High-Authority Link Building vs. Traditional Link Building: What’s the Difference?
Key Takeaways
- Link building is still incredibly important for SEO
- What methods are used in traditional link building?
- What methods are used in high-authority link building?
- Why high-authority link building is much more effective
The importance of link building, and its impact on SEO, is a well established fact at this point. There is enough documented evidence to show the amount and type of backlinks are a contributing factor that directly impacts your ranking on search engines. Both agencies and businesses across the digital sphere use link building as a strategy to strengthen their digital presence and expand their outreach to attract new customers.
When looking at case studies, we can sometimes come across a bit of a dilemma. Why is it that some businesses see a massive increase, while others are left behind? Even with the same amount of links, or a link building strategy, link building appears to work for one but not another. So what’s the difference? It all comes down to quality.
Links vary greatly in quality and effect. Link strategies are also constantly in flux, and what works one week may be outdated the next. While quantity plays a role, quality is much more important. So when it comes to link building strategies, what is the difference between high authority link building and traditional methods? Let’s dive a bit deeper and learn how you can ensure you are getting the most bang for your buck out of your link building strategy.
What Do We Mean by Traditional Link Building?
Traditional link building strategies have been around for many years. A common tactic has been to base everything on quantity. The idea being the more links you have, the greater your chance of success. While this may have worked in the early days of search engines, the algorithms have greatly improved and the way a link’s value is determined has seen a drastic shift.
Common sources for traditional links included things like business directories, comments on posts, and any other type of mass outreach. You would often see pages linking out to multiple businesses, sometimes in the hundreds. While acquiring links this way may seem easier and cost-effective, agencies quickly discovered that the impact and value of these types of links are not as effective.
Metrics of Traditional Links
To keep costs low and reach a greater number of sources, the types of metrics in traditional links differ from those in modern high authority link building. You would typically look for low to medium domain authority, marginal topical relevance, and the placement and anchor text were not too much of a concern. The bottom line is backlink quantity and all other metrics tend to take a backseat. Looking at this through modern practices, we can start to see why companies employing older strategies may not be seeing effective results.
What is High-Authority Link Building?
So what makes a link building strategy high-authority? While the number of links still plays a role, the main thing to concentrate on is the quality of a link. Some things that set links apart as high authority include:
Link Authority
Authority score can be measured using a variety of tools. You may have seen this referred to as DR, or domain rating. Those who work regularly with backlinks have found that link authority can have a major impact on the effectiveness and performance of a backlink.
Site Traffic
The amount of visitors to a site can also play a key role. While not all those visiting a linking domain will actually click through to your site, the amount of visitors has a direct impact on a link’s value. If a page sees a lot of traffic, this can send positive signals to Google that it is authoritative, and the links coming from that page can be trusted.
Relevance
Topical relevance is essential if a link is to have a positive impact. There is not much value in linking from a site about pets, to a site that deals with car sales. There needs to be some kind of overlap between the two. The more similar they are, the greater effect the link will have in improving your rankings.
Context and Placement
Throwing a random link into the middle of a paragraph is more likely to have a negative impact than a positive one. High-performing backlinks need to be placed in a way that seems totally natural. Giving careful thought to the anchor text and where in the paragraph the link should appear can make all the difference.
Site Type
While traditional methods went for placements wherever possible, it has been noted that the type of site can also play a role. Links in directories or business listings are less effective than a direct brand mention. If a page has multiple links out to other sites, the value decreases over time. On the other hand, a specific mention perhaps in a unique article will carry much more value.
What are the Differences Between Traditional and High-Authority Link Building?
While both strategies involve link acquisition, there are a few key differences between the two. Understanding the way they differ can help you make a wise choice when choosing which method to implement, or which agency to partner with. Some key differences include:
Quality over Quantity
High-authority link building favors a quality link over quantity. While you will see benefits with more links, the quality of links is crucial. Even a small number of high quality links will have a better impact than a large amount placed at random. Vetting each link, and choosing only the best is a sure pathway to success.
Relevancy is Key
A link with good quality metrics, but zero topical relevance, will do more harm than good for your brand in the long term. High-authority link building is always built with highly relevant links. Ensuring the page is related and the context makes sense will help the link continue to remain valuable in the future.
Performance
Another difference between traditional and high-authority link building is the impact they have on your site’s performance. Because things change so quickly and updates are frequent, relying solely on traditional link building is no longer a viable option. If you want to see real results and a direct impact on your overall rank position, you need to implement links with high authority metrics.
Risk Factor
The final difference is incredibly important. With updates to Google, sites employing old link building strategies can actually be penalized. Google may see some strategies as manipulative, and punish your ranking as a result. Knowing the signals Google looks for is essential in any safe link building strategy. With the right help, it is possible to improve without any negative results.
Choosing a Link Building Method
Now we understand a bit more about both strategies, you might be wondering which makes more sense for your business. Realistically, with the updates to Google and other search engines, you really have only one option. If you want backlinks to be effective for your brand, you need to be implementing high-authority link building.
Knowledge and experience are key elements if you hope to be successful. Knowing what Google looks for in a link, and choosing the right links is also crucial. Keeping staff up to date with the latest updates and methods can be a challenge, especially for those that operate on a smaller budget. While it is possible to develop an effective link building strategy in-house, due to the complexity involved it is best to partner with an expert.
Who to Contact for High-Authority Link Building
If you are looking to implement high-authority link building into your SEO strategy, we at Perfect Link Building can help. Over the past 15 years we have helped businesses of all shapes and sizes develop an effective link building strategy, and improve their overall ranking online.
Our team keeps its finger on the pulse and remains on top of all the latest updates. We are constantly reevaluating our links and strategies to ensure we offer only the very best for our customers. As with all aspects of SEO, if you pay for a service you expect to see tangible results.
If you want only the highest quality links from a team you can trust, get in touch with our friendly team today. With our high-authority link building strategies, you can remain relevant and effective in the online sphere for years to come.
If you know your precise link requirements, please order below, or feel free to request free consultation.
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