Link building for both e-commerce and search engine optimization is a very important process. Creating links that lead to your e-commerce store will not only bring you more customers but it will also affect your website’s PageRank, especially if the links come from other websites. Gaining inbound links is so important that several internet marketing experts believe that it should comprise 60% of a company’s overall SEO strategy. Just how do you build links without being considered spam? There are different methods to gain inbound links the right way and Zippycart.com names some which you should consider for your ecommerce store.
1. Guest Blogging and Blogrolls – Creating a corporate or personal blog for e-commerce stores is a great way to build links because it becomes another means to share information to your customers through unique content. With a blog, customers can find out more about the goods and services you sell, with appropriate hyperlinks that lead back to your e-commerce site. Blogrolls too, are important because it creates a community with the same interests or products. Exchange links with fellow bloggers and request that they link to your home page, if this is the specific landing page where you want to initially build links. Guest blogging, on the other hand, allows you to write articles for other users’ blogs whose niche matches yours. It establishes your company, your brand, and your expertise. Attach links in your posts and in your bio that leads back to your e-commerce store.
2. Product Videos – Links can be placed in product videos, in case you don’t know that by now. Thanks to YouTube, links are now allowed in the video description area. Make sure that the URL is complete with https://www. In order for it to become a link.
3. Contests and promotions – Contests and promotions allow you to become closer to your users because it encourages them to participate to win prizes. Good promotions can go viral in a few days and other blogs will quickly link to your website. Consumers can spread the word through social networking sites, especially if you ask them to vote for their favorites.
4. Press releases – Paid press release allows for a maximum of 4 links that you can put in your release before getting it syndicated for you. Vocus, for example, allows one link for every 100 words so a longer article has basically more room for links. Each time the press release gets picked up and becomes posted on the website, it also means more links for your e-commerce store.
5. Social bookmarking and networking sites – Submitting your website to trusted social bookmarking sites such as StumbleUpon and Delicious helps your e-commerce store especially if you post unique contents such as top 10 products, bestsellers, or new arrivals. Tweeting or sharing links can also be retweeted and reposted on Facebook if they are interesting enough.
Other means of building links ethically include garnering sponsorships, creating widgets, and writing product reviews. Try and test each one of these methods to find out which ones work for your e-commerce business.