Link Building - Goals and Expectations

[ehorndahl]

I'm trying to set concrete goals around link building and I'm wondering if anyone has any insight on what is reasonable to expect. If we are reaching out to 10 sites a day in a non-spammy, relevant way, is it reasonable to think that we'll get 5 links back, 2 links? I just don't know. Tips and tricks are welcome too!!

[DanDeceuster]

I can definitely see where you are coming from there. I would just say this- once you reach out to build that bridge, if that webmaster isn't buying it, then that bridge is likely burned forever. There are only so many blogs and other websites worth connecting to. I would be very deliberate in my approach to connecting with them, because you probably won't get a second chance.

If you want to connect with a blogger, start by commenting on their most recent posts. Follow the blog. Read each new update and comment. Find them on twitter. Retweet what they say occasionally. See if they have other websites. Check for a linkedin profile. Really understand not just the blog, but the blogger and what they are about. Then reach out to them with an actual proposal. Offering a link exchange is probably not enough. Have an actual plan formulated and an actual proposal for how you can work together for mutual benefit.

In my opinion, you can't do this 10 times a day. If I find a site I think I can work with, then it can take weeks before a connection is ever made. But if each day I find a new site, I'm working on creating a lot of those relationships simultaneously. But when I reach out, I tend to be very successful because I feel like I already know the person and they know who I am.

So everyone has their own approach, but I wouldn't try to be in such a rush to build up links that you give the blog a superficial review and then go for it. That's just not my style, but everyone is different.

You've actually inspired my next youmoz post with this though, so thanks for that. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as they hopefully publish it and I will offer some more tips on this.

[ehorndahl]

First, thanks for the thorough response! I totally agree that link building is about building relationships. I would have to disagree however, that if we shoot for 10 sites a day, the answer will always be 0. I was in no way implying that we just send generic emails asking for a link and that's it. Let's take blogs for example. If I had a dedicated resource spending all day reading industry blogs, contributing, etc...wouldn't you say that 1 hour reading through 1 blog is sufficient to understand that blog in such a way that you can formulate an email that can demonstrate your knowledge and start a relationship? If this resource works 8 hours a day, that's a potential 8 new relationships. Maybe I'm naive, but with the time and effort, I think it's possible.

[DanDeceuster]

If your entire link creation process is asking 10 sites a day for a link, you can expect 0 and consider yourself lucky any time you get a link. I wouldn't even try 10 sites a week. Don't think of it as link building, think of it as relationship building. You cannot create 10 new relationships a day with new websites. You just can't. People recognize the non-spammy, relevant people reaching out to them. They also recognize the people reaching out to 10 sites a day just trying to get links.

If you're in it for the links, what incentive does that give the site you're reaching out to? You're just using them to further your own agenda. Do you offer a link in exchange? Then you are violating Google's guidelines and having too many of those reciprocals will definitely hurt you.

The key is to create synergistic, valuable relationships online. That's more than linking. For example, with my college football blog, I had lots of people approaching me to do link exchanges. I didn't really pay attention. So when I wanted to promote my blog, I approached a blog I knew was pro-BCS ( I am not) and challenged them. We posted our arguments and rebuttals. Naturally, we linked to the previous posts of the other. So they got links from me, I got links from them. More than that, we both increased readership by receiving visitors from each other.

Now if I want to promote something, I simply email them and let them know what I published and I know they will talk about it. I didn't just build a link here, I built a relationship. That relationship has results in more visitors, more exposure and of course, more links. That's better than just blanketing every college football blog and asking which will link to me.

So I would make a goal of trying to create a new relationship every day. Do a lot of research, come up with a good plan, and then execute that strategy. Webmasters are very open to new opportunities. You just have to present one to them in a way that shows value.

Do this and you can expect to come away with at least one solid relationship each week moving forward. Give that a try and see how it goes, I bet you'll be pretty glad you did.