Link Popularity - Basic Overview
|
There are many techniques that SEM/SEO experts use to optimize Web sites. One of the more important techniques is "Link Popularity."
Link popularity is referred to as an off-page factor in the search engine world, and is representative of one of the more important elements in influencing a Web site's position in search engine result pages (SERPS). The top questions relating to link popularity are answered for you below.
1. What is link popularity and why is it important?
Link Popularity is a score that search engines give to a Web site based on how many links are pointing to or linking to any particular page in your Web site. The greater your link popularity, the more important, or relative, search engines consider your Web site.
Good link popularity can dramatically increase traffic to your Web site. Since most search engines factor in link popularity into their relevancy algorithms, increasing your link popularity score can help your Web site's position in the search engine results pages (SERPS).
2. Are there different types of links?
There are 4 main classes of links that contribute to your Web site's overall link popularity score:
External - An external link is a link on your Web site that leads to an outside Web site. This type of link is used when you want to provide additional or complimentary information to the user.
Internal - Internal links are links on your Web site that lead to other pages within your Web site. A good internal linking strategy will enable all of your pages to be found easily by both search engine spiders and users alike.
Inbound ? An Inbound link is a link on another Web site that directs the user into your Web site. Inbound links are important because search engines see them as being indicative to quality.
Reciprocal/Link exchange ? Reciprocal linking is when two or more Web sites agree to display each other's Web site link somewhere on their website.
3. Are some links better then than others?
Yes, it is true that not all links are not equal. The effectiveness of the link depends on the following factors:.
Relevance - A relevant link means that the link is on a page or Web site that has the same subject matter as the page it links to. For example, for an attorney, a link from the state bar association page to an attorney's Web site would be a relevant link. A link from a local floral shop would not be relevant.
Quality - A quality link means that the link is from a popular, well- visited Web site.Link text - The text used to describe a link is important. You want to use relevant key phrases. For example, rather then a link that says "contact us," using something like "contact a Minnesota bankruptcy attorney" will be more valuable.
4. What exactly is PageRank and it is important?
PageRank can be summed up as how relevant Google considers a particular Web page. Pagerank is a value from 0-10, with zero being the least significant and ten10 of which very few websites obtain being the most relevant. Very few Web sites are able to obtain the highest ranking of 10.
PageRank is often abbreviated as PR, and Google determines this PR by evaluating how many Web sites link to yours.
A link from a popular and well- visited Web site can be invaluable if it sends you qualified traffic that converts into clients. The true value of a link has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with PageRank."
5. How do I get a Web site's PageRank?
The easiest way to view a Web site's PagerRank is by installing the Google toolbar. Located on the toolbar is a PageRank slider.
6. How many links should my Web site have?
The number of links you should have is dependent upon the competitive nature of your Web site's focus. If you check and see how many links your competition has, that will give you an idea of how many links you need in order to be competitive.
It is important to continually work on developing your wWeb site's linking strategy. A good linking strategy will help with your Web site's positioning in the search engines.
7. How can I find out how many links my Web site has?
Knowing how many Web sites link to yours, website and increasing the number of quality links, is an important part of any Web site's online marketing campaign. To find out how many links your Web site has, type:
link:yourwebsiteurl.com - into the search engine search box(Example: Link:findlaw.com)
Your link popularity total will often fluctuate from search engine to search engine; This is because the figures shown represent the number of inbound-links that are known to that search engine.
The search engines are constantly re- indexing and reorganizing their database's, so which links and how many links a search engine sees pointing to your Web site can vary at any given time.
8. Is it possible to have too many links?
Yes and no. answer - It has to do with the time it takes to accumulate the links in question.
The answer is no, No ? if you acquire the links over the natural progression of a Web site's existence (adding a few links at a time)
The answer is yes, Yes ? if you accumulating accumulate an overabundant amountce of links in a short period of time. This will trigger a search engine's spam filter. This un natural link growth of links can be associated with "link farms" (A link farm is a Web site that exist solely to link to other Web sites.) and can be considered BAD in the eyes of the search engines. Some search engines penalize for this type of activity, and can might even ban your wWeb site from their index.
9. What can I do to increase link popularity?
If you belong to any associations, local chamber of commerce, or rotary club, be sure to update your online profile with them to include your Web site URL.
Other ideas may be to write articles and allow them to be republished with your Web site URL, join online forums and place your Web site address in your signature line, or even start your own online Blog.
