TRAFFIC
FIVE TIPS FOR NEXT-GENERATION LINK EARNING
Nothing improves your ranking like the right quality and quantity of inbound links to your site , says Blueclaw ’ s marketing director Martin Calvert
THERE ’ S MORE TO SEO than links . We can all agree that , more than ever , on-site factors are huge in SEO . From site speed and mobile-readiness , to the diversity and depth of online content that keeps visitors engaged — there ’ s a lot to focus on .
Even so , nothing moves rankings like the right quality and quantity of inbound links to your site .
Entire businesses exist to build links for gaming companies at rapid pace and in large numbers , but from now on this slash-andburn approach is not effective or sustainable .
Affiliates must focus on link earning strategies that build their brand and continually deliver SEO value . In this article , I ’ ll outline four proven link earning strategies that we at Blueclaw use every day to deliver rankings and traffic for all manner of companies — including affiliates .
The main thing that unlocks powerful links is content marketing — material that justifies a link .
Unfortunately , bad content takes many — and any — forms in gaming , including :
● ●Opinion pieces by people with no opinions
●●News without news
●●Self-obsession from gaming brands
● ●A patronising approach to the readers or punters
… and all this can drown out good content and lead to greater competition for the attention of customers , the media and potential partners . This type of bad content is what we call landfill content marketing .
So , what content marketing methodologies actually work and what steps should you follow ?
1 ) Explore data journalism Data-driven content marketing is the approach that we at Blueclaw have found to have the most success , across pretty much all the industries we work in . Its definition is straightforward : “ Data journalism is a journalism speciality reflecting the increased role that numerical data plays in the production and distribution of information in the digital era .”
Data journalism is great in gaming — sport is full of stats , numbers , anomalies
“ One of the best approaches for affiliates is to target sites that have the topicality and authority that can help lift your rankings ” and stories . Likewise , casino , slots , roulette and table games are inextricably linked with topics such as chance , luck and aspiration — so there are many number-crunching angles to take advantage of there too .
Data provides a hook that is immediately appreciated by journalists and publishers who are looking to fill space with authoritative content , as well as readers who love a good stat .
So . What are the attributes of data journalism-based content marketing that earns links ?
● ●It takes time , research and access — but it justifies this with coverage and links
● ●It provides more angles for coverage , which helps journalists out and gives them more options for featuring your betting brand
● ●It ’ s modular — it can be used in long form , short form , quotes and headlines
● ●It must be genuinely interesting , notable and trustworthy On that point , trust is key in all link earning and content strategies that depend on building relationships .
If your brand delivers inaccurate content that isn ’ t print-ready , journalists will simply not give you a second chance . Likewise , the ability to deliver a one-off bit of content now and again may have some success , but you won ’ t become the go-to contact for journalists who want dependable partners .
Building your capacity to become that go-to , utterly dependable resource means you ’ ll have an easier time getting coverage — and content-hungry sites will come to you for accurate , data-driven material , because of your reputation and the value your content adds to their sites .
The outcome ? Quality coverage and a much easier time getting ( free ) links — and you don ’ t need to reinvent the wheel to do it .
2 ) The skyscraper methodology With a focus on proving to websites and publishers that your site truly deserves that link , you ’ re increasing your chances of success without the need for payment or pleading .
26 iGB Affiliate Issue 65 OCT / NOV 2017