Previously in our Addiction Marketing 101 series, we discussed the basics of On-Page SEO for treatment facilities (and all websites for that matter).  You learned the use of Title Tags, keywords within content, and general site structure...the simple stuff.  

Haven't seen a HUGE jump in your organic traffic? Well, that is because you have just handled the first 20-30 percent of what Google looks for.  Now its time for the hard part.  The part that most firms pay companies (oh oh! pick me! pick me!) to do for them. I am talking about link building.  

Link building takes several forms.  The two most noted out there, and that you will read about are "Spam" and "White-hat".  There has been a debate on these two for years, and still, the debate rages on.  What we can not argue with is why people link to us.  The reason? Google told us. Within the Google Webmaster Guidelines, you can read:

"If your pages contain useful information, their content will attract many visitors and entice webmasters to link to your site."

If you would like to get links to your site, therefor completing the remaining, LARGE, piece of SEO, you will to start the content development piece of your marketing plan. Although, if writing content made it rain links, we wouldn't have a company.  No field of dreams here, folks. So, lets take a quick look into link building. 

So, you have created great content that people can relate to.  It is a reference, it speaks to the user perfectly, but alas...no backlinks.  Well, the reason for not having backlinks is the same as why you don't have visitors...they can't find you.  You need to go get them! Here is how we approach our link building through Content Marketing. (We don't give the farm away here, but its enough to get your started)

1. Your content must be a reference point.  Like this blog.  It gives a writer a reason to link to you. 
2. Understand who should be linking to your site.  Do some Google Searches for "Drug Treatment Blog" or "Inpatient Drug rehab blog".  Perhaps you have a way that you want your content linked to.  Simply search for a sentence and see what you get.  You won't knock it out of the park, but you will get ideas.  
3. So, you have found relevant sites that you can help.  Perfect.  Now, you have to reach out to them.  Here is a trick I use to find content that is relevant on a large site. 
   1. Go to Google.com
   2. Type the following: site: www.blogswebsite "key phrase you want to link to you"
   3. What this does is tell google to search a specific site, for a specific term.  You now have your link acquisition plan.  
4. Reach out to the webmaster.  More and more, you will see an author listed for the blog.  This is the way a site gives credit for the writing of content.  FYI - If you are not doing this, you are missing out. Click on the author name and it will bring up a bio.  If not, look at the source code of the page.  CTL+U.  Search for REL=author, that will provide you the author information you need, if the site is using it correctly. 
5. Focus on what you do for a living, and let us focus on what we do.  You have a business to run, let us run your content marketing and link building.  It is, after all, kind of our thing. 

That wraps up this Drug rehab Marketing 101 session.  I hope you enjoyed learning about link building.  Should you have any questions on our content marketing services, or general online marketing for treatment centers, please let us know.  We are happy to help!