The Dos and Don’ts of Custom Link Building: Strategies for Success
In SEO circles, all the talk in the Autumn of 2023 was about the latest Google update. Most of the chatter was bleak, with many site owners witnessing a huge drop in traffic numbers. It’s not the first time that’s happened, nor will it be the last. But, it demonstrates the importance of having a solid and timeless strategy, like custom link building. But before you get started, read these do’s and don’ts.
Do Remember That Quality Always Beats Quantity
If you want Google to notice your backlinks, then you have to prioritise quality.
Remember that Google wants to rank the best sites for their users. A backlink from a highly reputable source is a strong indicator to them that you have a website worth ranking.
Don’t Take Shortcuts
It might feel tempting to buy thousands of backlinks as a shortcut to success. But Google will always be one step ahead of you.
Trying to game the system can often backfire and could hurt your rankings in the long run. So, build custom backlinks organically instead.
Do Focus on Relationship Building
A custom link-building strategy happens best when it’s done via connections rather than transactions.
So, get to know people in your industry, whether influencers, bloggers, or other business owners. It will help you create long-lasting partnerships supporting your custom link-building efforts.
Don’t Forget the Importance of User Experience
Links are there to help readers. They provide context to articles or navigate the reader across the web. So keep that in mind when building custom links.
User experience matters in SEO best practice. Always ask yourself what benefit the reader will have when they click on that link.
Do Focus on Your Content
Shareworthy content will always attract links. Work hard to make this happen, pushing yourself to improve the quality of what you publish.
As a custom link-building strategy, it’s often the most effective long-term strategy. This is because quality content will attract links long after your SEO efforts finish.
Don’t Resort to Keyword Stuffing
Using keywords as anchors in custom links is a tried and tested SEO strategy. But it’s essential you don’t overuse this. Like keyword stuffing in articles, overreliance on keywords in anchors can harm your link building.
Google and other search engines might see it as manipulative behaviour and downgrade your site.
Do Diversify Your Custom Links
Custom links on your websites should look natural.
That means diversifying your source and type to make your overall approach more organic. A mix of links best reflects what happens to a website when it gets links spontaneously.
For example, it might include many small blogs, other businesses, and a handful of news sources. So, consider the link source’s domain type, the style of content, and the domain authority.
Custom Link Building: Thinking Long-Term
It might be tempting to jump in feet-first with custom link building. But a more thoughtful and long-term strategy will bring you the best results. Use these dos and don’ts to guide you.
Are you ready to see some improvements in your traffic numbers? Try our free SEO audit as the perfect starting point to find out what Bigwheel Web Design can do for you.
