According to SearchEngineLand, 96% of websites in Google’s top 10 have more than 1,000 links from unique domains.
Additionally, Ahrefs statistics showed that an overwhelming 96.55% of content receives no organic traffic from Google, mainly due to a lack of backlinks.
This implies that backlinks are crucial for search engine optimization or ranking.
However, not all links are created equal.
Many link building practices can be manipulative, often resulting in Google penalties. This is where natural link building comes into play – it’s a sustainable, ethical, and highly effective approach that stands the test of time.
In this blog post, we’ll explore natural link building, why it matters, and how you can make it work for you.
Let’s get started!
Link building cheat sheet
Understanding Natural Backlink Generation
A natural backlink, in simple terms, is when another website links to you without being prompted to do so by a link building strategy.
This is only possible when the web page contains link-worthy content; that is, content that’s relevant and valuable to its readers. It can be said that these links are not made but earned.
Google ranks natural links highly in terms of quality.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that sometimes, differentiating between a naturally occurring link and one built may be impossible. What matters most is the intention and genuineness of the link.
What is Natural Link Building?
Natural link building refers to the process of earning such high quality backlinks.
Contrary to artificial links, which might concentrate on quantity or manipulating search engine algorithms, a natural link profile involves securing links based on your valuable content merit alone.
The goal of natural link building is to produce awesome content marketing that others will naturally want to link to, rather than build links through aggressive tactics.
It’s an effective strategy which complies with Google’s Webmaster Guidelines and ensures that your website develops a strong and sustainable online presence.
Why Are Natural Links Important?
Search engines place a high value on natural types of backlinks for several reasons:
Authority and Trustworthiness
When other high quality sites link to your website’s information, it tells search engines that you can be trusted as a source of facts.
This increases the site’s domain authority and enhances its trustworthiness for both search engines and users.
Even though domain authority is a made-up metric by SEO tools, higher DA/DR typically correlates with higher rankings on SERPS.
Organic Traffic
Of course, the point of getting links is to have people click on them and end up on your site.
They come from trusted sources recommending your content’s quality; hence, chances are the visitors will be more engaged than usual.
Consequently, user engagement rates go up while bounce rates drop, leading to better overall performance.
Sustainability
Gaining links by hand slowly can be a good, sustainable SEO strategy.
Manipulative link building leads to fast gains but it also carries the risk of penalties. Natural link building ensures your website will grow gradually and securely.
Common Myths and Misconceptions
There are a few myths about natural link building that should be clarified:
Quantity Over Quality
A widespread fallacy is that the more inbound links one has, the better your rankings will get.
On the contrary!
Search engines prize relevance and quality over quantity. Getting many poor-quality or unnatural links can lower your website’s performance in SEO.
All Links Are Equal
The other myth is that all links are equally valued.
In fact, links from relevant high-authority websites bear more significance than those from low-quality websites that aren’t related at all.
Search engines are good at discerning and disregarding manipulative or unnatural links.
Buying Backlinks is Effective
Some marketers opine that buying backlinks off a link building service is a viable strategy.
However, this practice is an infraction of search engine guidelines and can result in penalties or a negative impact on rankings.
Search engines give more prominence to earned natural links that indicate a site’s content’s value and relevance.
Even if the link is properly marked as sponsored content, its SEO benefits for your backlink profile will be minimal.
Why is Quality More Important Than Quantity in Link Building?
In building links, quality matters more than quantity. Google has been saying this for some time now, and recent updates have made it even clearer.
Google’s core update for March 2024 focused on content that was user-friendly, which means useful information.
This shows that Google rewards content with actual value, and this quality focus extends to backlinking too.
The March 2024 update also highlighted the significance of natural links, which are from credible websites in similar fields.
Manipulative link acquisition, or any form of it as outlined in Google’s guidelines, is against their code of conduct and, therefore, leads to penalties. Hence, marketing professionals must put more effort into earning links according to Google’s standards.
4 Effective Natural Link Building Strategies
Now that we’ve established why natural link building is important, let’s explore some strategies you can use to earn these valuable backlinks.
1. Creating High Quality, Shareable Content
High quality, shareable content is at the core of building natural backlinks.
For instance, a well-researched, visually appealing infographic that presents complex data is likely to garner social shares, thereby expanding your audience.
To create such content, consider addressing specific pain points or answering questions your audience may have. Use tools like Ahrefs and BuzzSumo to find trending topics and content gaps in your industry.
The greater the value and uniqueness of your content, the more likely others will share or link to it.
2. Building Relationships with Industry Influencers
Another powerful strategy for earning natural backlinks is networking with industry influencers and thought leaders.
When influencers link to or share your content, it significantly increases your credibility and reach because they have huge followings.
To establish these ties, you should initially interact with their posts – leave meaningful comments, post their articles, and join in their debates.
You may go ahead and contact them once you’ve built a good rapport. Be sure that the content is valuable and related to their interests.
For example, if you’ve created a detailed manual on one of their favorite subjects, forward it to them and explain how this guide might be helpful for their readership.
Authenticity matters here; once again, real relationships lead to opportunities for organic link building.
3. Guest Blogging and Collaborations
When done correctly, guest blogging can lead to new referring domains popping up naturally.
The trick here is to contribute useful posts to popular blogs within your niche.
As a result, if your articles aim to solve the audience’s problems and provide them with real insights, they will easily attract links.
Firstly, you need to locate authoritative blogs in your industry that accept guest posting. Then, propose topics that resonate well with their readership.
Collaboration can also be a viable option. Co-authorship or participating in an interview are some ways to promote your brand and obtain organic backlinks.
4. Involvement in Industry Forums and Q&A Sites
Taking part in industry events, forums and question-and-answer (Q&A) platforms such as Quora or Reddit is another good way to build natural links.
By engaging in discussions related to your industry, you can offer helpful responses and insights that truly add value.
To do this effectively, choose to answer questions that relate directly to the content. Ensure they’re contextually relevant and point readers to more information that they will find helpful.
This doesn’t only help with building organic backlinks; it also leads to active traffic from people who’ve shown a previous interest in what you talk about via their link clicks.
The downside is that every backlink you get from these sites would be marked as UGC – which in terms of SEO equals to a nofollow link.
Best Practices for Natural Link Building
As with any SEO strategy (both local SEO and global), it’s essential to follow best practices to maximize your results.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity
Always prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to link building.
Seek out high quality links from relevant sites rather than trying to amass as many links as possible on any anchor text you can find.
Monitor and Analyze Link Building Efforts
Tracking and analyzing your link building efforts is crucial to understanding what works and what doesn’t.
Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to monitor your content links and assess their impact on your SEO.
Avoiding Black Hat SEO Tactics
Finally, avoid black hat SEO tactics. These manipulative practices can result in search engine penalties and damage to your website’s reputation. Stick to ethical, white-hat methods that prioritize value and authenticity.
Click here to learn more about the Top 10 White Label Link Building Solutions.
Link building cheat sheet
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, the natural link building strategy is powerful for achieving sustainable SEO success.
It’s all about creating awesome content, building genuine relationships, and earning links that truly matter.
As you evaluate your current link building strategies, consider the long-term benefits of natural link building and make the necessary adjustments. Follow our guide for the best results.
Need help scaling up your link building efforts?
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