When I initially got into SEO, I was overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of methods and tactics accessible. However, one thought jumped out to me: SEO outreach. I rapidly discovered that gaining quality backlinks was critical to increasing my website’s search engine rating. But where do I start? Through trial and error, numerous hours of research, and some surprising triumphs, I figured out how to conduct good SEO outreach. In this article, I’ll explain all you need to know to begin developing excellent backlinks, including insights and suggestions that go beyond the basics. Let’s explore and discover the secrets of great SEO outreach.
What is SEO Outreach?
SEO outreach is the process of contacting other websites, bloggers, and influencers to obtain backlinks to your site. Backlinks, also known as inbound links, are links that connect one website to another. They are vital for SEO since they tell search engines that your material is quality and authoritative.
SEO outreach is about developing relationships and providing possibilities for other websites to link to your material, hence improving your search engine rankings.
Key Takeaways
- SEO outreach involves contacting other websites, bloggers, and influencers to obtain quality backlinks, which are crucial for improving your website’s search engine ranking.
- Quality backlinks from reputable and relevant sites can significantly boost your website’s domain authority, organic traffic, and overall search engine rankings.
- Various strategies for acquiring backlinks include broken link building, infographics, guest blogging, unlinked brand mentions, and content partnerships.
- Key steps include identifying your goals, finding the right prospects, crafting personalized outreach emails, following up politely, and tracking your results.
- Focus on quality over quantity, create unique and valuable content, maintain an active social media presence, and conduct thorough research to determine the most effective link-building techniques for your business.
Benefits of SEO Outreach
To gain a better knowledge of what Outreach is and its benefits, first consider the role of backlinks in SEO. Backlinks are one of the ranking criteria that affect how websites appear on search results pages (SERPs).
Nonetheless, Google does not value all backlinks equally. Quality backlinks are obtained from highly reputed websites with content relevant to your website’s theme. Unfortunately, many of the backlinks you receive originate from unclear websites.
You should engage in outreach optimization initiatives to boost the amount of high-quality backlinks. Using this method increases your chances of receiving links from authoritative and relevant websites.
The benefits of SEO outreach are as follows:
- Increase the volume of organic and referral traffic.
- Increase the number of quality backlinks.
- Increase the domain authority.
- Acquiring links, using white-hat SEO tactics.
- Develop positive cooperation relationships with other websites.
The Importance of Quality Backlinks
Backlinks are among the most essential ranking indicators in Google’s algorithm. Backlinko found that pages with more backlinks rank higher in search engine results. However, not all backlinks are created equally. Quality backlinks from authoritative sites can boost your ranks, however, low-quality backlinks might harm your SEO efforts.
I recall my first successful outreach campaign, in which a single backlink from a credible industry site resulted in a 30% increase in organic traffic. This event demonstrated the importance of quality backlinks and prompted me to improve my outreach strategies.
Types of Backlinks Available Through SEO Outreach
We’ve already provided you some perspective on the benefits of SEO outreach.
A closer look at the kind of backlinks you can acquire from reaching out to prospects will help you understand the entire process.
Let’s start with the first type we have for you.
#1. Broken Link Building Strategy
Assume you discover a blog with a large number of readers, however it contains a broken link to a website that is related to yours.
In such cases, and because no one likes broken links, you should view the broken link as an opportunity to contact the blogger and inform them that one of their links is broken.
In doing so, it would be ideal if you had a relevant resource that the prospect could link back to and replace the broken link with, improving their readers’ experiences.
Use this template;
Subject: Subject line
Hello, {first_name}.
I was on your site and wanted to give you a brief heads up about a page you’re referencing on this post – [custom variable: website URL]; it appears that the host has pulled it down: [custom variable: broken page]
Furthermore, if you’re interested in recommendations for a successor, we’ve already written an entire [guide/post] on [similar topic] here: [your article URL].
Feel free to look; this might fit your readers well.
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
[Name]
#2. Infographics
This includes a variety of linkable assets in your posts making it faster and more efficient for you to contact people and request a link.
