Running out of linking strategies? With fresh links regularly needed to maintain a healthy profile, the inspiration for linking strategies can soon run dry. SEO companies are constantly trying to devise new ways of obtaining links for their clients. A smart site owner will gather a number of ideas to use in their SEO toolbox.

It can be a good idea to discuss ongoing linking ideas with your search engine optimization consultant, as part of your SEO maintenance plan. You can discuss this with us at SEO Consult Australia. Your optimization company can help you to assemble the tools you’ll need to maintain your ranking, but here are some linking ideas to get you started:

1. Checking keywords. Looking to your own keywords for links might sound like an absurd idea, but it’s the logical thing to do. The sites that rank well for your main keywords are going to provide the most powerful links. To scout out the most valuable sources of potential links, simply look up your keywords in Google. Of course, convincing your competitors to provide you with links once you track them down is a completely different matter.
2. Common links. If the top three sites in your keyword competition all have links from the same site, there’s a good chance that site provides some powerful link juice. When analysing your competitors, be sure to cross-reference their links.
3. Tap into competitor link juice. The fact that your competitors are the competition shouldn’t blind you to their usefulness. It’s likely your competitors link out to some fairly relevant sites. Look at the sites your competitors provide links to, and consider trying for a link from there. The satisfaction of benefiting from competitor link juice is just a bonus.
4. Consolidate links. One of the best strategies you can have is to use links wisely. Getting a top-quality link for a forgotten, buried page is really a huge waste. If you can, try to direct the right links to the right pages when you’re out link-hunting. When you’ve got your links, use that link juice wisely throughout your site, distributing through internal links.
5. Look for links your competitors don’t have. It goes without saying that high-quality links that your competitors don’t have are very valuable to your site. Look into industry magazines and new blogs for links they might have missed, and try to tap into trends for future links.
6. Institutional links. Some of the most powerful links are those that come from government and media sites. These sites wield a huge amount of clout, and their pages are often relevant to quite specific industries. Look at government organisations for potential link sources, and don’t be afraid to use your online press releases to seed links.
7. And, of course: Competitor links. Sometimes, the best way to get an edge on a competitor is to poach their links. If you’re stuck just a couple of places behind a tough competitor, have a look at their links profile. It may provide you with just the edge you need.