
If you were to ask an SEO what the hardest part of their job is - most would reply: link building. It’s one of those tasks that, whilst being super-important in order to get good rankings on Google, it involves a whole range of skills that don’t quite align with many of the more technical skills most SEO’s will have. 

Whilst I've been working as an <a href="https://matttutt.me/" target="blank">independent SEO consultant</a> for nearly 10 years, link building is one of those tasks I really love, but almost requires me to activate another part of my brain. It requires creativity, research, optimism, enthusiasm, anticipation, and a whole range of other emotions, patience being a massive part of the process too.

And as most decent SEO's out there will tell you links are extremely important if you want your website to be found on Google, it's probably a surprise that there aren't more SEO's offering link building as part of their own remit. 

To add to this, lots of businesses fall into the trap of thinking that you can outsource link building without any further thought, and that it’s just another task to tick off the marketing to-do list. 

In this article we want to explain the dangers of doing this, and the ways in which you can at least consider outsourcing your backlink building without it coming back to bite you on your backside. 

## Why outsource link building in the first place?

In simple terms it's no different to hiring a specialist to do a job for you - if you can find a genuine agency or consultant that specialises in building links, generating brand exposure, improving your digital PR, or however else you want to define it, it seems like a win-win situation. You get the expertise and skills of the service provider, who in turn will help you to get those links you need to boost your organic rankings and traffic, whilst the service provider gets paid handsomely for their role in the process. 

If you own a small business that doesn't have access to SEO specialists that offer link building services then it's natural you might start to look for businesses that do offer link building services. It might be that an SEO consultant has advised you following a link audit that you need better coverage online to boost your organic rankings, so you end up beginning that search for those elusive link builders.
In typical SEO consultant style, whilst they might be very happy to tell you about your link problem, not many SEO’s are actually willing to get down into the nitty-gritty and help you to solve that link problem (cough, apart from myself, cough).

## How to find genuine, good link builders online

If you do start looking around online for people or agencies that offer link building then you need to be super careful about who you pick to work with. So much money gets wasted on this area of SEO and you wouldn't want the same to happen to you. Here are a few things you should look for when finding good quality link builders online:

# 1 - Do they have any good references?

This is a common one but if you're beginning your search from scratch then perhaps you have no references available. Double check by asking around in your network to see if someone can recommend a good link builder or agency that specialises in helping to build brands online. Try to find someone that has worked with a connection of yours and has had good results. Don't blindly believe any unsolicited recommendations or (even-worse!) fall for any of those spam emails that everyone seems to get on a nearly daily basis offering link building/selling links (or is it just me that gets those?).

# 2 - What results have they achieved for other businesses?

Don't allow yourself to be blinded by the promise of a link placed on the likes of the BBC.com or TheGuardian.com. Whilst those might be huge publications which carry a lot of authority, ultimately you want to find a service provider that will put your link in front of your intended target audience - not going after broad coverage just for the sake of it. Whilst sometimes that might still be classed as a great link, many times it’s best to go more specific. It's usually better to get a link from a site that might result in actual sales or enquiries for your business vs a link that only generates "impressions" or page views, unless that is the actual goal of the business that has hired you. 

Ideally you want to get links that bring referral traffic - where people are actually clicking it to visit your page as it's of real interest to them. No links just for the sake of them.
Any agency or link builder worth their salt will understand this and should be communicating it clearly on their website, with regard to the results they've achieved for past clients. That might include metrics like:

- Links placed (total count)
- Links placed by website type
- Links placed by website category
- Traffic generated by links obtained
- Transactions completed from links obtained

# 3 - What does their onboarding process look like?

This might be an odd question to ask before you've started to work with them but it's a good one to get a nice feel for how the relationship may progress, and whether or not it will be a valuable experience or not. For me, before even thinking of helping a client to acquire links, I need to sit down with them and go through a bit of a “business-data-download”. I need to understand how their business works, the types of clients they target, how clients sign up with them. In general, anything that might help me to understand them better at the initial stage of the relationship. This is especially true if it's a business that operates in an industry I've not worked in before. Ultimately with this data I can probably begin to pick up ideas as to the types of coverage that might be worthwhile for them. 

If a link builder says there's no such onboarding process, and that all they need is your website address and the funds to get started, then to me there would be loud alarm bells ringing. It sounds like they're just going to be winging it and not actively putting in the extra effort I feel is required to get good lasting results in the current market. 

# 4 - What kind of campaigns have they run previously?

This relates to point #2 above but in this case we'd specifically be asking to see examples of the campaigns that had been run for past clients. That might involve sharing the pages in which links were obtained for the client, so you can see the manner in which the link was placed and to better understand the context. A popular form of link building is that of data based research, which later gets pitched to relevant journalists and industry publications. This is a good practice, as it might help you to pick up on whether the link builder in question will be doing what I'd call long-term link building vs shortcut link building. 

An example of a shortcut link might be someone simply spamming the comments section of a blog with links to your site (a terrible idea and something you shouldn't ever be paying for!), or they might be paying a blog to insert an article that talks about your business and includes a link back to your site. That's likely another terrible idea as the site in question is selling links, something that is officially against Google's webmaster guidelines and could result in your site getting penalised in the search results. When you find a site that sells links in this way they're likely doing it at quite some scale and will inevitably get caught out by Google at some point down the line.

With this question you're looking to see the effort that has gone into running these campaigns. Lots of effort = good, it's probably a safe, evergreen link method with little or no risk to your business. Low effort = bad, it might be something that either has no benefit to your website or could result in some kind of penalty from Google (aka not worth the risk).

# 5 - Have they worked with clients in your industry before - and do they currently?

There can be a conflict of interest if you begin to work with an agency or link builder that is already working with a rival company of yours. If they are happy to accept you whilst working with that client then it might not be the sign of a very ethical agency or one with your best interests at heart. 

Asking to hear how they've worked with a client in your industry in the past can be a great way to learn about the results they've obtained and to hear about those publications where they might have landed previous coverage. You'd probably know first-hand whether those publications are the kinds that your target customer or demographic reads, which really is going to be key to a successful link building campaign.  

# 6 - How do they decide upon the keywords to be tracking during the campaign?

This is where there might be some overlap with the SEO consultant or agency that you’re working with currently. You’d want to be in agreement as to the keywords you feel are important for your business, those you’ve decided that you should be ranking higher for on Google. 

Some businesses might know these weak spots and want to improve them, but many will want the opinion of an SEO expert who can, after careful keyword research, determine those that are relevant to your business and which have a healthy search volume associated with them.

Once you have decided upon those keywords you’d need to ensure someone is tracking the rankings for them - which is where a rank tracker like Nozzle comes into play. It’s important to ask the link builder about how (or if) they plan on making use of these keywords in their efforts, and as to whether they’d be tracking these ranking improvements on their side or not. 

Most decent link building providers will include reports that will highlight any ranking improvements since their campaigns were launched. Otherwise ultimately you might find yourself asking what the point of building links is, if not to improve your organic rankings.

## In summary - should my business outsource its link building?

I personally dislike the idea of outsourcing anything. It gives the idea of selling something short, just getting it off your plate for the sake of it. If I heard a business I worked with was outsourcing their link building efforts, I’d be worried what the impact would be.
Whilst it’s true that Google claim that they’re able to ignore the majority of “bad links” that get placed on the web (which if you think about it, would make negative SEO such a huge problem if it wasn’t true), you do still see and hear of stories where link building has clearly gone wrong. 

I do think there is a place for hiring a good digital PR consultant, or a great link builder specialist. I think there are some brilliant people - and agencies - out there for those looking to get some great links placed (if you had to put me on the spot I’d tell you that <a href="https://neomam.com/" target="blank">NeoMam</a> are one of the leaders in terms of building great, linkable content as well as doing things the <a href="https://neomam.com/about" target="blank">right way</a>) but for the most part you do have to be extremely careful when it comes to outsourcing your link building efforts completely. 

What about you - are there other factors that should be taken into consideration when outsourcing link building? Maybe you’ve outsourced your own and have some stories to share? Feel free to drop a comment below!


link building2

6 factors to consider when trying to find genuine, good link builders online.


