Is Link Building Still Relevant to SEO

 

Online marketing is a constantly changing combination of techniques in the search engine. Over the past decade we have seen the growth of mobile marketing, video marketing and social media marketing. But there is a highly efficient marketing strategy that has been around for a long time and delivers better results, namely search engine optimization.

Just like the marketing environment, search engine optimization is constantly changing. Is Search Engine Optimization Still Important? We will tell you more about it!

The History of Search Engine Optimization

In the 1990s, the first years of search engine optimization, the focus was mainly on keywords. They could improve the ranking and attract organic search traffic by putting as many keywords as possible on their website.

1996 saw the introduction of inbound links by a search engine called Backrub. The quality of inbound links from relevant sites became an important ranking factor. Backrub later became the well-known search engine we know today as Google.

Google taught us early on that link collecting is an important part of their algorithm. This ranking factor has become part of the overall scheme. Their temporary partnership with Yahoo has helped them further improve the algorithm and these developments have focused even more on backlinks.

Will backlinks still matter?

In a word: sure! If you want to maintain a successful and long term strategy, backlinks cannot be forgotten. The higher the quality and relevance of the backlinks, the more relevant the website to Google.

The trick is to respond to the changes of the algorithm. Websites that stick to the same techniques as 5 years ago will not achieve the same results as in the past. For example: a change in the Google algorithm in 2019 made it easier for Google to see which links were spam and which were created naturally. In the past, penalties were only awarded for the semi-annual algorithm updates from Google. Since the pinquin update, this no longer happened every six months, but continuously. No more penalties will be awarded, but left will be devalued. It is therefore important to take this into account and to respond to it.

Why is link building still important?

Decades later and link building is still one of the most important optimization points for search engine optimization. This may come as a surprise given the dynamic nature of SEO and online marketing as a whole. Why do links remain so important when many other ranking factors come and go? Links remain relevant because they are a fundamental part of how the search engine works.

Is link building really that important?

In short, yes! Marketers who are not convinced of this are completely missing the point. Link building is an indispensable part of online marketing. In addition to qualitative content, having a good link structure is one of the most important elements within SEO to this day. We distinguish 2 types of elements within link building, namely: internal linking (on-site SEO) and backlinking (off-site SEO). In addition to all the information and techniques that can be applied to increase the value of the page internally, Google also looks, for example, at the number of links that refer to the page or website from other websites. This can be seen as references or recommendations.

Back linking

So it's important to collect valuable links because the more value the website linking to your site or page has, the more valuable the reference. This is also called back linking. According to some marketers, this is no longer very relevant today, but numerous studies show that link building is still an essential part of SEO. This link goes to an external study showing the importance of link building. This is also a good example of back linking.

Link building techniques

Applying the right techniques is crucial in the field of link building. Placing links indiscriminately on websites that are not relevant does more damage than it adds value to the website. That is why it is important to see what the best strategy is for your specific situation. The requirements and influence on your position in the search engine are also constantly changing, because Google is constantly adapting its algorithm.

On-site SEO (internal linking)

Internal linking and thus ensuring a logical structure within your site is just as important, if not more important. Internal linking guides the users of your website through the various pages. In addition to a clear URL structure, it is important to ensure that the other content is also correct. Think of page titles, Meta descriptions, the use of the correct headings and not to forget the optimization of images and links. We have been doing link building for several of our customers for years!

Off-site SEO (back linking)

Off-site SEO is all about authority. When other websites link to your site, Google assumes that you provide valuable information on that topic. This must also be a requirement in accepting a link exchange. Accepting links from websites that have nothing to do with the topic has a negative rather than a positive influence on the rating that Google gives the website. Good link building collects links from unique sources. Preferably in the same field. Link building has been an important part of SEO for years. Webelephant has the right tools to provide an impulse through link building. Please contact one of our marketers to discuss the possibilities.

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