Page Contents
Backlinks are integral to brand exposure, website traffic generation, and overall search engine optimization (SEO). Essentially, they’re votes of confidence and credibility. When a blog includes a link to your website, it’s telling Google’s ranking algorithms that your content provides valuable and expert information relevant to your industry.
While link-building strategies and social media marketing are crucial in this digital age, they’re often approached separately. Because links on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, Pinterest, YouTube, and others are “unfollowed” or “no-follow,” they don’t directly affect SEO. However, social media can still be a powerful tool in acquiring those precious backlinks.
By leveraging your online presence effectively, you can:
- enhance your link building approach
- establish your brand as an authority in your niche
- promote your content to a wider audience
- optimize your outreach efforts
- gain a more diverse range of inbound link opportunities
- improve SEO performance
- boost search engine results page (SERP) rankings
- increase website traffic
That said, utilizing social media to help build a quality link profile takes time, effort, and consistency. It’s an ongoing, multi-faceted process. Here are eight effective strategies that you can start using today.
Cultivate Valuable Relationships
While it’s no secret that social media is all about establishing relationships, they’re only meaningful if you’re engaging earnestly and honestly. Now more than ever, people appreciate a brand that takes a genuine interest in their content, thoughts, or suggestions. Instead of automated interactions, leave a comment, answer questions, and share other creators’ posts.
Moreover, nurturing connections with industry experts and a relevant audience opens the door to mutually beneficial insights and offerings. Not only can you increase content exposure, but you can also establish authority in your niche. This, in turn, provides an excellent opportunity to enhance your link building.
Bloggers and website owners are more likely to promote your brand with a backlink if there’s already an established relationship. With high-quality, relevant, and engaging content, you’ll also increase the chances of gaining more inbound links in the future.
Pro Tip: Send Automated Instagram DMs and Build Trust
Reach Out to Bloggers and Brands
One of the best ways to acquire social media backlinks is by reaching out to bloggers and brands. Although conventional cold emails are still a viable strategy, you can speed the process up via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the like.
Connecting on social media has other benefits, too. It’s a more personal approach and gives other industry experts better insight into your online presence, products, services, and following.
Firstly, compile a list of bloggers and brands that aren’t direct competitors but have overlapping interests in your industry. Add or follow them on all platforms, and be sure to engage with them regularly. Share their content, comment on their posts, and like their pictures or videos.
Once they start reciprocating, you’ll be in a position to communicate with them directly and gain numerous link-building opportunities, advised Liam from Millenio, an SEO agency.
Connect With Influencers and Journalists
Similarly, connecting with influencers and journalists relevant to your niche can be tremendously beneficial to your link profile. These industry experts are often looking for contributions, opinions, and stories on related topics.
Once you’ve followed or added them on social media, you can learn more about what they’re posting and writing. As before, ensure that your engagements are consistent, and if you can contribute valuable content, then do it.
Influencers and journalists that regard your offerings as authoritative may request your input or include a link to your website. The more credibility you have, the better your backlink profile can become.
Use and Search for Relevant Hashtags
Using relevant hashtags is another way to connect with like-minded experts and audiences for your link profile. On the one hand, you can filter requests for blogs, stories, or opinions that you’re able to provide. Usually, you’re rewarded for your efforts with a backlink. On the other hand, popular, related hashtags will help expose your posts to more people, thereby enhancing your online presence and increasing your link-building opportunities.
Also, check out the following video and learn how to search multiple hashtags on Instagram:
Post-Attention-Grabbing Content
If you’re consistent and active across all social media platforms, you’ll reach a more diverse audience. However, publishing content for the sake of it isn’t enough to get you those rank-boosting backlinks. Make your posts count by covering hot topics in your niche or a closely related industry. To do this, we suggest you use a social calendar and scheduler like AiSchedul.
If a prominent influencer, journalist, or blogger asks a question that you can answer, use the opportunity wisely. Provide as much value as possible, and include a link to your website that goes into more detail. You can also add an infographic or any other content that could prove useful.
An excellent strategy is to keep your ear to the ground. When you know what people are talking about, you’ll be able to produce tailored, attention-grabbing content and answers. This process can boost your credibility thanks to increased engagement, visibility, and social shares. It also means you’ll have a better chance of acquiring high-quality backlinks.
Add Links to Your Social Media Profiles
Just because social media links are “no-follow” doesn’t mean you should disregard them. They may not affect SEO rankings directly, but they still help drive traffic to your website. This bolsters your online presence, which ultimately helps to enhance your link-building prospects. Include URLs in your bios, descriptions, images, and posts to get the most out of your social media platforms.
Read More: Add Clickable Social Media Links to Your Instagram Bio
Stay Active on All Fronts
The internet is constantly abuzz with posts, shares, and comments. If you’re late to the party, you could miss out on golden link-building opportunities. By keeping up with the newest trends, you can use viral posts to increase brand awareness, maintain meaningful discussions about hot topics, and offer valuable content. Apart from boosting social shares and generating web traffic, you’ll give other creators even more reason to link back to your website.
Join Online Communities in Your Niche
Online communities in your niche are a treasure trove of potential backlinks. These groups operate on various social media platforms and can be instrumental in establishing your authority in your industry. It’s also likely that they’ll share your content via their own social media channels, thereby boosting exposure and web traffic.
Building quality relationships with the online communities in your niche benefit your link profile. You’ll have more opportunities to request backlinks from highly-regarded experts. Plus, exposing your brand to dedicated groups only enhances your social signals.
Keep Reading: Instagram Groups – All You Need To Know
Key Takeaways
Link building is essential to your SEO strategy. It’s a multidimensional tactic that helps to establish credibility and boost SERP rankings. Still, social media is often overlooked as a separate marketing aspect because of its “no-follow” qualities. However, you can utilize your online presence and grow your link profile by:
- cultivating valuable relationships
- reaching out to bloggers and brands
- connecting with influencers and journalists
- using relevant hashtags
- posting attention-grabbing content
- adding links to your social media platforms
- staying active on all fronts
- joining online communities in your niche
That said, keep in mind that link building is an ongoing process requiring patience, consistency, and effort. If you stick to the above strategies, though, you’ll be able to harness the power of social media and ultimately boost your backlink growth for higher rankings.
