We’ll be looking at some of the factors that contribute directly to increasing domain authority. The premise behind this philosophy is if you can get links from high domain authority websites, then you’ll benefit with higher rankings. However, there are some elements you have control over that contribute directly to increase DA over time.
Utilizing the Tools
Here’s a great way to build domain authority quickly and I’ve used this method for years with success. Some niche relevant websites have been around for years, establishing their domain authority. These websites include article directories, guest posting blogs, link directories, etc. The good thing about these websites is they have a high DA so a link will add value to your website very quickly. As a matter of fact, because they have a high domain authority, you save months building authority for yourself. For example, if you try to increase your DA by writing quality content, through proper on-page SEO, and social media campaigns, it can take months to notice any results. However, external websites have already done all the work so it’s time to leverage this opportunity. Here what I do…
First, I’ll gather a list of websites accepting guest posts and it’s important to make sure they are relevant to your niche. If you’ve been blogging for years, you know where to look, but for those just getting started, do a quick search using the following “Top (keyword) blogsâ€. Start writing down a list of blogs and then proceed to the next step.
Head over to OpensiteExplorer.org and type in each URL to find out the domain authority. Here’s an example using JohnChow.com. This blog has a Domain Authority of 68. Any number over 25+ is a great DA and you can utilize to build links.
Once you’ve gathered the list, skim over to each blog, looking for a “guest post†page or contact the owner directly, pitching them an idea you have for contact.
If your guest post is accepted, you’ll be allowed to links within the author bio box and even within the article if it adds value to your content.
Brand Awareness
Many people don’t know how important building a brand is to influence your domain authority. Essentially, the stronger the brand, the more domain authority it’s going to hold and there are several reasons why. First, a strong brand will attract links more quickly than any other website. When people mention content or products and/or services by John Chow, everyone automatically wants to promote it. They know behind the product is an authority brand so it must add value and help the user. Next,
The more brand awareness, the more people want your opinion and expert advice. I published an expert post and contacted John Chow for his advice, and, in exchange, provided a link back to his blog. It was great for me to add credibility, but also a great link back because as my blog grows, so will the external link value.
Over time, Google recognizes the importance of brand and reputation because you’ve probably noticed when an authority blog publishes content, they rank fairly quickly. This can be attributed to authority branding over time and Google establishing the fact content published on a specific domain will provide value because of their previous track record. Here’s a cool example, check out this series published on JohnChow.com – Keyword = “25 best link building tipsâ€
Here are the Google results…
Wrapping It Up…
Obviously, there are other factors that contribute to Google ranking your website higher compared to others but there is a strong correlation between “domain authority†and higher rankings. Even though DA is NOT the only factor influencing the rankings, it sure provides a good indication of the factors that matter. For example, we learn how domain authority can be influenced by…
- Social Media Engagement
- Content
- Brand Awareness
- On-page SEO
- By simply utilizing tools the right way
- Off-page SEO factors
There is no replacement for a natural link building campaign, so it’s important to focus on these factors while building links slow and steady.