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Website Linking Strategies!

Three Ways to Get Non-Reciprocal Links

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Wilson Internet, Rocklin, CA
Jun 21, 2006, 20:45

Just like you, I'm working to get higher rankings for my websites. While my WilsonWeb.com site is near the top for keywords, another of my sites, JesusWalk Bible Study Series (www.jesuswalk.com), is floundering in the doldrums, buried among thousands of sites that show up for the keyword "Bible study." At last count I had more than 853 links to the domain -- only 134 of which are counted by Google (which is typical). My top competitors for this keyword have many more incoming links in Google: crosswalk.com (10,1000 backlinks), bible.org (2,210), biblestudy.org (339), ccel.org (17,600), e-sword.net (2,160), etc. The Alexa rank for JesusWalk.com is 332,220th, so I've got a long way to go! Rankings as of today:

How can I raise rankings? In Dr. Wilson's Plain-Spoken Guide to Search Engine Optimization I mention 12 linking strategies. Here are three strategies that I'm pursuing to obtain non-reciprocal links:

1. Develop Depth of Content Worthy of Incoming Links. I have good content depth with about 500 webpages, and keep adding about one webpage per week.

2. Search for Sites to "Add URL." This is a technique I learned from Bill Hartzer, "Linking Campaigns Lead to Increased Online Visibility - Part 2," Search Engine Guide, May 5, 2006 (www.searchengineguide.com/hartzer/007471.html). He suggests searching using two phrases in quotation marks: "Suggest link" +"keyword". (Note the plus sign in front of the keyword in quotations, which forces it to be considered in the query.) Other phrases to include along with your keyword might be: Suggest a link, Suggest site, Suggest a site, Suggest URL, Suggest a URL, Add link, Suggest an URL, Add a link, Add site, Add a site, Add URL, Add a URL, Add an URL, Submit link, Submit a link, Submit site, Submit a site, Submit URL, Submit a URL, Submit an URL, favorite links, cool sites, cool places, directory, directorys, directories, etc. To begin I set up the query:

"Suggest link" +"Bible study"

I found many sites asking for a reciprocal link, but also some true directories that did not. (a) It's the true directories I'm targeting at this point, but (b) I could go back and contact reciprocal linking partners. Task (a) could take several hours to several days, if I can find enough appropriate directories.

3. Write a "Give Away" Article. I've begun an article which will be intentionally titled, "How to Improve Your Personal Bible Study." I'm designing it carefully -- from the title, description meta tag, headings, body text, hyperlinked keywords, and links to my own site -- so that it will be clearly indexed for the keyphrases "bible study" and "bible studies." For years I've been developing an opt-in e-mail list numbering 29,000 subscribers to which I'll send the article, explaining that recipients are welcome to post a copy on their church site, non-profit organization site, or personal site at no charge. I expect that scores, if not hundreds, will do so. This will produce links to JesusWalk.com from sites with the right context, the right keywords hyperlinked, and the right links to my own site. A similarly designed "give away" article on "The Six Simple Principles of Viral Marketing" from the year 2000 produced a #1 ranking for the keyword "viral marketing" that still persists to this day.

I won't climb to the top 5 or 10 overnight, but if I keep at it relentlessly.... someday!

Google's Index Shows Only a Few Backlinks

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Wilson Internet, Rocklin, CA
Apr 5, 2006, 17:28

"I run a link check for my website through www.linkpopularity.com every week to determine the number of backlinks to my site seen by the major search engines. The figures vary amongst the different engines. Why? At the moment, MSN shows more than 500 links, Yahoo under 200 links, and Google only 25 links. I'd really like to increase the link number in Google as I know this will help with my PageRank. Why is this number is so low in comparison to the other engines?" -- Tim Wright, BulgarianPropertyBuyer.co.uk

For years, the number of backlinks Google displays has been substantially lower than the other search engines. It's not that Google is stupid or can't see other important links to a site. But like a good poker player, it just doesn't show all the cards in its hand.

