In competitive spaces, the competition exists for a reason:
Money. Mullah. Dinero.
This applies in two ways:
- There’s a lot of money to be made with high demand and lucrative payouts, but…
- Your competitors also have substantial budgets to outspend and outrank you.
Competitors can spend on hard costs like pushing CPCs to sky-high levels, or on soft costs, such as hiring savvy operators who create superior marketing assets to build a competitive moat.
High-quality content and links are critical components in this competitive landscape.
Here’s why most brands fail at link building and how to build high-quality links consistently.
Mistake 1: Thinking you don’t need to proactively build links
If you’re in a low-competition niche, you might get away without building many links. However, these areas often come with minimal financial rewards.
Consider a competitive, profitable sector like finance. An analysis of 1,000 finance-related keywords shows a bell curve in keyword difficulty and referring domains per page. Most keywords fall within a difficulty range of ~30-60, requiring ~50-200 referring domains per page.
If you can’t consistently build/attract/acquire ~50-200 external links for each page, competing in lucrative markets will be near impossible.
Mistake 2: Leaving links to chance (vs. systemizing success)
Average marketers believe links will magically appear if they build good content. This is rarely true for most companies. For competitive keywords like “best project management software,” you might need around 273 links to compete for the first page.
Instead of buying links, consider what your potential link partners might want in return. This typically comes down to:
- Money: Think of content sites needing advertisers.
- Content/Assets: Brands needing creative assets.
- Visibility: Influencers needing your audience.
Identify what assets or competencies you can offer first to establish reciprocal relationships.
Mistake 3: Using the wrong link-building tactics for the wrong kinds of links
Simply knowing you need links isn’t enough; using the right tactics at the right times is crucial. Cold outreach often works only on smaller sites with lower domain ratings (DR). For higher DR sites, you’ll need warmer tactics like referrals or something of value to offer.
Understanding link-building tactics as a sliding scale based on the site’s DR can help:
- Under 30 DR: These links will come naturally if your content is good.
- 30-60 DR: Ideal for cold outreach.
- 60-90 DR: Focus on providing creative assets or forming partnerships.
- 90+ DR: Requires personal relationships, a strong network, or a substantial budget.
Mistake 4: Scattergun link building vs. doubling down on 2-3 scalable ones
Instead of trying every possible link-building tactic, focus on 2-3 effective strategies and scale them. For example, if you find success with proprietary data and linkable assets, continue producing similar content relentlessly.
Successful link building is about consistency and leveraging proven strategies to their fullest potential.
Mistake 5: Prioritizing the wrong pages at the wrong times
Big brands often don’t need extensive links for low-competition pages due to their established authority and internal link structures. However, understanding how to prioritize link-building efforts is essential:
- Homepage: Focus on brand building.
- Commercial/product/service pages: Get creative to secure links as these pages rarely attract them naturally.
- Pillar pages: Build to handle the most competitive queries, then use internal links to support related content.
New or small sites can start with long-tail keywords but should aim to prioritize high-impact pages quickly as they grow.
Start building links like the pros
Link building is often misunderstood. Some view it as unnecessary or even illegal, but neither extreme is true. The reality lies in understanding when and how to apply tactics effectively.
Pros consistently grow sites by leveraging the right tactics, timing, and targets to secure valuable links. This strategic approach is what sets them apart from amateurs who make avoidable mistakes and often struggle to see results.
By understanding and avoiding these common mistakes, you can start building links effectively and consistently, positioning yourself for long-term success in competitive markets.
