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As you delve deeper into the world of search engine optimization (SEO), you’ll discover more terms and factors that Google uses to rank webpages. Backlinking is one of those SEO terms that you should learn.
Backlinks almost sound like a cyber term from a movie like The Matrix. Honestly, a lot of SEO terms could be in The Matrix.
“Neo, we’re running out of blue and red pills to ensure the meta descriptions are updated in time to simulate SEO for the backlinking matrix!”
But we’re not in the Matrix (hopefully), and backlinking is essential to building a robust SEO strategy. In this blog post, we’ll cover the do’s and don’ts of backlinking and how to leverage backlinks for SEO.
What Are Backlinks?
Backlinks are links that are created when an external website links to your website. These links are also called inbound or incoming links. If several websites source your content on their website, they can link to your webpage. This is how backlinks are born.
Why Backlinking Helps Your Roofing Website
High-quality backlinks help establish credibility for your website and show Google that your content deserves to show up higher on search engine result pages (SERPs).
How Backlinking Impacts SEO
Google takes user experience very seriously and only wants the best results populating in search results.
The search engine uses a lot of factors to determine SERP rank, including backlinks, core web vitals, and meta descriptions.
Backlinking can help you build an authoritative website and secure a coveted top spot on Google’s SERPs. When your website has several high-quality backlinks, Google sees your website as a trusted authority in your space.
Backlinking Best Practices
Here are some do’s and don’ts of backlinking.
Do’s of Backlinking
Build Steadily and Be Patient
As you set out to earn more backlinks, try to make progress at a steady pace. Building quality backlinks for your website takes time and dedication. Be patient and understand that if you’re backlinking the right way, it won’t yield results overnight.
Write Guest Posts
One way to get backlinks is through partnerships. You can partner with other websites and create guest posts for them. If you take this route, it’s crucial to ensure the content you produce is professional, credible, and authoritative.
Here are some websites you could create guest posts for:
- National Roofing Contractors Association
- Roofing Magazine
- Local business publications
Create High-Quality Content
A crucial part of backlinking is producing quality content on your roofing website. Consider starting a blog on your website and writing informative blog posts, case studies, or white papers.
To generate topic ideas, research which subjects rank well in your industry. Identify a few content pieces that are attracting a lot of links and write a piece of content that is better than what’s already published.
Looking for blog post topics for your roofing website? This list of essential roofing blog topics will inspire you.
Over time, you can start generating a lot of backlinks that use your content as source material.
Don’ts of Backlinking
Don’t Use Black Hat SEO Tactics
Black hat SEO is when website owners ignore search engine guidelines to try and exploit SERPs to rank higher. You should avoid these tactics at all costs.
Black hat SEO techniques can be detrimental to your SEO strategy. Here are some black hat SEO strategies to avoid:
- Using hidden text to fit more keywords on your webpages
- Keyword stuffing
- Duplicating content
- Not creating original content or plagiarizing competitors
- Creating spammy and poor content
Don’t Buy Links
Google only wants legitimate websites to rank on its SERPs. That’s why it discourages buying links to increase your search ranking. Since buying links risks removing your website from SERPs altogether, it’s best to earn authentic links rather than purchase them.
Master Your SEO Strategy with Backlinking
While some of these techniques may seem quicker and easier in the short term, they can really make your website suffer in the long term. If search engines like Google catch you using sneaky SEO tactics, they can penalize your website and make it harder to recover.
It’s best to stick to tried-and-true SEO and backlinking methods rather than trying to game the system. Schedule a call with the Roofer Marketers team to learn how to master your SEO strategy.
