Why should you be concerned about backlinks? Simply put, backlinks – links from other sites that point to yours – are a core part of off-page search-engine optimization (SEO). This means they help search engines determine your site’s relevance and importance.
The drawback, however, is that backlinks can vary in their effectiveness. “Follow” backlinks essentially endorse your site, which sends a signal to search engines that the content is noteworthy. On the other hand, “nofollow” backlinks include HTML text that may provide you with valuable exposure, but not necessarily the rich SEO rankings that bring traffic directly to your site. For e-commerce sellers, the key is to generate “follow” backlinks by getting content noticed by online influencers with good traffic. Here are four tips for generating backlinks, and optimizing them to work for you.
Tip 1: Make sharing your content irresistible. Compelling content gets attention. E-commerce sellers are uniquely positioned to share content just not about their products, but about ways to use them and other related topics. Consider video, audio or written content that provides instruction; for example, if you sell scrapbooking materials, create a blog or video about easy ways to preserve old photographs. This topic would likely appeal to the general public as well as to serious scrapbookers, making it all the more shareable.
Tip 2: Encourage reviews of your products. Reach out to popular bloggers and social media mavens, whose influence on e-commerce can’t be underestimated. Cultivate a relationship by linking to their sites and interacting with them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, then get ready to pitch your product. Write a personalized email briefly describing your store, what you sell, and what sets you apart from the competition; consider offering a free product or sample, or else a deep discount or code the recipient can pass along to followers (remember, they are required to disclose any freebies and deals in their review.).
Tip 3: Be a guest blogger. Guest-blogging can be a win-win, since bloggers frequently seek out fresh content. Don’t wait to be approached – reach out via email with reasons as to why you’d be a good fit as a guest blogger and offer up several post ideas. For example, using the scrapbooking example above, offer ideas like creating a post about 2015 scrapbooking trends, paper stock comparisons or how to decide what’s “scrap-worthy.” If you have created compelling copy on your own site, include a link so the blogger can get a feel for your style.
Tip 4: Involve your manufacturer. If you sell another company’s product, the manufacturer may be open to adding you to their directory of online retailers. This could be as easy as reaching out via email, or cultivating a relationship. Either way, the manufacturer can benefit from SEO as much as the e-commerce seller does!
The Bottom Line
When you recognize the value in building links, you’ll find devoting a few hours a week to your online network can yield impressive results. Explore these and other tips for generating the kind of backlinks that provide a steady stream of visitors – and sales!
