Building backlinks is a cornerstone strategy for increasing website authority and improving search engine rankings. In this guide, I'll share a highly effective approach called Reverse Outreach, which has helped me consistently build over 1,000 backlinks per month for Exploding Topics.
Introduction to Reverse Outreach
Reverse Outreachis a strategy designed to create content that automatically attracts links from bloggers and journalists. Unlike traditional content that targets customers, this method focuses on producing content that other content creators will find valuable and reference in their own work.
Why Reverse Outreach Works
The essence of Reverse Outreach is to understand that the primary linkers—bloggers and journalists—often need specific statistics and data for their articles. By creating content that directly answers their queries, you position your site as a valuable resource they will naturally link to.
Example 1: Bitcoin Ownership Statistics
One of our top-performing posts at Exploding Topics is a simple article detailing how many people own Bitcoin. This piece attracts thousands of backlinks without any outreach because journalists frequently search for this specific statistic when writing about cryptocurrencies.
Example 2: Mobile Web Browsing Statistics
Another successful post covers statistics about mobile web usage. Journalists writing about the importance of mobile optimization often reference the percentage of web traffic from mobile devices, leading them to link to our article.
Step-by-Step Guide to Reverse Outreach
1. Identify Journalist Keywords
Begin by identifying keywords that journalists and bloggers search for when looking for statistics or data. These keywords are typically niche-specific and often overlooked in standard keyword research because they don't attract high search volumes from general audiences.
How to Find Journalist Keywords
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Analyze Competitors:Examine high-link pages on competitors' sites to identify common statistics being cited.
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Review Backlinks:Look at the backlinks pointing to your own or competitors' pages to find patterns in the types of data being referenced.
2. Create High-Value Content
Once you have your keywords, structure your content to provide the sought-after statistic prominently. Here’s how to do it effectively:
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Front-load Value:Place the key statistic at the top of the page with a short introduction.
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Supplementary Data:Include additional relevant statistics and context to enrich the page and provide more linking opportunities.
3. Optimize for Visibility
Ensure your pages are optimized to rank well for the identified journalist keywords. This often involves:
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Specific Titles:Use clear and specific titles that match the search query closely.
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Recent and Accurate Data:Ensure your statistics are up-to-date and sourced from reliable references.
4. Funnel Authority to Important Pages
Links to your stats pages increase your site's overall authority. To maximize the benefit, strategically link from these high-authority pages to other important content on your site.
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Internal Linking:Direct the link equity to other relevant pages, such as blog posts or landing pages, to improve their search rankings.
Evaluating the Strategy
While not every piece of content will rank at the top or attract a significant number of links, the cumulative effect of multiple well-targeted statistics pages can substantially boost your site's authority. Even competitive keywords can be targeted if your content provides a better, more focused answer than existing pages.
Competitive Analysis
When evaluating potential keywords, consider the competitiveness and the quality of existing content. Look for:
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Specificity:Is there a page that directly answers the query?
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Recency:Is the data current, or can you provide more recent information?
Reverse Outreach is a powerful strategy for building backlinks by creating content specifically for bloggers and journalists. By focusing on high-value statistics and optimizing for journalist keywords, you can significantly enhance your site's link profile with minimal outreach effort.