Using
company or personnel online profiles to generate links is a tricky subject.
Some
people think it is spammy or misleading, especially when someone creates
profiles for the sole purpose of getting links.
However,
even though there are shady marketers out there that intend to twist the
purpose of profiles, it doesn’t mean you can’t do it in a genuine way.
It
is possible to have real profiles that share your information, background, and
accomplishments, while also using it for more than just a way for people to
find you online.
Having
online profiles on the main social networks and websites your core audience
visit is not only important to online visibility, but it can help you grow your
network, which can organically lead to more inbound links for your content.
Below
are some of the best ways we’ve found to use profiles to help get quality
links.
1. Outreach with an
Executive’s Profile for Better Response Rates
Connections
made with a real person get higher engagement and provide better trust than the
same activities done with a company profile.
Many
online users have learned to ignore messages and requests from brands on social
networking sites, simply because there are just too many companies on there
trying to get users to buy their products or share their content.
Personal
connections continue to matter. It is possible to use network building as a way
to share content on an individualized basis, but it does take some work to grow
the relationship first.
Some
digital marketing teams log into executive’s personal profiles to add friends
or connections, or to follow-up with existing contacts to help build
relationships. This helps executives get to know others in the industry,
which can lead to a reciprocal relationship of sharing and promoting each
other’s content.
However,
while this seems like a good way to offload some of the social networking, it
can have a lot of potential drawbacks.
If
the executive doesn’t know what was said and then happens to talk to the
connection in person or on the phone (or even in email), it can make them seem
disingenuous and untrustworthy. If a team is helping an executive with
their social media, make sure they are still involved in the process.
2. Forum Profiles Can
Be Used to Build Relationships with Highly Technical People
Most
people are on the basic social networks, like LinkedIn and Facebook. But there
are many more niche networks and forums that are commonly used daily by those
that are deeply involved in a certain industry.
Try
to find these online communities and get more involved. You’ll find that there
is often more depth to the questions and discussions, leading to a lot of good
opportunities to build trust and get others interested in your content
(provided it’s useful to the discussion at hand).
Some
sites to check include Reddit,
which has thousands of “subreddits” or threaded discussion boards based on a
specific topic, and Github, which is a portfolio hosting and online community
for programmers and developers.
Because
these are highly technical forums, it doesn’t make sense to go in and start
spamming discussions with your links.
Try
to integrate with the community by answering questions, getting involved,
completing your profile, and staying active before even attempting to share
your own content.
When
you share your content, make sure it’s actually useful to other users.
Otherwise, you may find yourself being ostracized for trying to commercialize
the discussion.
3. Use LinkedIn to
Share Your Content with the Right People
When
possible, ask your executives to get involved with your online activity or set
up a sharing schedule (with their permission) to regularly share content on
their personal social media profiles.
LinkedIn
is the perfect platform for this, as executives can have their own profiles and
can share content as needed.
Because
executives have more personal credibility, their link suggestions are much more
like to be taken seriously by users than a company profile simply sharing links
to their blog.
The
executive’s profile is “vouching” for the content, making it more trustworthy.
When
possible, ask executives for their insight or commentary on an article that can
then be shared with the link.
Users
like hearing the opinions of influential or high profile people, so adding this
personal touch can help increase interest.
4. Reach out to the Social Profiles of People Who Are
Authorities
LinkedIn
is great for building personal credibility and sharing content, but you can
also use Twitter, forums, and Facebook to do outreach and get others interested
in your content.
On
Twitter (and Instagram), it’s a common practice to follow people in your
industry you hope will follow you back. Taking the “first step” toward building
a relationship can help get you noticed organically and hopefully start a
relationship.
After
following someone, send them a tweet mentioning something they did recently,
such as podcast they were on or an article they wrote. This can show that you
admire their work, and people are much more likely to take an interest in
someone that they know already appreciates what they do (because it doesn’t
feel like they have to win them over – it’s already done!).
Building
genuine relationships with influencers or authorities in your field can be a
fulfilling way to not only grow your online visibility, but to also learn from
some of the best minds in the business.
As
these influencers and authorities begin to trust you, you can ask them about
sharing your links or if there is a way you can continue to help one another
promote new ventures and projects.
5. Promote Your Content with Facebook Ads to Drive Traffic,
Shares & Links
WordStream
founder Larry Kim is a master
at getting tons of traffic to his content, and he has shared in presentations
and in blog posts how this strategy has lead to big gains. He even did a webinar about this topic for SEJ.
Essentially,
with the right targeting and even as little as $50, you can get your content in
front of the right people on Facebook.
When
you have clear and concise targeting, the ad spend is lower, and the user
interest is usually a lot higher.
Try
to target exact interests or industries (e.g., manufacturing VPs in the U.S.
instead of simply users who have an interest in “business”) and make sure your
content title and description shares exactly how it is useful to the people
you’re trying to target.
As
the ad garners more visibility, you’ll see a trend in natural links as well, as
users who see the ad share the content with their own networks. This helps it
grow organically, making your ad budgets stretch much further.
Conclusion
Getting
shares and links for your content using online profiles and personal outreach
certainly isn’t the fastest way to build links, but it is one of the most
genuine and usually has the greatest long-term impact.
As
you grow your network, you’ll find that people are more likely to share content
from people they know, like, and trust. By focusing on building your online
profiles by staying active, sharing interesting and relevant information, and
promoting the work of others, you’ll find that it often comes back to you in a
big way.
Courtesy & OA : searchenginejournal
