One of the best ways to improve your SEO rating and grow your overall online presence is to have bloggers dedicate backlinks and reviews to your website. Unfortunately, you cannot expect that a notable blogger will mention your website on their own accord. Instead, you need to actively pursue bloggers and convince them to give you both reviews and backlinks. In this article, we will first review why is it important to do so and then give you important aspects to keep in mind when you ask bloggers for backlinks and reviews.
Why is it a good idea to ask bloggers for backlinks and reviews
There are multiple benefits to getting backlinks and reviews from prominent bloggers. First off, making the most out of the backlinks is a great way to boost your SEO strategy. Both backlinks and reviews are seen as important indicators that your website is worthwhile, which helps boost its SEO rating. Besides this, getting mentioned by other people is usually a good thing. Unless they are outright condemning you, getting mentioned by prominent bloggers is a natural way to grow your online presence. The more your website gets mentioned, the more likely it is for people to visit it. Therefore, by spreading your brand across the online landscape you are much more likely to draw in new traffic.
How to get backlinks and reviews
The aforementioned reasons are why marketing managers usually go out of their way and hire professionals such as the Link Department to get backlinks and reviews. Even a couple of mentioned can do a world of good for your online presence and your SEO. But, getting those couple of mentioned is easier said than done. Finding and convincing bloggers is a process that takes a bit of tact and strategy.
Don’t start with top bloggers
Once you start looking for bloggers, you might naturally go with the top ones. After all, they are the easiest to find. And you will gain a lot if you get them to provide backlinks or reviews. But, trying to engage those bloggers is a fool’s errand. The chances of them willingly providing you with a backlink or a review are slim to none. Therefore, instead of wasting your time with top-rated bloggers, try to focus on those with mid to low popularity. These will be much more willing to work with you and provide you with the type of content that you need.
Research the blogger’s history
Not all bloggers are good at dealing with backlinks and reviews. Sure, even getting mentioned is worthwhile. But you really ought to consider the context in which you are mentioned and who associates with your brand. Toxic backlinks can hurt your SEO, even if they mention your website. So, ideally, you will research the blogger beforehand and ensure that their previous work is in line with your needs. If you like the writing style that the blogger uses, you will be even more motivated to address them. And if the style of your website naturally syncs with their style, they will be all the more willing to work with you.
Develop a relationship with the blogger
Once you find bloggers that you like, you want to take your time. Of course, you want to get your reviews and backlinks as soon as possible. But keep in mind that growing your online presence isn’t a sprint but a marathon. The best course of action is to slowly develop a relationship with the blogger before you ask them for something. Read their work. Leave comments on their posts. If they happen to mention you, be sure to thank them. If you actively use social media for your website, share their content. Send them an email where you outline how you appreciate their work and that you hope to work with them one day. These are all steps to take to slowly grow your relationship and ensure future collaboration.
Offer compensation for the blog or review
Unless you’ve grown really close with the blogger, you will likely have to offer some compensation for the blog or review. A free sample for them to review is a great way to naturally ask for a review. In fact, this is how most companies get reviews. All they do is send free samples to prominent reviewers and ask for their honest opinion. The other, rather obvious, course of action is to pay for the backlink/review. This, as you can imagine, can leave a bad taste. Namely, the blogger will feel pressured to give you a good review, even if you don’t ask them for it. So, try to avoid a downright payment for the review. Something less obvious, like a discount or a better deal, is a much more neutral way to get a review.
Stay cordial and professional
Not all bloggers will respond to your requirements. In fact, it is much more like that a minority will. Out of those that do, not all will look favorably on your website or will want to be associated with it. What you need to do is, first, be ok with it. You a growing your brand. So don’t take rejection personally. Always stay cordial and professional with the bloggers, even if they aren’t so with you. After a while, they might change their opinion of you and be more willing to work with you. And once that happens, you’d be glad that you didn’t burn that bridge by being rude.
Final thoughts
As you can see, there are several steps you need to take before you ask bloggers for backlinks and reviews. But, nevertheless, it is vital that you tackle them with due care. This is why successful companies usually have great SEO outreach programs. The good thing is that the more your online presence grows, the easier it will be to find bloggers. Some may even mention or review you on their own accord. But, until that day comes, stay humble and work diligently in finding promotions.