Having trouble building links? Now’s the perfect time to start getting the results you truly desire! This sponsored webinar featuring Nicole De Leon of NorthStar Inbound will cover that and more!

1. Top Link Building Mistakes
In-house SEOs Make
That Kill ROI
Nicole DeLeon
#SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks

2. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Nicole DeLeon
• Owner + Lead Strategist
• Link building aficionado, content
creation and ideation
• Recovering attorney

3. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
What will we be covering today?
• 12 mistakes often made by in-house SEOs
• How to avoid them or what to do instead

4. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
1. Thinking that more is always better.
• Even with long form content, focus on quality
over quantity
• With data driven content, use only the most
compelling data

5. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this Instead.
• First remove anything that’s less relevant, useful,
or interesting
• Ask, what are we losing by removing this

6. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
2. Forgetting the break things up.
• Large blocks of content overwhelm
• Users get lost, get bored, and leave

7. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• For text-based content add designed elements,
custom navigation, video, short graphics
• Break up a large infographic into separate
designed assets

8. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
3. Obsessing over Domain Authority or any other 3rd Party Metric
• Constrains opportunities
• Removes subjective evaluation
• Fails to plant seeds for the future
• Creates a lopsided link profile

9. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• Never pass up a good link building opportunity.
Full stop.
• Evaluate sites organically and subjectively. We
all know a good link when we see one.

10. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
4. Failing to create content that’s on trend or surprising.
• Cool and interesting isn’t enough
• Content must be different or surprising

11. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• Find areas that have not been covered or not
covered extensively
• For visual content, surprise is everything

12. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Poll 1
How are you scaling your link building efforts?
1. We’re looking to grow.
2. We’re going to keep them the same.
3. We gotta cut back.

13. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
5. Ignoring seasonality or timing
• Not listening to your gut on seasonality is a
mistake
• You only get one shot at promotion, don’t waste
it

14. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• If you have a great idea for content, but you
think it might play better at a different time, save
it
• Take advantage of seasonality. Weather,
holidays, elections, sports, industry-specific

15. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
6. Failing to personalize your outreach
• Standard personalization doesn’t work anymore
• Using old, tired templates is expected and does
not come across as genuine

16. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• Create an outreach persona the way you would
a marketing persona
• What are their likes and dislikes? What stresses
them out? What do they find funny or annoying?

17. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
7. Not segmenting your outreach list
• Failing to segment prevents you from using
persona personalization
• Failing to segment makes it less likely you will
think of all the different categories of prospects
you could reach out to

18. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• Segment your lists as much as possible
• Segment by interests, industry, geography, etc

19. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
8. Not having an elevator pitch for your content
• Shortest, simplest way to convey the unique
value proposition of your content
• Failing to include an elevator pitch results in
generic outreach that’s easy to ignore

20. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• An elevator pitch usually has the top 3 selling
points of your content.
• For info pieces: what problem does your piece
solve and for whom? How is it different from
other pieces?
• For visual content, what are the top insights,
who’s lives are affected and how?

21. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
9. Failing to consider your outreach strategy during ideation
• Most don’t even consider their outreach during
ideation
• That’s the best time to consider outreach and
exclude bad ideas

22. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• Best time to realize idea too complex, not
surprising
• Best time to ideate rough elevator pitches

23. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
10. Giving up too early
• Most campaigns go like this:
• Idea, execution, failure or success, repeat

24. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• Before giving up, figure out why it failed
• Test hypothesis and make adjustments
• Don’t stop until you have an answer

25. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Poll 2
Are you interested in learning more about link
building services from North Star Inbound?
1. Yes
2. Maybe – I have some questions
3. Not at this time

26. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
11. Chasing your competitor’s link profile
• Having the same links doesn’t ensure the same
results
• Their list of links is your list of prospects

27. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• Use their list of links to understand what’s
working in the space
• Develop your own strategy based on your
strengths

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@northstarlinks
12. Not diversifying your strategy
• Easy to get stuck on one thing
• Internet is constantly changing
• Loosing out on opportunities

29. #SEJThinkTank
@northstarlinks
Do this instead
• Always re-evaluate every part of your existing
process
• Branch out and try new strategies