It is a process where a website creates a scholarship or bursary webpage and promotes it to academic institutions. Backlinks are then gained from the institutions when they share your page’s scholarship information.
How is it done? By approaching relevant educational institutions with ‘.edu’ domains and having them add a link to your website’s scholarship page.
Who is it for?
This method is commonly used by website owners and businesses that want to increase the number of high-quality links to their websites.
Read our article to understand how many backlinks you need to rank on Google.
Here’s an example of Monmouth College’s scholarship listing page:
The scholarship listings at Monmouth College connect to multiple scholarship opportunities on other websites.
The Power of .edu Backlinks
The power of .edu backlinks lies in their credibility and authority in the digital realm. Google cites ‘.edu’ pages as trustworthy sources. Linking with university websites that Google favors improves your page’s visibility and credibility, which helps you rank better in Google’s search results.
Websites with .edu domains are associated with reputable educational institutes, which lends them trustworthiness in the eyes of Google.
Due to this trust factor, acquiring backlinks from .edu websites can significantly enhance a website’s credibility, authority, and visibility on Google results pages. These links are highly regarded due to their ability to signal quality content and contribute to improved search rankings.
How did it start?
This strategy began as a means for websites to get popular on Google by developing scholarship programs.
When students and universities participate in these programs, these links act as pathways leading back to the website.
Website owners found that associating with a .edu domain by providing financial aid improved their search engine position by getting links genuinely and fairly. Hence, the link building strategy was born.
However, keep in mind that if this practice is overdone, it can come to Google’s attention that your page may have violated the Webmaster guidelines. Violating these guidelines could lead to a manual link or Google penalty, negatively affecting your SEO.
Maintaining ethical SEO practices and following the guidelines can reduce your risk of getting a penalty.
Does it still work?
The short answer is yes. You may continue to receive backlinks from your scholarship campaign; however, you need to keep certain things in mind. Relevance is key — the links must align with your website’s niche.
For example, if you are a law institution, you should only offer a scholarship to students who are majoring in law.
Focus on providing valuable information on the eligibility criteria, application process, and deadline rather than just obtaining links. To dive deeper, read our article on link building for law firms.
Benefits and drawbacks of this strategy
These pros and cons will help you weigh the potential outcomes and decide better.
Pros
• High amount of .edu backlinks: Getting a good number of backlinks helps boost your domain authority and page ranking.
• Free high quality content for your website: Most scholarships awarded to students require them to submit essays connected to the industry as part of their application.
For example, a law student may need to write an essay on topics like ‘Impact of technology on privacy laws’, ‘Environmental justice’, or any other relevant topic. The valuable material you get from students can be published on your page to help bring more people to visit it.
• Long-standing backlinks: Building the perfect backlinks can be a difficult task. Watching it gradually start to disappear along with your SEO progress can be even more frustrating.
Scholarship links are designed for a longer shelf life. Running a scholarship and awarding it to students takes time, but it can help you maintain traffic on your page.
To maintain traffic, you need to ensure that the links directing to your page stay active even if you accept scholarship applications for an extended period, for example, over a six-month period or even on a specific date each year.
Cons
• Large funds required: Establishing a scholarship fund involves a huge initial investment in a scholarship that is meant to be provided to the students.
Besides spending on a scholarship fund, you may need to spend money on administration. For example, handling applications, checking submissions, and choosing winners takes time and money.
• Unpredictable success rate: Despite your efforts in building the perfect backlink profile to get backlinks, there is a fair chance that Google may entirely overlook your page. Due to other competitors in the same field, it gets harder to stand out and get attention.
Key Takeaways• Scholarship link building involves creating a scholarship webpage and promoting it to academic institutions to gain backlinks. • Approach relevant educational institutes with ‘.edu’ domains to add links to your scholarship page. • Associating with ‘.edu’ domains enhances website visibility and credibility, according to Google. • Overdoing this practice building can violate Webmaster guidelines, risking penalties. • Relevance is crucial; links must align with your website’s niche. • These links provide long-standing benefits, maintaining traffic and SEO progress. • The success rate can be unpredictable due to competition and Google algorithm |
Tips on how to craft a scholarship link building campaign
Now that you’ve understood the pros and cons let’s dive into the step-by-step link building process.
1. Defining your goals and setting a budget
Clearly outline your goals, depending on the outcome you want to receive. Whether it is to boost your SEO or brand visibility, once you have a clear idea, you can decide how much you will invest in the campaign.
