A Complete Guide to Edu Backlinks (& 8 Creative Ways to Get Them)
Source: Freepik
It is no longer news that when it comes to backlinks, Google does have favorites.
Even though they claim to equally love all backlinks from high-authority websites, everyone knows they treat .edu backlinks a little more nicely than others.
The only links that get close are those from the .gov sites. But anyone who has ever tried to get edu backlinks knows firsthand the struggle that comes with it.
Edu backlinks cost more, and not everyone who has money can just buy one. What’s more? These types of links are usually directed to a truly deserving and high-quality website, which means no link trading is allowed.
Still, if you know your way around, it is possible to get or even buy edu backlinks without violating Google’s policies. How? Stick around.
Table of Contents:
- Why Choose Edu Backlinks?
- Why Is It Hard to Find Edu Backlinks Opportunities?
- How to Get Edu Backlinks?
- #1 Search Resource Pages
- #2 Offer Aid or Scholarship
- #3 Create Student Discount Programs
- #4 Leverage Career Pages on Your Website
- #5 Link to Edu Bloggers That You Admire
- # 6 Write or Sponsor a Couple of Research
- #7 Collaborate With Students
- #8 Take Advantage of Your Alumni Network
- Where to Buy Edu Backlinks?
- Conclusion
Why Choose Edu Backlinks?
Say you are doing a Google search for something like the French Revolution (everyone gets the random urge to go down the Google rabbit hole to find out about historical events, right?); which site are you more likely to trust?
Chances are that you will gravitate towards the edu sites. They have more sources cited and verifiable references compared to regular blogs like yours. That’s how your readers feel, too.
Imagine having one or more edu backlinks leading to your site. If there’s one thing you should know about online search, it’s the fact that you must be able to appear trustworthy to drive traffic.
Since both people and search engines love these types of links, your brand automatically gets a credibility boost. You get higher search rankings, more authority, better trust rank, and all that good stuff that leads to more traffic and increased sales. Well, one link won’t make all the difference in the world, but you get the point.
But wait, you might argue, didn't Google recently reduce the link juice from edu and gov sites significantly?
Yes, but it is not a cause for concern, as the link authority from these sites still remains higher than that from regular links. The key is to avoid choosing spammy sites, profile links, and other low-quality sources. Why would you feed your website that anyway?
Why Is It Hard to Find Edu Backlinks Opportunities?
If link-building is one of the most difficult aspects of SEO, then trying to find edu backlinks is like trying to pull out a bad tooth with just your bare hands and no anesthesia. Ok, that was an exaggeration, but you get the picture. Still, you'll quickly notice the following:
- You have fewer opportunities for getting potential edu backlinks thanks to the smaller number of edu domains.
- There is more competition for the available domains.
- Schools are now wise to the loopholes many sites use to gain links from them, which leads to even more strict requirements you have to follow.
- There are few credible service providers who you can confidently outsource this task to since it requires a more specialized skill set.
- It costs more time and other resources to get a single edu link compared to other links.
How to Get Edu Backlinks?
Despite the many hurdles, it is still possible to obtain edu backlinks. You already know that regular link-building tactics may not be successful. So, here are some ideas on what you can do differently to snag those links.
#1 Search Resource Pages
Source: Harvard College
A resource page to an edu site is what a guest post is for most blogs. You will find a resource page on most edu sites where they provide information that students, parents, and other parties might find useful. This can be your opportunity to shine if you can find a way to provide information that is valuable to the audience.
Just be sure to find a content idea that fills a need or serves a specific need of the student body or staff, etc. If your pitch is convincing enough and your content is good, you may just get listed on their resource page.
#2 Offer Aid or Scholarship
Scholarship and school financial aid can be prime chances to get quality edu backlinks. This is why some companies choose to offer some kind of student scholarships to universities for candidates who meet special criteria. This could be awarded for the best student essay, artwork, and so on.
