Learn how to scale your link marketing strategy to build your traffic, exposure and rankings. Here are the steps to get things started.
First I’m going to assume you already have a link marketing strategy you want to scale. If not, many traditional marketing and public relations strategies can be converted into a link marketing plan. If you’re still looking for ideas here’s a starting point.
Map Out Strategy
First, map out your strategy into the major steps and components. This will allow you to see the big picture, and help to make each step more manageable. If your strategy is complicated it will also aid in seeing any possible oversights or potential problems.
Break Down Each Step
Next, break down each step into smaller parts, or processes. While doing this, take notes to use for a training manual.
Here’s an example. Let’s say your link strategy includes the need to develop some type of relationship with other sites – whether it’s partnerships, people to interview, or general outreach. One task is to put together a list of possible sites. Another separate task is a more in depth evaluation of each site.
Why separate the two?
Finding sites is time consuming, and the first evaluation should be limited to a few basic parameters. That way that person can focus on finding more sites.
Evaluating sites is more analytical. That’s where the person would take into account things such as a detailed backlink profile, and user demographics. Then a decision needs to be made about whether the site is a good fit for your strategy.
Once the task is broken down into smaller parts it will be easier to hire and train people for each specific task, thereby making it easier to scale.
Doing this allows you to assign the task to the person best suited for it – producing better results. Someone good at finding sites may not be as good at the critical analysis. The person establishing a relationship with a site may not be good on the analytical side.
While some will disagree with this, and want one person for everything, the goal here is to scale a link strategy. Having one person is effective, but harder to scale.
Test It
Next carry out each step of the process while taking detailed notes for the training manual. This will reveal any problems and unforeseen obstacles.
Manual and Checklist
Once you’ve successfully tested your strategy create a training manual. Without a manual it will be difficult to scale. Plus over time people forget things, or overlook them. Having a reference manual helps to ensure quality work.
Checklist are another important tool to help scale and maintain quality over time. As time passes people overlook or forget aspects of training. Having people work with a checklist reduces this, improve efficiencies, and speeds up the training time.
By following the above steps you are ready to start implementing your link marketing strategy, and scale it up.