6 Factors that Companies Need to Consider when Thinking About Outsourcing Link Building

6 Factors to Outsourcing Link Building

If you want to rank higher in search engines, you need a stronger domain authority. And to get a stronger domain authority, you need stronger links pointing back to your website. But of course nothing in SEO is straightforward; if you just start building links indiscriminately, you could end up <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/mistakes-in-seo-that-can-lead-to-google-ranking-drop" target="blank">getting your site penalized</a> or delisted entirely.

Accordingly, it's vital to maintain a natural backlink profile. But newcomers and experienced professionals alike often find it difficult to figure out exactly what a “natural” backlink profile looks like. That's why we put together this list of simple rules which, if followed, should allow you to build a near perfect backlink profile for SEO.

*Why Is a Natural Backlink Profile So Important?*

*Why is it so important that your backlink profile appears natural?*

![backlink profile](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/5wScRwo88c86245OaeHkzX/a87886c5adab1b8a19c378db81ce3945/backlink_profile.png)

The most obvious answer is that you'll protect your site from possible penalties. Maintaining natural links is a way of keeping Google happy with your website, incentivizing them to rank your site higher and discouraging negative actions. 

But it's also important to remember that natural links are valuable for users as well. Visitors who stumble upon your site for the first time after encountering an interesting, valuable link will be much happier with your brand than people who see you spamming links on irrelevant sources.

## Simple Rules to Follow

So what are the simple rules you can follow to keep your backlink profile as natural as possible?

### 1. Start slow. 
![start slow](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/3C3nQPo8GHmsa0EklGMWwa/5460773dbf5d5abf9280aaec907c15f9/start_slow.png)
Too many newcomers to the field are eager to build links as quickly and as aggressively as possible. While it's somewhat true that more links are better, <a href="https://seo.co/link-building/plan/" target="blank">if you build links too quickly or too aggressively</a>, you're going to invite a penalty. 

It's much better to start slow and gradually scale up your efforts; build links one at a time and don't build too many links in a given time period. While the exact formula for the number of links allowed will depend on factors like the age of your domain and the industry in which you're operating, for the most part, a common sense approach will work.

### 2. Make content your top priority. 
![quality content](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/6DlRyrREDi53Z6w6ZA9Ysm/74d4ac578e666e3458c6322f2acb1c96/quality_content.png)
Natural links are entirely dependent on high-quality content. Your links should be pointing to high-quality content and should be housed in high-quality content. In fact, guest author posts on external websites are the top strategy for building natural links in SEO. As long as the quality of your content is the top priority, you'll have a much easier time making your links look natural.

### 3. Build a maximum of three links on a given source (to start). 
![link building](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/4MZwhjbz5BmaPCQiy3mYdx/e0d1981085501109b7eec6c3fe6d7d1c/linkbuilding.png)
Try not to build too many links on the same source. Repetitive or additional links on the same source are going to have diminishing returns for your domain authority; each link after the first will still send referral traffic your way, but will be significantly less valuable for ranking purposes. It's much better if you try to build links on a wide variety of different publishers.

### 4. Make sure every link points to quality content. 
![write quality content](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/6ReOrbW7paPOiuL1iJjSqC/fcd7e2c3038a672218df214045ec5126/write_quality_content.png)
In line with our points on quality, make sure every link you build points to some valuable piece of content on your main site. Visitors should be welcomed with relevant, well written, and detailed content. Otherwise, your entire strategy could fall apart.

### 5. Write for the publisher and the audience. 
![write for audience](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/cJ2yOaZz5s61VG5PZmxR2/98d171a1a4b09d0726f064d33c7aa6c0/write_for_audience.png)
When writing and publishing guest posts, make your top priority the publisher and/or the audience. Your link and the content that houses it should provide something of value to these people; if it doesn't, it may be better to seek a different source.

### 6. House every link in relevant anchor text. 

Anchor text is <a href="https://moz.com/learn/seo/anchor-text" target="blank">something of a debatable issue</a> in the SEO community, but one thing is for sure: your anchor text needs to be relevant. If you stuff it with keywords trying to aggressively get clicks, the link is not going to work.

### 7. Continue pushing for more (gradually). 
![collaborate](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/2Qm5SY0CaKw7VknRuXsyOe/b6abdda7752fef380b4adedc1af95f38/collaborate.png)
If you want to keep climbing ranks, you'll need to keep pushing your backlink building strategy, reaching out to new publishers and building a larger volume of links. Keep pushing for more if you want to continue your growth – just don't get too aggressive.

### 8. Practice natural link earning.
![natural links](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/5ekMKlxJA19rXemL8QqQgJ/b5c2eb110e6bafc14dd4ebbe752cd9cc/natural_links.png)
Building links manually is a reliable way to keep your link momentum, but it's also a good idea to practice natural link earning. Write amazing on-site content and make an effort to distribute it to as many people as possible; if you have citable facts and statistics, people will link to you naturally.

### In Conclusion

Whether you're just starting out or are trying to push for a top spot yourself after years of effort, it's important to take your backlink profile seriously. With these rules and strategies, you should have no trouble keeping your backlink profile clean and maximizing your search engine rankings.


Nate Nead

quality backlinks

Build a near perfect backlink profile for SEO.

8 Rules to Follow to Guarantee a Natural Backlink Profile

Ranking higher in the search results is the goal of every content marketer and blogger. That’s because over <a href="https://www.smartinsights.com/search-engine-optimisation-seo/seo-analytics/comparison-of-google-clickthrough-rates-by-position/" target="blank">62% of the available clicks</a> on Page #1 go to the top three positions in the search results.

But how do you rank higher in the search results?

That’s what you’ll discover in this article: seven tips for ranking higher in the SERPs.

# #1 - Optimize your meta tags

Every time you publish a new blog post or article, you should optimize the meta tags. Meta tags tell the search engines what your article is about.
There are only two meta tags you need to focus on: the title tag and the meta description
![optimize your meta tags](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/2UlKjdbq2zwruWczqZjdKK/b555e8a2e29811a1d469612102df3d5e/optimize_your_meta_tags.png)

## Title tag

Often called the SEO title, the title tag is the title of your article as it appears in the search results. It’s the first thing a searcher looks at when they see your SERP snippet in the search results.

Your title tag should contain your keyword and a benefit. What will the reader get from reading your article?

If you can, try to also include in your title tag:

- A number
- A power word
- A positive or negative sentiment

Numbers are easier to relate to than words. They tell the reader this is a listicle that can be skimmed and easily digested.

Power words are words that trigger an emotional response. Examples are:

- Discover
- Extraordinary
- Latest
- Unforgettable
- Irresistible
- Awe-Inspiring
- Shocking
- Step-by-Step
- Surprising

Here is a list of <a href="https://sumo.com/stories/power-words" target="blank">over 400 power words</a>.

Try to avoid title tags that are neutral in sentiment. People are either trying to get something or avoid something, so titles that have a positive or negative sentiment get more clicks.

Here are some examples:

- 5 Things You Should __Never Do__ When Selling a House (negative sentiment)
- 7 Tips For __Getting More__ Followers on Twitter (positive sentiment)

## Meta description

The other tag you need to optimize is the meta description. This is the 3 to 4 lines of text that appear in your SERP snippet, beneath the title tag. Your meta description should include:

- Your keyword
- A benefit from reading the article
- A Call To Action (CTA) (e.g. “Discover how to…”)

# #2 - Understand the search intent of the keyword phrase

To rank on Page #1 of the search results, you need to understand the search intent behind the keyword.  Search intent, also known as user intent and keyword intent, is a person’s purpose when they type a search query into a search engine. What is it they were looking for when they typed in that query?

I once did some keyword research and found a keyword with good monthly search volume and low competition. The keyword was ‘best free serp checker’. I decided I would write a blog post about ‘best free serp checkers’.

But then I typed that keyword into Google and what I found made me change my mind. Every single result on Page #1 of Google for that search query was an application or a piece of software for checking SERP results.

That was the search intent behind that keyword. People who typed that keyword into Google were not looking for an article comparing SERP checkers. They were looking for the software itself.

