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At first glance, links are such seemingly uncomplicated things in the space of search engine optimization (SEO). It’s just about hyperlinking a URL to anchor text, right? Wrong.
Links are laden with complexities — and like many other SEO experts out there, I completely understand the challenges involved in the link-building process. After all, as a critical ranking factor on Google, you need to get the process right even though the field is so dynamic in nature.
So, should you focus on quantity over quality links? What are some of the emerging link-building trends and best practices to implement in 2024? These are some of the questions I delve into below.
Keep reading if you want to move the needle on your SEO game and stay competitive.
Related: 7 Link-Building Tactics You Need to Know to Skyrocket Your Website’s Rankings
Quality over quantity: The evolution of link building
I’ve been an avid follower of the quality vs. quantity debate in link building. One thing I can tell you is that for us SEO experts, the adaptation away from quantity and towards quality links will be absolutely instrumental in securing better rankings and traffic. Why?
Because with Google’s algorithm updates, it’s easy to get left behind in the dust, sticking to old practices that the search engine now penalizes. What do I mean by this? Well, previous practices such as link farming and using private blog networks to drive hundreds of low-quality links to your site no longer work.
Google is extremely smart, and it recognizes these practices as spammy, non-user-friendly and as a way of manipulating its system. Enter high-quality backlink building; the process of building relationships with high-authority websites for natural backlink acquisition.
So, as my first 2024 link-building trend, I advocate for building high-quality links over merely focusing on the number of links acquired.
Incorporating AI and automation in link building
Now, for trend number two: incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in link building. Those who know me know that I’m a great proponent of using AI tools for sophisticated link-building strategies.
But how can AI help you leverage greater SEO success? Well, it can do a whole lot for you. Examples include streamlining link prospecting, outreach and monitoring processes for improved efficiency. Using both free and paid AI tools, here’s how I use them to supercharge my link-building efforts:
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Generate content and content ideas: There are numerous tools, ChatGPT included, which can take your target keywords and audience analysis and analyze online sources to generate original content ideas that have the potential to attract backlinks. It’s also possible to use AI — with caution and personalization, of course — to generate some parts of your content.
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Carrying out detailed keyword research: The best part of this approach is that you can use AI SEO tools to identify competitive keywords and long-tail phrases. Ultimately, this will enable you to better target a more niche audience while using less competitive terms.
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Creating your guest post pitches: We all know the importance of creating hyper-personalized and persuasive pitches when you’re looking for guest post opportunities on authoritative websites. AI tools come in handy here, too. Whether you use AI templates or not, there’s a much higher chance that you’ll secure these guest posting opportunities than without them.
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Identifying relevant thought leaders: Yes, establishing key relationships with industry influencers and thought leaders is a great link-building approach. However, while it can literally take you hours to figure out who’s who in the zoo, AI tools can do this in a matter of seconds. It’s about inputting the right data to get the best results out of it.
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Engaging relevant online communities: Online communities are a great source of backlinks, and you will want to know where your target audience hangs out online. Using AI tools, this task becomes much simpler than ever as it can come up with some great ideas for engaging relevant online communities where you can earn more backlinks by sharing your content strategically.
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Resource page link building: Resource page link building is a crucial link-building strategy where you approach relevant websites with resource pages for sharing your content. Luckily, AI tools take the time and hassle out of the equation and enable you to build strong relationships with these resource sites by helping you identify them much faster.
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Advanced tracking and reporting: The faster you have valuable data at your fingertips, the faster you can make adjustments to your SEO strategy. Use AI tools to help you track link-building metrics, including website traffic, search engine rankings, backlink quality and others.
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Optimizing anchor text: Some AI tools can immediately spot opportunities for identifying which links will be ideal for your anchor text. It’s time to take advantage of this to ensure relevance and authority in your anchor text that improves the quality of your links.
Related: How AI and Machine Learning Can Supercharge Your Link-Building Process and Boost Your SEO
Audio link building
Trend number three on my list is about the rise of audio link building. We have all seen the massive popularity of audio content such as podcasts and YouTube videos. The truth is that ignoring these content platforms will be detrimental to your link-building efforts.
However, choosing to build links on these platforms is a great way to attract new audience segments while enhancing engagement for backlink acquisition.
Social media integration for link-building success
Social media makes it to the last trend and number four on my list. It’s undeniable: Social media cannot and should not be ignored. It has significant potential for link building and driving traffic. Firstly, social media enables businesses and SEO specialists to create and share shareable content.
Secondly, it is an excellent platform for connecting with influencers who may be interested in sharing your content. And last but not least: You can use social media to better engage with your target audience as you work on boosting your online visibility.
Related: 6 Elements Your Link-Building Campaign Must Include
Adapting to Google’s algorithm updates
As my parting words for today, I’d like to raise a sobering point. We SEOs are up against a tough wall. Google is highly secretive about the factors it considers for ranking. While we feel that we may only be playing a guessing game, that’s not necessarily true.
By applying industry best practices, following white-hat link-building strategies and constantly being adaptable and flexible to algorithm changes, our link-building efforts can become more effective.
The year is 2024, and while we’re up against the world’s leading search engine giant, we’re not alone. By studying trends like the ones mentioned above and following industry best practices, we can stay more agile and innovative in link-building to achieve sustainable SEO success.