Goals for Link Building Professionals

Anyone who works in SEO/ Internet Marketing or specializes in one particular niche knows that the industry is constantly evolving. If you’re still doing the same tactics that you used seven years ago, chances are you’re in a incredibly small niche and therefore don’t even need that much SEO, or you’re not seeing the results that you could be. SEO is completely different even from a couple years ago when I joined the ranks of SEO professionals.

As we come upon 2009 (and, by the way, where did 2008 go?) everyone is thinking about New Year’s resolutions and goals for the year that lies ahead. I’m a big advocate of goal setting that makes you better at what you do. Here are some of my goals for 2009 as a link builder.

1. Talk less, listen more. Any link builder who really knows their stuff loves to talk about what they know. But when it comes to working with clients, listening will give you the best ideas on where to acquire more links. Asking questions about sales cycles, target markets, seasonality trends, and business goals that they have will help you learn more about your client’s business as well as open the door for brainstorming more link opportunities.

2. Stay on your game. Don’t rely just on what you know. There are fantastic sites and blogs out there that help you learn more about the SEO industry as a whole, not to mention just link building. Keep reading and learning more. You’ll be better at what you do so long as you make this a regular part of your schedule.

3. Determine who knows what they’re talking about. Having mentioned the whole “stay on your game” thing, start to learn who really knows the industry and who just thinks they know something. There are lots of blogs/sites out there about the industry, but in actuality, only a handful really know their stuff and give sound advice. Find the leaders in the industry and see who they refer to in their sites or on their blogroll. On the flip side, there are lots of professionals who are not recognized as a member of the elite, but they are still unbelievably brilliant when it comes to this space. The more you read and research, the easier it will be to recognize who these current unknowns are.

4. Build your team. A former employer of mine used to say “Angela, if you want to be successful, just surround yourself with brilliant people and get ready for a wild ride.” I couldn’t agree with that statement more. Whether you have a link building team or you are just thinking about building one around you, make sure you include people who are quick on their feet, flexible in their mind set, and willing to learn. Building your team doesn’t just mean adding good people; it means building their skill sets and staying open minded for new knowledge. This is the best long-term strategy in terms of building a world class link development team.

5. Think long-term. When you are building links, it’s easy to get into the trap of only thinking short-term. Getting quick links is great. But when it comes to a long-term strategy, you need to focus on links that may take more time to research and build. Educating your clients and team on the long-term effects of link building will save you headaches both now and later.

6. Think outside your comfort zone. Brainstorming is an incredibly important part of link development for strategy and execution. Be sure you are pushing yourself to really exhaust every possibility when it comes to sites that you may be able to get links from. Involving other people in your brainstorming sessions will help you in this area.

7. Be incredibly transparent. If you ask yourself “would I show this link to a client and explain how I got it?” and the answer is “no,” skip it. Be more up front with your clients about what you are doing and why you are doing it. The business relationship will thrive because of it. This includes your reporting as well.

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