Backlinks are a staple of off-site SEO. They represent a metric that search engines providers use to measure the authority of a website, which is essential for ranking highly on relevant SERPs. If a website has backlinks from sites that are held to be authoritative sources of information on a given topic, it will be perceived as being relevant by way of reference. Building your site authority is mostly done through the process link-building.

There are numerous ways to obtain relevant backlinks, but for this occasion we will limit our scope only to those that are based around imitating what your online competitors are doing. If there are popular, authoritative websites in your particular content niche, it pays to implement SEO tactics that will allow you to coast on their success. In the rest of this guide, we will explore a number of these tactics that are easy to implement, and have a proven track record of working well.

Write For Sites Your Competitors Are Using

The ideal way to acquire backlinks is to have other websites link to yours because it is source authoritative, quality content. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to do this, and if your site relies solely on organic backlinks for authority building, it will quickly get overtaken by competitors on search engine result pages for relevant keywords. Interestingly enough, the best approach for boosting your link-building efforts is reliant upon those very same competitors.

Guest posting is the process whereby you create content for sites similar to yours, in exchange for backlinks. Your competitors are likely engaging in this tactic, and by following suite, you stand to gain gain much as well. The approach here is to look into the sites your competitors are guest-posting for, and then doing the same thing. By tapping into the same source for backlinks as your competitors, you are leveling the playing field, or even catapulting your site ahead in the SEO race.

Build Relationships With Competitors' Clientele

Another approach to building backlinks is through networking with bloggers, content writers, influencers and brand advocates. In addition to being a great source of backlinks, these individuals might also offer other services as well, such as creating sponsored content, giving shout-outs on social media, or providing you with contacts from the same field. Keeping a close eye on who your competitors are dealing with online will allow you to reap the same kinds of benefits.

Start by browsing websites which are providing backlinks to the sites of your competitors. Then look into the biographies of authors who have created the content that the source of the links. Figure out which of these content creators have a track record of making high-ranking content, and then approach them with an offer. Chances are they will be more than willing to work with you, possible offering additional benefits if your offer matches or exceeds that of your competitors.

One-Up Your Competitors' Content

Relying on the same sources of content for backlinks as your competitors might be enough for you to catch up in rankings, but in order to surpass them, you have to take things a step further. This is where organic backlinks come into play. Quality content will naturally get linked by various websites over time, slowly building its authority. However, creating such content takes a lot of time and effort. Fortunately you can make things easier by using the content of your competitors as a jumping-off point to make something even better.

To do this, you first need to do some research on the kind of content your competitors are creating and publishing. Find out which articles rank well on search engines, as this is a clear indication that they are target for inbound links. Then creating something in the same vein, while also adding extra value. For example, try adding a free e-book to the mix, or provide quality infographics that sum up the content of the article.

Track Your Competitors' New Backlinks

Many people make the mistake of assuming that SEO is something your can take care of once, and then forget about it. Even if you are satisfied with your current search engine rankings, and no longer wish to engage in SEO, don't assume your competitors will do the same. They have gotten to where they are now by ruthlessly pursuing new backlinks, and if you hope to keep pace, you will have to do the same. Fortunately, there is a way to turn this situation to your advantage – simply pursue the same back-link opportunities as your competitors.

Experts recommend setting up Google Alerts to notify you whenever your competitors are mentioned online. Just enter the name of your competitor and a chosen keyword, and Google will search online and send out an email notification whenever the search terms are mentioned. Afterwards, you can visit the site where the mention occurred, and then determine whether it presents an opportunity for obtaining new back-links.

Conclusion

Keeping an eye on your competitors will present you with ample opportunity to improve your link-building efforts at little extra cost. Just observer what they are doing, do the same, and offer some value on top of that.

About Author:

Chloe Smith is one of the SEO Sydney Experts who has been working with a digital agency. She is an avid learner and loves to listen music.