Search engine optimization is a multi-faceted effort. To get the best results, you need to create quality content, utilize paid ads, post on social media, and much, much more. But one of the most important things you need to focus on is link building. It is hard to overstate the importance of backlinks for movers – they help you get the word out about your business, increase your visibility in search results, drive traffic to your website, and more. However, they can be a double-edged sword as links of poor quality will have a negative effect on your online presence. That is why you must focus on high-quality links instead. But what makes a link high quality and how do you go about obtaining one?
What are high-quality links?
Backlinks are links on a different domain that point back to your website. How good those links are for you depends on the context – what website are they being hosted on and in what form? The perfect backlink:
- is relevant – the website it’s on is in the same niche as yours and the content of the page you’re linking to is related to the content in which the link is placed;
- has authority – the website providing with a backlink should ideally have higher domain authority than you and rank well on Google;
- attracts quality traffic – the content should be seen by as many people as possible, most of whom should be in your target demographic;
- is well-positioned – you want the link to be a part of the content with the anchor sounding natural and not too many other links present.
How can you secure high-quality links?
Quality backlinks are crucial for good SEO for moving companies. A strong link-building strategy is, therefore, a must. And here’s what it entails:
Publish and promote high-quality content
You’re not going to get links if you have nothing to link to. So before you start pitching backlinks, work on your own website first. If you consistently publish high-quality optimized content, it’ll be easy to convince another web administrator to link to it – why wouldn’t they when their users will love it? Furthermore, good content can garner links without any conscious effort on your part. If you have a good digital marketing team that promotes your website well, people will find your posts on their own. They may, then, link to you as a source simply because your content is something their users want to see.
Focus on the right type of content
Not all content performs equally well. So if you want your content to impress enough to attract backlinks, you’ll need to focus on what people want to see. Some of the formats you want to consider are:
- long-form posts – not every has the knowledge or resources to go into detail on a topic with thousands upon thousands of words; if you can achieve this, it’s sure to attract some attention;
- infographics – in the opposite direction of long-form posts, infographics convey a lot of information quickly and simply, through visual portrayal;
- images and videos – visual content is both interesting and not very common so it gains traction easily;
- why articles, how-to posts, lists, and ultimate guides – people turn to the interest when they questions; answer those questions and your content will become popular enough to get links;
- quizzes and other interactive content – interactive content is more interesting to users; consequently, it ranks higher and attracts more attention in the form of links.
Turn mentions into links
If you’ve already made a bit of a name for yourself, people might mention your brand on their website without actually linking back to you. These mentions are still valuable for building recognition and spread the word. However, they’re not as good as backlinks. So if you find yourself in local business citations, on review websites, in influencers’ blog posts, even in user reviews, reach out to the website owner and ask them to add a link.
Fix broken and outdated links
Links that lead nowhere are nobody’s idea of fun. So websites try to avoid having them. This can be an opportunity for you. Choose a suitable website and do a bit of an audit on it. Find broken links that lead to websites similar to yours that are no longer there, outdated content from your competitors, and even old versions of your own website if you’ve changed domains. Then, inform the administrator of the problem and offer an easy solution – a backlink to your page.
Contribute to the industry with original research
Conducting your own research and contributing to industry publications requires a lot of effort and time. However, it almost always pays off in multiple ways. Firstly, you’ll gain authority as an expert because of your work. Secondly, you’ll increase name recognition when your brand is attached to a well-known piece of information. Finally, you’ll receive tons of links without ever having to ask. People who cite your research will have to link back to the source – you.
Help a reporter out
Wouldn’t it be great if your business got on the news? Luckily, that’s not as hard as it sounds. You can become a source for journalists and bloggers through a little project called Help a Reporter Out. First, you’ll need to register as a source on the website. Then, you’ll want to regularly look for projects you may be able to contribute to. Finally, when you find something that interests you, send a concise but convincing brief. All that’s left then is to watch the backlinks start coming in.
Why are high-quality links important for your business?
High-quality links can have a huge impact on your business. Not only do they attract quality traffic and improve brand recognition but they also positively affect your rankings. And that’s not all. Through link building, you can also build relationships in the moving industry. When the time comes, you can then find a good business partner, get recommendations, and generally learn from others in the business.