Exchange links with Web sites that are complimentary to yours.
10. What types of Web sites should I be exchanging links with?
This is simple; Ask yourself "whether someone who is interested in the information available on your Web site find this other site useful"? If the answer is yes, exchange links; if the answer is no, don't.
____________________________________
Search engine marketing is an organic process and there are no guarantees in positioning. This was written with white hat optimization techniques in mind.
2005 NMSView My Blog:http://seogirl.blogspot.com/
Nicole St. Martin is a professional search engine optimization consultant currently working in the legal industry.
View My Blog:http://seogirl.blogspot.com
|
|
|
Its Not Just All About Google Anymore
Those webmasters that stick to the old ways and focus entirely on Google are missing out on a lot of search traffic these days if they are not also well ranked by Yahoo and MSN.For the first few months after Yahoo decided to go their own way with natural search (and MSN decided to get serious about the search business), the search results provided by those two could only be described as bizarre. Enough time has now passed that the dust has somewhat settled and there are three main (from a traffic standpoint) sites for quality natural searches.The term "natural search" is to distinguish true searches, as opposed to paid advertisements which appear in the...(related: Seo)
Seo: When Being Optimized Can Hurt
It's a marketing dream come true: A potential customer, looking for what you have to offer, types a few words into her favorite search engine and voila! She is led directly to your website where she can go from "prospect" to "customer."The best part is, it didn't cost you anything (except time and elbow grease) to get to the top of her results. Unless, of course you paid for someone else's time and elbow grease. Even so, you've got a sale and your customer got what she was looking for. Sounds like the classic win-win situation.So, what's not to love about Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?Plenty ? if your efforts stop there. Because getting your site to the top of the search result heap is only half the battle. Leave the other half un-fought, and you're actually...(related: Seo)
Dont Make The Top 30 Seo Mistake
SEO consultants will tell you that you need to be in the Top 30 or you can pretty much give up any hope of getting a visitor to your web site.Yes, there is truth in that Top 30 goal. Occasionally, a potential customer will make his or her way to the #30 position in search of a particular product o...(related: Seo)
Search Engine Optimisation ? Why And How To Do It
In the following article I will give you some basic guidelines to follow in order to help get your web site ranked at the top of popular organic search engines. More detailed information can be found in our DIY Internet Mark...(related: Seo)
Branding Versus Seo
Branding versus search engine optimization is a marketing dilemma that larger companies will need to come to grips with on the Internet. Often companies will need to decide whether to promote their own brand name as their main keyword phrase or optimize for a more generic keyword phrase.For instance, one search engine report states that 1.3 million visitors per month search for the term "Best Buy." This same report states that the term "electronics" is searched for by 1.1 visitors per month. The obvious choice in this scenario is for Best Buy to optimize for their own brand name first and the word "electronics" s...(related: Seo)
How Msn And Yahoo Sells Your Traffic
Yes, it really happens. Now you might find it hard to believe butyou will understand after I explain.Prior to late 2004, Google undisputedly ruled the search engineworld. During the second half of the year things took a dramaticturn when Yahoo and MSN decided to challenge the Big G for someof their lucrative market share.Search engines are a big source of revenue especially when itcomes to advertising and for many this is their bread and butter.With the emerging prominence of both Yahoo and MSN, advertisershave more channels through which to advertise their goods andservices.What marks Google apart from it's two big rivals in this area isthe way they display their ads. They deliver their ads through asystem called Adwords which is unobtrusive to viewers. The adsare pl...(related: Seo)
Building Link Popularity With Topical Articles
One of the important factors in ranking high in search engine results is link popularity. It is not enough to just have...(related: Seo)
Put The Full Power Of Google To Work With 11 Google Power Search Tips
Google has many ways to help you find want you want easily. Here are 11 Power Search Tips to make your Google Experience easier and more fun. These Search Tips were found on the Following Google web page http://www.google.com/help/operators.html1 - cacheThis will return the Web Page that Google has in it's Memory
- cache:www.google.com ---- Returns Web Pa...(related: Seo)
Seo Expert Guide - Paid Site Promotion (marketing) (part 7/10)
In parts 1 - 6 you learnt how to develop your proposition, identify your key words and optimize and promote (for free) your site and pages. You were also introduced to our mythical Doug (who ...(related: Seo)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | You can send your articles and get links. Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved.
| Seo