5 Tips to Generate and Build Premium Backlinks
Throughout my career, I’ve often been asked, how to quickly secure premium backlinks via PR, communications and marketing.
However, there is no ‘quick fix’ solution, especially for premium brands and services.
Instead you must take a wider and long-term view, and combine quality content with several campaign based activities.
Here I’ve broken down my 5 top steps to generate and build genuine and quality backlinks.
1.Press Coverage
Securing press coverage with media partners and publishers, is a really important organic method for securing backlinks.
If you’re a big brand or really ‘hot’ across your social media channels, you may have already secured press coverage via journalists contacting you direct.
However, if you haven’t already then you can develop your own press coverage through the creation of an official press campaign, starting with a press release for pitching direct to journalists.
All brands and companies can secure press coverage themselves, however with competition being so fierce to maintain a constant presence via media partners, brands tend to hire either a PR consultant, agency or an in-house team member to drive PR.
Both methods allow a brand to stay relevant and seen within their marketplace and it’s a really important method for not only securing backlinks, but to grow consumer proof, trust and reputation with the worlds most authoritative voices for their industry.
How to Find Press Opportunities
You can easily identify a journalist direct via a set publication and reach out to them either via the title or social media
Many journalists pitch for stories via platforms like Twitter and HARO ‘help a reporter out’
You can pay for subscription websites who will send you direct alerts according to your set industry
2. Paid Media Coverage
Similar to securing organic press coverage, you can also buy media coverage with premium lifestyle media partners and online publishers, guaranteeing backlinks.
I also recommend to my clients that they ‘mix in’ paid media coverage with organic press placements. This is especially effective if you want to target a set publication and their audience base.
Unlike press coverage, paid media coverage is a guaranteed placement and can be based around a shared piece of content, created in partnership with the media partner and journalist.
Many of these types of placements are called advertorials.
Often with a big media partner, you’ll secure extra benefits for a paid placement.
Extra benefits can include:
An online or in-print feature, depending on where the feature will be seen first. Often if you purchase an in-print feature, you will automatically secure an online feature too.
Guaranteed social media coverage, via several channels
Guaranteed newsletter coverage, to their unique database
3. Guest Blog Posting
Guest posting on other sites as an expert within your field, is a fantastic way to share your expertise with a like-minded business and audience.
Guest blog posting, is also a very cost and time-effective method, for building backlinks which can lead to further coverage including social media coverage.
4. Create Content that’s Naturally Linkable
Via your website, ensure you’re regularly updating your blog or news sections with relevant and engaging content that will be of interest to different stakeholders including other clients and consumers.
If you’re offering value and quality content, then it will encourage other parties to naturally want to link to your website too.
Infographics - are a really popular and fun way to share your knowledge
Long-form guides - again another popular content format, that offers visitors to your website added value
5. Secure Backlinks Via Professional Bodies & Associations
If you’re a premium brand, then you’re likely to already have signed up to a business body or an industry association.
Ensure that you regularly update content that mentions your association here and share your membership via all available channels.
Reach out to these professional bodies and associations on a regular basis too, as they often need content and expert advice too. Therefore through providing a few features over a year, you will secure more backlinks and premium content for your business too.