Link building has been a staple of digital marketing. However, since Google’s first Penguin algorithm update in 2012, the power of spammy links has significantly declined over the years. Some digital marketers have taken this as a sign that link building, especially mass linking, is dead.
They couldn’t be more wrong.
Links Are Still Important
In penalizing spammy or unnatural linking practices, Google has put greater emphasis on relevant links. As the core of Google’s original search algorithm, links remain among the ranking factors that the search engine considers important—only now, some links are more valuable than others. Link acquisition, however, has become more difficult; digital marketers can no longer simply create links via automated processes. Still, following recommended linking practices is worth all the effort to stay in Google’s favor.
Content Does Not Automatically Create Links
Great content may go viral, but a 2015 study has pointed out that social shares do not necessarily translate into links. As your content is replaced by newer viral articles and videos, it eventually grows stale and becomes more difficult to find. Solid links ensure that your content continues to be discoverable. Awesome content only makes link building easier; not automatic.
What to Do About It
Because links serve as a foundation for search, they shouldn’t be ignored. Google has just made it harder to take shortcuts in digital marketing. Since not even great content can guarantee links, brands must get in touch with authoritative websites, such as news sites and respectable bloggers, for articles and links. The process may take much time and resources, but the effort will pay off in dividends.
Just as it is abroad, blogs serve as valuable avenues for link building and digital marketing in the Philippines. For companies that have neither a database of blog contacts in the country nor the time to make one, enlisting a digital marketing partner with a wide network is recommended. See how blog marketing can help with exposure and link building.
