What Are Editorial Links?
Editorial links are a type of backlink that a website receives naturally and without any direct request or payment.
These links are given by other websites to your website as a result of finding the content valuable, informative, or interesting.
These links are often seen as more valuable than other types of links because they are based on the merits of the content and are neither paid nor created for the purpose of promoting a specific product or service.
Difference between editorial and acquired links
Editorial links are natural and earned links from other websites that are not paid for or exchanged for any other consideration.
They are given voluntarily by other webmasters or content creators because they find the content on the linked website to be valuable and informative.
Acquired links, on the other hand, are links that are obtained through intentional efforts such as buying, exchanging, or otherwise incentivizing other websites to link to your content.
These links are often obtained through outreach efforts or link-building strategies and may be exchanged for money, goods, or services.
Search engines like Google consider editorial links to be more valuable than acquired links because they are seen as a credible vote of confidence from other websites.
Examples of editorial links
There are several examples of editorial links such as:
When another website mentions your content as a useful source of information or as a reference, providing its readers with a link to your site for further details.
If your website has designed an informative or visually appealing infographic, other sites might share it and credit your website with a link as the original creator.
A link roundup is a curated list of valuable resources, usually created by a blogger or content creator, that gathers various articles, blog posts, or websites on a specific topic. If your content is included in such a list, it's considered an editorial link.
If a person associated with your website or company is quoted or cited as an expert or a source of valuable information in an article or blog post, the linking site might provide an editorial link to your website.
A website mentions a research study or survey conducted by you and links to your company's website as the source of the study.
A podcast host invites you as an expert guest to talk about a topic and links to your website or social media profile in the show notes.
Why are they important?
Editorial links are important because they can help websites in a few key ways.
First, they can improve a website's search engine ranking. Search engines like Google look at links to judge how popular and useful a site is. So getting links from other reputable sites signals to Google that people find your content valuable.
Second, editorial links drive interested visitors to your site (referral traffic). Readers who click on relevant links in articles are more likely to engage with your content, compared to ads. These visitors may sign up for a newsletter, make a purchase, etc.
In simpler terms, editorial links indicate to search engines that your site offers quality information readers want. And they route targeted, high-intent traffic your way. So securing them boosts both search rankings and conversion rates.
Benefits of editorial links
Editorial links can give you a lot of benefits.
Increased visibility and traffic in search results: When other reputable websites link to your content, search engines may view your website as more valuable and authoritative. This can lead to higher rankings in search engine results pages and more people finding your site through organic search.
Higher rankings for relevant keywords: Editorial links signal to search engines that your content is worthwhile. As more sites link to you, search engines may rank your pages higher for important keywords that are relevant to your content.
Credibility and trust from other content creators and readers: If influential websites and content creators link to your site, readers will view your own website as more credible and trustworthy. Editorial links help establish you as an authority.
Association with reputable websites: Having editorial links from well-known websites allows you to be associated with those reputable sites. This can enhance the perceived value and reputation of your own website.
Positive impact on domain authority and PageRank: Editorial links from high-quality websites can boost metrics like domain authority and PageRank for your site. This also correlates with better search engine visibility and higher rankings.
Higher click-through rates than promotional links: Because editorial links situate links organically within relevant content, they tend to see higher click-through rates compared to self-promotional links. Readers respond better to contextual links.
No direct cost to acquire editorial links: You do not have to pay money to directly acquire each editorial link pointing to your site. Instead, you earn these links by producing valuable content and building relationships with influencers and other websites.
Long-term benefits from high-quality content creation: By creating high-quality content that earns editorial links, you can establish your website as a trusted source of information and attract more organic traffic over time.
Greater ROI compared to paid advertising: Because editorial links are earned rather than paid for, they tend to have a higher return on investment (ROI) than paid advertising.
Building a reputation as a trusted source of information: When readers see that your content is being linked from reputable sources, it can help build your reputation as a trusted source of information.
No risk of penalties or negative impact on search rankings: Unlike artificial link-building methods, editorial links do not carry the risk of penalties or negative impact on search rankings.
Better long-term sustainability for SEO strategy: By focusing on creating high-quality content that earns editorial links, you can build a sustainable and long-term SEO strategy that avoids the pitfalls of artificial link building.
Are there any drawbacks to editorial links?
While editorial links are generally considered to be a valuable and natural way to build links to a website, there are some potential drawbacks to keep in mind:
Limited control
Since editorial links are given voluntarily by other webmasters or content creators, you have limited control over where the links come from and how they are used.
This means you may not always be able to control the anchor text used or ensure that the links are placed in relevant contexts.
Slow to accumulate
Unlike acquired links that can be obtained through outreach efforts, editorial links may take time to accumulate.
You have to rely on creating high-quality content and promoting it through social media, guest blogging, or other means to earn editorial links naturally.
