What is Link building?
Link building is the practice of acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own. These backlinks act as endorsements, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the higher your site ranks in search results, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
For eCommerce websites, link building is a key to increased visibility and traffic. By connecting with reputable sites, you enhance your site's authority and attract visitors eager to explore your offerings.
For eCommerce websites, link building is a key to increased visibility and traffic. By connecting with reputable sites, you enhance your site's authority and attract visitors eager to explore your offerings.
Why is Link Building Important for Ecommerce?
Link building is crucial for eCommerce sites because it drives organic traffic. High-quality backlinks from reputable sites boost your rankings, making it easier for shoppers to find your products.
It also enhances your site's credibility. When well-known websites link to your store, it builds trust with potential customers, leading to higher conversion rates.
Lastly, link building keeps you competitive. Securing valuable backlinks improves your search engine rankings and gives your store an edge over competitors who may not be as proactive in their SEO efforts.
Link Building for eCommerce Websites
Here are the most valuable eCommerce tips when it comes to link building:
1. Testimonials
One of the easiest tricks in the SEO playbook is to write testimonials for all the services you purchase. For example, if you are happy with an online store you frequently shop at, write them a recommendation and let them know they can use it in their marketing. Ask the company if they would link back to your website.
2. Create High-Quality Blog Content Targeting Specific Keywords
Blogging is a powerful tool for link building, especially for eCommerce websites. By creating high-quality blog content that targets specific keywords, you can attract backlinks from other sites and improve your search engine rankings. Here’s how to make the most of your blogging efforts:
- Research and Identify Keywords: Start by researching keywords that are relevant to your products and industry. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to find keywords with high search volume and low competition. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your blog posts to increase the chances of ranking higher in search results.
- Write Engaging and Informative Content: High-quality content is key to attracting backlinks. Write blog posts that are informative, engaging, and valuable to your audience. Use a mix of text, images, and videos to make your content more appealing. Remember, the more valuable your content, the more likely other websites will link to it.
- Promote Your Blog Posts: Once you’ve published a blog post, promote it through various channels. Share it on social media, send it to your email subscribers, and reach out to influencers in your industry. The more visibility your content gets, the higher the chances of earning backlinks.
Pro tip: Use AI writers like SEO.AI to make your content the best in the easiest way possible.
Additionally, consider these strategies:
Guest Blogging: Write guest posts for other reputable blogs in your industry. Include a link back to your eCommerce site in your author bio or within the content. This not only helps you gain backlinks but also exposes your brand to a wider audience.
Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with influencers and industry experts to create content. They can share your blog posts with their followers, increasing the chances of earning backlinks. Influencers can also provide valuable insights and add credibility to your content.
Monitor and Analyze Performance: Use tools like SEO.AI to monitor the performance of your blog posts. Track metrics such as organic traffic, bounce rate, and backlinks. Analyzing this data will help you understand what types of content resonate with your audience and attract the most backlinks.
By consistently creating high-quality blog content and promoting it effectively, you can build a strong backlink profile for your eCommerce website. This will not only improve your search engine rankings but also drive more organic traffic to your site.
3. Launch a Creative PR Campaign
Imagine turning a simple product launch into a viral sensation. That's exactly what the PR firm Taylor Herring did for Greggs with their vegan sausage roll. Instead of a standard press release, they crafted a playful, Apple-style product launch video. The result? Over 1.5 million video views within the first 48 hours, extensive media coverage, and a significant boost in sales.
To create your own buzzworthy PR campaign:
- Find Your Unique Angle: Think quirky product launches, heartwarming stories, or bold statements that align with your brand values.
- Craft a Compelling Story: Use humor, emotion, or intrigue to make your narrative stand out.
- Promote Across Multiple Channels: Use social media, email, and influencer partnerships to maximize visibility.
- Engage Your Audience: Encourage sharing and participation through hashtags, contests, or interactive content.
By launching a creative PR campaign, you can generate significant buzz for your eCommerce site, attract valuable backlinks, and drive traffic and sales.
4. Advertorials
Another simple strategy is to create advertorials. These are articles that function as advertisements, and it’s usually easy to get links because you pay for the publications.
How to Purchase Advertorials:
Search for "advertorial provider" and look at the first few pages on Google. Most major media outlets offer some form of advertorials, but it can also be smaller media or blogs. You can also contact your SEO agency and have them handle it for you.
5. Identify and Convert Unlinked Brand Mentions
Unlinked brand mentions are like hidden treasures in the vast ocean of the internet. These are instances where your brand is mentioned without a hyperlink back to your site. Converting these mentions into backlinks can significantly boost your SEO and drive more traffic to your eCommerce site.
