How to properly define your net linking strategy?

Netlinking is a work that aims to improve the number of backlinks (or inbound links) pointing to a site or a page in order to improve its natural referencing. Setting up a net linking strategy is therefore essential for the referencing of a site. But it must be qualitative and avoid Google penalties. Follow the guide to learn all about a good net linking strategy.

What is netlinking?

Netlinking is therefore the action of acquiring inbound links to improve SEO. But this action can take place in two ways: link baiting or so-called black hat techniques.

• The black hat

Links have always been the sinews of war. In order to gain as much as possible in a minimum of time, sites have historically started by inserting their links wherever possible: blog comments, forums, hacking to insert hidden links, etc.

This very low quality and particularly artificial techniques were gradually detected and then sanctioned by Google. Google is looking for links to be more and more natural as possible. It is therefore important to refocus on more qualitative techniques for an effective net linking strategy.

• Linkbaiting

Link baiting is a much more qualitative technique that will seek to create links naturally through referral and quality content. For such a strategy, it is important to have quality content, which has a real interest and will arouse curiosity. We can then look more or less proactively for links pointing to this content (by requesting it directly or by letting it happen).

Link baiting is certainly slower and more time-consuming than black hat techniques but is less punishable and noticeable. In addition, it has a real interest for Internet users and will be able to create a virtuous circle: by creating interesting content, by requesting sharing on sites addressing the same theme, you will start to distribute it. Little by little, other sites will be able to take it up, improving your links and your notoriety.

Set up a quality netlinking strategy

A netlinking strategy will therefore have much more effective when it is really qualitative. But then, how to measure this quality? Here are some metrics to help you:

• The  theme: you will have to gain links from sites that address the same themes as you and the page to which they point;
• The  diversification: it is important to diversify the areas that link to your site, but also the landing pages of your site;
• Avoid over-optimization: we can tend, in order to have articles and links pointing to your perfect site, to ask for over-optimization (anchors, the place of the link, etc.). However, search engines can identify this over-optimization and be led to penalize it in the long term;
• Spread your links out over  time: it is better to acquire links on a constant basis rather than suddenly having a huge spike, followed by no other action;
• The  popularity  of the page pointing to you: getting links from pages with very low popularity will have almost no impact on your SEO, it is important to target sites with good popularity;
• etc.

This list is of course not exhaustive but allows you to lay the first foundations of a qualitative and effective netlinking.

Why is a netlinking strategy essential?

A good netlinking strategy will simultaneously improve the SEO and the notoriety of your site. Links remain the heart of your SEO optimization, even if they are more closely monitored and must be more qualitative. It is, among other things, thanks to netlinking that you will improve your SEO.

A good netlinking strategy must be put in place over the long term so that new links are constantly pointing to you. Time-consuming, it is important to have a continuous net linking strategy to capitalize on your previous actions.

How to measure it?

To measure your efforts and actions, identify areas for improvement, and audit your site, it is essential to follow certain metrics:

• The domain  and page authority of your site;
• The number of links  pointing to your site;
• The number of domains  pointing to your site;
• The relationship between links / domains  pointing to your site;
• The diversity of landing pages  ;
• Monitor your broken or lost links; 
• etc.

A net linking strategy is essential to put in place to improve your SEO and must be coupled with other SEO optimizations. And to make sure your actions are paying off, never forget to measure them!