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In search engine optimization, "off page"
factors have become more and more important as they relate to rankings. In
particular, solid link popularity can literally make or break a site with
the search engines.
Before we go any further, what is "link popularity"? In very simplistic
terms, link popularity refers to the number and quality of the incoming
links that are pointing to your site. These other sites consider your site
important enough to link to. So, in the engine's view, your site is
considered important as well. What is meant by "link popularity" can get
much more complex, which is discussed further in this article.
However, one of the most difficult areas of SEO is building link
popularity. Why? Because the engines don't want "artificially created" (or
useless) links, so there are no easy ways to build link popularity. The
days of link farms and huge link exchange programs are over. Try those
strategies now and you can easily find yourself booted out of an engine.
Rather, the engines want links from authoritative sites, or links from
sites that share the same focus as your site.
But besides the link popularity you gain by getting an authoritative
site to link to you, you also gain additional visibility for your Web
site. So, when working on building link popularity, don't forget those two
basic reasons for requesting links.
The Purpose of this Article
Because building link popularity is one of the most difficult and time
consuming aspects of search engine marketing, we decided to join forces
with each other and with other search engine optimizers to create a list
of legitimate ways you can build link popularity for your site.
When looking through this list, you may find strategies that are
subject to abuse. If you use them as recommended in this article, you will
have no problems. Abuse them, and you're treading in potentially dangerous
waters.
Stephen Baker with Fast said one of the most memorable statements I've
heard as it relates to what the engines like or don't like to see. He
said:
"Our position is pretty straight forward...it's not the technique that
we are concerned about, it's the intention."
So, always keep that statement in mind when you consider linking or any
other strategies for your Web site. Analyze your intentions, and if you
wouldn't mind an engine knowing what you're doing, your intentions are
okay.
Now that we've gotten the preliminaries out of the way, let's get down
to business: learning ways to increase the link popularity of our sites.
To write this article, we went to professional search engine optimizers
for their ideas. After each strategy, we briefly attributed it to the SEO
who sent it to us, and then we provided a list of all contributors along
with their companies and URL's at the end of the article.
Keep in mind that these strategies aren't in any particular order.
Also, keep in mind that though it isn't always stated explicitly, we're
always referring to "related" and "important" or "authoritative" sites as
our targets.
Start with the Basics:
Before you begin link seeking, you might want to read the article, "A
Linking-Campaign Primer": http://www.ericward.com/articles/primer.html (Eric Ward,
President, NetPOST and URLwire) (http://www.ericward.com)
This is by far the oldest and best-known method of improving link
popularity. Basically you e-mail or contact the Webmaster of a site that
is complementary but generally not competitive to your own. You ask them
to link to your site while outlining the benefits of doing so. You would
generally offer to link back to them in exchange for this courtesy. Be
sure you have developed genuine content on your Web site of interest to
the trading partner. Explain the advantages to them and to their visitors
by providing a link to your content. Tell them where the link on your site
will be or set the link up in advance with the stipulation that you'll be
glad to leave it there if they'll add a link to you in kind. Take the time
to look over their site and then suggest where a link to you might be
appropriate. Most importantly, personalize your e-mails! You must
distinguish yourself from all the spam they receive daily. If the link is
particularly important to you, call them personally or write them a letter
or send a fax to show them you're serious. (Brent Winters with First Place
Software)(http://www.webposition.com)
(To view the rest of the article, which is over 12,000 words long,
visit: http://www.searchengineworkshops.com/articles/leglinkpop.html
If you'd like to download the article in an ebook format, visit: http://www.searchengineworkshops.com/131LinkPop.html The
article is also available in text format as an attachment to email by
writing to RobinN@acws.com.
This article was compiled by Robin Nobles, Eric Ward, and John
Alexander. The following people contributed tips to the article, and we
greatly thank them for their contributions and help. Their companies and
URL's are listed in the HTML, text, and ebook versions of the article.
Mike Adams, John Alexander, Michael Campbell, Chris Churchill, Terry
Dean, Elbert Flores, Chris Genge, Bill Gentry, Ron Gotcher, Don Hammond,
Detlev Johnson, Dixon Jones, Jon Keel, Barbara Coll, Stephen Mahaney,
Nancy Nelson, Robin Nobles, David Notestine, Susan O'Neil, Debra Paynter,
Terry Plank, Rocky Rawstern, Gil Sery, Chris Sherman, Judith Silver,
Marshall Simmonds, Scott Smith, Danny Sullivan, Becky Thompson, Eric Ward,
Carl Watney, Steve Wilson, Brent Winters, and Gary Woods.
A special thanks to Butch Pujol and Heather Colman of Digital Page
Author Software and Service (http://www.digital-page-author- software.com)
for creating the wonderful e-book for us.
Robin Nobles, Director of Training, Academy of Web Specialists, has
trained several thousand people in her online search engine marketing (http://www.academywebspecialists.com/) training programs.
Visit the Academy's training site to learn more (http://www.onlinewebtraining.com/). She also teaches 3-day
hands- on search engine marketing workshops in locations across the globe
with Search Engine Workshops (http://www.searchengineworkshops.com/).
Copyright Robin Nobles. All rights reserved.
RobinN@acws.com
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