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Pillow Link Building: What It Is and How to Use It in 2024!

Pillow Link Building What It Is and How to Use It

Finding it hard to build backlinks without risking penalties? Your SEO efforts can backfire if your link profile doesn’t appear natural. Being too aggressive can hurt your site’s performance. That’s where pillow link building comes in.

It’s a safe way to build a solid foundation of links that look natural to search engines, helping you avoid penalties while boosting your rankings.

Let’s explore what pillow link building is and why it should be part of your SEO plan.

What Is Pillow Link Building?

Pillow link building is a link-building strategy that involves gradually and naturally creating links to a website. These links come from easy sources like social media profiles, directory listings, blog comments, and forum posts.

The idea is to create a “pillow” or cushion of links that make your site’s backlink profile look natural to search engines. This reduces the risk of penalties for using aggressive link-building approaches and helps your site earn trust. Normally, this is the basic step for SEO before other advanced strategies.

In 2024, with search engines paying closer attention to natural links, pillow link building is a key methodology to begin establishing your website’s credibility.

Benefits of Pillow Link Building

  • 🛡️ Risk Reduction: Helps protect your site from penalties by creating a natural mix of low-risk links.
  • 🌍 Diverse Link Profile: Ensures a variety of backlink types, making your link profile look more organic.
  • 🚀 Foundation for Growth: Lays a safe, stable base to support more aggressive link-building tactics later.
  • 📈 Improved Credibility: Helps search engines trust your site by showing a balance of branded, generic, and natural links.

6 Key Types of Pillow Links for Strong SEO

Types of Pillow Links for Strong SEO

Pillow links help build a natural backlink profile and provide a solid foundation for your SEO. Here are six types of pillow links you should focus on:

1) Social profiles

Social Profiles in pillow link building refer to creating accounts on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest. These profiles allow you to add your website link, providing easy and safe backlinks.

With 5.17 billion social media users worldwide as of 2024, these platforms are essential for both boosting visibility and establishing a natural link profile. While many of these links are no-follow, they still contribute to natural link building by diversifying your backlink profile and helping your site build credibility.

Social Pillow links

Using social profiles as part of your pillow link building strategy offers foundational backlinks that are crucial for safe and effective SEO growth, allowing you to create a base of white hat SEO links before moving to more competitive tactics.

2) Directory submissions

Directories are an easy way to build pillow links that form part of your foundation links. All you need to do is find relevant directories for your niche and submit your site. This process is quick, and many directories offer free listings, making it a great addition to your pillow link building strategy.

While directory links may not dramatically improve rankings, they help diversify your backlink profile and provide safe backlinks. This is essential for a natural, balanced link-building approach.

There are two types of directories you can use:

  1. General Directories: These accept submissions from any industry and are good for securing do-follow pillow links. Examples include:
  2. Niche-Specific Directories: These directories cater to specific industries, making them great for natural link building. Examples include:
    • Avvo for legal services
    • TripAdvisor for hospitality
    • Houzz for home improvement

By submitting your site to these directories, you’re building white hat SEO links that establish credibility and form foundational backlinks to support your overall SEO efforts.

3) Blog comments

Blog Comments are another simple way to build pillow links that contribute to your foundation links. The process is straightforward—find relevant blogs in your niche, read the content, and leave a thoughtful comment that adds value. Most blogs allow you to include a link to your website, giving you a chance to gain a safe backlink.

While these links are often no-follow, they still serve an important role in pillow link building. They help diversify your link profile, making it look more natural, and can even drive targeted traffic if your comment is relevant and insightful.

Here’s how to do it effectively:

  1. Find Blogs in Your Niche: Look for blogs that align with your industry or website’s topic.
  2. Leave Meaningful Comments: Make sure your comment adds value to the conversation. Avoid spammy comments and focus on genuinely engaging with the content.
  3. Include Your Website Link: Many blogs allow you to add a link to your site. This gives you a do follow pillow link or no-follow link, depending on the blog’s settings.

By incorporating blog comments into your natural link building strategy, you’re adding white hat SEO links that strengthen your site’s foundational backlinks and contribute to a well-rounded backlink profile.

comment Pillow Links

(Source)

4) Guest Posting

Guest Posting is an effective way to build pillow links that drive traffic and improve authority. By publishing articles on other websites, you can include a link to your site, earning do-follow pillow links or no-follow links from relevant content.

These links are high-quality, white hat SEO links, and come from niche-relevant sites, helping build foundational backlinks. Plus, guest posts drive traffic and expand your audience.

