How to Rank Without Backlinks: 6 Proven Strategies
If you're a website owner or digital marketer, you know that backlinks are an important factor in helping your site rank well in search results.
But what if you're just starting out and don't have many backlinks yet? Or what if you've lost some backlinks due to a penalty or algorithm update?
Is it possible to rank in search results without backlinks? The answer is a resounding YES! In fact, even John Mueller, Webmaster Trends Analyst at Google, confirms it's possible:
Screenshot of John Mueller’s response to ranking without backlinks.
That’s why at TalktheTalk, we’re giving you six tried-and-true strategies to try:
Write high-quality content
Claim your spot on Google's local 3-pack feature
Perfect on-page SEO
Don’t sleep on internal links
Reduce bounce rates
Take advantage of ‘Barnacle SEO’
Double down on the value of the content
This should be a no-brainer, but it's worth repeating: the most important factor in ranking well is having high-quality, informative, and useful content.
Google's algorithms are designed to surface the best, most relevant results to users, so if your content is top-notch, you'll be more likely to rank well. Here are a few tips to create valuable content:
Research your topic thoroughly and provide in-depth information
Use relevant and targeted keywords, but don't stuff your content with them
Make your content easy to read and understand, using headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs
Use images, videos, and other media to break up the text and make it more engaging
Go for longer tail keywords
While it's tempting to go after short, highly-searched keywords, these are often very competitive and difficult to rank for. Instead, try targeting longer tail keywords, which are more specific and tend to have less competition. For example, instead of just targeting "dog food," you could try "best organic dog food for small breeds." Not only will these keywords be easier to rank for, but they'll also attract more qualified traffic to your site.
At TalktheTalk, we have a strict editorial process that aligns with Google’s Search Essentials and your reader’s preferences. If you need help creating high-quality content that knocks your competitor’s articles out of the water, we’re your people.
Claim your spot on Google's local 3-pack stage
If you have a local business, make sure to take advantage of Google's local 3-pack feature. This is a list of three local businesses that appear at the top of the search results for certain queries, such as "pizza near me."
Wondering how to show up in Google's local 3-pack?
Get a Google My Business account and optimize your listing
Accurate address and opening hours
Right category
Regular posts and photos
Google reviews
Google considers proximity, prominence, and relevance when deciding which companies to show in the local 3-pack
Proximity: where you are when searching
Prominence: importance based on external links, store visits, reviews, etc.
Relevance: how relevant your business is to the keyword based on content, onsite SEO, citations, categories, etc.
Improve your chances by getting more Google reviews. Note: if someone includes "best" in their search query, Google will filter out companies with less than 4 stars.
Perfect your on-page SEO
One way to get ideas for improving your own on-page SEO is to see what your competitors are doing.
Use a tool like SEMrush or Ahrefs to analyze their top-ranking pages and see what keywords they're targeting, what their titles and meta descriptions look like, and how they use headings and internal linking. You can then use this information to optimize your own pages and potentially outrank your competitors.
Here are some more pro tips for on-page SEO:
Use relevant and targeted keywords:
Research and identify the keywords (using Google's Keyword Planner or Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer) that are most relevant and popular for your business and industry
Include these keywords in the main headings, subheadings, and body text of your pages
Use variations and synonyms of your keywords to avoid overusing them and to capture a wider range of search queries
Write compelling and engaging titles and meta descriptions:
Use your primary keyword and a descriptive phrase in your title to accurately reflect the content of your page
Keep your titles concise and to the point (aim for 50-60 characters)
Use your primary keyword and a brief summary of your page in your meta description
Include a call to action in your meta description to encourage users to click through
Use headings and subheadings to structure your content:
Use headings (e.g., H1, H2, H3) to indicate the main sections of your page and subheadings to break up the text and make it easier to read
Use your primary and secondary keywords in your headings and subheadings to signal the relevance of your content
Optimize your images and videos:
Use properly-sized images and videos to reduce loading times
Include descriptive file names and alt text to help search engines understand the content of your media
Use caption and transcript text for videos to make them more accessible to users and search engines
When we write SEO blog posts or landing pages for our clients, we always keep those best practices in mind to give every deliverable maximum chance for success.
