Have you ever written content online, only to find that the articles written weren’t performing well on search engines? Whether you write for a blog, business, or content website, you want other internet users to find your content. You also want to increase search engine traffic and earn money for your search engine optimization efforts. However, sometimes optimizing articles or blog entries on the page for search engine traffic isn’t enough to rank high on major search engines, like Google. This is where backlinking strategies come in. While Google does look at on-page optimization, like keyword placement and keyword count, Google also looks at how many websites are linking in or backlinking to your optimized content. In fact, many webmasters believe that Google places a heavier weight on the number of backlinks a given page has. This is why taking part in backlinking strategies and increasing the number of backlinks each web page has is essential to getting your content on page 1 of Google and increasing your overall website’s page rank.
So that we’re all on the same page, let’s first look at a backlink definition according to Wikipedia:
“Backlinks (or back-links [UK]) are incoming links to a website or web page.”
Google treats these incoming links as “votes” for your web page. The higher the number of votes you have, the higher your page will rank in search engines so that you can increase search engine traffic. However, Google also places weight on the quality of the website that’s voting for you. For example, if the website sending you backlinks has a page rank of 5, these backlinks are worth more than backlinks from websites with a lower page rank that are also sending you backlinks. So, a web page with 500 backlinks from websites with a page rank of 5 will rank higher than a web page with 500 backlinks from websites with a page rank of 3 if the website is optimized on the page for search engines as well. This is important to know when organizing backlinking strategies for your web pages.
Now that we know what backlinking is for, how can it be used? Brian writes an excellent article on how to make the most money using backlinking strategies. Before maximizing your earnings with these backlinking strategies, however, you should take advantage of on-page optimization strategies first.
There are three types of backlinks: One-way links, reciprocal links, and three-way links. One-way links are backlinks that your web page receives from a third party website. These backlinks are the most powerful and gives you a bigger boost in search engine rankings than the other types of backlinks, since the third party website is basically placing a vote on your web page. Therefore, you should strive for one-way links more than the others when getting backlinks. I’ll describe how to take advantage of one-way links later on in this post.
Reciprocal links are commonly referred to in link exchanges. Often times, webmasters may want to swap links so that both websites benefit. Google holds a lighter weight on these backlinks, since one website isn’t necessarily voting for you without gain.
Three-way links are similar to reciprocal links, since three links are being swapped, though the manner that they’re swapped is a bit more complicated. To best explain three-way links, take one website. This website wants to exchange links with a second website, so website One links to website Two. Website Two then gives the link to website Three. Website Three links back to website One. This backlinking strategy can be advantageous, since website Three would also be one-way linking to your web page. As a result, you receive a one-way link and a reciprocal link from three-way links.
By now you probably have a pretty good idea as to how backlinking can be used. However, how do you apply these backlinking strategies to increase search engine traffic to your web pages and articles? There are actually many ways this can be done. Let’s discuss a few of them.
Tags: Backlinking
I've been making money with my writing since 2008. With this income, I'm able to travel the world, indulge in my hobbies, and govern my own life. And the best thing is, I love every second of it!
Hillary Bost (1)
I like that you mentioned the importance of the page sending the backlink in your post. This is important and lost on so many people. If you were to create five articles for and point them to your blog post and then take five more articles and point them at the first five articles, this would generally be better than sending all 10 back to your blog post. Five important articles sending backlinks are better than 10 unimportant ones. That’s the theory at least. Thanks for the mention, btw.
.-= Brian´s last blog ..GeoTargeting Memorial Day Weekend – A Case Study =-.
No problem, Brian.
You make a good point when you suggest backlinking to the articles you use to backlink to content in order to give them a boost in search engine results. I hadn’t thought of that idea, but it sounds like a good strategy to adopt. By backlinking articles you write on content websites to other articles that you ultimately want to increase page ranks on, it helps increase the page rank of the desired article, since the articles backlinking to it are increasing in page rank as well.