Why They Matter:
- Easy Link Building: Websites already talking about your brand are more likely to add a link when requested.
- Boost SEO: More backlinks can improve your search engine rankings.
- Increase Traffic: Backlinks from reputable sites can drive more organic traffic.
How to Find Them:
- Monitoring Tools: Set up alerts with tools like Google Alerts, Mention, and Ahrefs Alerts to notify you whenever your brand is mentioned online.
- Manual Searches: Periodically search for your brand name on Google and other search engines.
- Social Listening: Use tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social to monitor social media platforms for mentions of your brand.
Converting Mentions into Backlinks:
- Reach Out Politely: Send a friendly email to the website owner or author, thanking them for the mention and requesting a hyperlink.
- Highlight the Benefits: Explain how adding a link can enhance their content by providing readers with direct access to more information.
- Follow Up: If you don’t receive a response, send a polite follow-up email after a week or two.
By identifying and converting unlinked brand mentions, you can easily boost your link-building efforts and improve your site's SEO.
Note: While link building is one of the most important SEO factors, it is not the only one, here is a list of the 31 best SEO tips for Shopify users.
6. Fix Broken Links
Broken backlinks are links on other websites that point to pages on your site that no longer exist or have been moved. These broken links can negatively impact your SEO and user experience. Identifying and fixing them can help you reclaim valuable link equity and improve your search engine rankings.
Why Fixing Broken Links Matters:
- Improve SEO: Search engines view broken links as a sign of poor site maintenance, which can hurt your rankings.
- Enhance User Experience: Fixing broken links ensures that visitors can navigate your site smoothly, leading to higher engagement and lower bounce rates.
- Reclaim Link Equity: Restoring broken links allows you to regain the SEO value from those backlinks.
How to Identify Broken Backlinks:
Use SEO Tools: Tools like Ahrefs and Moz can help you identify broken backlinks. These tools crawl the web and provide reports on broken links pointing to your site.
How to Fix Broken Backlinks:
- Redirect the Broken URL: If the page has been moved or the URL has changed, set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one. This ensures that visitors and search engines are directed to the correct page.
- Recreate the Missing Page: If the page was deleted and you have no equivalent content, consider recreating the page. This way, you can restore the valuable content and retain the backlink.
- Contact the Linking Site: Reach out to the website owner or webmaster and inform them about the broken link. Provide them with the correct URL and request that they update the link. Be polite and explain how fixing the link benefits their readers.
- Update Internal Links: If the broken backlinks are from your own site, update the internal links to point to the correct pages. This helps maintain a seamless user experience and preserves link equity.
7. Sponsor Local Events
Sponsoring local events, charities, or community activities can provide valuable backlinks from event organizers' websites. This strategy not only boosts your SEO but also enhances your brand's visibility and reputation within the community.
Steps to Get Started:
- Identify and Contact: Find local events that align with your brand and reach out to organizers about sponsorship opportunities.
- Provide Materials and Promote: Supply your logo and website link, and promote the event on your channels to maximize exposure and support.
8. Recover Lost Links
Lost links can be a setback for your SEO, but recovering them is a straightforward process that can restore your site's authority and traffic.
Why It Matters:
- SEO Boost: Lost links can lower your site's authority and rankings.
- Traffic Recovery: Restoring links can bring back lost visitors.
Steps to Recover Lost Links:
Identify Lost Links: Use tools like Ahrefs to find out which backlinks have disappeared. Tools like this provide detailed reports on lost links.
Implement 301 Redirects: If a page has been moved or deleted, set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to a relevant new page. This helps retain the link’s SEO value.
Contact Webmasters: Reach out to the site owners where the links were lost. Politely ask them to update the link to the correct URL. Make it easy by providing the new link.
Recreate Content: If the lost link pointed to a valuable piece of content that no longer exists, consider recreating that content. Then, inform the linking site about the new URL.
9. Request Links from Business Partners
Using business relationships can be a goldmine for link building. If you have business partners featured on your site or own multiple stores, use these connections to your advantage. Here’s how to effectively request and secure backlinks from your business partners:
Why Partner Links Matter:
- Mutual Benefit: Both parties gain increased traffic and improved SEO.
- Trust and Authority: Links from trusted partners enhance your site's credibility.
- Relevant Traffic: Partner links drive highly relevant traffic, boosting conversions.
Steps to Request Links from Business Partners:
1. Identify Potential Partners: List all business partners, suppliers, and relevant connections, including manufacturers, distributors, and complementary businesses.
