hinges a lot on timing. Keep your outreach efforts succinct, with follow-ups scheduled to maintain engagement without overwhelming your prospects. This strategy ensures your emails remain at the top of your mind and out of the spam folder.
Track and disavow links
Monitor your link building efforts and disavow links from low-quality sites through tools like Google’s Search Console. This helps maintain your site’s SEO health and ensures your link building program continues to yield positive results.
What to avoid in link building
Steer clear of outdated tactics like the skyscraper technique – where you find high-performing content, create something better, and then reach out to those who linked to the original to secure backlinks. This has become less effective over time.
Instead, focus on strategies that involve real people and build genuine connections, such as guest post pitches and targeted content marketing.
Remember, the entire process of link building is a transaction, so you should focus on what you will give your target in return. This is why methods such as guest posting are effective.
Creating content that connects
Our link building strategy includes targeting sites with fresh content and proposing unique, high-quality content like independent case studies. Not only does this approach make your proposals more appealing, but it also increases the chances of securing that coveted link.
Announce new content
When you introduce new content, make sure it is unique and valuable. This makes your link request more compelling and increases the likelihood of acceptance, especially if you are the first to propose a new angle or idea.
You can also take this and spin it around by reaching out to sites that have just posted fresh content. This way, you will be first in line, which increases your chances of getting a backlink astronomically. Simply keep an eye on site posting patterns and outreach once posts are just pushed live; if done correctly, this can yield excellent results.
Capitalise on outdated links
One of the link-building tactics that has proven to still be effective is the Moving Man technique. This involves identifying opportunities to update outdated content with fresh, relevant information. As you offer a replacement, you sweeten the chance of securing a backlink, especially during times when content relevance is critical. For example (at the time of writing), WestWood’s statistic on decision makers listening to podcasts is outdated and could be updated with Munro’s newer statistic:
WestWood: “Podcasts reach nearly 40% of all business decision makers on a weekly basis, even more on a monthly basis”
Munro: “43% of decision makers report using podcasts to access business-related content. This means podcasts are on the same level as email newsletters, webinars and social media platforms as one of the favoured channels for buyers in b2b”
Address to fix broken links
This is in the same ballpark as the above. You proactively look out for pages with broken links, highlight them to site owners, and suggest updating their links to point to your relevant and high-quality content instead. This effectively mends the gap and gains valuable backlinks in the process.
For example, as seen below, you can see that CodeCanyon’s SEO statistic page has returned a 410 error!
So, all the pages linking to statistics from CodeCanyon are linking to a broken link, a perfect opportunity for us to make a note of all referring pages and reach out by using Snovio’s domain search to find contact details.
Link the unlinked mentions
Identify and reach out to sites that mention your brand or relevant topics without linking back. This method tends to have a high success rate thanks to the pre-existing relevance of your content to the mentioned site.
If you are unsure how to find sites that have unlinked mentions of your site, you can use methods such as Google Search Operators, for example I could find every site that has mentioned Munro by searching “Munro Agency” or I could find any site that has mentioned me by searching “Cameron Harvey” “Munro Agency”. Of course, your own site will mention you, which you can filtre out of results, here is a complete example of a Google Search Operator to find unlinked mentions of me:
“Cameron Harvey” “Munro Agency” -site:munro.agency
This will show every site that has the words Cameron Harvey and Munro Agency on it while excluding all mentions on our own site. As an example, you can see on Grit Daily I have an unlinked mention, a perfect opportunity to reach out and ask for a backlink.
Guest post pitches and Connectively (HARO)
Utilise platforms like Connectively (HARO), Qwoted, Help A B2B Writer, and other blogger outreach services to connect with journalists and content creators.
These platforms can be highly competitive, but they offer a direct route to high-quality link building opportunities. The trick here isn’t the one time backlink but instead the relationship you are forming between jurnos and other sites. As once this relationship is made, you could find yourself in a situation of regular collaboration, meaning regular backlinks.
Have a look below at my Qwoted platform for example as some inspiration for your own:
Essential Tools for Effective Link-Building Outreach
To facilitate your link building outreach efforts, consider leveraging tools like Ahrefs for link analysis, Snovio for gathering contact details, and Woodpecker for managing email campaigns. These tools can streamline your process and enhance the effectiveness of your outreach efforts.
While link building outreach requires meticulous planning and execution, the potential SEO and traffic benefits make it an indispensable part of any comprehensive digital marketing strategy.
If you’re looking to enhance your link building efforts without the stress, consider partnering with an experienced agency like Munro to drive your success.
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