One of the best ways to boost blog traffic to your blog is to build up a portfolio of backlinks. Backlinks are other websites and blogs that link back to your blog, helping you cash in on another website’s audience. As one of the top executives at Google has suggested, backlinks are becoming an integral part of SEO . Backlinks show Google that your website has authority because other websites are willing to link to it. But do you know how to create backlinks for your blog? It all starts with reaching out to influencers and professionals in your industry that might be willing to trade one backlink for another. Learn how to get more views by building backlinks to your blog that drive more traffic.

Reaching Out to Influencers in Your Industry

One way to get a website or blog to link back to your blog is to develop relationships with the people that run them. You can try reaching out to the editors and writers of a blog that’s related to your industry. Send them a message that shows you’re already a subscriber or avid reader of their blog. Then, fill out the message with information about why you’re looking for backlinks and that you’d be willing to return the favor.

Be sure to include the following information when reaching out to professionals in your industry:

Who you are, your experience, and why they should respond to your email.

The name of your website or blog and the content it provides

What kinds of readers generally read your blog

Where their backlink will appear

Be polite and courteous when reaching out to these professionals. After all, they are your peers! You should also be aware that you might have to reach out to 20 people or so before someone will respond to your email or message. It’s best to start with smaller blogs and publications and work your way up to more popular websites.

Guest Posting on Other Blogs and Websites

You can also try pitching guest posts to other websites and blogs. This means writing an original piece of content and getting it published on another website. You’ll need to reach out to these publications with information about your pitch, including what you’ll be writing about, why their readers will care, and that you’d be open to returning the favor.

Try coming up with a compelling topic that’s related to the content already published on their blog. Then, write a short description of what will be in the piece, including any stats or theories. Make sure you give the person a brief history of your writing credentials or provide some writing samples, so they have a better idea of your skills as a wordsmith.

Partnering with Social Media Influencers

We’re living the age of social media and that means living in the age of influencer marketing. Online celebrities with lots of followers can help you grow your business. 59% of marketers intend to increase their influencer marketing budget in the next year. Try reaching out to them on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram and ask them if they’re interested in promoting your website or blog. You might have to pay them to promote your content, or you can develop a relationship with them over time by retweeting their posts, following their account, and promoting them on your social media channels.

Make sure you get your blog in good shape before reaching out to influencers. That means having high-quality photos, lots of comments and followers, and an amazing portfolio of content.

If you want to drive more traffic to your blog, reaching out to influencers and other blogs will help you expand your audience online. Be professional and persistent with your outreach efforts and you’ll have a robust selection of backlinks before you know it.