SUMMARY
You can secure backlinks to your healthcare website through sites like Connectively, X, Qwoted, and Featured.com. Getting backlinks through videos, images, social media posts, and guest posts on other people’s websites can work well, too.
Mental health directories like Psychology Today and GoodTherapy offer an easy way to get backlinks and increase your exposure in the mental health space.
But if you want to secure backlinks without putting in hard graft, try hiring a PR specialist or getting a mental health content writer like those at PsychWrite to write authoritative, helpful content that other sites will want to link to.
Starting a mental health website is no easy task. With so many blogs competing for the top spot on search engines, it can be difficult to get your blog the attention it deserves.
Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to get your website noticed in no time. Your first port of call (after optimising your website, of course) is backlinks.
Backlinks help your website get the authority, traffic, and engagement it needs to be profitable on Google. Plus, backlinks aren’t too difficult to secure, so they’re a no-brainer strategy to get noticed fast.
To answer all of your questions on how to get backlinks to your mental health website, this article will cover:
- What backlinks are
- Why backlinks are important for your mental health website
- The 10 best ways to get backlinks
- Top tips on what NOT to do when securing backlinks
What Are Backlinks?
“Backlink” is the name given when another website links back to your website. There are several scenarios that can lead to backlinks.
Say you wrote a mental health blog on coping skills for OCD, for example. Another website may use the information from your post, write a post on a similar topic, and link back to your blog.
However, while this can happen, you can’t always rely on this backlinking method. Sneaky websites may use the information from your blog and then not link back to you, especially if you’re one of their competitors.
Another chance to get backlinks that you can control (to a certain extent) is offering up your expertise to journalists and news reporters. If you match your experience with a topic they’re covering, you can secure some reputable backlinks.
This may seem like a lot of unnecessary work, especially when you’ve got so many other aspects of your business to consider. But backlinks are vital for your business’ success. Let’s explore why.
Why Are Backlinks Important for Your Healthcare Website?
You could create the most well-researched, valuable, and well-written content on Google. But if you don’t secure backlinks for your mental health website, none of it would matter.
You can blame Google for this. Google uses backlinks to rank websites as part of its complex algorithm. This algorithm, which uses the EEAT, or Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness criteria, helps Google determine which websites to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Backlinks are essential for your mental health website’s domain authority (DA) because they show Google that your content is relevant, trustworthy, and accurate enough to be used as a resource.
Backlinks from authoritative websites can also help you gain traffic to your mental health site, as people may click on your link within their posts.
However, there’s a word of warning here: not all backlinks are good backlinks. Backlinks from spammy websites, or paying for backlinks, can actually harm your site’s domain authority, bringing your Google ranking down and your spam score up! But more on this later.
10 Best Ways to Get Backlinks to Your Healthcare Website
As backlinks are so crucial for your mental health website’s growth, it’s important to understand how to obtain them without ruining your credibility.
My years of experience as a mental health content writer and backlink expert have taught me 10 key ways to get backlinks to mental health blogs:
1. Online Mental Health Directories
Directories are websites that list resources, professionals, and services related to a specific topic or industry. Some online directories specifically cater to the mental health industry, giving you a perfect (and easy, might I add!) opportunity to get backlinks to your website.
Having your website listed on these directories can improve your domain authority and your exposure. Plus, some directories have millions of visitors, so getting backlinks from these sites can help you get a steep incline in website traffic!
Take Psychology Today, for example. This website sees 40 million visitors per month! GoodTherapy and BetterHelp are also brilliant options for mental health websites.
But when it comes to directories, it’s important to remember that quantity doesn’t trump quality. While it might be tempting to link your website to multiple directories, Google considers linking to lots of low-quality directories as link spam. And the very last thing you want is for Google to consider you spammy, as this can negatively impact your website’s ranking, potentially forever!
Therefore, only choose a few of the most reputable directories with the most relevance to your business.
2. Links From Videos and Images
Your mental health website can also benefit from receiving backlinks via videos and images from other platforms. YouTube creators, for instance, can link to your product or services in their description. Other websites can use pictures you’ve created for free and caption them with your desired backlink URL.
In addition to YouTube, consider joining forces with other video creators on platforms like:
- Vimeo
- Wistia
- Daily Motion
Current, trending, and active video platforms and creators with thousands of subscribers can help you gain backlinks and drive traffic to your mental health website in no time at all!
3. Linking in Your Own Social Media Posts
Social media is one of the most powerful tools for linking to your website. Any mental health content writing you create can easily be transformed into a social media post.
With the help of a skilled content creator, you can transform blogs into:
- Images and reels for Instagram
- Tweets and hashtags for X
- Videos for TikTok shorts
- Posts or carousels for LinkedIn
Once you’ve transformed your content into a social media post, don’t forget to include a link back to your website. This will direct traffic from social media to your website and give your search engine rankings a boost.
4. #JournoRequest and #prrequest on X (Formerly Twitter)
There’s perhaps no better way to show up as an expert on a topic than being quoted by a journalist or in a news piece. But, how do you make that happen?
The #JournoRequest and #prrequest hashtags on X are a great place to start. These hashtags are used by journalists and media outlets looking for expert quotes in their published pieces.
If you have expertise in mental health, keep an eye out for these hashtags and respond when you see a relevant request. Once you’ve been chosen for a quote, be sure to give them your:
- Full name
- Job title
- Company name
- Desired link to a page on your website
Being quoted by the media can not only boost your credibility but also secure highly reputable backlinks to your website.
Take PsychWrite, for example. We have secured backlinks from the Independent, Good to Know, and Newsweek, to name a few!
