by Prince Kapoor
For quite some time now, SEO tops the priority list for most companies. Why not? All of us want to be on the first page on Google, don’t we? Link Building is an invincible part of every SEO strategy.
When the topic is link building, ‘outreach’ is the centermost point of discussion. If performed wisely, it can push you on the first line of Google search results. Well, a dream come true! Isn’t it?
Since outreach is such an important aspect of link building, you can’t afford to make mistakes and piss off the publishers. The reason why SEOlutions.biz has enlisted some of the most common mistakes, marketing personnel or business owners tend to commit, while outreaching.
Using an email template you found online.
If you are planning to go online, search for an email template and then use it for sending emails to potential bloggers – you are going to be just ‘one more’ wave in the ocean. Amidst 124.5 billion business emails sent every day, you certainly need an irresistible element in your content.
The templates available online are too generic and overtly used. Recognized bloggers/website owners receive hundreds of emails every day, most of which are left unopened because they already know what’s in there. Thus, if you don’t wish to end up in the same clutter, craft your own template, with a sense of personalization. The aim should be to start a real conversation. This will increase your probability of getting a response, multi-folds.
Subject lines not on-point.
Subject lines are the first thing, the receiver lays their eyes on. They are the deciding determinant of whether your email is ‘open-worthy.’ Stats suggest that 35% of email recipients open emails based on the subject line, ALONE.
Boring or spammy subject lines will turn off the receiver almost immediately. On the other hand, too clever or misguided subjects don’t work either. The subject line is most read when it reflects the interests of the person you are emailing. Of course, this requires a detailed study on the recipient – like their hobbies or interests. Avoid playing around the bushes and craft a crisp, to-the-point and enticing subject line.
Not sending follow up emails.
Link outreach is not a one-time job, it’s a process. Responses on the first round of emails are hardly observed. It is undoubtedly difficult, but if you want the results, you need to stick at it. The thing is people get hundreds (if not thousands) of emails daily. It is quite easy to get lost in the crowd. So, a follow-up email, will bring your previous email into notice and increases the chances of getting a response.
Schedule it after a week of the first email. Now a follow up doesn’t mean you need to keep sending emails every day. Try once or maybe twice, and if you still don’t receive anything from the other end – STOP! Regular follow-ups make you sound desperate to the receiver, thus it’s better to drop it off.
Paying and buying links.
If you are doing this, or even planning to do so, you are inviting yourself to the Google-Penalty Party! It might not seem to be a bad idea for weeks, months or even years, but trust me, Google will find out as it has in the past, and the repercussions haven’t been great. You might be caught by an algorithm update, (Google changes its algorithm roughly 500-600 times in a year!) or too many low-quality links, the bottom line is, there’s nowhere to hide.
Google knows everything, even the sites who make money in return for payments. So even if they are highly authoritative, it isn’t worth it! My recommendation is that if you want this to be a long-term business, stick to organic link-building.
Delivering a pile of nonsense.
Today, every article you read, claims ‘content is king’. Yes, it is, it’s the kingdom currently reigning the system. So, if you are promising golds and diamonds to the publisher, you sure as well can’t deliver steel. Mediocre content with generic content will tick off the worst on both of your lists – yours and the publishers.
In a world where 91% of B2B marketers and 86% of B2C marketers use content marketing to reach customers, you definitely can’t be a part of the left-out club! Put serious thought and effort in your content piece and give the audience something that adds value. Believe me, very soon you will reap the benefits. After all, there’s a reason why it’s said, ‘Content marketing is all the marketing that’s left.’
Lastly, always remember, to err is human – so don’t be afraid to make mistakes, unless you have a takeaway!
Prince Kapoor is a seasoned marketing analyst and blogger. With his skills, he has been helping fellow marketers and brands worldwide.
