Link building tips: from link building to brand building
Written by Daniël van Meerendonk
Digital Marketing & AI Agents
If you are looking for future-proof link building tips, you've come to the right place. The link building landscape is changing, and what worked a few years ago may no longer be effective. In this article we share future-proof link building tips that help you make the shift from traditional link building to an approach to link building that is seen more as brand building.
First and foremost, link building is no longer just about earning backlinks to increase PageRank. Although backlinks are still important, they have taken on a broader, more complex role. Google EAT is playing an increasingly important role in link building. Here are some link building tips that will change the way you think about backlinks.
The current state and future of link building
In the Netherlands, and elsewhere, we see that traditional techniques such as directory links and partner page links are losing their impact. These methods are often easy and cheap, but offer little value to Google. This leads us to our first tip: quality over quantity. Focus on earning high-quality in-content links that are naturally integrated into relevant, high-quality content. Another important link building tip is to focus on strengthening your brand rather than just collecting link placements. You can apply link building with brand building in mind in the following ways:
- Focus on relevant, high-quality backlinks: Make sure your backlinks come from websites that are relevant to your niche. The more relevant the link, the more value it has for Google. But also the greater the chance that direct conversions will result from it.
- Use diverse link building techniques: Besides the traditional methods, consider strategies other than just guest blogging, such as PR link building, and organic link building where, for every link, your company also links back to the party you are working with. This diversity in your link building strategy can help build a natural and healthy backlink profile.
- Monitor the value of backlinks: Not all backlinks are created equal. It is important to assess the value of each link and to focus on the ones that genuinely contribute to your website's authority.
- Build your brand: A strong brand identity will not only help attract high-quality backlinks, but also increases the chance that your content is shared and discussed. Research which distinguishing features within your company can be seen as USPs (unique selling points), so that you add value to the market you operate in.
From link building to brand building
The shift from link building to brand building is a result of Google's changing policy. With the arrival of many AI-generated spam websites, the search engine is changing its ranking methods. It considers it important that there are real organisations and people behind search results. This may sound logical to us, but with the arrival of AI, the downside is that a great many spam websites are published every day.
By applying brand building, the search engine recognises that logical links are being made between parties. This is because you apply your SEO strategy in a more targeted way, starting from your brand identity. If your brand is known for its expertise and reliability, other sites and users will be more likely to refer to you, which leads to natural, valuable backlinks. This not only strengthens your SEO performance, but also builds long-term relationships with your audience.
Start today with future-proof link building
The world of SEO and link building keeps changing, and it is important to keep up with trends and developments. By starting now with implementing these strategic link building tips, you take a good step towards a strong online presence.
Do you need help navigating the complexity of link building and brand building? At BE Digital we specialise in developing strategies that not only improve SEO performance, but also strengthen your brand identity. Get in touch for a BE Digital scan, and let's work together on sustainable online growth for your brand.