I've heard that Google only displays links with a PageRank of 4 and higher, but according to my most recent analysis below, that doesn't seem true. Why doesn't Google show more links? People say that it tends to discount on-site links and show only "quality" of links to your site, but I'm not convinced. You won't like my final answer: We just don't know -- and Google ain't talkin'.

I was amazed to discover how much difference there is between the backlinks shown by the major search engines. In an analysis done using Bruce Clay's Link Analysis tool and LinkMaps, I discovered that of external links to a Bible study site, Yahoo (which showed the highest number of backlinks) at best showed only 70% of the total number of backlinks detected by Yahoo, MSN, and Google. There is obviously a major discrepancy concerning which webpages the search engines seem to be indexing.

Don't worry too much about Google's low linking number, since it's obviously judging the relevance of your site on more incoming links than what it shows for a link query. Just keep on with your linking campaign, steadily building the number of solid, contextually-relevant links to your site. You'll find 12 workable linking strategies in my revised book on SEO (www.wilsonweb.com/ebooks/seo.htm).

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Wilson Internet Rocklin, CA
Feb 1, 2006, 16:15

Last week I was too hard on reciprocal linking in my article "Link Quality and Search Engine Ranking," WMT 1/25/2006, and have changed a couple of sentences in light of an e-mail from Dirk Johnson of Linkstrategy.com who makes some good points. Here are some excerpts of his comments:

"As someone who has been in the reciprocal linking business for over six years and has successfully linked hundreds of client sites, I would like to (respectfully) take you to task a bit for the statements in your newsletter.

You had said: "Reciprocal links are better than no links to your site, but reciprocal links don't help as much as we used to think." On what basis do you make this statement? Where is actual proof of such a statement? Conjecture runs rampant in the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) world. SEO gurus have been claiming this for several years, yet I have never, ever, seen any proof of such a statement. More to the point, the Jagger update upheld large numbers of sites that rely primarily on reciprocation for their link popularity....

You say: "If Google sees as many outgoing links as incoming, it isn't impressed." Again, where is the proof? Most sites that run robust reciprocal link programs (and do quite well in Google, and have done so for years) have many more links out than links back....

At the end of the day, for an average site that stands little chance of generating gratuitous, one way links, reciprocation is the most accessible, affordable, stable, and relevant method of earning links. When you steer people away from it with your advisories, you simply expose them to competitors who are not so constrained.... Please see: "Beware the Reciprocal Link Short Sellers," Search Engine Watch Forums, 12/14/2005. http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?p=68975

Dirk's comments are helpful and caused me to revise my statements some. Reciprocal linking campaigns can still work well. For many small businesses, it's the only linking strategy that is realistic. Be careful to trade links with sites that have strong commonalties with yours and you'll avoid some reciprocal linking pitfalls.

Link Quality and Search Engine Ranking

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Wilson Internet Rocklin, CA
Jan 25, 2006, 20:00

"What is the difference between reciprocal links and a link farm? Isn't it better to have a few incoming 'high profile' links?" -- Doug Rybarczyk

As you are aware, links to your website are one of the important criteria that search engines use to determine relevance and higher ranking for your keywords. Look at links as individual recommendations of your site. Sites that are often recommended are likely to be more relevant and important than those with just a few recommendations (or links). Sites that come highly recommended, that is, with links from industry experts and information hubs, are more likely to be relevant than sites with links from less prestigious sites. Using links to a site as a way to determine relevancy does have an inherit logic to it.

PageRank

Google has popularized a linking score known as PageRank (www.google.com/technology/). The higher the PageRank of the sites that link to you, the more effect these links will have to increase your own site's PageRank. But the Google algorithm is much more sophisticated these days than mere PageRank. It also considers factors such as:

• Context. If links to your site are from sites in a similar field, they help your PageRank more than links from widely different fields than your own.
• Hyperlinked keywords. If hyperlinks to your site contain keywords that appear on your site, your site is likely to rank higher for those particular keywords.

Reciprocal Links and Link Farms

Website owners naturally link to other sites that might be of interest to their site visitors. Since links help PageRank, hundreds of thousands of site owners have tried to manipulate PageRank by getting more links. But Google can spot manipulation easily.

