How to Diversify Your Optimized Backlinks in 2016

In 2016, in all your search engine optimization and marketing efforts online, you will need to diversify the sources of your traffic and where you build your backlinks to ensure the durability of your site’s ranking and structure in the SERPs.

While things change often enough in the SEO world, it is important to remember that some things always stay the same. Some of those things are the importance of relevant, non-spam backlinks on relevant sites where your target audience or customers can see you, recognize your content as valuable and click on your site.

Connecting with Other Sites within your Niche

It is important to remember that contacting and connecting with other sites within your niche means you offer something of value and receive something of value to your own business. While you will hear that competitors should not be contacted, perhaps it is wise to understand that even competitors can work to mutual benefit without leaping at each other’s throats at times. For non-competitive sites within your niche offer exchange of links — or content, information or traffic — in cooperation to mutual benefit.

Since the online world never forgets and rarely forgives, be honest in all your dealings with other site administrators and owners without trying to get something for nothing. Even nature frowns upon ingratitude and disrespect.

Connecting with Forums and Discussion Boards and Q&A sites

You can always sign up for forums and discussion boards where your niche topics and subtopics are talked about, mentioned and discussed. Connect with your potential audience by providing relevant and valuable information, data, advice and answers, leaving your site’s link in appropriate forum profile area, forum signature area, biographical area or wherever it is allowed to post your link without infringing on the terms of service of the specific forum or board in question.

Connecting with Video Platforms

Video sites are very hot right now since so many people use video formats to view, learn and see about different things, people, information and topics. This is where you can connect with your target audience by providing video content and posting to various platforms such as Youtube, Vimeo, Dailymotion and the like. Read the terms of service to ensure you are providing value to the sites and to your online audience there. SEO for videos is a bit different but the core basics are the same. Familiarize yourself with how video SEO for different platforms works in a couple of hours. Use keywords in your video descriptions, tags and titles, and make sure your profiles are updated with your site’s link and description and a bit about what you are bringing to the video communities. Engage with other video contributors, learn about niches you can expand into and communicate with others to ensure your videos are seen. Build backlinks to the videos over time to ensure greater exposure and better ranking in the SERPs.

Connecting with Influencers in Your Niche

Every niche and topic has influencers. Influencers are leaders which with their comments, opinions and style influence others in seeing what they see in a product, service or world. Consider contacting and spotting the main influencers in your niche to see if you can develop a mutually beneficial relationship.

Final Thoughts

Backlinks are still a huge part of SEO and SEM in 2016, and will continue to be so for years to come. All those links online show people the trails to the content that is most valuable to us and which will ensure we find the value we are searching for in relatively short time.

Let us know your thoughts by taking to Twitter @rustydogdesign or on Facebook at Rusty Dog Design.

Get started with Rusty Dog Design today by contacting us today. We know a thing or two about SEO and creating great networks of backlinks.