Here’s why it works:

  • Targeted links: Choose which URLs to link to.
  • Build relationships: Connect with bloggers in your niche.
  • Niche relevance: Get links from industry-related sites.
  • Referral traffic: Well-placed posts can bring targeted visitors.

Guest posting is a scalable, powerful strategy for natural link building that supports your SEO goals.

5) Image Links

Image Links are a creative way to build pillow links by using visuals that prompt action. These can include Call to Action buttons like “Download Now!,” banner ads, or infographics that are shared across websites, linking back to your site.

Why Image Links Work:

  • Highly Engaging: Visuals like Call to Action buttons (“Buy Now!” or “Click Here!”) and infographics naturally attract attention and are shared widely, helping you earn backlinks when others credit your images.
  • Drive Traffic: Strong visuals, especially advertisements or action buttons, can encourage clicks and lead visitors back to your site.
  • Safe and Natural: These links contribute to natural link building by adding safe backlinks through shareable, high-quality content.

How to Build Image Links:

  • Use Call to Action images (e.g., “Download Here!” or “Shop Now!”) or create infographics related to your niche.
  • Share them on image-hosting platforms like Pinterest, Flickr, or your own blog, and ensure each use links back to your site.

Using image links with action-oriented visuals is an excellent way to enhance your pillow link building strategy, combining white hat SEO links with strong foundational backlinks.

Image Pillow links

6) Web 2.0 Links

Web 2.0 Links come from platforms like WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr. You create free blogs or mini-sites on these platforms and include do-follow pillow links back to your website.

Why They Work:

  • Complete Control: You can decide the anchor text and URLs, making them great for natural link building.
  • White Hat SEO: Posting on these platforms results in white hat SEO links, making your backlink profile look natural.
  • Diverse Profile: They diversify your links, providing safe backlinks from different sources.

How to Build Them:

  1. Set up a blog on Web 2.0 sites.
  2. Post relevant content that includes links to your main website.
  3. Keep your blogs updated to ensure the links look organic and relevant.

Web 2.0 links are a key part of pillow link building and help you establish foundational backlinks without risking penalties from search engines.

List of Top Web 2.0 Sites

Key Strategies for Building Natural Pillow Links:

    • Diversify Your Link Sources: Build links from a variety of sources like social profiles, directory submissions, blog comments, and forums. This creates a diverse backlink profile, which is crucial for natural link building and making your site’s link profile look organic.
    • Mix-Up Anchor Text: Don’t repeat the same anchor text. Use a mix of branded, generic, and do follow pillow links to make your profile appear natural. This helps balance the use of keywords while ensuring your link profile doesn’t look over-optimized.
    • Focus on Relevance: Ensure your links come from sites related to your niche. Building relevant links from niche sites improves credibility, and using foundation links strengthens your site’s SEO.
    • Maintain a Healthy Dofollow/Nofollow Ratio: Use a mix of dofollow and nofollow links to balance your profile. Too many dofollow links might look suspicious, but pillow link building helps create a natural mix of both.
    • Build Gradually: Avoid building too many links too fast. Acquiring pillow links slowly helps create a natural growth pattern. This helps you get white hat SEO links that are safe and sustainable.

By following these strategies, you’ll create safe backlinks and a solid foundation for long-term SEO success.

Types of Anchors in Pillow Link Building

  • 🔗 Branded Anchor: Uses your brand name as the anchor text.
  • 🌐 Naked URL Anchor: Displays the full URL as the link text.
  • 🏷️ Title Anchor: Uses the page’s title or related phrase as the anchor text.
  • ✏️ Other Anchors: Generic phrases like “click here” or non-related terms.

Conclusion: Pillow Link Building

Pillow link building is a small investment with big benefits for your SEO. It helps you create a varied and natural list of backlinks that keeps your site safe from penalties and builds a solid base for future growth.

By focusing on safe, low-risk links, you’re ensuring your website gains credibility with search engines. This makes it easier to scale your link-building efforts later on. 

For such a simple and cost-effective strategy, pillow links are essential for long-term SEO success.

FAQs on Pillow Link Building

Is Pillow Link Building Suitable for All Websites?

Yes, pillow link building is suitable for both new and established websites. It provides a safe way to build a natural-looking link profile and reduces the risk of penalties from search engines, making it useful for any stage of SEO development.

Can Pillow Links Directly Improve My Rankings?

While pillow links themselves may not dramatically boost rankings, they create a balanced and natural link profile, which is crucial for long-term SEO success. This makes it easier to build high-quality backlinks later without triggering search engine penalties.

