Although search engine algorithms sometimes change, inbound links always play an important role in website rankings. The more inbound links you have, the higher your page is likely to rank when a potential customer searches keywords related to your site.

Search engines like Google assume that a website is popular when a large number of other pages link to it. However, quality does matter. When a linking site has content that is relevant to your business, the link carries more weight. Text links that include good keywords are also more effective for increasing your search rankings and traffic to your website. The objective is to get as many links as possible from sites that are relevant to your industry.

Implementing a comprehensive search engine marketing strategy is one way to increase inbound links. Include these four tactics as you develop your plan:

• Generate quality content: If you write content that is useful to your customers, they are more likely to share it with their networks. Remember, content does not have to be limited to just your website or blog. You can also write tip sheets, white papers, e-books, case studies, how-to manuals and more.
• Get social: One of the reasons online marketers are so excited about social media is the potential for content to quickly spread to new customers. Include links to your site when you post on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest so the link carries through when your posts are shared. The quality rule applies to social media as well; write content that is useful or interesting and it is more likely to get shared.
• Write for other sites: Relying on others to supply inbound links does work, but you can speed up the process by creating your own. Many bloggers welcome guest posts because it increases their profile and allows them to provide expert content to their readers. Build relationships with bloggers and industry media outlets and offer to write guest posts and articles that include keyword-rich links back to your site.
• Participate in industry forums: Because they have so much user-generated content, forums often rank high in searches. You can significantly increase inbound links by participating in forums that are relevant to your industry. Just be sure to avoid spamming; only include links to your site when the content on the page is relevant to your comments.

One critical component to a successful search engine marketing strategy is measuring success. Social Strategy1 can help you monitor performance so you can determine which tactics are working best and optimize the return on your investment. Contact us today to learn more about our social media monitoring services.