This is a guest post by Geoffery on whether to hire an intern for link building. You can read the guidelines for guest posting at our guest posting guidelines page.
Interns are an asset for any business. It is often said that “One volunteer is worth ten pressed men” and the vitality that ambitious young volunteers can bring to a Link Building strategy can be very beneficial. Although the prospect of supplementing the workforce with free labor and relieving your link building efforts to someone else may be an SEOs or Link Builders dream, there are a number of issues that need to be considered before accepting an application.
With competition in the job market more intense than ever, some candidates are seeking to give their CVs a skills-based advantage by participating in internships, to gain skills that might make them more appealing prospects for future employers. Internships are seen as valuable in bridging the gap between the theoretical aspects of academic study and the graduate’s commercial knowledge.
Think Beforehand
Although businesses might like the concept of adding to their workforce for very little investment, the relationship is two-way; interns come to work because they want to build their skills in a business environment away from the classroom, and that means that the company taking them on as an intern also shoulders the responsibility of training and mentoring them.
Interns need to be given opportunities to contribute creatively and to work on worthwhile projects. Even though Link Building can be seen as a menial task, there is little point to their attendance if they are asked to do 100 manual directory submissions and 100 social bookmarking every day, so vary their tasks so they are contributing value and taking away experience.
Why an Intern for Link Building?
Interns are normally university students who have a fresh perspective of the outside world, they are internet savvy familiar with the new social media such as Pin Interest and Google+ and are cheap in comparison to link-building companies and consultants. Ultimately they can become a potential advocate for the company who might eventually develop into a valued employee.
If their internship is a negative experience they will convey this to others seeking the same position, so care needs to be taken to make their experience a positive one. They need to be given as much assistance as a full-time employee.
What You Need To Teach Link Builders?
Once you have selected your potential Link Builder, email them link building resources and articles to read, to help supplement their learning and explain about reputable sources have a significant part to a Search Engine’s algorithm. The more time you invest not only they will feel more valued but the better quality in links you will receive and better results for your Link Building efforts.
What about their costs?
Whether an employer pays an intern for their contribution is largely a matter of internal policy, but the broad consensus is that discretionary payment for services is highly valuable in attracting interns. Employers should select and recruit interns as they would any other potential employee, so that both parties know what is expected of them at the outset.
If you know the link building strategy that you are setting out to achieve will get your clients great results, be sure to reward or incentivise the intern at the very least.
Treating them fairly….
Please remember, if in the end you do employ interns they should be made to feel integrated and part of the company as a whole, and that the intern should also be provided with a proper structure and a mentor, so that they get the best possible experience in each department.
About the Author:
Geoffery is a part-time freelance writer who specialises in Payroll Outsourcing and HR Software for businesses. He enjoys reading up on internet marketing and going rock climbing on the weekends.
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