We already know that including links on our page and creating share-worthy content helps us to increase domain authority and improve organic rankings. All SEO experts know the power of link building, but is that all we can do? What about those of us who are looking for new strategies to optimize our pages?
We have created inbound and outbound links, we have optimized the images and all the semantics of the site, and we have generated high-quality content. And now, we’re wondering what else we can do.
Well, here’s the answer. We are going to analyze the strategy that very few websites are using: second-level link building.
What is second-level Linkbuilding?
A top-level link is a basic backlink: it links directly to website B from another website, A.
And there’s no doubting its power. When a high authority website (A) links to another site (B), it essentially serves as an advocate for the content it links to in Google’s eyes: site A signals that site B is important.
Simple…
But a second-level link is a bit more complicated.
Instead of generating a link directly from external content to a website B, a second-level link goes from any website (X) to the content linking to the website of interest (B).
Yes, it’s a bit confusing. Let’s take it one step at a time.
In general, second-level links revolve around a singular strategy: guest blogging (a common practice among bloggers, in which one participates as a guest on someone else’s blog).
In a few words, we write a blog post on a topic that is relevant to our website’s niche. While we are writing it, we include a backlink to our site, either within the content or in the author’s bio.
Then, we share the link and activate it on all our social networks.
This is how we get to generate second-level links.
(Remember that not only social networks are useful, but any online platform).
Why should we use second-level links?
Yes, second-level links help improve our rankings, but how exactly?
Perhaps the most important thing second-level links do is generate traffic.
When we guest blog and include a backlink to our site, all the traffic that goes to that post can also go to our website.
How? When readers click on the link we include in the post.
In other words, the traffic from our guest blogging is a gain for the publication and a gain for our website.
And precisely the main challenge for marketers is to generate traffic and leads.
And luckily, second-level link building is perfect to do just that: gain traffic.
Most guest blogging posts will promote our site. But we will also be able to help in generating traffic by disseminating additional links across the Internet (on our website, on other websites, or social networks).
With this in mind, even a guest blogging post with a no-follow link is worth it.
