So you think you’ve created a great website? You have a blog, you’ve triple-checked all your meta-tags, and you’ve selected your keywords. You’re ready to face the search engines and potential customers, right? Wrong.
While these tasks are all important, they account for only part of what makes an online web page successful. Your website is more than just what appears on the pages belonging to your web domain. You must keep a close watch on what happens off your site to take control of your SEO campaign. Search engines like Google or Yahoo! take into account more than just search terms. They also rank how frequently you update your site and the value of the content that you host. To earn a higher ranking and attract more visitors, you must rate well in both. Fortunately, there is a secret tool in your arsenal: backlinks.
A “backlink” is a url link featured on an outside web page or blog that directs that site’s visitors to your site. These links appear everywhere from forums to search online directories. By implementing a few simple strategies you can increase the number of incoming links that point to your page. Not only that, but you will also improve the quality of those links that direct visitors to your web site or blog.
Blog writers know that the foundation for SEO success lies with creating dynamic content. Without interesting, amusing, or exceptional material, no one will think twice about your latest press release or blog entry. To truly engage your audience, you need to publish something worthwhile. Stay on top of current trends in your industry. Pay attention to topics covered not only by the top niche sites, but your competition as well. Work with online writers who understand SEO best practices and have the experience to ensure that your brand’s voice is consistent across a variety of media.
Social media sites, such as Twitter or Facebook are a fantastic way for quickly generating attention for a spectacular piece published on your site. A clever tweet coupled with the link to your latest bit of news not only draws readers in, but it makes it easy for them to share your piece with their friends and Twitter followers. Interact regularly with readers, clients, and potential clients by maintaining a Facebook page and rewarding your followers with special promotions or exclusive content. Consistently communicate with this community and you’ll soon build a very loyal fan base. Because social media is casual and easy to use, you can reach out to a large number of people at a very low cost.
Like Social media sites, social media news sites are a highly interactive way to reach out to your audience. Social aggregators like Reddit or Digg can drive a lot of traffic to your domain if your piece winds up on their home page. Articles are ranked directly by readers and the more popular the item, the higher it appears in these sites’ results. You’ll need a well-crafted piece and a catchy title in order to make it to the top of these competitive sites, but the effort will be worth it. Top articles get viewed and shared by thousands of readers every day and have the chance to lead to new visitors to your site.
Guest blogging provides another great opportunity to showcase your industry experience. Usually the end of the piece will feature a brief byline that will include link back to your site, allowing you to subtly promote your site and also highlight your insight as an expert. Sharing your knowledge on another site owner’s platform is a stellar opportunity to attract fresh feedback and a different take on the offerings you currently provide your clients. Contributing material to another person’s website enables you to connect with a different audience that expands beyond your regular community. You’ll also raise your online profile and build relationships with industry insiders that can lead to new projects down the road. An additional benefit of guest writing for another site is that you can bring in new readers from a market that you might have overlooked. When you limit your exposure to new audiences, you might be missing valuable opportunities or a new niche for your services.
Like guest writing, article directories like Ezine or Ehow serve as a way to promote your niche experience and reach a broader audience. You have the opportunity to endorse your website to the readers who turn to these well-respected resources. When you submit a piece for these sites you’re allowed to provide information about yourself in the resource box. This is where you should include a link to your website and a brief bit about your area of expertise and experience. Not only does this give you a great backlink, but it lets potential visitors to your site know what you’re about.
For these strategies to succeed you need dynamic, original content. In short, your backlinks are only as good as the content you host on your domain. The best online writers know that compelling work gets noticed and drives website traffic. Readers are more likely to share blogs posts with their social circle when those posts are entertaining, informative, and current. New visitors to a web site tend to linger when they have a well-stocked archive of interesting articles to browse though. Great blogs and companies address their viewers’ concerns and offer them fresh insights about today’s trends or innovative ways for dealing with problems they face. Offer the best information you can and you’ll be rewarded with quality backlinks that draw new visitors to your website.
Need help creating posts that generate backlinks? Let us help! Here at www.contentandarticlewriting.com we have a team of experienced online writing professional specialists ready to create unique, dynamic content for your website.
Sara Onderdonk is a member of the Content and Article Writers Network of Internet Writers and Bloggers. To learn more about the CAW Network go to http://www.ContentAndArticleWriters.com
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