Updated 12/26/2024
Link building is a classic SEO tactic that helps companies improve their rank. But, it’s only effective when implemented correctly.
There are all kinds of link-building myths out there, and even more people simply don’t know how to use link-building techniques properly.
It’s not as complicated as you might think to figure out. All you need is a bit of guidance in the right direction.
Here are five link building mistakes to avoid when working on your SEO strategy.
Five Rookie Link Building Mistakes to Avert
Neglecting to Implement an Internal Linking Strategy
One of the most avoidable yet prominent link building mistakes beginners make is undervaluing a solid internal link structure.
Internally linking relevant pages to one another within your site is a crucial part of an effective link-building strategy.
SEO Benefits of Internal Linking
There are many SEO benefits of a well-crafted internal linking structure.
Benefits include:
Improved site navigation and user experience:
By linking relevant pages to one another, site visitors will be encouraged to explore more content on your website, increasing their engagement time and thus improving their user experience.
Helps search engines crawl your site.
Internal links enable search engine crawlers to find, index, and understand all the pages on your website, helping your content be seen by those who are searching for what you offer.
Distributes link authority:
When you link to a page from another page on your site, you pass “link juice,” or link authority, which can help that page rank higher in search results.
This means that a page that earned backlinks and is recognized by Google as a page of value can now impart its link authority to other internal pages it links to.
To learn more about implementing an internal linking strategy properly, check out this article from Backlinko.
Building Too Slow
Don’t be the business owner who spends an hour placing a few links on their site and thinking their work is done. You can’t expect to see results from this; you have to keep working on your link-building over time.
The more consistently you do this, the better. There’s no sense in waiting around to see a few results. It’s better to build quickly now and to leverage that growth moving forward.
Trying Not to Build “Too Fast”
Sometimes, it’s not that you want to build slowly but that you don’t want to build too fast.
In reality, there’s no such thing as building too fast.
Companies flagged for this in the past didn’t get penalized for their link-building. They were flagged because the quality of the content they were linking to didn’t meet Google’s standards.
Google knows link spam when it sees it, but it won’t hurt you to generate a robust amount of organic growth. After all, that’s the point!
Assuming Every Link Is Permanent
Another thing to think about is broken links.
A good link-building tool isn’t just useful for creating more links back to your site or other pages of your site. It’s also great to identify the links that aren’t working anymore.
The last thing you want is to spend so much time building out your links only to have some lead users to redirect errors. This is a turn-off to your audience and doesn’t put you in good standing with Google, either.
Forgetting to Use Outbound Links
Last but not least, remember it’s not all about you. Make an effort to include outbound links to authoritative sites in your link-building strategy, too.
This shows users you know what’s going on in your industry and that you keep up with trends and updates as new things emerge.
If your business is locally dependent on its clientele, remember to incorporate local link-building strategies as well.
More so, it tells Google you’re doing things right.
Companies that only use internal links are just scratching the surface of link building. Those with a balance of outbound and internal links are more likely to rank higher.
Sidestepping Link Building Mistakes for SEO Success
Whether you’re just starting out building links for your business in an old-school style, using a link builder tool, or want to improve your current strategy, you must remember the above tips for SEO success.
Here’s another good tip: Don’t be afraid to consult with SEO professionals.
You don’t have to take on the search world on your own.
We’re here to help you navigate these rough waters and avoid potential link building mistakes.
Contact us for help with link building, reputation management, local SEO, and more.