Uncertainty of results
While editorial links can help improve search engine rankings and increase website traffic, there is no guarantee that they will have the desired impact.
It can be difficult to measure the direct impact of editorial links on website performance and search engine rankings.
Difficulty in obtaining
Editorial links require high-quality content creation and promotion to earn them naturally. If your website is not producing high-quality content or your outreach efforts are not successful, it can be difficult to obtain editorial links.
Ways to get editorial links
Create high-quality content
The best way to earn editorial links is to create high-quality, informative, and engaging content that other websites will want to link to. This can include blog posts, infographics, videos, research studies, and more.
One way to increase your chances of earning editorial links is to update your existing content to make it more valuable and informative. For this, you can adopt the following approaches:
Conduct a content audit: Review your existing content and identify which pages or posts have the potential to earn editorial links. These may include evergreen content that is still relevant or content that has received a lot of social shares or engagement.
Research your competitors: Look at the content your competitors are creating and see if there are any topics or angles that you can improve upon. Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to see which pages on your competitor’s websites are earning the most links and try to create content that is even better.
Add new information: Update your existing content with the latest information, data, and statistics. This will make your content more valuable and informative, and increase the chances of other websites linking to it.
Improve the design: Make sure your content is visually appealing and easy to read. Add images, videos, infographics, or other visual elements to make your content more engaging and shareable.
Optimize for SEO: Make sure your content is optimized for search engines by including relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and title tags. This will help your content rank higher in search results and increase the chances of other websites linking to it.
Promote your updated content: Once you've updated your content, promote it on social media, email newsletters, and other channels to increase its visibility. This will increase the chances of other websites discovering your content and linking to it.
Publish studies
Studies are a great way to attract more editorial backlinks. When you publish a study on your website, other websites are more likely to link to it because they want to provide their readers with the latest information on the topic.
To create a study that will attract editorial backlinks, you need to make sure that it is:
High-quality: Your study should be well-written and informative. It should also be based on sound research.
Unique: Your study should provide new information that is not available elsewhere.
Timely: Your study should be published when there is a lot of interest in the topic.
If you can create a study that meets these criteria, you will be well on your way to attracting more editorial backlinks.
Publish infographics
Infographics are visual representations of data that are easy to comprehend and share. They are an effective means of simplifying complex information into a more accessible format.
Webmasters often link to infographics because they are easy to share and credit the original source.
Here are some tips for creating infographics that can attract editorial backlinks:
Choose a relevant topic: Your infographic should be relevant to your website's niche. This increases the chances of other websites linking to it.
Use high-quality visuals: Your infographic should be visually appealing and easy to comprehend. This increases the likelihood of people sharing it on social media.
Include accurate and up-to-date information: Your infographic should be based on accurate and up-to-date information. This makes it more credible and trustworthy.
Promote your infographic: After creating your infographic, promote it on social media and other online platforms. This will increase its visibility and attract more attention from other websites.
Mention other businesses in your niche
If you write positively about other businesses, they're more likely to link back to your website in gratitude for the publicity. Here are some tips for writing about other businesses to attract editorial backlinks.
Be specific and informative: Focus on the unique strengths and benefits of the business instead of writing a generic review.
Be honest and objective: Acknowledge the strengths and weaknesses of the business to show credibility and build reader trust.
Promote on social media: Share your positive review on social media to increase its visibility and attract attention from other businesses.
Be a source for journalists
Sign up for services like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) or SourceBottle and offer to provide expert commentary or insights on topics related to your industry. If your quote is used in an article, you may earn an editorial link to your website.
HARO is one of the most popular services that connect journalists and content creators with sources.
Here's how to use HARO to get editorial links:
Sign up for HARO: Go to the HARO website and sign up for a free account as a source.
Monitor HARO emails: HARO sends out three emails a day with a list of topics that journalists are looking for sources on. Monitor these emails and see if there are any topics that you can provide expert commentary on.
Respond to queries: If you see a query that you can respond to, click on the link in the email and follow the instructions to submit your response. Make sure to include a brief bio that includes a link to your website or social media profiles.
Follow up: If a journalist uses your quote in an article, follow up with them and thank them for including your input. Ask if they can include a link to your website in the article if one was not already provided.
Collaborate with influencers
Partner with influencers in your industry to create content that they can share with their audience. This can help you reach a wider audience and earn editorial links from their followers.
Use social media
Share your content on social media platforms and engage with other users in your industry. This can help you build relationships with other content creators and earn editorial links from their websites.
Conclusion
While editorial links are highly valuable, it's important to remember that they can be difficult to earn and require time, effort, and patience.
By focusing on creating high-quality content, building relationships with journalists, and promoting your content through various channels, you can increase your chances of earning valuable editorial links that can help grow your website's online presence and authority.