Don’t sleep on your internal links
Internal linking is the process of linking to other pages on your own website. This helps users navigate your site and helps search engines understand the hierarchy and importance of your pages. To improve your internal linking, try the following:
Use descriptive anchor text for your links (e.g., "learn more about our products" instead of "click here")
Link to relevant and high-quality pages
Use a hierarchy of headings (e.g., H1, H2, H3) to indicate the importance of different sections of your content
Tweak your website for a low bounce rate
Did you know that Google looks at around 200 different ranking factors when deciding what pages to show for different search terms? That's a lot of factors to consider!
One of the things that Google cares about is user experience. In other words, they want to make sure that the content they show users is relevant and high-quality. So, if you want to improve your search ranking, it's important to focus on creating a positive experience for your users – part of that means lowering your bounce rate.
A high bounce rate means that users are quickly leaving your site after viewing only one page. This can be a sign that your content is not engaging or relevant to the user's search query. To improve your bounce rate, try the following:
Make sure your site loads quickly
Users are less likely to stick around if your site takes too long to load. To improve your site's loading times, try the following:
Optimize your images and videos
Minimize the use of large JavaScript and CSS files
Use a content delivery network (CDN) to distribute your content globally
Enable browser caching
You can use tools like Google's PageSpeed Insights or Pingdom's Website Speed Test to test your site's loading times and get recommendations on how to improve them.
Use a clear and compelling headline to draw users in
Your headline is the first thing that users see when they land on your page, so it's important to make it interesting and informative. Use strong and descriptive language that accurately reflects the content of your page and entices users to read on.
Use internal linking to encourage users to explore more of your site
By linking to relevant and high-quality pages, you can encourage users to explore more of your site and reduce your bounce rate. Use descriptive anchor text for your links (e.g., "learn more about our products" instead of "click here") and a hierarchy of headings (e.g., H1, H2, H3) to indicate the importance of different sections of your content.
Include calls to action to encourage users to take further action on your site
Calls to action are buttons or links that encourage users to take a specific action, such as subscribing to your newsletter or purchasing a product. By including calls to action on your pages, you can encourage users to stay on your site longer and reduce your bounce rate.
Take advantage of 'Barnacle SEO'
'Barnacle SEO' is a term used to describe the practice of attaching your website to high-authority sites in your industry. This can be done through partnerships, sponsorships, or simply by being mentioned on these sites. By attaching yourself to these high-authority sites, you can piggyback on their credibility and trustworthiness, which can help improve your own search rankings. Some examples of 'Barnacle SEO' strategies include:
Partnering with industry influencers or thought leaders and getting them to mention your website on their blog or social media channels
Sponsoring events or conferences and getting a link back to your website on the event website
Being featured in a round-up or listicle on a high-authority site in your industry
Collaborating with a high-authority site on a piece of content or research and getting a link back to your website
It's important to note that 'Barnacle SEO' should be used in moderation and as a supplement to your own SEO efforts.
You don't want to rely solely on attaching yourself to other sites, as this can be seen as spammy and may not be sustainable in the long term. However, when used strategically, 'Barnacle SEO' can be a powerful way to boost your search rankings and gain additional visibility in your industry.
Pro tip: Hire SEO content experts to do some of this for you.
All in all, ranking in search results doesn't have to depend on backlinks. By focusing on the value of your content, targeting longer tail keywords, taking advantage of Google's local 3-pack, perfecting on-page SEO, working on your internal links, utilizing "barnacle SEO" and reducing your bounce rate, you can improve your search ranking and drive qualified traffic to your site.
However, optimizing your website for search engines can be a complex and time-consuming task.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the different elements of SEO, consider hiring an SEO content expert to help you out. These professionals are trained to improve your search ranking and drive qualified traffic to your site, freeing you up to focus on running your business. So, if you want to take your SEO to the next level, don't be afraid to ask for some expert help.