2. Craft a Personalized Request: Personalize your message, highlighting the partnership and mutual benefits. Here’s an example:
Subject: Strengthening Our Partnership Through Mutual Links
Message:
Hey [Partner's Name],
I hope you're doing well! As we continue to grow our partnership, I wanted to explore an opportunity that could benefit both of us. By linking to each other's websites, we can enhance our online presence and provide our visitors with more valuable resources.
Benefits for You:
- Increased traffic from our site
- Enhanced user experience for your visitors
- Improved SEO for both our sites
Our URL: [Your URL]
Looking forward to your positive response!
Best,
[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[Your Contact Information]
3. Highlight the Benefits: Explain how linking to your site can benefit them. This could include increased traffic, enhanced user experience, and improved SEO for both parties.
4. Offer Reciprocity: Be willing to offer a backlink in return. This creates a win-win situation and makes your request more appealing.
5. Follow Up: If you don’t receive a response, send a polite follow-up email after a week or two. Persistence can pay off, but always remain courteous.
6. Showcase Success Stories: If you have other partners who have benefited from linking to your site, share these success stories. This can provide additional motivation for them to agree to your request.
Additional Tips:
- Create a Partners Page: Dedicate a page on your site to showcase your business partners. This not only provides a natural place for backlinks but also highlights your collaborations.
- Collaborate on Content: Work together on joint blog posts, case studies, or press releases. This can provide additional opportunities for backlinks and content sharing.
- Use Social Proof: Mention any awards, recognitions, or positive reviews your site has received. This can add credibility and make your site more attractive for linking.
10. Send Personalized Outreach Emails
Sending personalized outreach emails can be challenging but highly effective for link building. Here’s how to do it right:
Who to Send Outreach Emails To:
- Journalists and Editors: Writers and editors of industry-specific publications.
- Webmasters and Site Owners: Owners of relevant websites with good domain authority.
- Content Creators: Authors of articles and guides that align with your products or services.
Quick Template for Outreach Emails:
Subject: Collaboration Opportunity with [Your Company Name]
Message:
Hi [Recipient's Name],
I hope this email finds you well! My name is [Your Name], and I’m with [Your Company Name]. I’ve been following your work on [Recipient's Website/Blog/Social Media] and am impressed by your insights on [specific topic or article].
I believe there’s a great opportunity for us to collaborate. By linking to our [specific content or product], we can provide your audience with valuable resources while enhancing your content. Here’s the link to our [content/product]: [Your URL]
Benefits for You:
- Enrich your content with additional valuable information
- Provide your audience with direct access to relevant resources
- Potential for increased traffic and engagement
I’d love to discuss this further and explore how we can work together. Looking forward to your thoughts!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[Your Contact Information]
By sending personalized outreach emails to the right people, you can secure high-quality backlinks that boost your SEO and drive traffic to your eCommerce site.
11. Ask for Product Reviews
Product reviews are a powerful way to build links and enhance your ecommerce site's credibility. By sending free products to bloggers and influencers, you can encourage them to create reviews that link back to your page. Here’s how to effectively leverage product reviews for link building:
Identify Relevant Bloggers and Influencers: Look for bloggers and influencers in your niche who have a strong following and engage with their audience.
Reach Out with a Personalized Offer: Contact them with a personalized message, offering your product for free in exchange for an honest review.
Provide Clear Guidelines: While you want the review to be genuine, providing some guidelines can help ensure they include a link back to your site.
Follow Up: After sending the product, follow up to ensure they received it and to remind them about the review.
Share and Promote: Once the review is published, share it on your social media channels and website to maximize its impact.
By securing product reviews from reputable bloggers and influencers, you can gain valuable backlinks, increase your site's visibility, and attract more customers.
Frequently Asked Questions About eCommerce Link Building
Here are some of the most asked questions when it comes to eCommerce link building:
How vital is link building for ecommerce?
Without effective link building, ecommerce sites can struggle to gain visibility online.
Link building involves creating strategic partnerships, where each link serves as a bridge to new opportunities and enhanced credibility.
By acquiring quality backlinks, ecommerce websites can improve their search engine rankings and attract more customers.
In this process, quality is more important than quantity, and the right connections can lead to significant benefits.
Begin your link-building journey today and elevate your ecommerce site's presence.
Which are effective link building strategies?
Building links for ecommerce can be challenging but rewarding. Here are some effective strategies:
'High-Quality Blogging Content: Regularly publish valuable and informative content on your blog to attract natural backlinks.
Guest Posting: Share your expertise on other sites and include backlinks to your own.
Create PR Campaigns: Launch public relations campaigns to gain media coverage and high-quality backlinks.
Recovering Lost Links: Identify and reclaim lost backlinks to maintain your site's link profile.
Fixing Broken Backlinks: Find and fix broken links on your site to improve user experience and retain link equity.
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