2. Creating a scholarship
The next step is to craft your scholarship. Choose a suitable scholarship, determine the fund amount and application process, and evaluate applications fairly. Consider particulars such as the location and methods by which students will apply and the campaign’s duration.
3. Setting up your scholarship webpage
While developing your webpage, add clear and precise information about the scholarship, your company, and relevant disclaimers. A well-designed and informative scholarship webpage is the cornerstone of any successful link building campaign.
Provide information about the scholarship, including the compensation amount for a student with a scholarship and the universities from which the applications will be accepted. Clear calls-to-action and contact information should also be prominently displayed to facilitate engagement.
4. Selecting the Right Institutions
It’s crucial to choose institutions whose websites match your niche or industry. This alignment ensures that the backlinks you gain are relevant and hold value for Google.
5. Outreach and promotion
After establishing your page, the next step is actively promoting the scholarship to institutions, students, and websites. Running a targeted campaign through email and social media can help your page reach the universities relevant to your business.
Craft personalized and compelling messages, clearly communicating the benefits of your scholarship program to encourage institutions to link to your website. Click here to learn more about improving your outreach attempts.
6. Application and selection
Make the application process simple. Mention what documents are needed, when to submit them, and any other necessary instructions. Set up a fair way to check applications and choose winners, for example, judges or specific criteria for selection.
7. Evaluate
After the campaign, see how well your goals are met. Go over the outcomes of your campaign and think about what you can do better next time. Businesses should regularly check essential things like how many backlinks they’re getting, how much traffic their website gets, and where they show up in Google results.
This helps them understand what’s working and what needs improvement. Based on your results, you may need to make improvements, like changes to your customized email or review your scholarship terms.
To learn more about website audits, click here.
Mistakes to Avoid During Link Building
Lack of Relevance: Don’t overlook the importance of relevance when crafting your scholarship link building campaign. Ensure that your scholarship aligns closely with the interests and focus areas of your target institutions.
Poor Outreach Strategy: Avoid generic or impersonal outreach messages. Tailor your communications to each institution, highlighting the value of your scholarship program and how it aligns with its objectives.
Ignoring Guidelines and Regulations: Be mindful of scholarship regulations and guidelines at the institutional level and broader legal requirements. Non-compliance can result in rejection or penalties, undermining your link-building efforts and reputation.
Incomplete or Unclear Information: Ensure your scholarship webpage provides comprehensive and transparent information about the program, eligibility criteria, application process, and deadlines. Incomplete information may deter potential applicants and partnering institutions.
Focusing Solely on Quantity over Quality: Prioritize the quality and relevance of backlinks over sheer quantity. A few high-quality backlinks from authoritative .edu domains can significantly impact your SEO more than numerous low-quality links.
Short-term Focus: Scholarship link building is a long-term strategy that requires patience and persistence. Avoid expecting immediate results and instead focus on building sustainable relationships with educational institutions and fostering genuine link opportunities.
Scholarship Link Building Best Practices
1. Relevance Matters: Ensure your scholarship program aligns with your website’s niche or industry to attract relevant backlinks.
2. Clear Outreach: Craft clear and compelling outreach messages when contacting educational institutions, highlighting the benefits of your scholarship program.
3. Diversified Channels: Utilize various outreach channels such as email, social media, and professional networks to maximize visibility and engagement.
4. Transparency Builds Trust: Maintain transparency throughout the process, providing accurate information about the scholarship to build trust with institutions and students.
5. Continuous Monitoring: Implement a monitoring system to track metrics like backlinks, search engine position, and website traffic, adjusting strategies based on results.
6. Adaptability and Feedback: Stay flexible and open to feedback, adapting strategies based on evolving trends and preferences in the industry.
7. Legal Compliance: Ensure compliance with scholarship and financial aid regulations to mitigate legal risks associated with the program.
8. Quality Over Quantity: Prioritize quality and relevance in link-building efforts to avoid penalties or negative impacts from search engine algorithm updates.
Key TakeawaysDefining Goals and Budget: Crafting a Scholarship: Setting up Webpage: Selecting Relevant Institutions: Outreach and Promotion: Simplified Application and Selection: Evaluation: |
Conclusion
Although creating a link building campaign involves some trial and error, this comprehensive guide provides a detailed action plan on how to get started and what to look out for. Link building takes time and effort, but having a backlink profile with many .edu links can benefit your SEO significantly.
FAQs
1. What is an edu backlink?
