There are a number of different ways to improve the ranking of your website. One of the most effective (and often overlooked) ways to improve your website’s ranking is to build links. Quality links from relevant websites can help your website rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), which can result in more traffic and leads.
That’s where link building services come in. A good link building service can help you build high-quality links from relevant websites, which can help improve your website’s ranking and drive more traffic and leads. So, if you’re looking to improve your website’s ranking, you should consider using a link building service.
There are lots of link building services available. But not all link building services are created equally and not all of them work as well as they claim to work. If you’re looking to improve your website’s ranking and drive more traffic and leads using a link building service, there are 7 questions that you need to ask yourself:
1. How do I know if the links will actually be built?
Many (if not most) SEO companies make claims about how many backlinks they can build for your website without ever delivering results. This is why it’s so important to choose a company based on actual performance, not claims.
If the link building service you are considering hiring doesn’t have any case studies or testimonials, you should ask for several examples of the links that they’ve built before. If they can provide you with these examples, then you know they are capable of delivering results. That said, if you are still unsure about how well they perform, it would be best to avoid them and find another service.
2. What types of links do I need?
There are 2 different types of backlinks: editorial links and contextual links. Editorial links are created manually by human editors at third-party websites, while contextual links are created automatically by the use of keywords (i.e., anchor text).
If you want to improve your website’s ranking in the short term, then editorial links should be used. If you want to increase your search engine traffic for a long-term period, then it would be wise to use both types of links over time. (We recommend that you start with high-quality editorial links and include contextual link building after 6 months.)
3. What types of content are they going to deliver?
The types of content that are used for link building can either help or hurt your website’s ranking in Google’s search results. The most effective kinds of content for building links include blog posts, articles, press releases, infographics and case studies.
Carefully consider the types of content that are going to be used for link building before you hire a company. We recommend against using widget-based content (i.e., anything that does not provide true value for website visitors), as these kinds of links tend to be ignored by Google’s search algorithms.
4. What is their reputation? How long have they been in business?
It’s not enough to focus on what a link building service promises to deliver you also need to look at their track record with previous customers. The most important thing you can do is ask them about their company history and how long they’ve been working in the industry. You should also read online reviews and testimonials from their previous customers to get a better understanding of what kind of service you can expect from them.
If the company has been around for less than a year, don’t hire them. If they have been in business for more than 5 years, this is a good sign that they know what they are doing. No matter which link building service you ultimately decide to use, we recommend that you only work with companies that have solid track records and glowing recommendations from their past clients. Without these, your results may be mediocre at best and could even be worse than if you had never used a link building service at all.
5. Do they have a real, physical office?
If the link building company you are considering hiring does not have an actual brick and mortar office, be careful. Is it possible that they’re actually located overseas? If so, this may impact your results (in a negative way). It is best to work with a service that has an immaculate track record and is able to provide testimonials from past customers. Again, if they claim to be experts but cannot offer these things, you should avoid them at all costs.
6. What types of reports do they provide?
It is very important that you ask about the kind of reporting you can expect from your link building service. Are they going to send monthly reports by email, or will you have to log in to their online portal to see what’s been done over the last 30 days? If you are expecting results, make sure that your chosen provider supplies weekly reports with open/click/conversion data for each link building. This way, you can track how effective each individual campaign has been in moving the needle towards your ultimate goal (i.e., increased search engine rankings).
If the company cannot tell you these details before making a commitment, don’t hire them. It is very important for you to receive weekly updates with specific data on the activities that were performed over the last 7 days. What was done, how many links were built, where they are located and most importantly, what impact they had on your website’s ranking in Google (or any other search engine).
7. How long does it take for each link to be built?
If you need high-quality editorial links quickly, then hiring one of the ‘big guys’ may not be a wise move. The best way for an agency to build your initial list is by reaching out to their existing client base (we recommend starting with at least 50 relevant blogs/websites If they are too expensive for your budget, you should consider using a reputable SEO company instead. We also recommend obtaining links from websites that are local to your target region(s).
When looking for a link building service, it is important to ask the right questions in order to make sure you are making the best decision for your website. By focusing on performance, content, reputation and length of business, you can be sure that the service you choose will be able to deliver results. Let us know if you have any other questions about finding the right link building service for your needs and we are here to help, contact us today!
