What is the best way to create a link building plan for a nonprofit organization?

Oh, let me tell you about the wonderful ways non-profits can build links and spread their message of compassion and change across the vast digital landscape! Picture this: you're standing at the heart of a community, arms wide open, ready to embrace the world. That's the spirit of a non-profit, and your link building strategy should reflect that same warmth and outreach. In the heart of compassion, non-profits share their story. Each blog post, every partnership, and social media share is a melody of purpose. Advocates and influencers join, weaving a tapestry of change. Get your brand gratitude blooming, linking souls in a dance of love and impact. Together, we paint a brighter world. ??

Try to create SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) for your link-building objectives. You will be able to easily quantify them and track progress to make adjustments as needed.

Don't just look at your direct competitors. Sometimes, organizations in adjacent sectors can provide valuable insights. For example, a nonprofit focused on environmental conservation could learn from an NGO promoting sustainable agriculture. Their audiences may overlap, and the link-building strategies might be transferable.

I like to conduct a content audit to identify underperforming assets that can be improved and repurposed. Sometimes, a minor update can transform an overlooked article into a highly linkable asset. But, you can also consider creating evergreen content that remains relevant over time, as this type of content often attracts more backlinks.

When it comes to link-building strategies, non-profits have an advantage over many other entities because they are non-profits. So, be smart and leverage your nonprofit status to build relationships. Many organizations and websites are more willing to link to nonprofits due to the social good aspect. Use it to your advantage in your outreach emails by highlighting how linking to your content could benefit their audience and contribute to a greater cause.

Make it easy for supporters and contacts to link to your nonprofit's site. Include cut-and-paste code and instructions (on a new section of your how-to-help page?), rather than simply asking 'please link to us'. Include linking requests in particular to funders, corporate supporters, commercial suppliers, influencers, major donors, volunteer groups, service organisations (churches/mosques/temples, Scouts/Guides, Rotary/Rotaract etc), local government (if your nonprofit is contracted for services), former staff, trustees/board members, and for individual supporters. Nonprofits have many relationships that are simply not open to for-profit businesses. And linking is another opportunity to donate without parting with cash.

In my experience, local businesses, schools, and community organizations are often more receptive to linking to local nonprofits. They are also very good for local SEO.

Be aware that not all links are beneficial. Some can harm your nonprofit's reputation from a SEO point of view. Don't forget that some sites close and their domain names get bought by a wholly different owner. I've seen this happen a lot to sites with a fundraising theme - money-making themes and keywords attract people and businesses that your charity would probably not wish to be associated with. Sign up for services from the likes of Moz or Diib that will alert you to links that you ought to know about. Fortunately you can 'disavow' these links so that Google can recognise which to ignore. SEO is never done. If this is a daunting task for you as a nonprofit, consider asking a SEO agency to donate their services and skills in this area.