This article will explain how in-content links will help your SEO and how you employ these links in your SEO strategy. You may have found many other such guides, mostly filled with unnecessary filling just to satisfy Google. This guide serves you, as a possible purchaser of in-content links, and us, the provider of in-content links. After reading this guide, you can utilise in-content links completely (and possible decide to check our options!)
What are in-content links?
In-content links are hyperlinks embedded within the body of textual content on a webpage, seamlessly integrated into the context of the information. For example, this is an in-content link about linkbuiding with directories, which is another branch of links that are specifically relevant for the Netherlands. The key is that the anchor matches the sentence and provides a natural source of extra information. Generally, commercial backlinks don’t work, such as WTF Webhosting for cheap public hosting try now!!!!1.
An link insertion is a value exchange, you have to provide value in some way to have your link inserted:
- Backlink. You exchange backlinks in a A>B and C>D set up that doesn’t connect the sites in any way. See our guide for link exchange.
- Tip. This is a type of outreach that only really works with unexperienced website owners. You tip them on a broken link, an outdated link or a better source (you!). The expectation that they will fall off their chair from gratitude and eagerly place your backlink is, however, outdated.
- Money. You pay, they place. Costs range from $ 50 just for the effort and time spend on email, t0 $ 500 and far beyond.
What makes an in-content link interesting for SEO?
In-content links are valuable for SEO as they provide contextually relevant connections between pages, improving overall website visibility and authority. They contribute to a natural and informative user experience. Check for the following:
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- The website is not just for SEO, but represents a real business with people behind it. Check the about us page and contact page. See if you can actually buy a product or get into contact. If this is not the case, it’s likely an SEO website.
- The website has traffic. Use Ahrefs traffic checker. A well-placed in-content link on a site with traffic can actually bring valuable traffic to you.
- The website has interesting backlinks. There are many tools for this, use for example the free Openlink Profiler.
- The website has topical relevance for you. There has to be a logical connection to place a backlink to your website or brand.
- The website offers value to visitors. Quality content! Visitors can find answers to their questions, look up specifics and be helped on their way. This means Google will keep sending organic traffic in the future.
- The page has traffic. Only the paid version of Ahrefs Traffic Checker will tell you this.
- The page has backlinks. Use a tool like SE Ranking Backlink Checker for this, you can also easily find internal backlinks with this tool.
…When should you skip an in-content link?
You might skip an in-content link if it feels forced, irrelevant, or if the linking website has low credibility. Overusing or misusing in-content links can harm SEO efforts. Watch out for these signs:
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- The website has no clear business behind it;
- The website has no traffic;
- The website is not relevant to you;
- The website offers no value to anyone;
- The website uses spam words that trigger Google in a bad way: Guest blog, guest blog guidelines, write for us, submit your guest post, publish your article etc.
Don’t let DA/PA, TF/CF or DR guide you when looking for backlinks. These are metrics that are easily manipulated via a Fiverr gig. The same applies for number of backlinks or number of linking domains.
Where do in-content links fit in the overall SEO strategy?
In-content links play a crucial role in the broader SEO strategy by enhancing internal linking, improving page authority, and signaling the relevance and quality of content to search engines. Specifically, in-content links:
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- Enrich your backlink profile with relevant backlinks coming from real sites with traffic;
- Diversify your backlink profile with a different type of links, one that is generally expected by Google.
What are typical pitfalls to look out for?
Common pitfalls include over-optimization, irrelevant linking, or relying solely on in-content links. Ensuring links are natural, diverse, and genuinely enhance user experience is essential. These are some common pitfalls:
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- Picking your backlinks solely based on SEO metrics. These don’t mean much. Go for relevance to your business and traffic.
- Going for an in-content link that is not relevant. So what the SEO metrics look great, or the website actually has a lot of traffic. If there is no relevance your own website, the backlink won’t do much.
- The page or blog is not user-friendly. In the end, it’s always about the users. If the page or blog that will feature your backlink is not providing them with any value, the page is useless to visitors and therefor useless to Google.
What does providing in-content links mean for publishers?
For publishers, providing in-content links means an extra source of income. It’s basically a new product, next to partner links, directory links and sponsored content with or without writing the text. In-content links are easily placed, meaning the process of fulfilling an order goes faster.
