There is an important difference between articles posted into syndication libraries and those posted directly to blogs. The links in blogs are likely to be far more valuable than regular syndication articles. The search engines know the article libraries when they see them unless the links in their pages particularly high-value and even if someone picks up an article from the library and posted on their site, the search engine may recognize article from elsewhere and that’s gives the links relatively low value.
However, unique content on blogs can provide very valuable links back to your site. There are several ways to get links placed on blogs. First, is the idea of posting links in audible comment area, it’s a strategy that’s essentially worthless but you’ll still find companies selling blog comment services. This is what’s known as block spam and apart from being obnoxious it is essentially polluting people’s blogs. It really doesn’t work, because links as comments are virtually always no follow links.
Next is the idea of submitting guest articles to the blogs. If you do this, the articles will be posted in the blogs article area and the links there are generally follow links. These are good links especially when they come from popular blogs. You can also try to convince bloggers to list your site in their blogger roll or list of links. You will need to have a site that is worth linking to of course. If for example, you’re promoting a site that sells say discount snowshoeing gear, you may be able to get people who blog about snowshoeing to list you as a resource.
Finally, you can also get links from blogs by convincing bloggers to write about your site. Of course you need something to write about, a hook that you can hang a story on. Again, links in articles posted on blogs whether written by you or the blogger are generally follow links. A good blog campaign can be very valuable because you get links distributed widely across the Internet and they’re the type of links that Google typically likes to but to make such a campaign work, you really do need have to have a good story, there has to be a reason for bloggers to link your site.
I think of a blog link campaign as blog PR and there is a core concept of public relations that goes back many years. If you want people to write about or talk about you, you have got to have a hook to hang the story on. What I ask my clients is, what is your USP, your unique selling proposition, what makes your site so special? If you cannot answer that question there’s probably no reason for bloggers to write about you. If you are just one side in a crowded arena of similar sites, bloggers won’t want to write about you and in any case you have a bigger problem, how do you hope to compete anyway.
Let’s assume though that you can answer that question and that you really do have a good answer. You have the best prices or the best selection or the best content or something that’s sets you apart. So the first thing to do is find the bloggers who are good prospects of your pitch. You may already know of a number of bloggers but you can find more by searching using Google blog search for instance. There are various other blog directories too. And don’t forget to follow links in blog rolls or the useful link lists within the blogs themselves. You’ll soon find a large number of blogs and virtually in any subject area.
When you find useful blogs, you will want to record some basic information, perhaps in a spreadsheet the blog name, URL, the name of the person who owns the blog, a link to the author page, perhaps the author’s email address or other contact method. If one of your goals is to get blog roll links you want to record information about that too.
One of my clients has a site selling particular type of handicrafts supplies and we noticed that many blogs contained a list of links to useful stores. So he had his staff record whether a blog had such a list and if so whether his store was already in the list. Once you’ve got this sort of information the hard work begins. Essentially your going to contact the blogs and offer or suggest various things. You want informal chatty contexts. Don’t use some kind of spam looking boiler plates. And don’t overwhelm the blogger. I suggest you propose one thing at a time. Pretty quickly tell them why their readers might be interested in your site. And remember just as with PR it’s all about providing something that the readers might be interested in. Then I suggest that they add a link to the already existing list of stores or list of useful resources.
Perhaps you suggest that they write about your site or maybe you offer to write an article for them. There are other things you can do too, perhaps you hold a contest giving away something of value. If your site is promoting an e-book for instance, you hold a drawing to give away twenty copies and use the blogs to announce the drawing. If you find really popular blogs you might even offer the bloggers his own drawing exclusive to just his readers no one else. This is a very effective technique that many sites have used.
I know a musical instrument company that gives away strings every month and has gone up thousands of links by announcing the drawings and blogs. Also, make friends with the bloggers include coupons when you contact them, offer to provide review copies or whatever you can do to stand out and make them want to write about you. Blog linking campaigns are often overlooked but to me they are incredibly powerful, if you have a good story to tell, get it out there and tell it to the bloggers.
Sadhiv Mahandru has been involved in online marketing for over a decade covering PPC, Affiliate Marketing, SEO , Content Creation and also creating effective websites. Specializing in SEO Oldham and providing services throughout the UK. You can learn more about Internet Marketing and SEO by reading my own blog which is updated frequently.