Search engine optimization has become a non-negotiable in the business world, and one heavily touted strategy linked to SEO is link building. It’s best for gaining brand visibility and expertise online and for good reason—it works. In comparison to other online marketing strategies, link building has constantly played the role of a reliable targeted traffic generator, and it has helped countless brands build a name. Despite its powerful capabilities, however, link building remains shrouded in myths and misconceptions, most of which fuel the backlash from those who only deign to use it. 

Bear in mind that while philosophy claims that there is no such thing as black and white, link building prompts you to choose between white and black hat link building. Its negative reputation likely comes from those companies practicing black hat, earning them the dreaded Google penalty. 

To make the most of your digital marketing resources, however, it’s best to gain a little more knowledge about link building. To begin here are the three most common link building myths, all of which you should stop practicing:

Myth 1: Guest posting only entails negativity 

Plenty of people insist that guest posting is dead, but the notion is a far cry from reality. Search engines are not designed to punish you for guest posting, especially in highly relevant and traffic-generating publications. This helps market your business and credibility in the best possible way, as it benefits all parties involved. 

While it’s true that spamming your links will lead to a waste of resources, understand that guest posting, particularly quality guest posting, will help improve brand awareness and visibility. It can also increase your other digital marketing strategies but bear in mind that guest posting should always be done with a purpose. If you only participate in guest posting to build links, you’re missing the point. 

Myth 2: Link building should only be about links 

While link building is heavily regarded for its capacity to increase the volume of traffic into your links, its power transcends beyond just that. You’ll have the power to increase your brand’s visibility, boost awareness, and above all, support your authority, reputation, and overall brand value. 

That said, make sure to approach link building as a means to build relationships with other websites. It’s more than just simply working to acquire links—as the name suggests, you need to build. By reaching out to other brands, you can build partnerships that can last. 

Myth 3: Trusting in Wikipedia and .edu sites is enough 

Most brands believe that linking Wikipedia can do wonders for their content—if you manage to build a single link from a Wikipedia page, for instance, Google will begin to favor you without hesitation. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. Wikipedia, or other .edu sites, do not exist to solve all your SEO issues. 

Incorporating these sites won’t magically award you higher ranks, despite their authoritative ranking power. They’re ranked by Google just like any other website, so never use them as the foundation of your SEO campaigns. The best way to ensure good ranking is to simply diversify—that said, never neglect other types of backlinks!

Participate in White Hat Strategies That Provide Long Term SEO value

As you begin sorting out your SEO campaigns, remember this one crucial fact: link building works. These prevalent link building myths can bring your campaigns and effort into a halt, however, one that can hurt your brand of ever succeeding. In an age where information is readily available, however, sorting the truth from misconceptions can be difficult. Keep these myths in mind, participate in white hat strategies, and above all, spread the truth about link building.

About The Stack Group

The Stack Group is a reputable SEO company in Massachusetts.  As an agency dedicated to helping small businesses succeed, we’ll help you gain access to be the best digital marketing strategies available. With over 15 years of experience, we’ll help you rank, gain visibility, and above all, thrive in this unpredictable digital environment.