Additionally, in-content links provide a separation in the content process. The production and publication of interesting articles can be optimized and streamlined, as well as the order process.
How do you find opportunities to place in-content links?
Opportunities for in-content links can be found through various ways:
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- Prospect research. Do a Google Search on your keywords and scrape all the listed websites in Google.nl with a tool, like SEOQuake or SE Ranking for example. You can use these tools to analyse the prospects traffic, backlinks, organic keywords, main ranking pages etc.
- Check your competition’s backlink profile. And then check the most interesting backlinks: are these in-content links? Does this website offers this directly as a service that you could purchase?
- Contacting website owners. Contact websites that may be interested in placing an in-content link. Either use the contact options on the websites or use a tool like Hunter.io to automate. You may first try sponsored content, and then ask for a cheaper option such as in-content link.
- Negogiate. Don’t haggle too much, you are not the first one to contact them. Just because it takes a minute to place your link doesn’t mean your link should be for free. The value is in the website’s relevance and traffic, which took a lot of time and effort (and budget) to build. They are now capitalising on that. In the end you want a quick, super-relevant backlink, and a link-insertion is a cheaper way for that. Any seasoned website owner will see right through your pity party or no-more-budget approach.
- Platforms. A growing number of platforms are offering the possibility to select and easily order your in-content links. And Blossom your Content started doing this in 2024, check it out!
Link-insertion can fall into either category:
White Hat SEO
- Contextual relevance: If links are inserted naturally within the context of the content and provide value to users, it is generally considered white hat.
- User value: White hat link-insertion focuses on enhancing the user experience by providing relevant and helpful information through links.
Ethical practices: Following search engine guidelines and ethical practices, such as disclosing sponsored content or using “nofollow” attributes when necessary, contributes to white hat SEO.
Black Hat SEO
- Manipulative tactics: If links are inserted in a manipulative manner solely for the purpose of influencing search engine rankings, it may be considered black hat.
- Low-quality links: Inserting links on low-quality or irrelevant websites, engaging in link schemes, or using automated tools to create links can be deemed black hat.
- Violating guidelines: Any practice that violates search engine guidelines and aims to exploit loopholes in the algorithms for quick gains is likely black hat.
Note that search engines, like Google, continually update their algorithms to combat black hat practices. Websites that engage in black hat SEO may face penalties, including lower rankings or being removed from search engine results altogether. Therefore, it’s advisable to focus on white hat SEO strategies for long-term success and sustainability.
The choice between SEO keywords, brand keywords, or generic phrases like ‘click here’ depends on your specific goals and the context of your content. Using relevant SEO keywords can enhance your content’s visibility in search engine results and attract targeted organic traffic. Avoid over-optimization, as this can lead to a poor user experience.
Incorporating brand keywords can reinforce your brand identity, improve brand recognition, and generally face less competition than generic terms. This approach is particularly beneficial for online reputation management.
Generic phrases like ‘click here’ may lack specificity and could be less effective in terms of SEO. It’s crucial to strike a balance between incorporating keywords for search engine visibility and using brand keywords to strengthen your brand presence. Ultimately, the choice should align with your overall content strategy and the preferences of your target audience.
Typically, yes, the link-insertion will be placed indefinately. But that depends:
- How did you get the link-insertion? If it was a tip, than a better tip will easily replace you. If you paid for it, however, you can state permanent placement as a buying criteria.
- The market or industy. In gambling, for example, competition is tight and prices can be dependent on the length of placement.
Approach the percentage of backlinks from link-insertion with a focus on quality and relevance rather than adhering to a specific percentage. It’s crucial to maintain a diverse backlink profile by acquiring links from various sources, including reputable websites, industry-related platforms, and niche-specific avenues.
Prioritize natural link-building methods, emphasizing the creation of high-quality content and meaningful contributions to your industry or community. While link-insertion can be a legitimate strategy, an overreliance on it may raise concerns with search engines. Striking a balance between link-insertion and other white hat SEO practices is key.
Place importance on the quality of backlinks, valuing high-quality and relevant links over sheer quantity. Including a mix of link types, such as editorial links and contextual links within content, contributes to a more natural and trustworthy backlink profile.