How to Build Trustworthy Links

Sometimes it is still possible to find a site that ranks well, however when you visit it and begin to click on some of the links, suddenly it doesn’t appear so trustworthy. This can happen for a number of reasons, including confusing ad placements on the site, blacked out navigation bars or even sections with leftover Lorem Ipsum text. Either way, the question is, would you want your business to have a link on a site that did not look trustworthy? Of course not.

Link building is important, but it needs to be quality, trustworthy link building. If you are building links for a client, the first question you should ask yourself is if you were the client, would you want a link to your site on that page? Spam still can slip through the cracks and rank well in SERPs and just because a site is ranking well does not mean having a link on it will be of any benefit let alone bring in sales or referrals. If a site does not provide a good user experience, good metrics or not, it just isn’t worth it.

How to Check for Trustworthy Links

Finding good quality links and good linking partners is becoming harder. The SEO strategy that needs to be applied is quality and excellent usability versus quantity or overall metrics. The first two items that should be checked when considering a partner link site is the Domain and Page Authority of the page. Also, finding out what country is sending the most traffic to the site is important. For a Canadian based company, a link to a site that generates 90% of their traffic from Asia is not going to be a beneficial match.

Secondly, review the content on the website. If there is no structure, bad grammar and filled with typos, skip it. Think about it from the user perspective – would you click on a link or trust a business that is associated with a website that cannot even properly communicate their services? Also, is the website transparent and has all of their contact information listed? Remember to check for spam content, namely Viagra and Cialis ads by searching the site name and a phrase similar to ‘cheap viagra online.’ If anything pops up in search, move on.

Importance of Mobile

When building links, don’t forget about mobile. If the website is not properly mobile optimized, it will not provide a good user experience or value from being linked. Check the site on a mobile device to view the display and check usability. Don’t risk losing a chance for mobile conversion by having a link on a site that cannot be properly viewed by users.

In the end, the key is remembering that poor usability breaks trust. Simple metrics alone cannot indicate the trust level of a site, which is why it is essential to take the time to thoroughly review each website you are considering a link with before approving. Time-consuming, yes, but also well worth the effort in the long run.

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