In other words, pointing to a well-created infographic or other linkable product, such as research, is one of the most effective strategies to increase inbound links to your website.
Use this template;
Subject: Subject line
Hello, {first_name}
I just completed reading your [subject] article. Thank you for an excellent post! Shared with the staff at [your company name].
I loved how you said [insert article summary].
We’ve written a few in-depth articles about [subject], and our design team has created a fantastic infographic to accompany them!
Let me know if you want to have a look!
Thanks,
{Name}
#3. Guest blogging
Guest blogging is closely related to SEO, therefore we couldn’t leave it out.
So, guest blogging is an effective link-building outreach method.
It’s all about promoting yourself, increasing brand awareness, connecting with others, and forming collaborations.
Guest blogger outreach is the process of contacting people and requesting that you write a guest post on their site to build links for your brand and link partners.
This, as you might expect, is a win-win situation for all parties, as you get to market your brand while your prospects get to publish an SEO-optimized piece of content on their blog.
Use this template;
Subject: Subject line
Hey, {first_name}.
My name is {name}, and I work in {role} at {company name}—{information about the company}.
This may seem unexpected, but we decided to reach out because we are actively looking for guest posting possibilities.
We’ve been following your blog and believe we can bring value to the {organization} audience with an engaging and well-written guest post.
Everything we write is SEO-optimized and thoroughly researched.
We’ve published the following content on websites {website 1}, {website 2}, and {website 3}:
{The Title and URL 1}
{Title and URL 2}
{Title and URL 3}
Would you like to hear about some of the themes we have in mind for you?
Thanks,
{Name}
#4. Unlinked Brand Mentions
The fourth form of SEO outreach we must discuss is the outreach you would conduct in the situation of unlinked brand mentions.
When someone mentions you in one of their blog posts but doesn’t link back to you, you can contact them and politely request a link.
This one can arise naturally because the prospect already knows who you are and is likely familiar with your company.
Use this template;
Subject: Subject line
Hey, {first_name}.
My name is {name}, and I work in {role} at {company name}—{information about the company}.
I saw you mentioned us on {page URL} and wanted to thank you for the shout-out! I’ve already shared the post with the rest of the crew.
Could I ask you for a short favor?
I would appreciate it if you could include a link to our website in the section where you mention us.
This will allow any visitors interested in knowing more about us to go directly to our website.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do as a thank you.
Thanks,
[Name]
#5. Link Reclamation
Link reclamation, similar to the unlinked brand mentions we described before, is another reason why you should conduct some SEO outreach activity.
So, Link reclamation, as the name implies, is the process of attempting to recover a deleted link.
In other words, suppose someone offered you a link six months ago but it is no longer available, although the material is still relevant and your link would be ideal for the prospect’s post.
In that instance, all you need to do is leverage the power of email outreach to bring your link back into the game.
I guess I understand what you’re thinking right now.
How are you expected to know which links are no longer there?
Finding them can be incredibly time-consuming.
I hear you, however the process can be simpler than you think.
Read Also: SEO Monitoring for Beginners: Why It’s Crucial (And How to Get Started)
In truth, you could simply utilize the Ahrefs SEO tool, particularly their backlink checker:
As seen above, you can easily examine your backlink profile for lost links.
You can also specify a certain timeframe that you’d like to know about.
We searched for the past seven days.
Getting your results would most likely look like this:
You can go over the links you’ve lately lost and see which ones you believe are worth regaining.
Here’s a link reclamation email template you may use for just that.
Subject: Subject line
Hey, {first_name}.
My name is [name], and I work as a [job title] at {company name}—{about the company}.
Previously, you mentioned us on {page URL}. We sincerely appreciate it.
However, I’ve noticed that the link to our website was just removed.
Could I ask you for a small favor?
I would greatly appreciate it if you could replace the link.
Here is the page you originally linked back to: {lost link URL}.
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
[Name]
#6. Resource Pages
The sixth category, and one of the most popular for SEO outreach, is resource page.
