Beginner SEO
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3 Time Tested, Proven Link Building Strategies for New Websites


This article was updated on August 6th, 2020 at 05:57 am

So, you’re launching a new website and want to get off the ground. You have great content, get design but no link love. What are some ways to get links to your new website? Let’s take a look.

Like anything in SEO, if you go the easy route, you’re bound to stumble on issues later.— Mani Karthik

Link building is not an easy affair for sure, but unlike what many SEOs think, link building is definitely achievable if you know what to count. In my opinion, link building is a progressive effort, which if you keep consistent with, will add up in effect, cumulatively. There are things you can get started with immediately and there are things you can achieve in the long term. Either of which aren’t exclusive to each other. You have to start small to get to the big guys, and there are no short cuts.

Let’s look at some short term and long term link building tactics for a newly started website.

Link Building Ideas for New Websites

When starting a new website, your content is fresh but there may not be enough volume for you to show off. Don’t consider this as a short coming, instead take this as your advantage. Since you don’t have a reputation or legacy to hold on to, you can start with whatever you can find and grow from there. Let’s take a look at immediate link building strategies for a newly launched website.

Directories still work to get the initial push

I know what you are thinking. Aren’t web directories a thing of the past? Well, yes they are but depends on what you define as a directory. Obviously, there are several different types of web directories – Paid, unpaid, manually curated and otherwise. Not all of them are valuable. In fact, you have to avoid most of them. I however, am talking about the absolute best ones out there that still are valuable and well reputed in search engine’s eyes.

All those $5 directory links would have died off for now, so forget searching for them. Reputed web directories like Best of The Web still are valuable (1. Are web directories still relevant? , 2. The true cost of local directories). Getting into them isn’t easy though. Most of them are paid directories and manually curated, so you will have to prove your website’s worth to get in.

Reference: Best web directories that still are reputable.

Guest blogging

Invest in high quality guest blogging on reputed websites

Agree that Matt Cutts killed guest blogging in 2014. (3. The decay and fall of guest blogging for SEO – Matt Cutts) But it is still valuable if you follow strictly what Matt suggests. In 2014, when he used his whiplash on mass guest blogging services, I think he did the right thing. Because, at that point SEOs were going crazy with guest blogging creating link networks, automation and what not. And that’s clearly how something legitimate gets ripped down.

In Matt’s post he clarifies that you’re doing it wrong only if you are doing guest blogging purely for the purpose of SEO and link building. High quality guest blogging is still valuable (4. The definitive guide to guest blogging – Brian Dean) but it needs a lot of investment, in terms of time, cost and quality. There are a few agencies who can help you with it, in a very google-friendly and legit way. Of course, if you are searching for guest blogging non Fivver, then you are doing it wrong.

High Quality Press Releases for attentionPress Release Link Building Ideas for New Websites

Again, raise the bar really high up here. We aren’t interested in any cheap $20 press releases. We’re talking about high quality, high impact press releases. And this isn’t easy. Because, if your press releases don’t carry anything that won’t get people excited, then you better don’t do it. Doing press release is easy (5. How to write a press release : Template – Hannah Fleishman, Hubspot). Anyone can do it. But finding the right angle that will give you the right mileage is tough. (6. Ironclad rules for issuing press releases – Michael Lazar, Kissmetrics) You got to get creative here.

Also, it is very important to ensure that you are optimizing your press releases to avoid any Google penalties or else, things could backfire. (7. 12 Ways to optimize press releases to avoid Google penalties : Lisa Buyer, Search Engine Watch)

TLDR Summary

Link building for new websites isn’t hard. Like anything in SEO, if you go the easy route, you’re bound to stumble on issues later. But if you raise the bar and invest quality time and money into time tested methods like guest blogging, web directories and press releases, they can definitely give you a big push.

Do you agree with the above methods? What are some other proven link building methods for new website that you would suggest?

Image courtesy – Vice

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