Moving Forward, Leaving Backlinks behind

“Link is a ranking factor”, says Google.

And all the businesses who are doing their own SEO started getting as many links as possible. They are making a relationship with the influential people of the niche, writing guest posts for the authoritative blogs, doing everything to get the ‘natural’ links.

The SEO experts of top SEO services Virginia know better.

They know that ‘natural’ backlinks do not need any extra efforts except writing a great content. They know that these links are to be earned and not triggered. Since the last few years, businesses and marketers are stressing too much about getting the backlinks. They are actually not writing the content for the audience, they are not doing it for search engines either; they are just trying to impress the other bloggers who can read their content and give them the backlinks.

Let us discuss in detail how the link game is changing and what can be in the future of SEO.

#1. Writing the content for the ‘other’ audience

As discussed before, the biggest mistake that the writers are making is writing for the wrong audience. They are actually considering these bloggers as their target audience. As any article on the internet would tell you the tricks to get the links, the first advice is generally about scanning the blog which writes the similar content. They would tell you to fill in the content gaps of the blog you want to link with. This way, surely you will get the attention of the blogger and link too but is the link worth it? Did you even think if the content is useful for your audience?

Writing content for the complimentary audience every now and then is a good thing but writing every content for them is just inviting a disaster. 

#2. Backlinks have become a KPI

If a content has many backlinks, it is considered to be performing well. Again, natural links are just the indicator that a particular blogger or web owner is liking your content and referring you on their page, that does not mean that the content is performing well. Being present everywhere on the internet would give you the exposure but it is the engagement that you should be measuring.

When any client would see the reports of his SEO company, he would consider the backlinks for each content. If the backlinks are more, they are very happy with their SEO but if it is less, they raise their brows. They are less focused on the engagement that the content is getting or the number of views, all they care about is the backlinks.

This is today’s fact. It hurts but it is true.

#3. Natural links are not natural anymore

People have modified the definition of ‘natural’ nowadays. Any link that is not bought with money is natural. If you are buying that link with friendship or outreach emails or partnership then it is all natural.

What is your backlink strategy?

You write a content that may be engaging and entertaining with visuals to go viral. You scan the list of blogs which publish the same content as this one. You would craft a detailed impressive email and send to all the blog owners. These people would read your content and place your link on their website. Your work is done.

Is it really?

This is not a natural link building. Let us consider an example. You went to a meeting. You talked to the key speaker at the meeting before the meeting started. Now, he is at the front and he is presenting his views. And then, there he mentions your ideas with your name. You did not ask him to do so. This is called natural link building. You do not ask people, they just like it naturally.

#4. The coupling of the two content is weak

There is this issue too. The content is referring another content which has absolutely no relation. Let us consider an example. A content is about how to catch a dragonfly and there is a link in between about the development stages of the dragonfly. Okay, I agree, there is the ‘dragonfly’ common word but is the intention of the reader common too? Why a person who want to catch the dragonfly, would read the biology? He may be interested but mostly, he is not. He reads about the tricks and bounces. Link no link; doesn’t matter.

#5. Rigging would lead to penalization

The link earning game is rigged. There is nothing natural in this process. It has become more about being at as many places on the internet as possible. Yes, the spam sites are avoided but it is not enough. Too many links from the same site is also a fishy strategy. If such practices continue to grow, links will no longer be a part of the ranking algorithm and the website will get the penalties again.

Google AI is evolving. It is the time that you focus on your audience and their problems. Forget to get links. They are important but should not be your upfront marketing strategy.

SEO Company Salt Lake City says that to win the SEO game, you have to think from the elementary level. The game is changing daily for good, it is the time that you make the foundation strong. Follow the best SEO practices and let the links come on their own.

What do you think? Don’t you think it is the time that we stop spending sleepless nights stressing over backlinks?