I have breaking for news for anyone associated with link building.
We are not gods. (Or goddesses for that matter.)
I know, it’s shocking isn’t it? But we’re not. Don’t get me wrong, we work hard. Many of us are good at what we do. But time and again, I come across individuals who don’t know much at all about link building who assume that we have some black magic up our sleeves. That we can work miracles. That we can defy gravity. (Ok, so it’s never been assumed that I can defy gravity, but it sounded good in my head.)
Here’s a couple key things to know:
No link builder knows everything. Period. Every great link builder I know learns something new all the time. Myself included. I’ve always struggled with calling myself a link building expert because I realize how much more I need and want to learn about the industry. But I’m always on the lookout for new information including tips, strategies, information and technical knowledge. Those that don’t, well, I wouldn’t trust them very much.
We cannot get links if you don’t have (great) content. Building links to product pages is tough beyond some of the basics (directory submissions included) and I’ve met a lot of people with unrealistic expectations of how link building actually works. But if you don’t have something compelling for readers and consumers to enjoy, then you’re not going to get very many authoritative links, if any at all. We cannot work (ethically anyway) with poor content that doesn’t give users something to really dive into.
Just because someone “sounds” smart about links doesn’t mean they are. Test them. Find out what they truly know. Do some research and hit them with them technical questions. Are they up-to-date on industry news? Do they know what the search engines are up to? Are they actively participating in the online communities and sharing thoughts and ideas? Find out what a link builder really knows before you go attributing titles like “guru” to their name.
Be careful whose hands you put the fate of your site into. Hiring interns can be a great way to build links to your site (watch for a post on how to do this coming soon) but make sure you cover everything before you turn them loose. When you’re hiring a link building firm, do your homework. Make sure that this company is the one you want to trust your link building to. Again, just because someone says they’re a great link builder doesn’t mean they truly are. I’ve always maintained that anyone can build quality links provided they have the right training, interns included. Link builders do not have a “status” that is unattainable in the marketing world. I’m always watching for the next great link builder out there.
