When one of the leading experts in the SEO industry admitted over a year ago that "quality link building is hard," you know it's tough! More than ever, Google expects inbound links to be 100% by-the-book, natural and high quality. Sometimes though, there are high quality, natural link building tactics sitting right under your nose just there for the taking. This talk will provide numerous suggestions specifically aimed at online product sellers and eCommerce website owners, hopefully leaving you with a ton of ideas for Google-friendly link building in 2014 and beyond! Steve Morgan is a freelance SEO consultant trading as Morgan Online Marketing. Having worked agency-side and in-house for 4.5 years, in May 2013 he decided to go self-employed. He runs a blog about SEO called SEOno in his spare time.

1. Google-Friendly Link Building
Tactics For Online Sellers
Thursday 20th February 2014
Steve Morgan
morganonlinemarketing.co.uk

2. Meet
Danny
Sullivan
“Believe me, I know that quality link building is hard.”
(Quote source: http://searchengineland.com/link-building-means-earning-hard-links-not-easy-links-123767)
(Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chiropractic/7158937439/)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

3. …And it’s getting harder…
• Google Penguin
(Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/antarcticabound/5220534077/)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

4. …And harder…
• Unnatural link penalties & the disavow tool
@steviephil
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5. The moral of the story?
Your inbound link profile should be
100% by-the-book!
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

6. I know, it’s daunting…
…but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible
(Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/45195228@N05/4553277701/)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

7. Google-friendly Link Building
• Outlining a strategy…
• Think of everything you do
(not just as a business,
but as individuals)
• Sometimes there are link building
opportunities sitting right under your
nose…
(Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/caroslines/771414038/)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

8. Google-friendly Link Building
Giveaways
Competitions
Brands’ Sites
Associations
Product-specific Sites
Guides
Charities
PR
Interlinking
Sponsorship
Guest Blogging
Other Domains
Mentions Without Links
Blogging
Testimonials
404 Pages
Blog Commenting
Certifications
Forum Contributions
Social Profiles
@steviephil
Suppliers
April Fools/Joke Pages
#OSWCardiff

9. Associations
Impact?
High
Easy?
Yes (if applicable)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

10. Certifications
Impact?
High
Easy?
Kind of…
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

11. Charities
Impact?
High
Easy?
Kind of…
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

12. Sponsorship
Impact?
Medium
Easy?
Yes (if applicable)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

13. Competitions & Giveaways
Impact?
High
Easy?
Kind of…
From: http://www.koozai.com/blog/branding/using-competitions-for-increased-traffic-links-and-brand-awareness/
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

14. Brands’ Sites
Impact?
High
Easy?
Yes (if
applicable)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

15. Brands’ Sites
Impact?
High
Easy?
Yes (if
applicable)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

16. (Image source:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dakotilla/2099623043/)
Product-specific Sites
Impact?
Medium to High
Easy?
Kind of…
Musical Instruments
(Other Instruments)
(Other Drum
Accessories)
@steviephil
Drums
Drumsticks
#OSWCardiff

17. Suppliers
Impact?
Medium
Easy?
Yes
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

18. Testimonials
Impact?
Medium to High
Easy?
Yes
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

19. Testimonials
Impact?
Medium to High
Easy?
Yes
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

20. Other Domains
Impact?
High
Easy?
Yes
other-domain-you-own-A.co.uk
another-domain-you-own-B.net
301
yourmainsite.co.uk
yet-another-domain-you-own-C.com
(Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/creative_stock/3400669616/)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

21. Mentions
Without
Links
Impact?
Varies
Easy?
Sort of…
Some Google Alerts alternatives:
• Talkwalker
• Fresh Web Explorer (by Moz)
• mention
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

22. Interlinking
Impact?
Medium
Easy?
Yes
morganonlinemarketing.co.uk
seono.co.uk
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

23. Double-check Social Profiles
Impact?
Low
Easy?
Yes!
(So easy…!)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

24. Creative/Funny 404 Pages
Impact?
Medium
Easy?
Yes…
(Image sources:
http://econsultancy.com/blog/9525-16-creative-404pages-to-inspire-you-to-overhaul-yours)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

25. April Fools /
Joke Pages
producten.hema.nl
Impact?
High
Easy?
Yes… well…
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

26. Hopefully you’ve learnt something new…
(Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/english106/4357529719/)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

27. …But if not, then…!
(Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/meginsanity/7397313124/)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

28. Anchor text in 2014
• Joe Bloggs
• Joe Bloggs Ltd
• joebloggs.co.uk

• Exact match: e.g.
buy [something] online

• “…See our range of
[somethings] today!”

(Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aurelienbreeden/5933138565/)
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff

29. Anchor text in 2014
click here
Joe Bloggs
joebloggs.co.uk
John Doe (employee)
Visit Website
Joe Bloggs
Joe Bloggs Ltd

JB’s range of…
www.joebloggs.co.uk
http://www.joebloggs.co.uk
buy something online
buy something
buy something
buy something online
buy something online
buy something online
buy something
buy something online
buy something online
buy something online
@steviephil
#OSWCardiff


30. @steviephil
(Image source:
http://www.hallaminternet.com/2013/moz-skydiving/)
Moz T-shirt
Giveaway!
#OSWCardiff

31. Thank you!
My blog: SEOno.co.uk
Twitter: @steviephil
morganonlinemarketing.co.uk
(Almost) all images used via Creative Commons
@steviephil
licence
#OSWCardiff