What’s the Best Time to Start Pillow Link Building?

Pillow link building should be among the first things to do within any SEO plan, especially for new websites. This will help in the creation of a trustworthy link profile before proceeding to use aggressive strategies such as guest posting or outreach campaigns.

How Do I Avoid Over-Optimization in Pillow Link Building?

To avoid over-optimization, diversify your sources (social profiles, blog comments, directories), vary your anchor texts (branded, generic, and naked URLs), and maintain a healthy ratio of dofollow to nofollow links. This ensures a natural profile that won't trigger penalties.

Are All Pillow Links No-Follow?

No, pillow links can include both dofollow and nofollow links. While many pillow links like social profiles or blog comments are often nofollow, it's essential to have a mix to create a balanced and natural link profile.

Can Pillow Links Be Automated?

While it’s tempting to automate processes like directory submissions or social profile creation, manually creating pillow links ensures more control and reduces the risk of spammy or irrelevant links, which could harm your SEO efforts.

How Long Should I Focus on Pillow Link Building?

Pillow link building is a process that keeps going, but it is very important at the start of your link-building campaign. After you create a strong foundation, you can use more advanced link-building strategies. However, it is still useful to keep adding pillow links to maintain balance.

Can I Use Pillow Links in Competitive Niches?

Yes, pillow link building is useful in competitive niches because it helps stabilize your link profile and reduce risks. In highly competitive industries, this foundation ensures your SEO efforts are safer and more sustainable over time.

 

Link Baiting: The Art of Attracting Backlinks (2024 Edition)

Link Baiting The Art of Attracting Backlinks

Confused about how to get backlinks for your website? So, there are two ways in which you can get backlinks. 

Either you ask people to link to your website or don’t ask people; let them come and make this decision by themselves.

A study by Ahrefs looked at 1 billion pages. Result? More backlinks mean more traffic from Google.

This graph shows the importance of backlinks in getting traffic to your website. But how do you get them naturally without asking?

Here comes “link baiting.” This technique is like a magnet pulling visitors and more backlinks to your website.

Let’s continue reading and learn how link baiting works and how it can make your website popular.

What is Link Baiting?

Link baiting is a technique that is used to create content that would attract other websites to link to it. This will result in improving the website’s position in search engine rankings. Also, the primary goal of link baiting is to generate as many inbound links as possible. 

The compelling content can include:

  • A detailed guide
  • A surprising research findings
  • An informative infographic
  • A useful tool

How to Use Link Baiting?

Here’s a simple idea of using link baits and how they can help grow your website.

  • Create Excellent Content: Make sure your content is helpful and one of a kind.
  • Get Others to Link: If people find your content useful, they will link to it.
  • Increase Your Site’s Visibility: More links mean higher visibility on Google, which brings more visitors.

Link baiting is a smart method to gain more traffic to your website. It makes people want to link to your content on their own because they like it.

Types of Link Baiting

We can divide the content into 4 main categories:

  • Controversial Content: Do you have a different take on an industry trend? Are you willing to go opposite the flow? This kind of content can bring a lot of attention and hopefully backlinks, too.
  • Data-Driven Content: You did an original research. Great! People always want to link to trustworthy and well-researched stats.
  • Comprehensive Guides: This one is tricky. You need a lot of authority in the niche. Then, create a full-fledged guide. Everyone would want to link to it.
  • Newsworthy Content: Always keep your eyes and ears open. Keep yourself updated on the latest industry news and developments. Any content covering that might land you a few links.

How to Create Effective Link Bait

Creating link bait isn’t just about crafting content; it’s about making your content irresistible. Here’s your blueprint to make content that’s so good that everyone wants to link to it:

1. Be Useful and Unique

DON’T create content just for the sake of it:

  • Solve Real Problems: If your content fixes an issue or answers a burning question, it’s gold. Think guides that walk users through solutions step by step.
  • Become the Go-To Resource: Strive to create the definitive guide on your topic. When you cover all the bases, others will not only reference your content. They’ll rave about it!

2. Catch the Eye of Publishers and Their Readers

Your content should be equally attractive to the readers as well as the publishers in your niche, which are not your direct competitors. Here’s how to do it:

  • Back It Up With Data: Solid numbers make your content credible and link-worthy. Imagine the clout when you say, “According to our study…” — it’s powerful!
  • Visualize It: Who doesn’t love a good infographic? They’re like candy for the eyes and a shortcut for the brain. Make sure your visuals are as shareable as they are pretty.