Then, universities publish the competition conditions on their .edu website and include a link to your site. However, offering monetary rewards to students is one of the necessary steps. In return, you gain a link and advertisement and contribute to a good cause.
#3 Create Student Discount Programs
If you offer a service or sell something that students and staff need, consider slashing the price down just for them. This is a good tactic, especially if you are located within or close to the school vicinity.
In fact, a quick search on Google or even a glance at your local university website will show you other businesses, museums, and establishments that offer special perks like discounts or free entries just for students. You can do the same thing. Chances are that you will get featured on the student discount pages, which means a link back to your site.
#4 Leverage Career Pages on Your Website
Many schools offer resources or information to students who need internships or part-time jobs while still schooling. They also do the same for students looking to transition into their careers after graduating from school. You could find a way to align yourself to this need or build a common bridge that serves all parties at the same time. How?
If you have open job opportunities that students might be able to fill, then you will be able to contact the school and let them know you're open to hiring their students or offering them internship opportunities. If they agree, you'll have a perfect edu link building opportunity, but also, you now get to be a cool hero to lots of students.
#5 Link to Edu Bloggers That You Admire
If you have an edu blogger or two whose work and style you admire, you could try to build a relationship with them: not the stalky paparazzi kind of following but a genuine professional nod to a fellow blogger. You can do this by picking the best work they have done and writing about it in your own blog, like a review from a fan. Then, reach out to them and let them know how much you admire their work, and hope that they will share your feedback on their posts.
# 6 Write or Sponsor a Couple of Research
You could get serious bragging rights by being mentioned in published research work done by a couple of schools. If you have the budget, you can get even 100 edu backlinks this way. Similarly, you will be able to get recognized as a heavyweight in your niche when you have a couple of research papers published in academic journals and school websites.
If you decide to go with this option, be sure to choose the most impressive picture of you and ensure the link to your website is on your bio. You’ve earned it, champ.
#7 Collaborate With Students
Another option is to find an edu website that publishes a list of its students. Reach out to these students on forums/Facebook and offer them a monetary reward in exchange for including a link to your site in their university profile. Of course, this is going to cost you some money, depending on how much they charge. Besides, depending on who you ask, this might not be considered the most ethical way.
#8 Take Advantage of Your Alumni Network
Source: Boston University Alumni Page
Most schools like to feature their prominent alumni to motivate their current students. You can take advantage of this trend to gain edu backlinks by reaching out to your alma mater. You can express your appreciation for the impact the school has made in your life. Be sure to credit them for a significant part of your success, especially in terms of how well you've done in your business or career. If you get featured, you could get a quality backlinks edu.
Where to Buy Edu Backlinks?
Source: Google Search
If it takes a lot of work and effort to get at least one of the backlinks edu, imagine how much harder it's going to be when you need more. Wondering how to get edu links when you need a dozen or three times that? The least stressful and quickest way is to buy them. Here's how:
- Inventories. Web inventories are great resources where you can buy edu backlinks or find edu backlinks free list if you know what to look out for. In our inventory, you can find edu domain sites that offer honest links, which will be indexed and bring additional trust to your site. We recommend checking placement examples before purchasing such links.
- Paid guest post placement. But how do you find such guest post opportunities? Try searching for the phrases “education blog write for us,” “education blog guest post,” “education guest blogging sites,” and “education write for us” in Google. Chances are that you’ll get options for some kind of payment. Remember that you still have to nail down your pitch, which is only half the battle; you still have to deliver outstanding content that will keep sites open for more future collaboration. Note: not all of the websites you find this way will be the edu ones. Most options will just be education-related blogs (like in the screenshot above).
Conclusion
It takes a lot of grit and determination to stick to your link-building strategy, but you will need even more of that if you want to get edu backlinks. Still, the payoffs are worth all the sweat, money, and time invested. Be open to new knowledge and trying out new techniques while also being willing to get help w hen needed.
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