How to Build Links, Increase Traffic and Exposure

Searching for a way to steadily build links every week while increasing traffic and exposure? Get your content published on other Web sites.

This marketing technique has been successfully used in print publications and works even better online. Here’s how to streamline the process.

First, set a specific goal of how many unique pieces to get published every week or month. It’s important to start small so you don’t feel overwhelmed and can make sure all the resources are in place.

A specific goal keeps everyone focused. Once the process is flowing smoothly, increase the targeted goals.

Hire a Writer

Unless you’re a passionate writer with a lot of free time, hire a professional writer. This will save time, keep things focused, and make it easier to scale. It’s also key to streamlining the process.

This could be a professional freelance writer or someone in-house. If you plan to hire a freelancer, make sure the person is knowledgeable of your industry. Tip: find an unemployed, or underpaid, industry journalist.

I won’t even get into the debate about whether your writer should ghost write for you or be listed as a company representative. That’s a decision your company needs to make.

Hire an Editor

Another way to streamline the process of selecting a writer is to hire an editor to review the writing samples. They can narrow down your choices based on the writer’s engagement, voice, and writing ability.

An editor will also be essential if you want to get published on high-quality Web sites. Everyone’s writing needs to be fine-tuned.

Where to Publish

Guest blog postings are a good place to start. These types of postings can deliver good traffic and exposure. Search for niche blogs that cover your industry or demographics.

Article sites are another place to get published. I’m not talking about the free for all sites. Find the ones that review the work, make editorial changes, and rank well in search engines. Buzzle.com is an example of this.

Knowledge sites are great. This could range from Work.com to Squidoo lens.

Let’s take the example of Work.com. Aaron Wall created a piece on Work.com about learning search engine optimization. It ranks number one in Google! That’s with Google personalized search turned off. If it’s worth the time for an industry expert like Aaron to create this page — trust me, it’s worth your time.

What to Write About?

You want to get as much traffic and exposure from this as possible. Design your content based on what people are searching for. If you don’t already subscribe to a paid keyword research tool, check out the free versions such as Google’s Adword Keyword Tool, WordTracker and Keyword Discovery.

Use common sense with these tools. They’re only estimates. Look for those terms that suggest people are searching for an answer to something (e.g., “how to,” “how do I,” “learn,” “advice,” “fix,” and “repair”).

Another starting point for content designed for consumers: ask your sales and customer services staff about questions commonly asked. Discussion forums and e-mail list are another great place to find topics.

Take it to the Next Level

Once you’re comfortable with this strategy and confident in your writer, take it to a whole new level. Start focusing time on getting published in professional publications and industry sites. These include industry organizations, journals, magazines, and top tier blogs. It may take months before you get something accepted — yet it will be worth it.

Getting your company’s content published on third-party sites is a great way to build links and increase exposure and branding. Remember, good link building is just good marketing.