This type focuses on communicating with and reaching out to prospects who have written content related to you and your business but may have overlooked mentioning you.
For example, it could be a guide that discusses a number of your competitors and is geared toward your target demographic.
In such a circumstance, we may completely reach out to them, explaining why we believe our company is worth inclusion and how it will help enrich their piece.
Use this template;
Subject: Subject line
Hello, {first_name}.
I wanted to briefly express my gratitude for your {url_title} resources post: {url}.
I thought you might be interested in including [your post/company/product].
[A phrase or two explaining the unique aspects of your pitch].
I’d be pleased to share your content with our [# of followers] social media followers to increase attention to the article.
I look forward to your response!
Thanks,
[Name]
#7. Roundups
Let’s take a look at another popular form of SEO outreach: roundups.
Roundups are all about gathering information on a specific issue and sharing it with your audience, which can include links to relevant sites or expert statements.
In other words, whether you want to arrange an expert roundup with experts in your sector expressing their thoughts on a specific topic or participate in link roundups that others have published, well-structured outreach efforts will be beneficial.
In all circumstances, you must reach out to people, engage with them, and clearly explain what your roundup is about and why you should be included in their link roundup.
Use this template;
Subject: Subject line
Hello, {first_name}.
My name is {name}, and I work in {role} at {company name}—{information about the company}.
I found you on a roundup post in which you participated a while ago.
{referring_url}
We’re putting up an expert collection post on [subject] and are looking to get some quotations from [industry] experts.
Would you be interested in participating?
Simply say yes, and I will email you {x} brief questions to respond to.
If you believe there is something vital to share, please do!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you!
[Name]
#8. Content and Brand Promotion
Our second-to-last type is content and brand promotion.
Content and brand marketing outreach is the practice of emailing a prospect and informing them about a piece of content you’ve produced or a service your company provides.
As we’ll see in the content promotion email template we’re sharing with you, such an outreach email is typically in response to something the prospect has recently written.
Use this template;
Subject: Subject line
Hey, {first_name}.
[Name] is from [Company].
I just completed reading your post about [subject]. I loved how you mentioned [insert article summary].
Also, I did notice, however, that your post does not provide a step-by-step guide on [subject].
We do have a detailed [kind of resource] on [subject].
Take a look:
{referring_url}
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
[Name]
#9. Content Partnerships
The final method of SEO outreach is through content collaborations.
Content partnership outreach is when you go out to others in your niche to create a relationship and discuss the possibilities of a collaboration between the two of you.
How many times have you assumed that cooperating with that influencer, blogger, or brand would benefit both you and the other side?
Writing a dynamic email to someone explaining why you’d make an excellent team in terms of the content you both create is a terrific approach to getting started on improving your SEO and increasing brand awareness.
Use this template;
Subject: Subject line
Hey, {first_name}.
I, [Name] is from [Company].
We’re incredibly impressed with your work on [subject].
We’re also into [subject].
I’m reaching out because we can help each other.
We are already creating linkages for a growing range of partners, and they are doing the same.
It’s a win-win situation, as you probably already know.
Would you like to discuss this further?
Please let me know, and we can work something out.
Thanks,
{Name}
Now that we’ve covered some of the most common types of SEO outreach, we can proceed with a step-by-step guide to starting a successful SEO outreach campaign.
Steps for Effective SEO Outreach
Step #1. Identify Your Goals
Before you begin your outreach activities, you must define your goals. Are you looking to raise your website’s domain authority, traffic, or brand visibility? Clear goals will direct your strategy and allow you to quantify success.
Example goals:
- Acquire ten high-quality backlinks within three months.
- Increase organic traffic by 20% within the following six months.
- Increase the domain authority of your website from 25 to 30.
Step #2. Find the Right Prospects
Finding the correct websites to reach out to is critical. You want to target websites that are relevant to your niche and have a high domain authority. Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush are useful tools for identifying prospective link chances.
How to Find Prospects:
- Competitor Analysis: Examine your rivals’ backlinks to identify websites that may be interested in linking to your material.