There are three main kinds of search intent:

__*Informational search*__

These are queries where the searcher is looking for information. An example would be ‘How many grams in an ounce’ or ‘what is a dslr camera’ or ‘lcd tv vs led tv’.

__*Commercial search*__

These are queries where the searcher is looking to buy a product or a service. Examples of commercial searches would be ‘best dslr cameras’, or ‘best lcd tvs’, or ‘flights to Rome’.

__*Transactional search*__

Transactional queries are ones where the searcher has gathered all the information they need and is ready to buy. Examples of transactional queries would be ‘dslr cameras under $1000’ or ‘lcd tvs under $2000’ or ‘cheapest flights to Rome’.

When you look at the search results for your chosen keyword, take note of what kind of results are showing up in the SERPs. Are they informational, commercial, or transactional? Your web page will need to match the type of search result that Google is showing for that keyword.

# #3 - Study the top 5 search results

A lot of people don’t realize that the secret to ranking on Page #1 of Google is staring you in the face. The top 5 results on Google for any given keyword contain all the clues you need.

That’s why you should closely examine the top-ranking pages for your chosen keyword.

Look at the type of articles that are ranking in the top results. Are they listicles, definitive guides, ‘how-to’ articles, or definitional articles?
If the top five articles for your keyword are listicles, then your article should be a listicle as well. Because that’s the kind of content that Google wants to show for that keyword.

Also, look at the word count of the top five articles. If they all have 2000 to 3000 words, then your article will have to be in that range as well. But if they are all 500 to 1000 words, then that’s the range you should aim for. I’ve sometimes gone up two or three positions in the search results simply by deleting 1000 words.

But the most important thing to do when you study the top five search results is to take note of the topics and subtopics that those articles cover. Your article will need to cover the same topics and subtopics. Ideally, your article should cover more topics and subtopics associated with that keyword than any other article on Page #1 of the search results.

To get an overall picture of the topics covered, copy and paste the headings and subheadings from the top 5 search results into a Google docs file. Sort them into categories and eliminate duplicates. Then make sure that your article covers all of those topics and subtopics.

You can add topics and subtopics to your article by looking at the ‘People Also Ask’ section and the ‘Related Searches’ section.

![people also ask](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/5535blCD03ebiBaLfcd5iS/7df75224853e73026d3371a1cf868bf8/people_also_ask.png)
![search results](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/69auwEeMwz0uorUF9jHQ0b/f2f9efb7b5563e2cad17d595d8c5d07d/search_results.png)

# #4 - Write powerful introductions

The Google algorithm records how long people stay on your page. The longer they stay, the more likely it is that your page answered their query. But if they click away within a few seconds, that tells Google that your page wasn’t a good match for the search query.

And that’s why a strong introduction is one of the keys to ranking well on Google. One of the most effective formulas for writing introductions is PAS:

- Pain
- Agitate
- Solve

Show the reader you understand their problem. Then paint a vivid picture of why it’s a problem. And finally, tell the reader there’s a solution and that’s what your article is about.

Here’s an example from <a href="https://backlinko.com/how-to-get-backlinks" target="blank">an article by Brian Dean</a>:

![write powerful introductions](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/1hxhuaJqNXw7cPcqHj2VOB/d7dbda5ca31cf1ec8d003cfd24b39e9a/write_powerful_introductions.png)

# #5 - Use transitional phrases

Transitional phrases are the lubricant that keeps your readers moving down the page. Transitions are a way of moving from one topic to the next. They are like signposts guiding the reader through your article.

But transitional phrases do much more than that.

They can also make your article conversational. They can give the reader a sense that you are having a one-to-one chat with them. And that’s the secret to reader engagement. 

Here are some examples:

- I think you’ll agree with me when I say…
- Here’s why that’s important…
- You won’t believe what we discovered…
- But there’s a catch…
- Fortunately, there’s a simple solution…

These phrases build a relationship with the reader. They make the reader feel that you understand them.

When the reader feels that you understand them, they’ll stay with you right to the end of the article. And that’s going to increase your ‘time on page’ (aka ‘dwell time’) which will improve your rankings.

You can read more about how to use transitional phrases in my SmartBlogger article: 

<a href="https://smartblogger.com/transitional-phrases/" target="blank">How to Use Transitional Words & Phrases to Make Your Writing Flow (with Examples)</a>

# #6 - Get your website to score high for core web vitals (CWV)

In 2020 Google announced three new page experience signals which affect how well a page will rank in the search results:

- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
- FID (First Input Delay)
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)

These core web vitals are mainly about speed but they also deal with other aspects of user experience. For example, cumulative layout shift is the unexpected shifting of webpage elements while the page is still loading. This happens when content changes dimensions while the page is loading. A common cause of CLS is unspecified image dimensions. When the dimensions of an image have not been set, the space allocated to an image will change as the text in the page loads. 

You can check your website’s core web vitals in Google Search Console:

![google search console](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/4J7RYRyOZmxbRRZ7BsZQaO/1d43d02c17297248bfd80ca1dbddaf98/google_search_console.png)

You can also get a CWV report on individual pages using <a href="https://pagespeed.web.dev/" target="blank">Google’s Page Speed Insights</a> tool:

![page speed insights](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/92z3aEbhu9TmcBvBFUPBN/482f48c900913b59c94f833da1c05584/page_speed_insights.png)

Core Web Vitals are mostly about speed - how fast your web page loads.
The best ways to improve your core web vitals are:

1. Change to a web host that has a faster server response time
2. Install a caching and speed optimization plugin such as <a href="https://wp-rocket.me/" target="blank">WP Rocket</a> or <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/" target="blank">W3 Total Cache</a>
3. Optimize your images by making sure that they are not larger than they need to be (e.g. displaying an image 3000 pixels wide in a space that is only 850 pixels wide)
4. Use an image optimizer such as <a href="https://shortpixel.com/" target="blank">Short Pixel</a> or <a href="https://wpmudev.com/project/wp-smush-pro/" target="blank">Smush</a> to compress the images on your website.
5. Use a content delivery network (CDN) to deliver static web page resources such as image videos, images, Javascript, and CSS.

# #7 - Build Backlinks

Backlinks from relevant sites in your niche are <a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/google-ranking-factors/" target="blank">arguably the most most important ranking factor</a>.

Here are three ways to build backlinks safely.

__*Contribute to HARO*__

HARO or Help A Reporter Out is a service that links journalists with sources. Journalists are frequently racing to meet deadlines and they often need quotes to use in their articles at very short notice.

When you register at HARO as a source, you can respond to journalists’ queries and get linked to from their major websites with high DA or domain authority.
What sets HARO apart from other link-building strategies is that the queries come to you. Instead of cold pitching people who are probably not interested in hearing from you, these link-building opportunities come knocking on your door. Three times a day you’ll receive an email from HARO with queries that you can answer. 

For more information on this, see my article <a href="https://robpowellbizblog.com/how-to-use-haro/" target="blank">How To Use HARO for Link Building</a>.

__*Publish Roundup Posts*__

People love seeing their name in a list of experts and they love sharing it with other people. And that’s why expert roundups are a good way of building backlinks. 

Reach out to 25 - 50 experts in your niche and ask them for a tip on a particular topic. When your article is live, send them a link and you’ll find that 20% to 30% will either share it on social media or link to it from their ‘About’ page.

__*Publish Top List Posts*__

Top list posts are articles that list the top experts or websites in a particular field. Here are some examples:

- 30 Top Marketers on Twitter
- 25 Top WordPress Blogs
- 35 Top Copywriters on Instagram

Once your article is live, send each featured expert or website a link to your article. You’ll find that a good proportion will link to it on their website as ‘social proof’.

### Conclusion
The search engine results or SERPs are hotly contested territory: the competition is intense. But these seven techniques will give you an edge over your competitors and help push your pages higher up the search results.
Even if you only implement two or three of these techniques, you will eventually see your rankings improve.


rank higher

Seven tips for ranking higher in the SERPs

7 Tips for Ranking Higher in the Search Results

# Our Experience with HARO as a Source

<a href="https://www.helpareporter.com/" target="blank">Help A Reporter Out</a>, or HARO, as it is affectionately called by its users, is a go-to link-building tool for SEOs all over the US. With a wealth of opportunities to acquire links from both respectable domains and smaller sites, HARO seems like the perfect channel for growing and maintaining a balanced link portfolio.

