There’s No Shame in One-Way Link Building

Despite what they told you in elementary school, there is no shame in one-way link building. In fact, link building is a very important aspect of any search engine optimization campaign, and one-way links are most essential. A quality link should be effective, efficient, and last longer than swallowed chewing gum.


There used to be a time where reciprocal links were all you needed to get ranked well, but these days it helps to build a quality stable of one-way links for your site. One-way links are harder to track, manage, and sometimes to even initiate, but they get your site ranked higher in a shorter period of time.

Swapping links, in the eyes of Google, is easier to do. Google sees this as you swapping with old college buddies or that guy who bought you a shot at the last conference. But one-way links are people who are your fans, followers, and someone who thinks you are authoritative or who needs to be listened to. There are several ways to develop one-way links without embarrassing yourself or your mother. Here are five examples:

1. Blogging

It isn’t the first time you’ve heard it and it won’t be the last: Blogging is beneficial. If and when you blog, you should concentrate on relevant topics in your industry and niche, create relationships with other well-respected bloggers within said niche, and encourage discussions around your blog posts. Continue to nurture those relationships with newsletters and emails. Seed conversations with comments on their blogs. Review their products.

2. Press Releases

This is a very effective way to increase your online visibility. A properly written and distributed press release gets your news in front of a massive audience. This increases the visibility of your website, your brand, your professional profile, and, hopefully, your profits.

3. Article Marketing

Article marketing provides two types of benefits: contextual links back to your website and authority on whatever topic you write about. Articles need to be relevant, informative, and helpful.

4. Directories

Don’t submit to any and all directories. They have reputations too, you know. In fact, the more discriminating the directory site, the better ranking you will receive. The more respected the directory, the higher the standards. Meet those standards and you will benefit.


5. Videos

Post videos on video sites like YouTube and Vimeo and gain the link back to your site. But just like article marketing, your videos need to be relevant, informative, and helpful. Videotape your business performing community service, how-to videos for your services, etc. These will get links and visitors that are genuinely interested in your business.

These five ways to create one-way links are respectable and effective. You can develop a solid one-way link building strategy that will promote your website laterally through online media and help give you the rankings you are striving for.