Long-form blog posts about link building stink…
- They can take forever to read.
- I start to read them but have to stop because things get in the way, and I never get to finish.
- I save them to Evernote to read later, but because the post is ‘out-of-sight,’ I usually don’t revisit the post.
- After reading one, I often realize the author could have been much more concise.
Okay, I lie. They’re actually great, but as more people try to create 10x content I can’t help but feel that people are beginning to write primarily for search engines rather than people. This is particularly true when a 3,000 word article could have been cut down to as little as 1,200 words without losing its effectiveness.
[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none”]10x content is starting to feel like people are writing for search engines, not people.[/tweet_box]For a change of pace, I found six of the most popular link building videos from the past twelve months based on the total number of social shares on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Google+. Some of them are longer than others, but the beauty with video–especially on YouTube, is that you can increase the playback speed!
The link building videos cover a range of backlink topics, such as broken link building, link building frameworks, and even the use of private blog networks, i.e. PBNs. I introduce each video with my thoughts so that you have a better idea of what the video is about and whether it’s worth watching.
1. The 2015 Back Linking Strategy That Actually Works
Total Social Shares: 915
This video was created by Alex Becker at Source Wave. Alex teaches people how to do SEO, how to make money selling SEO services, and he sells his own SEO software applications. I like Alex’s style, and he has a lot of great material. However, this video covers the use of Private Blog Networks to help websites rank.
PBNs can be very effective, but they go against search engine guidelines and Google continues to find and penalize PBNs–even the sites they link to. I don’t support PBNs but learning how they are created and work is good information to have. He also covers the rising importance of realistic social signals over quality metrics like Domain Authority.
2. Link Building Case Study: My #1 Strategy For 2016
Total Social Shares: 539
This link building video was created by Brian Dean at Backlinko. Almost every piece of content Brian creates is excellent and this link building video is no different. Here, he covers a backlinking strategy he calls “Guestographics” that calls for creating an infographic and offering it as content to targeted websites in your industry.
He goes over the exact five step process to follow using an actual case study with a discussion of the email outreach messages that were used. I recommend you watch this video and follow Brian’s work.
3. How To Build Backlinks That Get You Ranked In Google & Make You Money
Total Social Shares: 435
Similar to the first video, this video talks about PBNs. Here, Franklin Hatchett who runs Online Dimes, shares a PBN strategy that works for him, incorporating the use of Tumblr and Weebly sites, as well as different social signals.
I never heard of Franklin or Online Dimes before watching this video, but the material he teaches makes sense and is common among SEOs who use PBNs. Again, I don’t encourage using PBNs because of various risks, but watching this video will give you more food for thought when it comes to link building.
4. How To Find Broken Links And Broken Backlinks That Hurt Your SEO
Total Social Shares: 224
If the you don’t know the negative effect of outgoing broken links or what link reclamation is and how to deal with broken backlinks to your website, then you need to watch this video by Tim Soulo. I’ve been following Tim on his personal site Bloggerjet for quite some time and love his stuff.
In this video, he gives a good overview of how to find broken links and how to deal with broken backlinks using the link building tool ahrefs.
5. Using Social Media as Your Primary Link Building Tactic Probably Won’t Work
Total Social Shares: 219
In this Whiteboard Friday video, Rand Fishkin from Moz, shares the results of a recent study conducted by Buzzsumo, highlighting that there is little correlation between social shares and backlinks. In the past, many SEOs accepted that content that is shared a lot on social media likely earn a lot of backlinks. Many of us were wrong.
6. How To Get Backlinks For Your Online Store?
Total Social Shares: 135
Here, Gary Le Masson from PrestaShop, shares good information on how to build backlinks if you own or manage a niche e-commerce website. He talks about creating Events, Contests, and Content, and how all three can help earn backlinks.
What are some of your favorite link building videos? Let me know in the comments section below!