Content-Based Link Building

Content-Based Link Building

Content-based link building is becoming ever more popular amongst SEOs for a number of reasons, even though it can be one of the tougher approaches to carry out successfully. The basic process looks something like this:

Some of these you’ve already learned about in the chapter on building a link building campaign, so we’ll try not to repeat ourselves here. The basic premise is that you create an asset which you use to try and get links. This takes the form of a piece of content and can include something like:

An infographic• A data visualization• A white paper• A how-to guide• A video• An image gallery

You create these assets with a view to earning links to them from people who find them relevant, interesting, funny, informative, etc. You then reach out to these people in an attempt to actually build those links. Over time, you aim to reach a point at which you don’t need to ask for each and every link that you receive. Instead, you should be able to seed the content with a few key influencers in your community who can help spread the word on your behalf. This can take a long time to achieve and requires a lot of investment in exceptional content, but it is certainly possible.

Examples of Content-Based Link Building Campaigns

In this section, we will look at some examples of successful link building campaigns along with some analysis of what made them successful. One thing to note here is that the primary goal of the following examples may not have been links, but they were very successful, nonetheless, so there is something we can learn.

The Ultimate Guide to Worldwide EtiquetteThis is a small interactive piece of content that is not only nicely designed, but genuinely useful. It helps users understand the different expectations in different areas of the world when it comes to culture and etiquette.http://www.swissotel.com/promo/etiquette-map/This page currently has 68 linking root domains and a Page Authority of 63.

What made it successful?• It works very well and is easy to use; you simply choose your country and the content changes instantly• The design is very clean which means you understand what it does straight away• It is relevant to the type of people who would visit a hotel booking website• The content is genuinely useful to people because not knowing a local culture or etiquette is a common problem

100 Years of Rock Music VisualizedThis is another interactive piece of content which shows the different genres of rock music that have developed in the last 100 years.http://www.concerthotels.com/100-years-of-rockThe page currently has 198 linking root domains and a Page Authority of 53. Let’s look at why it attracted links:

The interactivity really adds to the content; it engages the user straight away & keeps them on the page• You can interactive with the piece and listen to samples of music• It applies to a large number of people (rock music fans)• It is in line with people who would use a hotel booking site focused on music venues

You vs. John PaulsonThis was a very smart idea by an SEO in the UK. It is an interactive piece of content that allows you to compare your annual salary with that of John Paulson who is a very successful forex trader.https://mahifx.com/john-paulson/It used to be hosted on the homepage and was used as a link building technique to get links to the homepage prior to the service being launched. Before it was moved, the content had over 200 linking domains. What made it successful?

It’s interactive but very simple to use; it only asks you for one piece of info (your salary)• It is very engaging; it keeps you scrolling down the page to find out more• The sheer scale of how much money John Paulson makes is hard for most of us to comprehend• It is very shareable as it is relevant to pretty much anyone, not just forex traders

18 Startup Founders Share Their Lowest PointsThis is a bit different to the previous pieces of content and mainly consists of written, rather than visual, content. It is a series of stories from startup founders who share their lowest points before become big successes.http://www.attendly.com/stories-of-failure-and-redemption-18-startup-founders-share-their-lowest-moments-before-coming-out-on-top/This page currently has 21 linking root domains and a Page Authority of 36. Let’s take a look at what made this happen:•It’s interactive but very simple to use; it only asks you for one piece of info (your salary)• It is very engaging; it keeps you scrolling down the page to find out more• The sheer scale of how much money John Paulson makes is hard for most of us to comprehend• It is very shareable as it is relevant to pretty much anyone, not just forex traders•It is different; interviews are usually about high points and successes but this was the opposite, so it can provoke people’s attention• The interviewees and their companies are very well known within their fields, so they probably have large social followings• This content can appeal to a wide range of people who are active online, therefore increasing the chances of getting links and social shares