The 7 most harmful misconceptions about link building

1. Getting links will meaning higher ranking

There has been a well-known connection between the number of backlinks a page has and the ranking of the page on search engines. When you have a lot of authority sites linking back to your content, it adds authority to your content. However, simply assuming that a high number of links will mean a higher ranking is dangerous in light of recent changes. Google’s algorithm doesn’t just look at the number of links but also their relevance. Irrelevant backlinks could actually hurt your rankings.

2. Link building doesn’t work anymore

Link building is still very much alive. It has, however, taken on a more evolved form. This evolution was necessitated by changes to Google’s algorithm which were designed to weed out spammy links that often added little to the content. Link building is still alive but can now only be done in a more natural way. You can gain links by guest posting or by creating content that attracts a large number of readers i.e. viral content.

3. Link building is difficult

Link building may not be the easiest thing in the world but it’s far from impossible. When many people hear about the various issues that must be navigated past when building links to avoid being penalised, they assume that it is therefore too hard for them to do. However, if you’re reading from the right sources, you can get all the information you need in a few hours and after a few weeks of practising, you should have this issue under control.

4. Link attraction is the only safe route

Link attraction means generating viral content i.e. content that people will want to share due to the entertainment value of the information. This type of link building can’t be mistaken for rank manipulation despite the possibility of a sudden surge in traffic. However, this doesn’t mean that other link building methods aren’t safe. When you create your content with the end user in mind, you should still be okay.

5. There must be keywords in your anchor text

Using keywords as anchor text is a practice that was once commonly used by people so as to make their content more relevant to certain keywords. However, using such methods nowadays is likely to lead to penalties. Your anchor text should describe the link content accurately and in a relevant manner.

6. Nofollow Links are of no use

Nofollow links can be seen and followed by regular web users but not by Google. This makes some people perceive them as worthless. However, these links still offer you good brand visibility and can boost your traffic.

7. Quantity matters

While getting a lot of backlinks may not be a bad thing, there is no guarantee that it will be a good thing. One link from an authority site will mean much more than tens of links from low-calibre sites. Always try to get the highest quality link possible.