In the previous blog, we discussed backlinks and their significance in SEO. Before we begin, let’s also look at the basic difference between a link and a citation. A link essentially contains a hyperlink back to your web page. A citation, on the other hand, is any mention of your business out on the web, with or without a link.
To explore best practices for organic link building and citations in 2018, we have broadly categorized this blog into 3 areas as follows:
1) Links and Citations from External Websites
2) Links and Citations by Adding Value to Existing Content
3) Links and Citations through Community Engagement
1. Links and Citations from External Websites
Link Reclamation:
Link reclamation is the process of locating, contacting web admins, and converting your brand mentions on a web page into backlinks.
Broken Link Fixing:
Broken link fixing is the process of identifying, contacting web admins, and converting dead links into valuable links.
Digital Asset Submission:
Submission of existing digital assets or collateral is an advanced method of content marketing and off-page optimization. This also helps build brand reputation, improve organic search results, and increase backlinks.
Infographic Submission:
Infographics are essential content marketing tools today. They seem to trend well on social media and can easily be repurposed. Brands should share them on popular infographic websites.
Infographic submission websites:
PDF or Document Sharing:
Brands can share existing collateral, such as business documents, information brochures, pdf, whitepapers, and slides across leading document-sharing websites. This helps in generating backlinks and creating popularity at the same time.
PDF-Sharing Websites
Video Submissions:
Video submissions is one of the fastest growing activities online and involves uploading, publishing, and sharing video files online. For instance, customer testimonials along with live event videos are trending today and help boost traffic. One should also try to include keywords in the title and description of the videos when submitting.
Video Submission Websites:
2. Links and Citations by Adding Value to Existing Content
Content Curation:
Content curation is the practice of finding, organizing, annotating, and sharing the best and most relevant content on third-party websites for your audience. This makes your content more credible and positions your organization as a go-to resource. Considering customer journey and tweaking your content across different micro-moments also plays a major role in building links.
Content Curation Websites:
3. Links and Citations through Community Engagement
Participating in LinkedIn Communities:
Participating in LinkedIn communities involves joining communities relevant to your domain, posting discussions, connecting with other members, commenting on other discussions regularly, creating awareness, and generating traffic and leads.
Influencer Engagement Through Blogs on Popular Websites
Participating in blogs on popular websites involves finding industry-related third-party blogs, engaging with the blog, getting involved in discussions, connecting with members, and adding value to the target audience.
Guest Blogging on Premium Websites
Guest blogging involves writing guest blog posts on third-party websites that are related to your industry and domain. One should look at websites with a good relevant audience and blog subscribers. Your basic profile as an author on the blog will eventually lead to referral traffic. It also helps with personal PR and brand building otherwise.
It is best to start looking at your complete traffic using SEO tools such as Spyfu or Google Search Console to get a wholistic understanding of all your incoming traffic.