Prior to Googles algorithmic updates via the Penguin, Panda, and Hummingbird, link building strategieslike purchasing or selling links that could pass PageRank; using automated services and programs to generate links for websites; and leaving comments on blogs and forums with links to websiteswere some of the most effective ways to achieve top rankings on SERPs.
Many of these once effective link building strategies have since been devalued and penalized by Google. Other strategies, like article spinning and exact match anchor text, have also received a death knell. Another blow was dealt on January 20, 2014, when Matt Cutts posted on his blog that strongly discouraged online marketers from using guest blogging as a link building strategy in 2014.
Some online marketing experts are predicting that Google will likely release an algorithmic update that targets low tier guest blogging and embeddable infographics/badges sometime this year. Infographics, just like guest blogging, have become increasingly spammy, with some online marketers creating and uploading infographics that lack context (and even accurate statistics) just to gain traffic and links.
This algorithmic update will not penalize guest blogging on high-quality, multi-author blogs, or infographics from reputable sources. High-quality content from reputable authors will continue to be supported by Google, whereas spammy websites that have less editorial intent will be knocked out of the top rankings on SERPs or removed from Googles index and search results altogether.
Link building is out, link earning is in
Link building is clearly no longer a viable means of helping websites rank on organic SERPs. Instead, online marketers should now concentrate on link earning. High-quality content remains to be the foundation that enables online marketers to implement other methods to earn their links.
To succeed in online marketing in 2014, marketers will need to focus on producing emotionally charged, mentally stimulating, high-quality content that is tailored to the interests and needs of their target audience. Such content can also be shared with the brands social media audience via Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Targeted, informative, relevant, and captivating content will receive the most likes, shares, and comments as well as earn links from many other blogs and websites.
Scalable link earning in 2014
What link earning strategies and tactics could you think of? Drop a comment or if you have something extensive to share to the community, do make a reply post.
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