5. Featured.com
Featured.com is another platform that makes it easy to get featured in articles and news pieces. This is a particularly great platform for small businesses, PR agencies, and experts looking to gain exposure who are just starting out their journey in gaining authority.
However, be wary of pitches from low-quality sites. Featured.com is known for quote requests from lower-quality mental health sites. So, it’s important to research each website before spending time writing up a quote.
A good rule of thumb is to stick to websites with a domain authority of 30 or more. Simply type the URL into Moz’s Free Domain Authority Checker and you’re away!
6. Qwoted
Qwoted also helps PR agencies and experts link with journalists for exposure. Based on Qwoted users, Qwoted is better for niche experts with highly specific knowledge.
For instance, if your mental health blog focuses on a specific therapeutic approach, Qwoted might be able to funnel you to a highly relevant audience.
Qwoted also has neat features like read receipts for pitches, free expert profiles, and matching technology. It’s yet another site you can add to your backlink arsenal to help you grow your mental health site’s authority.
7. Connectively (Formerly HARO)
HARO (short for Help a Reporter Out) has been the go-to source for connecting topic experts with journalists for over a decade. However, in April 2024, we said goodbye to HARO and welcomed Connectively.
Connectively is essentially HARO 2.0, offering a more personalised and streamlined experience for both journalists and subject matter experts.
But if there’s one thing you remember about Connectively, it should be this: the faster you are to respond, the higher your chances of getting featured in top-tier publications. Platforms like Connectively work on a first come first serve basis. Journalists will often go with the first good response they see. So, you want to be at the top of the pile, if possible.
8. Hire a Digital PR Specialist
If you have the budget, it might be worth hiring a digital PR specialist to help grow your mental health blog or website. These professionals are well-versed in building relationships with media outlets and securing coverage for their clients.
A digital PR specialist can help create a strategic plan for promoting your content, whether it’s through:
- Guest posting
- Influencer partnerships
- Pitching to top-tier publications
And so on.
Most PR specialists already have a solid network of contacts and know-how to get your mental health content in front of a larger audience.
In addition, hiring a PR specialist frees up your time and allows you to focus your energy on other areas of your business, like your mental health content writing. Instead of stressing about promoting your content, you can trust that a professional is handling it for you!
9. Guest Posting on Other People’s Websites
Guest posting is one of the oldest yet most effective ways to get featured on high-authority websites. Guest posting means writing and publishing articles on other people’s websites with a link back to your site.
Guest posting isn’t just good for securing valuable backlinks, though. It also exposes your content to a wider audience and can help build relationships with other bloggers in your industry.
When guest posting, make sure you choose websites in your niche with a similar target audience to your site. This increases the likelihood that those reading your guest post will click through to your website.
Other tips to help make your guest post a success are:
- Ask for feedback from the website owner to ensure that your mental health content writing is a good fit for their audience.
- Write high-quality, informative content that provides value to the readers.
- Include internal links to other relevant articles on your own website to increase traffic and promote your brand.
- Stay respectful and professional in all your interactions with the website owner, as this can lead to future collaboration opportunities.
10. Produce Linkable Content
Reporters, website managers, and content creators are always on the lookout for new and valuable resources to share with their audiences.
As such, one of the most underrated ways to generate backlinks and media coverage is through creating relevant, informative, and authoritative content.
Here are some examples of linkable content for your mental health website:
- Original research studies or surveys you’ve conducted related to mental health topics
- Infographics that present data that will capture viewers’ attention
- How-to guides or tutorials on managing specific mental health issues
- In-depth articles that provide new insights or perspectives on common mental health concerns, like depression or anxiety
By consistently producing linkable content, you’ll not only gain favour among search engines but also increase your chances of getting featured on high-authority websites.
And if you want to go the extra mile to ensure you’re producing truly linkable content, why not hire a top-tier mental health content writer? An experienced, knowledgeable mental health writer like those at PsychWrite, will help you produce consistent, high-quality content to quickly establish your website as an authority in mental health information.
How NOT to Acquire Backlinks for Your Site
We’ve talked about link spam and how it can hurt your website’s reputation. However, this isn’t the only way you can get penalised on Google. Other backlinking schemes to avoid include:
- Purchasing Links: Paying for links is a violation of Google’s guidelines and can result in penalties for your site. Not to mention, most paid links come from low-quality sites that won’t benefit your SEO efforts in the long run.
- Using Link Wheels: Link wheels are a black hat SEO tactic that involves creating a network of interlinked websites to artificially boost rankings. This method is not only unethical but also easily detectable by search engines, resulting in penalties for your site.
- Focusing on Quantity: Never sacrifice quality for quantity when it comes to backlinks. A few high-quality, relevant links from authoritative sites will benefit your SEO efforts much more than a large number of low-quality (and spammy) links.
Final Word on Getting Backlinks to Your Mental Health Website
If you thought your website could get the exposure it needs without backlinking, think again. Backlinks serve as a vital piece of the puzzle to get you noticed by Google as a credible site and bring more potential clients to you as a result.
Luckily, there’s no shortage of ethical and effective ways to acquire backlinks for your mental health website. However, when trying to secure backlinks, remember that quality over quantity is key, as is prioritising creating high-quality content that others will naturally want to link to.
PsychWrite’s team is made up of mental health professionals who are also experienced writers. We’re all about producing authoritative, linkable content that will get your website noticed sooner, rather than later.
If you want to improve your site with high-quality mental health content, check out our recent article on where to find the best mental health content writers.
