The tiered link building strategy is lesser-known among SEOs, but can definitely help you get the most out of your backlink profile.
In this article, we’ll be talking about:
- What is tiered link building and how does it work
- What are tier 1, 2, 3 backlinks
- How to build the best backlinks
Let’s get into it.
Link building cheat sheet
What is Tiered Link Building?
Tiered link building is a multi-layered approach to link building where links are built in a hierarchical structure of tiers.
Essentially, the tier 1 backlink is pointing to your main website, second tier 2 link points to pages that house your tier one links, tier 3 links to tier 2, and so on.
Tier one backlinks are the cream of the crop – editorial backlinks on a relevant anchor text from high quality websites.
These should be the bulk of your backlink profile.
Tier 2 links and below are aimed to further increase the top links’ value and pass on even more “link juice” through them.
Additionally, tier 2 links can be used to get your partners (that are linking to you) an additional backlink – further strengthening your collaboration.
By progressively layering these tiers, the link juice flows more effectively towards your main site – at the same time allowing you to create more link building opportunities with your partners.
Is Tiered Link Building White Hat?
By Google’s definition, tiered link building is considered a “link scheme”.
But in reality, it’s almost impossible to track, as what looks like a tiered link scheme might just be a bunch of people linking to other relevant, high-quality content.
And that is perfectly fine by Google.
So, it is white hat – as long as you don’t use a PBN (private blog network) or web 2.0 resources.
The “proper” way to do tiered link building is to:
- Do blogger outreach and secure editorial placements on relevant posts
- Link to your Tier 1 links from other related sites, such as your personal blog or other partner sites
- Link to your Tier 2 links from socials, forum posts, and other sources
Now, let’s walk through getting each tier of quality backlinks.
Tier 1 Link Building
For getting Tier 1 links, we’ll be using our own tool, Respona.
A great example of tier 1 backlinks are guest post links in your author bio, so let’s go with the guest posting campaign template.
First, log in to your Respona account and create a new campaign using the Guest Post campaign template.
This template is designed to speed up your guest posting process by automating several crucial tasks.
Paste your target keywords into the first field and provide a link to one of your previous pieces in the second field. To broaden your search, consider using Respona’s AI keyword suggestions for additional ideas.
Click “Use this template” to get into the campaign editor.
Its first step is to create your email sequence.
The campaign template presets your email outreach sequence, saving you time.
However, it’s essential to personalize it.
Add an AI icebreaker variable to make each email feel unique. This feature automatically generates individualized personalizations for every opportunity in your campaign.
The next step is to run the search for guest posting opportunities, and their associated contact information.
Respona’s search engine is pre-configured with advanced search operators to find guest post opportunities. The search will cover terms like:
- intitle:“write for us”
- intitle:“contribute to”
- intitle:“submit” + inurl:blog
- “submit a guest post”
- “guest post by”
- “accepting guest posts”
Apply SEO filters to refine the results further, ensuring you’re targeting the best possible sites for your guest posts.
Next, use Respona’s contact finder to locate the most relevant decision-makers for your guest posts. Respona will verify the email addresses to increase your deliverability.
You can also train Respona’s AI personalization by feeding ita couple of your previous manual personalizations, making the AI sound more like you. This step enhances the unique touch of your outreach emails.
To keep your opportunities fresh, enable the recurring search feature.
Respona will automatically re-run your search at your selected time intervals and add any new guest posting opportunities that come up.
Click “Run automation,” and Respona will start populating results along with their contact information.
It will also apply your AI personalizations in real time, all done in the cloud.
Once the automation is complete, review your AI-generated personalizations and make any manual edits where necessary.
Respona also identifies the LinkedIn accounts of your prospects. Sending a connection request on LinkedIn can further boost your chances of getting a reply.
When everything is good to go, all that’s left is to launch the campaign and manage your conversations.
Tier 2 Link Building
From the technical standpoint, the process for getting high quality tiered backlinks is exactly the same: you find suitable opportunities to add a link to your tier 1 link, reach out to the website owner, and ask about the inclusion.
So, we won’t get into the nitty-gritty of the outreach and provide you a list of good places to add your second tier links:
- Other niche blogs
- Content networks
- Article directories
- Blog comment sections
- Niche-specific online communities
- Resource pages
- Medium articles
- Infographic submission sites
- Press release websites
- Link roundups
- Guest Blogging on less-authoritative sites
Tier 3 Link Building
Third tier links are the lowest-hanging fruit of the bunch.
Use platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and even forums to share content that includes links to your Tier 2 properties.
While these links may be nofollow, they can still drive traffic and add another layer of visibility and authority.
Participate in relevant industry forums and include links to your Tier 2 backlinks in your signature or within the post content.
Forums such as Reddit, Quora, or niche-specific forums can be excellent sources for these links.
Create profiles on various websites and include your Tier 2 backlinks in the profile section. Websites such as About.me, Gravatar, and various forum profiles are excellent opportunities for this.
Even wiki links make for great tier 3 opportunities.
Link building cheat sheet
Now Over to You
So, to sum it up, tiered link building goes like this:
Your main site < tier 1 links < tier 2 links to tier 1 < tier 3 links to support these links even further.
This improves your link equity flow, and allows you to strengthen your backlink profile as a whole.
Looking to start link building?
Don’t hesitate to register for your 14-day free trial with Respona to see how we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Tiered Backlink Building?
Tiered link building is an SEO strategy where backlinks are built in layers. The primary layer (tier 1) directly links to your website, while secondary layers (tier 2 and tier 3) reinforce the first tier links, increasing their effectiveness and authority.
Does Tiered Link Building Work for SEO and Is It Safe?
Tier link building can be risky if executed poorly using spammy links or low-quality resources. When done correctly and ethically, utilizing high-quality and relevant links, it can enhance your SEO without violating search engine guidelines.
What Types of Links are Used in Tier 1?
Tier 1 links are typically high-quality, reputable links that come directly from authoritative websites relevant to your niche. These could include guest posts, editorial links, and mentions from respected sites.
Why are Tier 2 Links Important?
Tier 2 links fortify the authority of your tier 1 links, making them more impactful. They generally come from a less authoritative website group (but still relevant), helping to boost the power and credibility of your tier 1 links.
How Does Tiered Link Building Impact SEO?
A tiered link building effort distributes link juice across multiple tiers, thereby enhancing the overall authority of your primary links. This multi-tiered approach can improve your website’s search engine rankings and visibility more effectively than single tier links.
