SEO basics 101: 3 types of backlinks you should be using

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How to use backlinks for SEO

Whether you are new to marketing or speak SEO better than a second language, backlinks can be a tricky thing to understand. Backlinks are essentially references from one website to another. Generally, they come from larger, more established sites and prove to Google (and a broader audience) that the content on your website is valuable. To get the most of your platform and truly maximize your audience, be sure to start utilizing these three types of backlinks.

1) Guest-posting

This takes a little bit time and research but is one of the best ways for you to grow your site. Let’s say you are in the tech niche and sell a particular product. Big names like Techcrunch or CNET are places where many goods to find out information about new technology. Writing a guest post here, not only opens you up to organic traffic but also shows a connection between your website and one of these names make it look important to search engines as well.

A little bonus note. Just a link to your webpage doesn’t have a major impact on your SEO. One of the best ways to get the most out of your guest post is to create an infographic that links to your site and also optimizing the infographic for search engines.

2) Social Media

Social media is incredibly important in determining web traffic and it is becoming a very competitive game. Just one example is the social media influencer niche where spending has grown from 1 to 2.4 billion dollars in just a year.

Influencer marketing is becoming a growing trend. A social media influencer is someone who will soft-sell your product on their social media and everyone from celebrities to YouTube stars are getting in on the act. If you can create your popular channel and content, you can have the ability to tap into an increasingly growing audience of potential customers.

It doesn’t matter what your product or service is, create interesting content and more than anything encourage interaction. It doesn’t always have to be for sales, the most important thing is the engagement that ultimately leads to higher conversion.

3) Directory Links

When most people are searching for things, they are looking for a particular item in a particular place. As much as you want to the page ranked search item on Google, it doesn’t help you if you have a bunch of views from halfway around the world where you may not be able to deliver your item or service.

Instead, you can work with high-quality niche directories. Best of all, many of these do not require you to pay for a submission. For example, if you are a restaurant, you can get listed for free in Wikitravel which is one of the first things many people consult when they are on the road.

It Takes Some Time and Patience

Unless you are lucky enough for something to go viral, proper SEO takes time. If you put in a little time each day, you can watch audience grow. It’s all about following the right steps and making sure you create a platform that people will want to visit. There are many more backlinking strategies that work, but these are the most effective if implemented correctly. If you manage this, you are guaranteed success.

Essential Web Design 101: About Page Ideas

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It’s very easy for us to see the about page to be something of an afterthought. This is doubly true when you have gone into significant detail to make sure your website’s layout and design is just right. But most of your site’s visitors are going to be curious about who you are.

There is a reason why they are looking at your website instead of your competitor’s so make sure you give them a good reason to stick around and use whatever product or service you sell. Sure, conversion has a lot to do with copy, but you’d be surprised how effective a good about page can be at getting people interested in you.

Step 1: Humanize Yourself

It’s very easy for users to get lost in the world of websites. They need to remember that there are people behind them. Sleek design helps make you look professional, but telling your story builds a connection with the audience. It doesn’t matter what you sell, even “boring products” still have interesting backstories behind them.

So tell your story about how you got here and why your company is important. Keep it short and sweet and it will stick with your users much better than any advertisement will.

Step 2: Skip the Industry Lingo

Each industry has its own buzzwords. This is not the place for you to try to cram into one page as many of them as possible. The whole point of having a website is reaching a broader audience. Even if you are describing a complex product or service, you should be able to explain it to the average person. Use simple, effective language that clearly communicates what you are trying to do and save the lingo for only when you must use it.

Step 3: Be Visually Interesting

This is another common website building mistake. The painstaking effort is made to make the entire site look great and then the about page turns into a couple of bulky paragraphs of text and not much else. Again, the about us is another opportunity to sell so design the page effectively. Use images, text, videos, and graphics to tell your story.

Step 4: Testimonials

Your website is you doing all the talking. Instead, let your customers share the experiences they have had with you. If you have done excellent work then your customers should be excited to share it with the world. Testimonials are a great way to build trusts because they let your users get a sneak preview of what your product or service will be like.

Step 5: A Little Flare

From here, there are all kinds of little touches you can put in to make your about page really shine. One example is timelines. People love them! A nice graphic showing when the company was launched and going through some important milestones will go a long way.

Another important feature is the use of team photos. Team photos do more to humanize your company and help users see the this has been a group effort. Add a few funny quotes about the experience of working together and things will be golden.

Take the Time to Do it Right

Websites take a long time to build so it can be easy to want to skip or gloss over some steps. While there are some areas where you can do this, be sure to do things right on the about page. It is always one of the most frequently visited pages on a site and it is a great opportunity for you to make a firm connection with your users.