3. Stir Some Emotions

Emotions make us human. Can content with emotions resonate with readers:

  • Flatter With Ego Bait: Feature interviews or mention big names. Watch as they share your content in their circles, bringing you those sweet, sweet links.
  • Challenge the Status Quo: Got a new take on an old idea? Share it. If it’s good enough, watch the debates (and links) roll in.

4. Stay Timely and Trendy

Always keep an eye on what’s new in the industry.

  • Tap Into the News: Link your content to current events or hot topics. It’s like catching a wave; it’ll carry your content further and faster.
  • Engage With Interactives: Quizzes and games are not just fun; they’re magnets for links. Make something that people can’t help but interact with.

5. Tell a Story

Who doesn’t like a good story? We all are suckers for a good one.

  • Connect Through Narrative: Everyone loves a story. Whether it’s a personal journey or a case study, if it resonates, it links.

6. Simplify Sharing

  • Make Buttons Obvious: Place sharing buttons where people can easily find them, not tucked away at the bottom of the page.
  • Ensure Mobile-Friendliness: With so many people browsing on their phones, your site and content must look good on small screens.

7. Learn and Adapt

Watch and Learn: Keep an eye on how your content performs. What worked? What flopped? Every piece of content is a learning opportunity.

Best Practices of Link Baiting

Wondering how to get your content noticed and shared? Here are some smart moves to help your articles and posts become link-worthy:

1. Share Everywhere

Okay, it is literally a link bait, but some promotion won’t hurt.

  • Go Beyond One Platform: Don’t just stick to one place. Spread your content through various channels like social media, newsletters, and even webinars.
  • Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with big names in your field. Their nods of approval can catapult your content into the limelight.

2. Smart SEO 

We have to take care of our crawler friends, too:

  • Choose Smart Keywords: Pick keywords that are specific enough to attract the right crowd but broad enough to keep your bases covered.
  • Enticing Titles: Create titles that beg to be clicked. Think of them as the flashy sign for your content.

3. Engage Your Readers

Interacting is key to building community.

  • Encourage Comments: Ask questions and stir up discussions. It’s not just about talking; it’s about listening and responding.
  • Direct Calls to Action: Sometimes, a simple ‘Please share if you like this!’ can do wonders.

4. Use Data Wisely

It’s not a piece of cake. Data can give helpful insights into what is working and what is not. Remember, improvise, overcome, adapt!

  • Monitor with Analytics: Keep an eye on your traffic and shares. What’s working? Learn from that.
  • Adapt Based on Feedback: Use insights from your data to fine-tune your content strategy.

5. Keep Content Fresh

Okay, you created a good piece of content. Now, what? It’s not over. You have to keep updating to stay relevant.

  • Regular Updates: Bring older posts up to date with new information or insights. It keeps them relevant and useful.
  • Transform Hits: Got a popular blog post? Turn it into a video or an infographic to reach even more people.

6. Build Relationships

  • Genuine Networking: Forge real connections with other bloggers or journalists. Real relationships lead to natural link-sharing.
  • Guest Posts: Write for other reputable blogs. It’s a great way to reach new audiences and link back to your own site.

Examples of Successful Link Bait

Here are 6 link baiting examples we curated. We used SEMrush’s backlink analytics tool for analysis. Let’s check these out:

1. How a Car Engine Works by Animagraffs

how an engine work

  • Industry: Automotive and Education
  • Content Type: Interactive Graphic
  • Creator/Publisher: Jacob O’Neal for Animagraffs
  • Objective: Educate users about car engines in a fun, visual way.
  • Strategy: Uses detailed, animated graphics to break down engine components.
  • Results: Attracted significant attention, earning real backlinks from hundreds of domains.
  • Visuals: High-quality animations simplify complex concepts.
  • Why It Worked: Combines stellar visuals with a solid education, appealing to gearheads and newbies alike.
  • Dive Deeper: Animagraffs Car Engine

2. Semrush’s Most Visited Websites Study

most visited webistes- semrush blog

  • Industry: Digital Marketing and SEO
  • Content Type: Research Study
  • Creator/Publisher: Semrush
  • Objective: Highlight the most trafficked websites in the U.S.
  • Strategy: Data analysis to create a compelling, citation-worthy study.
  • Results: Over 8,000 backlinks from more than 1,000 domains.
  • Visuals: Eye-catching charts and graphs.
  • Why It Worked: Delivers sought-after data with a punch of authority.
  • Learn More: Semrush Study