- material Research: Use tools such as BuzzSumo to discover popular material in your niche and identify sites that have linked to comparable content.
- Outreach Lists: Make a list of potential sites, including contact information and reasons why they might want to link to your content.
Step #3. Write an Effective Outreach Email
Your outreach email is your first impression, so make it count. Personalize each email, keep it succinct, and clearly explain the value of your information. Avoid unoriginal templates and instead focus on making a genuine connection.
Elements of an Effective Outreach Email:
- Personalization: Address the recipient by name and include relevant information about their website or workplace.
- Value Proposition: Explain how your material will assist their audience.
- Call to Action: Request a specific action, such as connecting to your content or working together on a project.
An Example Email:
Hello, [Name]
I recently discovered your paper on [Topic] and thought it really enlightening. I saw you mentioned [Related Topic], and I’d like to share an essay I authored that delves deeper into the subject. So, I believe it would be a good addition to your audience.
Here is the link: [URL].
I would love to hear your opinions!
Best wishes, [your name].
Step #4. Follow Up
Many outreach emails go ignored, so don’t become disheartened. Follow up gently after about a week. Persistence can pay off, but refrain from being aggressive or spammy.
Follow-Up Tip:
- Be Polite: Make sure your follow-up communications are kind and respectful.
- Add Value: Include supplementary information or updates to make your follow-up more compelling.
- Timing: Space your follow-up emails out to prevent overloading the recipient.
Step #5. Track and Measure Your Results
Tracking the effectiveness of your outreach initiatives is critical. Monitor your backlinks, traffic, and search rankings with tools such as Google Analytics and Ahrefs. Analyze what worked and what didn’t, and modify your strategy accordingly.
Metrics To Track:
- The number of backlinks acquired.
- Domain authority of linking sites
- Increase in organic traffic.
- Changes in search engine ranks.
SEO Outreach Campaign Tips for Success
When you invest so much effort into your SEO outreach activities, it’s understandable to want the finest outcomes possible. Here are a few tips to assist you in improving your SaaS or ecommerce link-building approach.
- Focus on quality, not quantity: Rather than attempting to obtain connections from a wide range of dubious websites, filter out and focus on the few reputable ones that will provide the most value to your site.
- Create material using original data that you have gathered yourself. You can create infographics, podcasts, white papers, and other unique content that others will want to connect back to.
- Maintain an active social media presence for your business and engage in forums. These sites can help you make valuable connections and find partnership opportunities.
- Conduct thorough research to determine which link-building techniques would be most effective for your organization. Not everything works for everyone. It is acceptable to experiment with different approaches.
- Keep track of all published links and material.
- After the links go live, you must track them to ensure that they remain active.
- You can use SEO tools like Semrush or Ahrefs Alerts to look for missing links.
- Work on reestablishing lost connections by doing more outreach efforts.
Can My Business Conduct SEO Outreach?
Your company can undertake SEO outreach as long as it has a solid procedure in place for selecting the correct links, placing them on external websites, and tracking their performance. However, because it is a scientific link-building strategy that necessitates a tactical approach, many firms prefer to work with an expert SEO outreach service.
Are Outbound Links Useful for SEO Outreach?
Outbound links are an essential component of SEO outreach. Incorporating outbound links into your content helps search engines comprehend what the page is about. It also provides value to the page by directing consumers to useful resources that answer their search queries. The goal is to provide outbound links to relevant and authoritative pages.
How Many Outbound Links Are Excessive for My Content?
Outbound links can help boost topical relevance and authority, but cluttering your material with them reduces the value of your own link. There is no clear rule for how many links are too many, but a decent starting point is to evaluate your rivals’ material and look at the average amount of links contained.
Conclusion
SEO outreach is an effective approach for increasing quality backlinks and search engine rankings. By following these procedures and using the appropriate tools, you can design powerful outreach programs that produce results. Have you ever tried SEO outreach before? What were your challenges, and how did you overcome them? Let’s continue the conversation in the comments section.
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