![HARO](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/3gRPep5EgVMVoKfUDuIyPw/77f4efa42d90788c50c225efa7a092e4/HARO.png)

But in practice, it’s not so easy. HARO requests ask for quotes or contributions to articles in exchange for credit and often a link. What about those times when there’s nothing you can answer, either because there are no requests in your industry or all relevant requests require qualifications you don’t have? And when you can answer requests, will you even get a link? And what kind of link? Considering all the variables makes you wonder: is the time you spend scrolling through your HARO email and writing responses even worth it?

We decided to test out how profitable HARO was for us. Making HARO a moderate to high priority, we gathered data on our experience, which you can read about below. We hope this article will give you an idea of where HARO should rank in your list of priorities.

### In case you're short on time, here’s our conclusion up front:

HARO isn’t perfect, but what is? It is still a valuable tool for link building, and links from HARO comprise a noticeable percentage of our total acquired links (almost 20%).

### Want the details? Here’s our experience:

Over the course of __3 months__, we regularly replied to HARO requests in our industry. During those 3 months we found __111 applicable requests__: requests that our team had the qualifications, background, and ability to answer.

With a team composed of marketing, data, and development experts, most (78) of the applicable HARO requests happened to be in the Business and Finance category. We noted 14 in General, 14 in High Tech, and 5 in various other categories.

Giving HARO moderate- to high-priority status among our daily tasks, we ended up __responding to 68 requests__. That’s __61%__ of the total answerable requests.

We acquired __12 links__ from our efforts. That’s an __18% success rate__.

__More about our acquired links:__
- 11 of those links were followed, 1 was no-followed. 
- All of our links included our brand name in the Anchor Text. 
- Most (8) of the links we got were in Business and Finance, 3 were in General, 1 in High Tech.
- The time between submitting and acquiring a link was variable and depended on the outlet. The shortest time that passed was 1 day, and the longest was 82 days.

Links acquired through HARO make up almost __20%__ of our total acquired links.

# Our Experience with HARO as a Journalist

We’ve used HARO as a journalist a handful of times. It’s great when you need quotes or even just ideas for an article or blog post. It’s a win-win situation—you get content, and your contributors get links and credit. All you have to do is submit a query requesting contributions, specify your requirements, filter through the responses you receive, and give your final contributors credit and links.

__What kinds of posts is HARO best for?__
- __Expert Roundups:__ Ask the HARO community about a topic in your field. Compile insightful quotes from qualified responders into a relevant blog post.
- __Polls:__ HARO is useful to get a feel for a wide variety of opinions about a topic from people in your industry, although social media may be a better option for polls.
- __Any post where you need an expert opinion or want to add credibility:__ HARO can be used when you aren’t qualified to answer a question that needs answering. You can draw from the expertise of others in your industry. Their qualifications will add credibility to your article.

__We prefer pitches that:__
- __Actually answer the question:__ We asked what we asked for a reason.
- __Aren’t self-promotional:__ Our goal is to create useful content for our target audience, not to advertise for our contributors.
- __Provide relevant examples:__ If we already have an idea of what we want to say in our article, we love examples because they connect with our audience and help flesh out our content.
- __Use clear, grammatically correct language:__ Editing pitches takes time, and time is valuable; we'd rather spend it elsewhere. Vague language does no one any good in the business world.
- __Are catchy and quotable:__ Unless we're looking to feature a few lengthy pitches, we favor concise pitches that say a lot in few words. Think bite-sized advice that carries its own authority and personality.
- __Provide real value:__ We want to provide real value to our audience and to get them to come back for more, and we follow the same standard with our HARO pitches. Cut the fluff and everyone's happier.

We always give our contributors do-follow links.

### The Process

We submitted queries 4-5 days before the deadline we needed the pitches by. Our queries were __approved 1-2 days after submission__.

We were surprised at the number of replies we received for each query. The number of replies we received ranged roughly from __30 to 90__, depending on how broad our query topic was.

Some people on our team favored earlier response submissions because by the time we got around to the later submissions, we were exhausted.

At first, we tried sifting through all the responses by email, copying them onto a spreadsheet, then further narrowing down our selections from there. This was very inefficient, so we ended up asking our responders to fill out a Google Form, which sent the pitches straight to a spreadsheet. Still, filtering through HARO replies is a long and sometimes tedious task.

__Additional stats on the responses we received:__
- Average Percentage of Usable Responses: 87%
- Average Percentage of Usable Responses Used: 71% 

Not only do you get content when you use HARO as a journalist. You can also get links from it if you put in the effort to compile useful content. For example, we got a link from Forbes to a post we wrote using HARO as a journalist. This was an unsolicited surprise and a good example of how a little can go a long way. Check it out <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/09/22/how-to-drive-traffic-with-low-hanging-keywords/?sh=321cbbc51ec7" target="blank">here</a> (our link's anchor text = "survey").

HARO is a very useful tool to use as a journalist, even if the process can be tedious. We highly recommend it.

Hopefully our experience with HARO as a source and as a journalist was helpful to you. Still not sure whether HARO is right for you? Try it out and decide for yourself!

HARO

Is HARO worth your time? Are the rewards worth the effort? We say... yes, within reason. Read on to learn more about our experience with HARO.

Is HARO worth the effort? Here's our experience with HARO as a Source and as a Journalist.

HARO: Worth It or Waste of Time?

HARO (Help A Reporter Out): Our Experience

![4 Ways To Find Zero Search Volume Keywords That Bring Traffic](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/1ZZOM0gOy4cHFIcJsTOKsH/44c6b67dd1100e81270f9ce16e87a851/4_Ways_To_Find_Zero_Search_Volume_Keywords_That_Bring_Traffic.jpg)
Everyone wants to be number one for high-volume keywords. They contribute to a large number of organic visitors, conversions, and sales.

However, ranking for high-volume keywords isn’t always easy or possible. It requires going above and beyond the competition for the restricted number of first-page spots.

What if you’re a small company struggling to appear higher on search? There is a simple solution: focus your SEO campaign on long-tail, low-frequency keywords. 

Do you wish to attract targeted traffic, aiming at those who are looking for specific information? Locate low-competition keywords and target them, giving yourself a far better chance of ranking well. Let’s look at what zero search volume keywords are, how you can find them, and why it’s worth the effort.

## What Are the Benefits of Targeting Low-Volume Keywords?

Zero search volume keywords can bring organic traffic from Google even if tools like Ahrefs, Moz, SEMrush, and Keywords Everywhere suggest that no one is searching for them.

What else can targeting low-volume keywords offer? Including these terms in your SEO strategy provides a lot more advantages, such as: 

- __Relevance__ to your buyers. Long-tail keywords are usually low-volume terms that are extremely fitting for your target market. And the better content hits the mark, the more likely users will convert.

- Creating interest around __a new or small niche__. Low-volume keywords are better suited for one-time search queries Google may never see again.

- __Diversity__. You can <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/where-to-add-keywords-in-your-content-to-improve-your-ranking" target="blank">add multiple low-volume keywords</a> to one page to increase traffic potential.

- __Commercial intent__, meaning you can add buying keywords to attract customers that will convert. At the same time, they have a great return on investment (ROI) to cover the expense of the content.

When you choose keywords for your piece, you select the primary phrase. As you compose your article, product page, or other sections on the website, you will unconsciously add extra secondary and LSI keywords to drive traffic to your site.

These are phrases people will look for and get relevant results. It applies to search engines and on-site search as well, so they’re crucial by all means.

For example, visitors don’t want to scroll through an array of cardigans on the website. They may type the phrase “emerald green cardigan” to specify the request and choose from the store’s assortment offered in the <a href="https://onilab.com/blog/how-to-improve-magento-search/" target="blank">Magento on-site search results</a> or any other results, depending on your CMS.

