Link building secrets for Ecommerce websites
If you’ve ever tried link building for an ecommerce website then you’ll know just how difficult the job really is. Ecommerce websites typically have very little or no “linkworthy” content – unless of course the shop sells very unique products. So this poses a problem for the online shop owner.
It’s no secret that quality links to (and sometimes from) your website are the most valuable of commodities in SEO. For example this high quality article about wooden floor restoration will be of great value to say, interior designer websites or home improvement websites and the links generated will improve search engine rankings.
But how do you obtain the same sort of links for an ecommerce website?
A little creativity and clever thinking can help boost the number of links to your ecommerce website, boost your rankings and grab you more sales. Here’s a few “secrets” you can use to great effect.
Online PR – create something about the startup of your company or something newsworthy about your personal journey into business. Submit it to online pr websites and blogs.
Create a 50 page free guide book. For example if you sell beer online you could write a book on 50 of the world’s best beers. Add tasting notes, production notes, ingredients etc. Create it in PDF form linking from your website and ask visitors to enter an email address before getting the download.
Create a world’s most expensive or cheapest list and slot your products somehwhere in the middle.
Create a “10 top secrets about your products” ebook or download! People find “secrets” type articles irresistable. Used catchy titles like “Expert Kite Flying Tips Exposed” or “Secrets from the industry Experts”.
Sponsor an event or website. Clear advantages of this are the brand exposure you will aquire.
Start a competition. Giving away one of your products can get you links and increase your brand exposure. In addition, if you structure it properly you can use the details of those taking part for future marketing. Remember and include permission to contact them at a later date.
Use forums to get some exposure about your products. This one is somewhat trickier but done carefully you can get some quality links to your website.You have to earn reputation on forums before you can be trusted with posting links to your products. Alternatively there are some forums that will allow you to post links to your products as standard. Seek these out. Alternative methods are posting questions about new products you are considering launching. Ask your forum peers for an opinion on some new products you are “testing” on your website. Post a link to 2 or 3 products and ask them if you think it would be a best seller. This way you get links to your products without the flaming.
Buy links (it’s probably what your competitors are doing anyway). There are several advantages and disdvantages to this. The advantages are that you can dictate the anchor text, placement, number of links and site topic. The disadvantages are that of being caught by Google. You have to satisfy yourself that the website you are buying links from has not been penalised, caught etc.
Make posts about 10 best products on the internet and include one of yours in the list. For example – 10 best office chairs. Add yours at number 1 and 2 and make sure you link to the products on your shop. For the rest add links to product reviews or some other shop selling office chairs in an area or country outwith your selling area.
Recommend products on blogs (be subtle). For example, you could recommend buying a chair from a good office furniture company on a blog that discusses back pain. You could tell of an experience of back pain and how the right chair improved your posture.
Contact your wholesalers and ask to be placed on their website as a stockist of their products.
Recommend products on social networks that have dofollow links in the profiles.
Think of ways your customers might enjoy your products. For example, if you sell frying pans then give a recipe for a fantastic omelette. Post your articles on your own website and blogs etc.
Create a forum or user group for your products. For example if you sell software downloads or embroidery kits then get users involved. Provide tips, advice, and so on. You build a community and whilst you may not attract a great deal of links, you do build word of mouth sales. If your forum becomes very popular then it can rank for great terms and you have exclusivivity over links and advertising to your online shop.
Give away free data sheets for your products. Post these online. Often people will search on specific data relating to a product which can attract links.
Giveaways – send stuff to bloggers, forum owners, editors etc. Something inexpensive like a branded pen, card holder or keyring can work wonders. Ask them politely for a link back.
Post funny or weird stories about things that have happened with your products. Anything weird, unusual or funny grabs attention and can be great for getting links back. For example, if you sell kites and you discover that a well known company is using one of your kites as a lampshade then write about it. We have a kite in our office that is stuck to the wall that was used for inspiration in designing our logo. It was stuck there a while ago and has been there ever since.
Last but not least…use your imagination.
