Link building strategies haven’t evolved much over time in terms of how Google and other search engines value links. However, the strategies used to launch a healthy, sustainable link building campaign have changed.

If you want a successful link building strategy that will survive algorithmic changes in 2020, here’s what you need to do.

1. Spread your links across as many domains as possible

In the past, link building efforts focused on getting as many links as possible on high authority sites. Some people generated hundreds of links on the same domain, like article directories. This seemed to produce results so people kept it up. Although, those results may have come from the power of anchor text and not the actual links. Remember when sites ranked for the phrase “click here?” Anchor text was once easy to manipulate.

Getting links on high authority sites should be a goal, but you don’t need to get multiple links on the same domain. Having multiple links on the same domain is only beneficial when the goal is to develop brand awareness or to get readers to click on your link. When it comes to passing authority to your site, you’re better off searching for new domains.

Additional links don’t pass the same amount of authority to your site

Marketing experts at seo.co explain the ins and outs of using link building strategies, including the wisdom of favoring new domains over already-linked domains. For example, they explain how the first link you build on a 78 DA site will pass significant authority to your site, yet getting a second link on that same domain will pass far less authority. The article explains that a new link on a 55 DA site is worth more than a second link on a 78 DA site.

Spreading your links out will help your site build more authority, but you also won’t have to worry if a publisher is blacklisted from Google for breaking the rules. Google has gotten better at identifying and removing content farms, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still exist. Spreading your links out ensures that if any domains get slapped down, you won’t lose much.

2. Optimize your anchor text for SEO and humans

Optimizing anchor text has and always will be critical for link building. However, search engines no longer favor sites who only target branded or exact match keywords and phrases. This practice was halted with Google’s Penguin algorithm update that exposed sites that were over-optimized.

Moving into 2020, it’s imperative to have a keyword strategy that includes conversational phrases. For example, if you’re selling digital marketing services, you’ll naturally want to use anchor text related to marketing. You might use phrases like “digital marketing,” “link building,” and “content marketing.” These are important phrases to use as anchor text. However, you’ll also want to incorporate your links with conversational anchor text and LSI keywords.

Anchor text variety should include LSI keywords

You probably already know that Google and other search engines use latent semantic indexing to figure out the context of each webpage. What you may not know is that anchor text diversity using LSI phrases is equally important.

A marketing agency should have a link building strategy that includes conversational anchor text that also incorporates LSI keywords.  For example, “how to beat the SEO odds in your industry,” “build links that stick around for good,” and “learn 7 content marketing secrets” are all great conversational anchor text choices for marketing agencies.

3. Be generous with other links

Whenever you link your own site, make sure to link other high authority sites as well. Be generous with the links you provide. You may even want to link to your competitors if you feel it’s appropriate for the content.

Providing multiple authoritative resources alongside your link will strengthen the perception of your content.

Algorithm changes are inevitable, but link building will remain strong

Of all the changes Google has made to its algorithm over the years, few have impacted link building. Google was built on backlinks, and that won’t change anytime soon. The major changes that affected link building have been an effort to “clean up” the internet and prevent spammers from ranking.

While all marketing strategies are important, set aside a little more time to focus on link building this year. Use these tips to strengthen your strategy and get the rankings you deserve.