Let’s dive deeper into the peculiarities of terms with zero search, how to find and use them.

## Four Ways to Conduct Zero Search Volume Keyword Research

### 1. Leveraging Tools to Define Search Volume

The first way to find zero search volume keywords is to use the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/keyword-surfer/bafijghppfhdpldihckdcadbcobikaca/" target="blank">Keyword Surfer</a> or <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/keywords-everywhere-keywo/hbapdpeemoojbophdfndmlgdhppljgmp" target="blank">Keywords Everywhere</a> tools. These are free browser extensions forecasting a monthly search volume and giving other insights. You’ll have a short report while searching on Google.

The figures below are the estimated search volume and cost per click for Google Adwords campaigns. The results are received from Keyword Surfer.
![Leveraging Tools to Define Search Volume](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/4jVrC3JAmIDt2NTvl9lPzd/0c6ccb2f1e3b101457ef138fccc03006/Leveraging_Tools_to_Define_Search_Volume.png)

As you can see, there are some phrases with zero value. It means people don’t look for “*customer retention strategies saas*” or *“customer retention strategies definition*”. However, they search for similar questions, so adding these keywords will help you increase the traffic volume to the website.

If you proceed with the search, you’ll see several boxes to the right. The tools provide you with keyword ideas based on the similarity with the initial phrase.
![Leveraging Tools to Define Search Volume-2](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/3wa1CB2ShAUxH5pWVpm2op/75dd159fc2b7f2a2abac9c7c4bbef751/Leveraging_Tools_to_Define_Search_Volume-2.png)
Have you noticed the figures below the titles? These are also valuable details. For example:

- the estimated monthly traffic for a selected region;
- the article total word count;
- how many times the author used the “*customer retention strategies*” keyword.
![Leveraging Tools to Define Search Volume-3](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/44Ie2loKyuDLgiu83k4hoo/05396691d7b8a49c1a303ced814750d6/Leveraging_Tools_to_Define_Search_Volume-3.png)
You can also copy or export the list of long-tail keywords, trend data, and what other people search for, thanks to Keywords Everywhere.

### 2. Analyzing Related Searches

Compare the drop-down box and __related searches__ at the bottom of the Google results page below. They almost always return the same phrases.
![Analyzing Related Searches](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/3KQ4PkkW2p7I9fmWIKzI40/a2c3ac038b41529f6fce9efffa0812e4/Analyzing_Related_Searches.png)
The problem with checking them is that you have to scroll down to the bottom of the page. And they don’t have the additional information from the keyword research Chrome extensions. As a result, this method doesn’t consider whether or not the keyword has any search volume.

What if you need to know the exact figure or process a lot of keywords? In this case, you’ll need the above-mentioned plugins. They will allow you to see the statistics when you type the query and streamline the selection process.

Don’t stop your search after finding several suggestions from Google. You can __uncover more precise keywords__ by entering your initial keyword ideas and then searching for them on Google again.

Let’s get back to my previous example. I used the “*customer retention strategies ecommerce*” query to get more variants. Broader initial phrases, such as the one shown below, give you some good ideas if you repeat the procedure with the original suggestions.
![Analyzing Related Searches-2](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/5z1kvVzSNTAFp3IQHBNeAE/4e76e1195a0667b2d4c88368a5d47a55/Analyzing_Related_Searches-2.png)
We see that the first keyword phrase doesn’t have any monthly searches. But as Google suggests, using this strategy, we can gain more organic visitors, provided we appear in the top three results for it.

### 3. Looking for Zero Search Volume Keywords with the Alphabet Soup Method

The third method under discussion is the alphabet soup strategy for keyword research. It involves the recently evolved Google autocomplete feature.

Unlike the related searches strategy, this one will take some time and effort on your part. But it’s worth it for generating <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/unlimited-keyword-rank-tracking" target="blank">keywords that rank</a> and drive traffic.
<br>
How does it allow you to utilize Google for keyword research? Type your primary keyword into the Google search bar. Let it be “brown mascara”. The image below shows that all you have to do is __add a letter of the alphabet__ after it. The autocomplete will provide you with various new options.
![Looking for Zero Search Volume Keywords with the Alphabet Soup Method](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/2R50ahOr1Knd91lDO2w5r1/5f61651513f80302d3a74552200f28c1/Looking_for_Zero_Search_Volume_Keywords_with_the_Alphabet_Soup_Method.png)
The keywords with the lowest expected monthly search volume on this first pass usually have the most organic traffic potential. You can take this phrase for a second run using the alphabet soup method.
![Looking for Zero Search Volume Keywords with the Alphabet Soup Method-2](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/4mbjupMNv8BIepQIDyMHoo/338131e512afabd5c47ba34317374220/Looking_for_Zero_Search_Volume_Keywords_with_the_Alphabet_Soup_Method-2.png)
These keywords typically have significantly lower traffic levels. But having less traffic doesn’t always mean something bad.

They have less competition from other websites, making them much simpler to rank. If your niche is large enough, you may perform a third run on these keywords, but they bring almost no visitors.

### 4. Getting Insights from the People Also Ask Method

When searching for something, you’ll probably see this section.
![Getting Insights from the People Also Ask Method](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/5cI4T5WL0AcCbb0GsxTWnU/2936c9ff66446b1b1e0af5c6739d6f4e/Getting_Insights_from_the_People_Also_Ask_Method.png)
That’s __what people usually ask__, mentioning your keyword in their questions. And these options may hint you at what suitable keywords you may use.

The widget usually displays four questions. But if you open and close the bottom drop-down, you can extend it and receive more requests. Keep expanding the bottom question to see more ideas.

Note that the lower the suggestion list goes, the less relevant the questions to the initial keyword. However, they are generally niche relevant and may still be valuable to you.

These questions aren’t low-volume keywords, even though they may have no expected monthly searches. Why do they appear zero volume when you check them? The reason is that they’re complete questions rather than the actual search. 

Consider the question, “*What are customer retention strategies?*”. The exact query has no monthly search volume anticipated. But if we remove the beginning of the query and check “customer retention strategies”, we’ll notice that this term has an 880 search volume.
![Getting Insights from the People Also Ask Method-2](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/1HqFr7Fduh4DeYDD4l49Qa/5808fd6cf23250480a997eed3da58fbc/Getting_Insights_from_the_People_Also_Ask_Method-2.png)
If you use the <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/evolution-google-serp" target="blank">People Also Ask</a> section to locate a zero or low competition keyword, take away parts of the questions to find the actual search phrase. Then examine its estimated search volume to get an idea of prospective future traffic.

### To Sum Up

I described the following possible ways to find zero search queries:

- Keyword Surfer or Keywords Everywhere extensions
- the related search approach
- the alphabet soup method
- the “people also ask” option

Ideally, you should combine all four because doing so may help you compile your keyword list faster. This may help you diversify your existing keyword research methods to enhance your page content. In turn, this will attract more organic visitors to your website.

Do you still think going after low-volume keywords is a waste of time or money? Before you dismiss them, review the suggestions above to determine whether you’re missing out on any gold mine opportunities. Some unusual keywords may pay off in terms of traffic and conversions.


4 Ways To Find Zero Search Volume Keywords That Bring Traffic

Discussing why and how to locate low-competition keywords and target them.

<br>
__Other Categories in this Series:__
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/1-underutilized-keyword-research-strategies" target="blank">#1- Underutilized Keyword Research Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/3-underutilized-content-strategies" target="blank">#3- Underutilized Content Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/4-underutilized-link-building-strategies" target="blank">#4- Underutilized Link Building Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/5-underutilized-technical-seo-strategies" target="blank">#5- Underutilized Technical SEO Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/6-underutilized-local-seo-strategies" target="blank">#6- Underutilized Local SEO strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/7-underutilized-video-seo-strategies" target="blank">#7- Underutilized Video SEO Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/8-miscellaneous-underutilized-seo-strategies" target="blank">#8- Miscellaneous Underutilized SEO Strategies</a>


OnSite optimization

This is what the experts say are the most underutilized SEO strategies regarding onsite optimization.

