Link Building Techniques that WORK!

Sean McGinnis

Marketing GM | Director, Digital Marketing

Sears PartsDirect

Twitter - @SeanMcGinnis

Facebook – http://Facebook.com/SMcGinnis

LinkedIn – http://LinkedIn.com/in/SeanMcGinnis

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Agenda

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Why Links

Are So Important

(Still)

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PageRank – The Core of Google’s Success

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The Power of a Link

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The top 72 most highly

correlated ranking factors relate to links.

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Still not convinced? Search for “CLICK HERE”

6 of the top 8 results do not

have the words CLICK HERE anywhere on

the page.

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A Link in Nature

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The HTML behind the Link

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The Components of a Link

<p><a href=http://312Digital.com rel=“nofollow”> 312 Digital’s Website </a> is a good resource for those seeking to learn more about digital marketing training.</p>

Anchor Text (tells the engine what

the link is about)

URL(the link target)

Surrounding Text(may provide context on

the link’s relevance)

Rel=“Nofollow”(a tag that indicates search

engines shouldn’t trust/count this link)

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Specific

Link Building

Techniques

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First – How NOT to do it!

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1. Write Epic Shit!

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STOP blogging just to blog!

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Start Thinking BIG!!!!!

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2. Guest Post Your Heart Out!

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Do NOT worry about new Google guidelines…

IF you’re doing it right.

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Don’t forget SEO while Guest Posting!

Target related, more powerful sites

Optimize and tweak

Track your success!

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3. Create an Infographic

Not a SUCKY one. PLEASE!

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4. Curate a List

Make it the very best of it’s kind.

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Don’t forget to promote it!

23Pssst! TELL people they are on your list!

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5. Host an Event

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Create a #hashtag

…and promote the HECK out of it!

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Write a round-up post of round-up posts

…and promote the HECK out of it!

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More to-dos for after the event…

• Thank you email

• Survey attendees.

• Write a post about the survey results & share post.

• Share slides (Slideshare, LinkedIn, your site, others…)

• Curate pictures (Facebook, Instagram, Flickr, others…)

• Curate Videos (Facebook, Youtube, Vimeo, others…)

• Thank you posts:• Sponsors

• Volunteers

• Media

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6. Hold a Contest

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One Event = Multiple Chances

Specific Ideas• Announcement post

• Nomination post

• Nomination process

• Reminder post

• Judge Announcement post

• Winner Announcement post

• Social Channels

• Create a hashtag

Groups of People • Judges

• Nominees

• Winners

• Fans

• Readers or Customers

• Followers

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Existing fan base = More link value

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7. Issue a Press Release

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DO NOT Spam the Press!

• Do not manufacture a press release JUST to get links.

• Use the channel that already exists when you have truly newsworthy items to share.

• Write the HELL out of that release (or better yet, hire a pro).

• Your goal is to have a journalist see it, contact you and write a story that also happens to include a link to your site.

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8. Interview an Expert…

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… Or 14 …

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… or 72!

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You may rank for their name too.

This one’s a secret. Shhhhhhhhh!

#6 on Page 1

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9. Use Stock Business Assets Creatively

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10. Curate, Share & Republish

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BAD things to avoid while link building

1. Spammy links

2. Buying links

3. Links from totally unrelated or irrelevant sites

4. Links that won’t bring any traffic whatsoever.

5. Links from sites that exist just to publish links or crappy content.

6. Using the exact same anchor text in every link you acquire.

7. Relying on only one tactic. Try a variety of things and measure the results.

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Sean’s 3 Rules of

Link Building

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First Rule of Link Building

Build LinksAs if it won’t help your search results.

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Second Rule of Link Building

The value of any link building activityis inversely related to its scalability.

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Third Rule of Link Building

Links from bad sites can hurt you.Be selective in your link building.

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Questions?

Link Building Techniques that WORK!

Sean McGinnis

Marketing GM | Director, Digital Marketing

Sears PartsDirect

Twitter - @SeanMcGinnis

Facebook – http://Facebook.com/SMcGinnis

LinkedIn – http://LinkedIn.com/in/SeanMcGinnis