When other sites link to your own site it tells search engines that your site is probably important. Once you know the importance of links to your site (also known as backlinks) you’ll be asking,
“How do I get links to my site?”
Here are a five suggestions to get backlinks:
- Exchange links with your clients
- Add news releases and/or article to these type of websites.
- Take advantage of social media. On Facebook, make sure to create a business page!
- Join a free link exchange website or relevant directory
- Add your business profile to search engines.
Here are three important SEO tips in reference to links:
- Make sure to use good anchor text. Do not use words like “click here.”
- Link with relevant websites. Many times I see sites avoid their competition. Don’ t think of them as the enemy! If they are willing, link with them and HELP your website rank better in search engines. For example, if your hair salon is in New York, link with other hair salons in other states!
- If possible, find sites with page rank better then your own.
If you are still asking the question, “How do I get links to my site?” Contact us!
Getting other websites to link back to your website (i.e., earning backlinks) is an essential part of SEO, and it requires creating valuable content and building relationships. Here are several ideas to help you encourage other websites to link to yours:
1. Create High-Quality, Shareable Content
- Write in-depth guides or tutorials: Comprehensive, informative content, such as “The Ultimate Guide to Dog Training for Beginners,” can attract links from other websites that find your content helpful for their audience.
- Publish original research or data: If you have conducted a survey, case study, or original research related to dog training, other sites may link to your data as a reference in their own articles.
- Create infographics: Visual content, especially infographics, are highly shareable and can earn backlinks from sites that use or reference your visuals.
- Videos and How-to Content: Videos are incredibly popular, and if you create helpful or entertaining dog training videos, other websites may embed or link to them.
2. Write Guest Posts
- Guest Blogging: Reach out to reputable blogs or websites in the pet or dog training niche and offer to write a guest post for them. You can include a link to your website in the author bio or within the content (if allowed). This is a win-win because the blog gets high-quality content, and you earn a backlink.
- Content for Local Businesses: If you have a local business, offer guest content to other local or related businesses, like pet stores, shelters, or veterinarians. They might post your content with a link to your site.
3. Collaborate with Influencers
- Influencer Outreach: Build relationships with influencers or bloggers in the dog training or pet care niche. Ask them to review your services or feature you in a blog post. If they find value in what you offer, they may link back to your site.
- Interviews and Q&As: Interview well-known dog trainers or pet influencers on your blog. They are likely to share the interview on their own website or social media, linking back to your site.
4. Create Link-Worthy Resources
- Resource Pages: Create a comprehensive resource page, such as “Best Dog Training Resources” or “Top Tools for Dog Trainers.” Reach out to websites in the pet industry, offering to include their content in your resource guide, and ask if they could share the resource on their site.
- Lists and Roundups: People love lists! Create blog posts like “Top 10 Dog Training Tips Every Owner Should Know” or “Best Dog-Friendly Parks in [Your City].” If you feature other businesses or influencers in your lists, they are likely to share or link back to your content.
5. Offer Testimonials or Case Studies
- Testimonials: Offer to write a testimonial for products or services you’ve used (such as dog training equipment, pet food brands, or pet-related software). Many companies feature customer testimonials on their website with a backlink to the customer’s website.
- Case Studies: If your business has achieved success using a particular service or product, offer to write a case study for the company’s blog, which could include a link to your site.
6. Leverage Broken Link Building
- Find Broken Links: Use a tool like Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to find broken links on other websites in your niche. If you find a broken link that used to point to content similar to what you have, contact the site owner and suggest they link to your content as a replacement.
- Offer Your Content as a Solution: Reach out politely, explaining that you found a broken link on their website and offering your content as a valuable replacement.
7. Create a “Best Of” or “Featured” Section
- Feature Industry Leaders: Write blog posts like “Best Dog Trainers to Follow in [Year]” or “Top Pet Bloggers of [Year]” and feature influencers or other websites in the dog training or pet care niche. Then, let them know you featured them. They may be inclined to link to your post in return.
- Best Local Businesses: If your business is local, consider creating content like “Best Dog-Friendly Cafes in [City]” or “Top Pet Stores in [City].” Feature local businesses, and they might link back to your post.
8. Host or Sponsor Events
- Webinars or Workshops: Host a webinar or online workshop on dog training. Partner with other websites or influencers to promote the event, and they may link to the event page on your site.
- Sponsor Pet-Related Events: If you sponsor a pet expo, dog show, or other event, ask the event organizers to list your business as a sponsor on their website with a backlink to your site.
9. Run Contests or Giveaways
- Partner with Other Businesses: Partner with complementary businesses (such as pet food brands, pet stores, or dog grooming services) to run a contest or giveaway. Each partner can promote the contest on their website, linking to your contest page.
- Create Exciting Giveaways: Host a contest related to dog training or pet care. Participants are likely to share the contest, and bloggers or other websites may also link to it.
10. Utilize Directories and Review Sites
- Submit to Directories: Submit your dog training business to local and industry-specific directories such as Yelp, Google My Business, and pet-related directories.
- Ask for Reviews: Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms that allow backlinks (such as Yelp or Google My Business). Some review sites allow you to include a link to your website.
11. Collaborate with Complementary Businesses
- Local Partnerships: If you run a local dog training business, collaborate with complementary local businesses (such as dog groomers, pet stores, veterinarians, etc.) and offer mutual referrals. You could exchange guest blog posts, feature each other in resources, or create a shared promotion, all of which provide opportunities for backlinks.
- Cross-Promotion: Write content that complements other services. For example, a veterinarian may link to your dog training website if you write a helpful guide on “The Benefits of Early Puppy Socialization.”
12. Repurpose and Syndicate Content
- Republish Content on Medium, LinkedIn, or Other Platforms: Republish (or syndicate) some of your best content on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn, with a link back to the original post on your website.
- Social Media Sharing: Share your content across social media platforms and encourage others to share it as well. Increased visibility can lead to more natural backlinks.
13. Answer Questions on Forums and Q&A Sites
- Participate in Q&A Platforms: Answer dog training-related questions on platforms like Quora or Reddit and include a link to relevant content on your website (but make sure it’s genuinely helpful and not spammy).
- Engage in Niche Forums: Participate in niche forums and groups related to dog training or pet care. Include your website link in your profile or when relevant in discussions.
14. Get Press Coverage
- Reach Out to Journalists: Use services like Help a Reporter Out (HARO) or direct outreach to provide expert commentary on dog training topics. Journalists might quote you and link back to your website.
- Pitch a Story: Contact local news outlets or niche publications with a compelling story related to your dog training business. If they cover your story, they may include a link to your site.
By focusing on creating valuable content, building relationships, and contributing to your industry, you can increase the likelihood of earning backlinks naturally and effectively. These backlinks not only help with SEO but also help drive more targeted traffic to your website and establish your dog training business as an authority in your field.