#2- Underutilized Onsite Optimization Strategies

SEO Internal Linking Strategy - SEO Voice Search Strategy

<br>
__Other Categories in this Series:__
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/1-underutilized-keyword-research-strategies" target="blank">#1- Underutilized Keyword Research Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/2-underutilized-onsite-optimization-strategies" target="blank">#2- Underutilized Onsite Optimization Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/3-underutilized-content-strategies" target="blank">#3- Underutilized Content Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/5-underutilized-technical-seo-strategies" target="blank">#5- Underutilized Technical SEO Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/6-underutilized-local-seo-strategies" target="blank">#6- Underutilized Local SEO strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/7-underutilized-video-seo-strategies" target="blank">#7- Underutilized Video SEO Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/8-miscellaneous-underutilized-seo-strategies" target="blank">#8- Miscellaneous Underutilized SEO Strategies</a>


link building

This is what the experts say are the most underutilized SEO strategies regarding link building.

#4- Underutilized Link Building Strategies

Digital PR Strategy - Quality Backlinks Strategy - Broken Link Building Strategy


![44 Underutilized SEO Strategies and Tactics](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/3Fl6DS4NzmZwOc5OJECq2X/fb00d3f59ce36fc2efb316c467b304e2/44_Underutilized_SEO_Strategies_and_Tactics.jpg)
Recently I asked marketing and SEO professionals what they felt the most underutilized SEO strategy or tactic was. With over 100 responses I was able to compile them into these calegories:

<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/1-underutilized-keyword-research-strategies" target="blank">#1- Underutilized Keyword Research Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/2-underutilized-onsite-optimization-strategies" target="blank">#2- Underutilized Onsite Optimization Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/3-underutilized-content-strategies" target="blank">#3- Underutilized Content Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/4-underutilized-link-building-strategies" target="blank">#4- Underutilized Link Building Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/5-underutilized-technical-seo-strategies" target="blank">#5- Underutilized Technical SEO Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/6-underutilized-local-seo-strategies" target="blank">#6- Underutilized Local SEO strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/7-underutilized-video-seo-strategies" target="blank">#7- Underutilized Video SEO Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/8-miscellaneous-underutilized-seo-strategies" target="blank">#8- Miscellaneous Underutilized SEO Strategies</a>

My intent is to shed some light on a strategy or two that you haven't focused on yet, or perhaps remind you of some SEO basics that you haven't thought about in a while. Who knows? Implementing one of these underutilized strategies may be all that you need to push your rankings to the next level.


44 Underutilized SEO Strategies and Tactics

In response to the query, "What is the most underutilized SEO strategy?" I received over 100 responses, and here they are organized into 8 categories.

In layman's terms, Local SEO is the practice of increasing the search visibility of your businesses in local search results on Google. Local SEO techniques are most beneficial for businesses that have a physical location or serve a geographic area. By using the local SEO strategy, businesses can drive more people towards brick-and-mortar stores. This article will help you with ten actionable local SEO tips and tricks to help you stay at the top of your local SEO game.

### Before we move forward, let's see some stats first

As per the latest stats, <a href="https://seotribunal.com/blog/stats-to-understand-seo/#local-seo-facts" target="blank">46% of all Google searches</a> are local, and over 50% of 'near me' searches result in a physical store visit. Another report reveals that <a href="https://seotribunal.com/blog/stats-to-understand-seo/#local-seo-facts" target="blank">97% of people</a> learn about a local business by online means than anywhere else.

![Google local SEO strategy 2021 - Google maps SEO](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/7JWSu8JpSqGQsTXnGcCby2/3c51a98e9af3beb894a2e0d84f2adcfc/photo-1548345680-f5475ea5df84.jfif)

## Here are ten actionable local SEO tips and tricks in 2021

### 1. Create A Google My Business (GMB) Listing

When it comes to local SEO search visibility, Google My Business listings are the most influential component. Because Google is paying more weight to social media presence, please share these posts on social media. If you receive visitors to your Google Posts page, Google will see that you provide valuable information and updates. You can also write mini-posts for your clients to demonstrate that you are actively managing your listing.

### 2. List Your Business in Other Directories

It would help if you listed your firm in various online directories in addition to having a Google My Business account. You can find this suggestion in practically any <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Local-SEO-Handbook-basics-marketing/dp/1720029075" target="blank">local SEO handbook</a> because it is a powerful SEO component.

You can target the following directories:
- Yelp
- FourSquare
- Angie’s List
- Bing Places
- HotFrog
- Best of the Web
- About Us

In addition to these national and worldwide directories, you should check to see any online business directories in your area. Listings on these sites will offer additional local SEO signals to Google.

### 3. Keep Your NAP Information Correct

If feasible, keep your <a href="https://www.google.com/intl/en_in/business/" target="blank">Google My Business (GMB)</a> information up to date. If there are differences, Google has no means of determining which information is correct. If your company relocates, you should update this across all platforms as soon as possible. Consumers can now recommend modifications to a company's profile information, and Google may act on them.

### 4. Target Local Keywords

Targeting rank for local keywords is one of the fundamentals of local SEO optimization. Local keywords are self-explanatory. However, it would help if you still looked at long-tail local keywords for your business.

Suppose you operate a plumbing business in New York City, for example. In that case, you should examine <a href="https://www.thegratifiedblog.com/search-visibility/" target="blank">search visibility</a> for different variations of search phrases like "plumber, New York City," "plumber, NYC," and so on. You might also wish to look for hyper-local keywords like "plumbing services, Manhattan."

![local search engine marketing optimization strategy - Google maps ranking](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/5UnD7TuEIoxbB46sIVOfrb/f096aa721a36b1caedf179ec34d67fc9/photo-1616469829718-0faf16324280.jfif)

### 5. Optimize Your Site with Local Keywords

The next step is to optimize your site for the local keywords for which you wish to rank. Again, it is a tried-and-true <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/mobile-search-trends-consumers-to-stores/" target="blank">google local SEO tips in 2021</a> that will be just as relevant as it was five years ago. 
Site optimization is a separate topic, but here are some onsite local SEO fundamentals.

To begin, ensure that your home page and any service pages include the local keywords you want to rank for in the:
- Headings
- Title tags
- Meta description
- Body
- Footer

When feasible, you should also strive to add your core local keyword within the URL.
When incorporating keywords, be sure you employ them naturally rather than keyword stuffing.

### 6. Create Local Content

If you want to maximize your content marketing efforts for increased lead generation, you must also provide local content. By inserting local keywords into the blog article, you may connect local content to your offerings. In addition, it allows you to add local keywords and events into your text naturally.

### 7. Optimize for Mobile

Optimizing your site for mobile is another of the top local SEO suggestions for 2021.
Making your website mobile-friendly is critical for overall SEO success. It is, nevertheless, especially vital for local SEO. It is why.

According to statistics, <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/mobile-search-trends-consumers-to-stores/" target="blank">30% of all smartphone searches</a> are location-based. It is a large amount, implying that many customers who find you through google local search are likely using a mobile device.

Potential clients will be put off if your site does not display well on mobile devices or navigation challenges. As a result, customers will most likely abandon your site in favor of one of your competitors who has a more professional online presence.

### 8. Optimize for Voice

It would help if you optimized for voice searches in addition to smartphone searches. According to research, mobile voice searches are 300% more likely to have local intent than text searches.
Because the voice search era is still in its early stages, many businesses have yet to optimize their website and content for speech. As a result, it provides you with an excellent opportunity to stay ahead of the competition.

### 9. Take Time to Build Inbound Links

<a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inbound-links-faqs" target="blank">Inbound links</a> are a critical ranking component that can help both traditional and local SEO.
Begin by compiling a list of these companies. Then, optimize your process by looking for pages on their websites to place a contextual link. You can then contact the businesses on your list and recommend link positions.

Guest posting is another approach to build contextual inbound links for increasing your search visibility. For example, if any of the companies on your list have a blog, you may offer to write content for them that includes a link to your site.

In some situations, you may also want to consider obtaining backlinks from major websites such as Forbes.

### 10. Look Into Location Pages

Does your company have many locations? Make sure you're showing up in local searches for each of these locations.