I plan to test this backlinking strategy with my own eHow articles to see if earnings increase by backlinking to them from other content websites and this blog, then using eHow to send backlinks to this blog. I’ll write the results in the posts to follow.
This is very good information. I have not considered many back linking strategies and I am starting to learn more about back linking each week. Thanks again for this beneficial information.
You should definitely consider backlinking your articles and blog content. On-page SEO tactics are only half the battle when ranking well in search engines. Search engines also look at which websites are linking to your content. Though many people will backlink to your articles naturally, you can give them a boost by providing a few backlinks yourself.
Let me know how it goes!
Christina
Hey QUEEN Christina Crowe:)
First of ALL, I must say that I LOVE your story and your style of writing and your ENERGY I might add.. This is a very nice article on backlink strategies. It’s so simple but most people refuse to move forward in the process. I like how you mentioned in your Bio that you have no English or Marketing Degree. You’re just a person with DRIVE AND AMBITION:)
I LOVE THAT!!
I look forward to connecting with you and knowing more about you.. I will be back often to visit your space here on the Net.. Keep plugging away..
God Bless,
Ontarian
Ontarian Hawkins´s last [type] ..Subconscious Mind Training- How to Literally TRICK & Brain-Wash Your Way to Success in Your Business
Hi Ontarian!
I’m glad that you like my writing. Keep up the enthusiasm! It will get you far.
Ambition has really been the key element that has gotten me to where I am today. Motivation and inspiration from other writers follow closely behind.
I looked at your blog, and you seem like a very interesting person. I’d be happy to connect with you.
Best of luck with your endeavors!
Christina
Thanks for explaining what a backlink is,and the difference between one-way links, reciprocal links, and three-way links.I used to be confused about these terms.You have the clearest explanation here.
Thanks Derrick!
I’m glad the article was able to help you out.
Christina
Great post! I was looking for clear explanations of backlink. Here Christina, you’ve done well.
Thanks a lot!
Which type of backlinking are you using for your 3 niche sites?
Extincteur´s last [type] ..Classification des Extincteurs selon l’Agent Extincteur
Thanks for your wonderful comments! I currently am writing articles on Web 2.0 sites for backlinks to my niche sites. Several sites I recommend are Squidoo, InfoBarrel, and HubPages. Simply write a couple 500 word articles linking back to your site, and you’re golden. How long it takes for your site to rank well will depend on your keyword competition.
Hope I helped!
Christina
Hi Christina,
Thanks for your informative article on back-linking. I am a writer too, and so far the only attempt I have made towards building links to my website is articles submissions to articles marketing sites. But, I am now inspired to do more, like explore blog carnivals, etc.
Thanks again.
Binifer Paymaster
Hi Binifer,
I’m glad you liked the article!
Backlinking can definitely help get your content ranked faster, so it’s worth a shot if you have the extra time to spend. I hope you find the blog carnivals useful!
Christina
The main strategy I’d like to approach next (from your list) is blog carnivals. I have yet to join one and I’ve been eyeballing Blogengage.
We should all be working to publish valuable content but if we want attention it’s going to take some work! Backlinks from forums, guest posts, linking internally (like you do with your article links and “related posts”), and blog carnivals are all great ways to get more eyes on your content.
Jon´s last [type] ..How To Jump-Start Your Advertising Campaign
Hi Jon,
I’m happy to see you looking through some of my older posts.
I agree – most things in life don’t come easily, so it will take a lot of time and effort to rise to the top. Some of my most favorite methods of obtaining backlinks are by writing guest posts and content for Web 2.0 sites (Squidoo and InfoBarrel, for example).
Best of luck on getting backlinks!
Christina
Very good ideas to boost up website ranking…
I’m happy that you enjoyed the post!
Drop by again soon,
Christina
Nice article. I don’t use blog carnivals, but I know it’s great for many bloggers. I will try it soon.
Hi Thierry,
I hope you do, even just for the networking benefits! It probably won’t bring you lots of traffic, but I think it’s a great start.
Thanks for the comment,
Christina