3. The Points Guy’s Monthly Valuations

What are points and miles worth-thepointsguy

  • Industry: Travel and Finance
  • Content Type: Data Resource
  • Creator/Publisher: The Points Guy
  • Objective: Provide updated valuations for loyalty programs.
  • Strategy: Regular updates of critical data for travelers.
  • Results: Over 65,000 backlinks from 2,400 domains.
  • Visuals: Clear, concise valuation tables.
  • Why It Worked: Essential, regularly updated info that travelers can’t fly without.
  • Explore More: The Points Guy Valuations

4. The Beginner’s Guide to SEO by Moz

the Beginner's Guide to SEO by Moz-blog

  • Industry: SEO and Digital Marketing
  • Content Type: Comprehensive Guide
  • Creator/Publisher: Moz
  • Objective: Be the go-to resource for SEO newbies.
  • Strategy: Extensive, evergreen content with useful images.
  • Results: First organic result for many SEO searches, with over 2,059 domains linking.
  • Visuals: Helpful diagrams and screenshots.
  • Why It Worked: It’s a one-stop shop for SEO learning backed by Moz’s clout.
  • Read More: Moz SEO Guide

5. Global Peace Index by Institute for Economics & Peace

global peace index map

  • Industry: International Relations
  • Content Type: Research Report
  • Creator/Publisher: Institute for Economics & Peace
  • Objective: Rank global peacefulness and identify trends.
  • Strategy: Annual comprehensive analysis of global peace metrics.
  • Results: Widely cited by scholars and policymakers.
  • Visuals: Informative charts and global maps.
  • Why It Worked: It offers a deep dive into a globally relevant issue with data-driven clarity.
  • Further Info: Global Peace Index

6. 2018 Social Media Demographics by Pew Research Center

social media use 2018

  • Industry: Social Media and Market Research
  • Content Type: Research Study
  • Creator/Publisher: Pew Research Center
  • Objective: Update demographic data for social media usage.
  • Strategy: In-depth analysis across diverse demographics.
  • Results: Essential reference in countless marketing strategies.
  • Visuals: Detailed demographic charts and graphs.
  • Why It Worked: Provides invaluable insights for tailoring social media strategies.
  • Learn More: Pew Social Media Demographics

These examples of link baiting show how helpful they can be in attracting backlinks naturally.

The Positives and Negatives of Link Baiting

Link baiting is an awesome technique when used correctly. But If you are not paying attention, things can go south. Let’s analyze the upside and downside of link baiting:

The Good Stuff:

  • Interesting Content: Even when content satisfies the intent and provides all the answers. It is never a bad idea to make it catchy. It creates curiosity and interest and never bore you to death.
  • Trust: If you always tell the truth and don’t exaggerate, people will trust you more. They’ll keep coming back and will want to share your stuff.

The Not-So-Good Stuff:

  • Tricky Headlines: Okay, now, a little bit of controversy is good as long as you give what you promise. But are the Headlines just there for clicks and have no quality content? That is a bad news.
  • Lacking quality: You might get caught up and use all your energy to make it catchy. But you provide generic content. Remember, you still need to craft excellent content. Many articles out there are just clickbait and might not provide much value.

Conclusion

If you have reached this far, then you have mastered how link baiting is done.

But this is just the beginning; you need to keep your momentum.

  • Socialize: Backlinks are like a golden connection in SEO. So next time someone links to you, be a good sport and say thanks! You might find something in common. Who knows, maybe you can team up and create something even more awesome together!
  • Keep Making Awesome Stuff!: This is not a one-time stuff you need to keep giving back to the community. So, good luck with it.
  • Become the Know-It-All: As you continue to make such content. You will gain authority in your domain. And you will become a trusted source of information.

Now, it’s over to you. You have all the wisdom to implement link bait. Go! Conquer the world of content marketing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the quickest way to see if my link bait is working?

Check your content's share and like counts; if they're climbing, your link bait is catching on!

How often should I try to create link bait?

Aim for balance; too much can overwhelm your audience, but a few well-crafted pieces a month can really boost engagement.

Can link bait still be effective if I'm not in a fun industry?

Absolutely, every industry has a unique angle or untold story that can captivate the right audience.

What should I do if my link bait doesn't get the attention I hoped for?

Take it as a learning experience: review what might not have clicked with your audience and tweak your approach next time.

Is there a risk of my content being too promotional when I'm link baiting?

Yes, there's a fine line—focus on providing value and maintaining authenticity to keep your content from feeling like a sales pitch.