You can accomplish local search engine marketing visibility by <a href="https://www.rialtomarketing.com/location-pages/" target="blank">creating location pages</a>. For example, assume you provide services in Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. Instead of having a single service page that lists all of these locations, make one for each city.

## Conclusion

Optimizing your site for a specific local area will increase your revenue and drive more people towards your store. Now that we've covered many actionable SEO tips here, we recommend you get started with a local SEO strategy before your firm falls behind. 


photo-1548345680-f5475ea5df84

Local SEO is super important for businesses that have physical locations or serve specific geographic areas. Here are 10 actionable SEO tips to help you stay on top of your local SEO game.

Stay on top of your game with these 10 local SEO tips

10 Actionable Local SEO Tips & Tricks In 2021

10 Google Local SEO Tips in 2021 - Local SEO Strategy - Local Search Engine Optimization Tips

![New SEO Jokes 2020 Edition](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/62uv1Xc0UKLKK5jXnmFvdp/57750ebffdfed998ad13895c49484c4b/SEO_Jokes_2020_Edition.JPG)

SEO can be stressful at times and <a href="http://workplacementalhealth.org/Mental-Health-Topics/Workplace-Stress" target="blank">stress is bad for your health</a> so lets all sit back and relax and live longer by reading the following SEO jokes.

All of these jokes are brand new and original as of this year, 2020 and created by the author unless otherwise noted. 

So without further ado...

> 1. What did Jesus say to the SEOs? "Come (do)follow me."
> What did Satan say in response? "Nofollow Him!"

![Funny SEO Jokes about links](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/oqz7cLAG1A8hm7D50xhIP/616f49f2758a80612cc686e80d39422b/Why_did_the_search_engine_receive_a_lawsuit__Because_it_was_a_creepy_crawler.__2_.png)

> 2. The surgeon general told some SEOs to stop smoking because there is a link between smoking and cancer. The SEOs replied, "Well...is the link between smoking and cancer followed or nofollowed?"

> 3. What did Googlebot tell all the hyper links? "Calm down!"

![Googlebot and Hyper link SEO Joke](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/2TGTwVqbtcxZuCSg8A5wfc/7a3d7b9bc25a8e317d6a058320d15a9c/An_SEO_invited_me_to_a_business_meeting_at_his_house._It_turned_out_to_be_a_Pyramid_Schema.__1_.png)

<center><h5>Is your current <a href="https://nozzle.io" target="blank">keyword rank tracker</a> a joke?</h5></center>
<span class="hs-cta-wrapper" id="hs-cta-wrapper-87cce768-4031-4dff-bbfa-43ad5c96d50b"><span class="hs-cta-node hs-cta-87cce768-4031-4dff-bbfa-43ad5c96d50b" id="hs-cta-87cce768-4031-4dff-bbfa-43ad5c96d50b"><a href="https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2030303/87cce768-4031-4dff-bbfa-43ad5c96d50b"  target="_blank" ><img class="hs-cta-img" id="hs-cta-img-87cce768-4031-4dff-bbfa-43ad5c96d50b" style="border-width:0px;" src="https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2030303/87cce768-4031-4dff-bbfa-43ad5c96d50b.png"  alt="Check Out Nozzle&#39;s Free Trial!"/></a></span><script charset="utf-8" src="https://js.hscta.net/cta/current.js"></script><script type="text/javascript"> hbspt.cta.load(2030303, '87cce768-4031-4dff-bbfa-43ad5c96d50b', {}); </script></span>

> 4. Why did the search engine receive a lawsuit? Because it was a creepy crawler. 

![ Search Engine and Creepy Crawler SEO Joke](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/1QcMdzMlaF3TdOv0gQSnD9/a1e870b795944a51dcf3fad684a3c765/Why_did_the_search_engine_receive_a_lawsuit__Because_it_was_a_creepy_crawler..png)

> 5. SEOs prefer canonical tag over freeze tag or laser tag.

> 6. What do you call an SEO sitting up in a tree branch overlooking a field full of sheep? Above the fold.

> 7. What is an SEOs most important question before he bungee jumps for the first time? "Can you please tell me what my bounce rate is?"

![Bungee jumping SEO Joke](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/3UAdOxZQe93gLhLMtBqJaX/e2a9bf03584ee9093f963941583e8755/An_SEO_invited_me_to_a_business_meeting_at_his_house._It_turned_out_to_be_a_Pyramid_Schema.__6_.png)

> 8. Why are black hat SEOs horrible at hockey? Because they spend a lot of time in the penalty box.

![Black Hat and Hockey SEO Joke](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/2clcgTdiIvhEPr9yMHcywa/6e93d9147ae71dfe979e7d4cc1695667/An_SEO_invited_me_to_a_business_meeting_at_his_house._It_turned_out_to_be_a_Pyramid_Schema.__3_.png)

> 9. The general state of everything and everyone makes me think that "discontent" is king not "content".

![Funny SEO Joke about Content Making ](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/2g24AWn7N1T1OTYgl6nFY/a21e3c71ed2069c2f43f4b28e0f4279e/An_SEO_invited_me_to_a_business_meeting_at_his_house._It_turned_out_to_be_a_Pyramid_Schema.__4_.png)

> 10. What did the 1 YEAR OLD SEO teach the 8 month old? "Don't waste your crawl budget going for that toy. Just scream until your mom 301 redirects you to it."

> 11. What did the mom do to the naughty SEO child who kept picking his nose? She de-indexed him.

![Funny SEO Child Joke About Being De-Indexed ](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/3hJF1O2hB4NnF7qtSs7Go5/38c6131eaf42cef73d539604d9d2b152/Why_did_the_search_engine_receive_a_lawsuit__Because_it_was_a_creepy_crawler.__1_.png)

> 12. What do you call getting a haircut to look good for your online profile pictures? A featured snippet.

![ Featured Snippet and Profile Picture Funny SEO Joke](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/3ed2ruiHFQ1Zsj8CWe5ejY/67b1d6479ace5d695366d11697bb52f5/Why_did_the_search_engine_receive_a_lawsuit__Because_it_was_a_creepy_crawler.__3_.png)

> 13. What is it called when Larry Page or Sergey Brin get a haircut? A rich snippet.

> 14. SEO: Yes! My time on page is increasing.
Parent: Why are you happy that you are now reading slower?

> 15. When Google launched its Universal Search many people were excited that we will finally discover alien life.

![Google's Alien life Universal Search SEO Joke](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/31Ji6HCbURDqQh2NJlMiZT/d42bde956e32982f610820f850d34d70/An_SEO_invited_me_to_a_business_meeting_at_his_house._It_turned_out_to_be_a_Pyramid_Schema.__5_.png)

> 16. My new GA-bot is awesome! Unfortunately, batteries and keywords are "not provided."

> 17. An SEO invited me to a business meeting at his house. It turned out to be a Pyramid Schema.

![Business Meeting Turned Pyramid Schema SEO Joke](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/60qSpl03t7HkdkZIjSv9xA/9d41066b181e0c50da5bcecca07f72ae/An_SEO_invited_me_to_a_business_meeting_at_his_house._It_turned_out_to_be_a_Pyramid_Schema..png)

> 18. Why did Google cut it's finger nails? Because a lot of websites were complaining about being scraped.

Also, here is some more <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/seo-humor-from-the-twitterverse">SEO humor</a> from the twitterverse that you might enjoy.

New SEO Jokes 2020 Edition

I guarantee you'll either chuckle or eye-roll. :)

SEO Jokes (Brand New and Original in 2020)

SEO Jokes FTW! - 18 New SEO Jokes from 2020

If your company offers a scholarship to prospective and current college students, then good on you. Now you need to advertise your scholarship opportunity in as many places as possible to reach as many of your targeted students as possible.

![Scholarship Link Building](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/tgxej5RwuY9xVBeEKH8vV/d04d0cf4d014cf1abc85f32796bb95a2/Scholarship_Link_Building_smaller_size.png)

Below is a list I compiled that will get your scholarship seen. Some of them will turn into links back to your website which is also a side benefit.

- https://www.fastweb.com/

You can submit scholarships for free as long as you follow the following criteria: https://www.fastweb.com/content/scholarship-provider-guidelines

It doesn't appear that it will become a link but it will be a brand mention and potentially get some exposure.

