Love it or hate it, link building is one of the most effective strategies for increasing online exposure. But like many other practices, link building has been associated with a number of myths.
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Here’s a look at a few of the prevailing myths:
- Myth # 1: You will be penalized for reciprocal linking – Many people worry that search engines will punish them for reciprocal linking. If you’re building a link farm, yes, that is the case. However, legitimate sites sharing legitimate link love is just fine.
- Myth # 2: Don’t get links from pages with low domain authority – Some marketing agencies spend too much time focusing on link opportunities from high domain authority sites only. While a high DA site is nice, it’s not required. Think about it… every site isn’t going to be a Wikipedia-level DA. In the real world, most sites are just average. In the days of Google PageRank, most sites were just a 1-3. A 4+ PR was all the rage. But if your industry warrants sites that are mostly “low domain authority” then it’s equally (if not more) important to get a low DA link from a relevant site as it is to get a link from an unrelated high domain authority site.
- Myth # 3: You should not add links too quickly – The prevailing belief is that you will be penalized if you acquire too many links in too fast a fashion. This is not necessarily true. Google Penguin may penalize a website for a link velocity that spikes with too many spammy or low-quality links. But if you stick with high-caliber links acquired through press, exposure, or going viral then you don’t need to worry about how quickly you acquire them.
With link building, you get what you pay for. Consult with a reputable SEO firm to get advice on link building. It’s a powerful tool, but it can backfire if you use it improperly.