Real Estate SEO Masterclass #4: Outrank Any Competitor With 3 Backlink Strategies | Zach Blackburn

This episode delves into the crucial aspect of off-page SEO, focusing specifically on backlinks. Backlinks are presented as a system of endorsements from other websites, significantly impacting a site's online authority. The discussion highlights that the effectiveness of backlinks is determined by their relevance, the authority of the linking domain, and the anchor text used in the link. A quality backlink profile is not about quantity alone but a strategic mix that mirrors a natural distribution, much like how popularity is perceived in social circles. The conversation also touches on the importance of domain authority, a metric calculated by third-party tools, and its relationship to a website's overall health and backlink portfolio, emphasizing that this metric is an algorithmic approximation of Google's evaluation.

The speakers caution against common pitfalls in backlink acquisition, such as participating in link farms, using irrelevant foreign backlinks, or employing "no-follow" and reciprocal links, all of which can negatively impact SEO efforts. The preferred method for acquiring quality backlinks is through strategic outreach, building genuine relationships with industry leaders and content creators who can naturally integrate valuable links. Tools like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and leveraging regional websites are suggested as organic methods for obtaining these endorsements. The episode underscores that a transparent and process-driven approach to backlink building is key, rather than relying on "mysticism" or proprietary secrets from agencies.

• Backlinks act as endorsements, significantly boosting a website's online authority.
• Quality backlinks are determined by relevance, the authority of the linking site, and the anchor text used.
• A natural backlink profile exhibits a skewed distribution, with a large number of low-authority links and fewer high-authority links.
• Mistakes to avoid include using link farms, irrelevant foreign backlinks, "no-follow" links, and reciprocal links.
• Effective backlink acquisition involves strategic outreach, building relationships, and leveraging tools like HARO.

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What are Backlinks and Their Role in SEO? [1:01]

• Off-page SEO, particularly backlinks, are crucial for a website's authority.
• Google's goal is to find the most relevant and authoritative content.
• Backlinks are a primary factor in determining a website's authority.
• Having content on multiple websites doesn't guarantee higher ranking; website authority plays a key role.
• Off-page SEO is how website authority is built.
• The three categories of off-page SEO discussed are backlinks, citations, and Google Business Profile. This episode focuses on backlinks.

"If Michael Jordan came up to you and said, 'Zack's the best basketball player you've ever seen in your life,' you're going to believe that him because it's Michael Jordan. But if Joemo down the street said it, they're going to say, 'Who are you and who's Zach?'"

Understanding Backlinks: Clout and Vouching [2:56]

• A backlink is described as "your clout online."
• It functions as another website vouching for your website.
• It signifies an association in Google's eyes.

The Importance of Quality and Quantity in Backlinks [3:51]

• Both the number of backlinks and their quality are important.
• Endorsements from high-authority sources (like top NBA players) carry more weight than those from less significant sources.
• Google uses backlinks as a heuristic to identify valuable content.
• Naturally, valuable content attracts more links, but in certain industries, intentional backlink building is necessary.

Key Factors of a Quality Backlink [5:40]

• Relevance of the backlink to your industry.
• Authority of the linking website (similar to the Michael Jordan analogy).
• Anchor text associated with the link (the clickable text).
• A combination of the number of backlinks, but not solely a numbers game. It's about correlation and comparison to competitors.

Defining Relevance in Backlinks [7:47]

• Websites are associated with verticals or concepts.
• A backlink is relevant if it comes from a website within the same or a closely related vertical.
• Getting a backlink from an unrelated vertical raises a red flag for Google.
• The content of the page linking to you also matters; it should be topically relevant to your business.
• Generalist websites with broad content can have some value, but niche, relevant sites are preferred.

Authority and Traffic as Backlink Metrics [12:02]

• The authority of the linking website is crucial; a newly created, low-authority site linking to you will have minimal impact.
• Google considers whether the website receives actual traffic and provides a relevant solution to its users.
• Good quality backlinks come from sites that are relevant, topical, valuable, and have good traffic.
• Google utilizes its own tools (Analytics, Search Console) to understand website traffic, contributing to its assessment of authority.

Domain Authority and Its Role [21:01]

• Domain Authority is a metric from third-party tools that measures a website's overall authority, considering its backlink profile and other factors like content.
• It's not a perfect replica of Google's algorithm but provides a useful benchmark.
• Building domain authority is logarithmic; gaining authority becomes progressively harder at higher levels (e.g., 50-100 is much harder than 0-10).
• A natural backlink profile typically shows a skewed distribution, with many low-authority links and fewer high-authority ones.
• The goal is to have a backlink profile that is competitive within your specific industry and market.
• For state-specific SEO in real estate investment, a domain authority of 15-25 is common, while regional or national efforts might aim for 30-40.

Common Backlink Mistakes and Red Flags [27:06]

• Mysticism and lack of transparency from agencies: If an agency cannot explain their backlink acquisition process, it's a red flag. Backlinking is a process, not a "magic wand."
• Link Farms: Networks of owned websites designed solely to generate backlinks without real traffic or value.
• Irrelevant Foreign Backlinks: A high volume of links from countries unrelated to your business location can be seen as artificial.
• "No-follow" Links: These links tell bots not to pass authority or value, essentially blocking the credit.
• Reciprocal Links: Linking to each other provides no genuine SEO value as Google considers it a wash.

Strategies for Acquiring Quality Backlinks [35:25]

• Outreach Approach: Connecting with and building relationships with industry-specific leaders who have relevant blogs and content.
• Creating Value: Offering to write an article for their blog that links to your client's site, providing them with free, relevant content.
• HARO (Help a Reporter Out): A tool where reporters seek experts for their articles, offering a chance to gain backlinks by providing insights.
• Leveraging Regional Websites: Utilizing local or regional platforms (like KSL in Utah) for listings and postings to generate backlinks.
• Location-Specific Sections: Using location-specific sections of larger platforms can be valuable.

The Misalignment of Incentives in SEO Agencies [32:40]

• Clients often pressure agencies for fast rankings, which can incentivize "black hat" tactics that yield quick results but are unsustainable and can lead to penalties.
• It's difficult for clients to judge SEO agencies due to the expertise required, creating an opportunity for deception.
• Agencies might sell "valuable" backlinks that are technically compliant but lack true SEO benefit.
• The focus should be on building a sustainable, organic backlink profile rather than quick fixes.