- https://studentscholarships.org

An example with a followed link: https://studentscholarships.org/2020_college_scholarships.php

Adding a scholarship appears to be free: https://studentscholarships.org/scholarship_upload.php

- https://www.honorsociety.org/scholarship-directory

Followed links and category pages like, https://www.honorsociety.org/scholarship-directory?tid=38905 and company/scholarship pages like, https://www.honorsociety.org/scholarships/king-charles-lucille-family-foundation-undergraduate-scholarships

I can't find an easy way to submit a scholarship. The best option I found so far, besides calling them, is https://support.honorsociety.org/hc/en-us/requests/new

- https://brokescholar.com/scholarship

The scholarship page includes a nofollowed button link to your scholarship page on your website. Click on any of the scholarship by study area pages, then a scholarship listed to see an example.

Fill out their contact form here: https://www.brokescholar.com/contact

- https://scholarshipowl.com

Submit scholarship here: https://scholarshipowl.com/list-your-scholarship

There directory appears to hide behind a login so it won't count for links but it can still get you some exposure to students.

- https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-scholarships.aspx

Followed link from scholarship listing page: https://www.careeronestop.org/toolkit/training/find-scholarships.aspx?keyword=textile&sortcolumns=BestMatch&sortdirections=&lang=en&scholarshipid=9998315

How to submit scholarship: https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/scholarship-finder-help.aspx. "How can I add, remove, or change scholarship information provided by Scholarship Finder? Requests for additions, removals, or any other changes can be sent to info@careeronestop.org."

- https://www.tuitionfundingsources.com/

Directory is hidden behind membership account but still worth submitting.

- https://www.chegg.com/scholarships

There is a followed link from the scholarship listing page. Example: https://www.chegg.com/scholarships/james-j-burns-ca-haynes-textile-scholarship-2380

I could not find a contact form. So call or fill out form to find out how to submit scholarship opportunity. https://www.chegg.com/press/contact-us/


- https://www.scholarships.com/

Several individual scholarship listing pages did not link to their website. Here is one example: https://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarship-directory/artistic-ability/art-furnishing-and-design/agl-over-the-rainbow-foundation. 

But I found this, https://www.scholarships.com/scholarship-providers-resources/scholarship-provider-guidelines/, which says, "Scholarship URL must link directly to provider’s scholarship page. Scholarship information landing pages must be hosted on a web page specific to the scholarship, at a domain/URL registered to the scholarship provider." So it seems like you can get a link.

The submission form is here: https://www.scholarships.com/scholarship-providers-resources/list-your-scholarship/create-account

- https://www.listsofscholarships.com

This site lists your scholarship with a followed link. Example: - https://www.listsofscholarships.com/avalaunch-media-scholarship/

To post your scholarship, go here: https://www.listsofscholarships.com/post/

Scholarship Link Building

If you have a scholarship opportunity, you need to advertise it properly to get as many links as possible and to be found by as many college students as possible.

Learn how to advertise your scholarship opportunity as many potential students as possible can apply.

Scholarship Link Building and Getting the Word Out

How to Properly Advertise Your Brand's Scholarship Opportunity - Scholarship Link Building

In order to try and obtain some more links for Nozzle, I found a list of startups from a blog posted by Twoodo.

![list of startups tweedo blog post screenshot](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/1uGXRKvPViIAtYwBpRXMfB/96a68f95115aa71afbf29cdd92e91c05/twoodo.jpg)

As a SaaS startup, we have been looking for places to promote Nozzle and get more brand exposure, traffic, and links.
We came across Twoodo’s list of 33 startup directories that are mostly geared towards SaaS and web apps.

Out of 33 websites, I was able to submit Nozzle to 10 of them with mixed results. Some of the submissions are still pending review. I'll come back and update the following information as we hear back from those sites.

## The 10 sites I submitted to:

1.       Alternative To- This was a really easy submission process. I entered information about Nozzle, as well as added competitors of our product.
![AlternativeTo nozzle submission screenshot ](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/33MXafrHgMNyG0jriBTqzW/ea7809fc991ab65444fbda53f1013c74/alternative_to.png)
 
2.       CrunchBase- Another easy submission asking for company name, description and location. I also recommend connecting founders and employee profiles to the company profile and adding your company’s LinkedIn and Twitter profiles.
![Crunch base nozzle submission screenshot](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/11qmZAN8P39uyAzv42licX/12a7fac7e527628b8adc396d6b2fb998/crunchbase.png)
                                                                                
 
3.       Listly- Listly is unlike the previous two. It’s a website where people can create lists about products, services, and so on. I made a list of 5 rank trackers, and included Nozzle. Listly was more difficult to navigate compared to the others. The list I made as well didn’t come out in the order I wanted it to. I’ll try and see if that can be fixed.

![Listly top 5 rank trackers including nozzle](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/6DLJVdSMlBEqDt1mHdTYlg/d82883829ad58923d8741080e1dc3b31/listly.jpg)


4.       BetaList- BetaList was an easy website to navigate, and I was able to submit Nozzle to be reviewed. I have not heard anything back yet, and BetaList said it could take a month or more for my application to be reviewed.

![Betalist home page screenshot](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/6DlMK341Hg40Fb1E3s568e/45608a1cf33ac772e65b95ca346e5164/betalist.jpg)



5.       Top Alternative- Top Alternative easily allowed me to submit Nozzle for a review. I haven’t heard anything back since my submission.
 
 
6.       Launching Next- Launching Next had an easy submission form in order to submit a startup. Once submitting Nozzle, I had a message pop up on my screen telling me it could be 2-4 months before our application is reviewed. 7.       Killer Startups- Killer Startups was another easy submission to fill out with our information. Once submitted, I was told that it could take up to 90 days to review. 

![Launching next home page](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/4F9Fj5ODYzhbxUe0RYeXPd/2e8b0419281ed1d8a39439c3693507e6/launching_next.png)


Capterra- Capterra’s submission process was easy. After going back on the site, I couldn’t find the exact place where I had submitted our application. I received a  message back that they needed more information about Nozzle in order to process our application. I’m waiting to hear back about what the next steps are.
  
Hacker News- Hacker News is like Reddit, where you submit different ideas or questions as threads. I submitted a question asking if people are looking for a rank tracking tool. 
I don’t recommend submitting to this site unless you are going to invest some time to learn how to properly engage with its audience.

Addictive Tips- On Addictive Tips, I sent in a  message talking about our work here at Nozzle, being an enterprise level rank tracking tool and how we stand out against our competitors. At this time, I haven’t received a link or a message back.

![Addictive tips tip us page](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/7fuJeWArOaTss1pcnWRzFP/f76baf59ff3951f8c1ae99fd5bfea161/addictive_tips.jpg)

 Mashable- On Mashable, I submitted a  “Hot Tip” about Nozzle. I haven’t heard back yet at this time regarding if Nozzle would be featured or not.

## Some of the sites I didn’t submit to:
The following sites require payment and I haven’t tested any of them as of yet: GetApp, Erlibird, Top Alternative, and App Appeal. This next group of sites don’t exist anymore: Maqtoob, Start Up Vid, The Next Web Marketplace, About Your Startup, Launch Sky and Startups FM.
![Money](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/4A5Fw5LRl8c6vCK077D0th/ecdb720180a20dcce5b9e7f763861d73/giphy.gif)

I tried submitting Nozzle to New Big What but after filling out the application I was denied because my browser was a “spambot”. I found that funny.

# And finally, the following sites weren’t a good fit for the industry that Nozzle is in:
Product Hunt, AngelList, All Web 2, TechCrunch, Startup Tank, AppStorm, Upload.com, Fuel Up, Reddit, Gust, and Clpud base 3.

![Not a good fit](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/1Wt49vKl2OeGWA3w4YZOhh/ae8acaecc86ab0de95b2dd24f782c297/giphy.gif)

Overall, submitting to these start-up, SaaS directories was okay. Hopefully my successes and findings above will help you save time so you can focus only on the handful that worked. 


Blog - Link Building