• A "link farm" is an automated system of adding links to a webpage without thought to context, topic, quality, or relevance. To Google, this makes them stand out like a sore thumb. If your site links to a link farm, Google could penalize you by lowering your site's PageRank.
• Reciprocal links, on the other hand, are links to and from partnering websites. The more partners, the more links for both. It's difficult to get reciprocal links from higher PageRank sites, with the result that most reciprocal linkers have a low PageRank. At worst, many reciprocal linkers are indiscriminate about what sites they trade links with so their jumble of link pages might even be viewed in the future by Google as a link farm -- and your link to it could cost you big time. But for many small businesses, a careful reciprocal linking campaign is the only realistic strategy.

Incoming Linking Strategies

Though reciprocal links can help, I encourage you to pursue one-way links to your site. Consider these approaches:

• Write an article in your field, use it in your e-zine, then offer it to others as content for their websites with the proviso that they maintain a link to your site with the article. Use care as you select the keywords contained in the article title, article text, and particularly in the hyperlink to your website.
• Issue press releases with appropriate links to your site, with the hope that they will be archived for a while, at least, by higher ranked news sites.
• Seek placement in directories such as Yahoo! Directory ($299 annually), Open Directory Project (free), and others. Quality directories often have a higher PageRank.
• Provide an abundance of content on your site. Give people a reason to link to you because of the quality and sheer depth of your content. Deep content will inspire many links to your site without the necessity of a reciprocal link. If you are a content provider, why don't you ask for a link to your site; it can't hurt. Good content deserves a link.
• Paid text links on higher ranking sites in your industry can help your PageRank, but be careful that the webpage on which your link appears is both relevant and has a PageRank that will help your site. (Note: Paid text links are currently available to carefully selected companies on this site.)

Thoughts on Linking Strategies

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Wilson Internet Rocklin, CA
Feb 23, 2005, 23:22

I've convinced that Internet marketers must exercise restraint in linking. I'm currently seeking reciprocal links to three of my sites (a Christmas site, an Easter site, and a Bible study site. I don't offer reciprocal linking for my WilsonWeb.com site, but I send requesters a standard e-mail response -- several daily!) I made the mistake a few months ago of listing the Bible study resources page on a website designed to help webmasters link to each other. I've had literally dozens of offers for reciprocal links with UK mortgages, Texas holdem poker, personal loans, contact lenses -- you name it. These people don't read or have any sense at all!

The problem is that many so-called marketers believe that any in- or outbound link a good link. They're wrong. Increasingly, search engines are defining sites by the context and hyperlink text of webpages that link to them and that they link to. Linking indiscriminately will diffuse your site's focus and thus your search engine ranking. Be very selective. Exchange links only with sites that have commonalties with and complement your site. Don't link to a site you wouldn't want your visitors to go to.

Ken Evoy has just released a free e-book Make Your Links WORK! The 80-20 Keep-It-Real Guide to Linking (February 2005). While the book spares little in singing the praises of Evoy's Site Build It! system (which, incidentally, I strongly recommend), it also contains excellence advice on linking. Chapter 2 introduces the topic. Chapter 3, "The Best Ways to Build Incoming Links Now," gets into the subject squarely. First, Evoy explains the importance of links from directories, both primary and second tier directories. Then, instead of the term "reciprocal links" or "link-exchanging," he advocates the term "value-exchange," since quality, focused links add value to both sites -- and their visitors. "Bottom line? Keep it real," says Evoy. "Do not do it for the engines. Do it for your visitors." Finally, he explains how to find good linking partners and promotes the use of SiteSell's free Value Exchange to find other willing partners. http://sales.sitesell.com/value-exchange/

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Building Fake Websites that Link to the "Mother Ship"

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Wilson Internet Rocklin, CA
Feb 16, 2005, 16:30

"Did you already write something about a personal websites network for someone who would like to build up a network of 10 to 15 secondary sites for channeling most traffic to one main site? Could you give me some tips or some Web resources about this topic?" -- Jean-Marie Le Ray, Rome

This is a common question, but one that makes some questionable assumptions. It is true that, in general, the more links to your main site, the higher the ranking. But there's more to the story. I turned to my friend Mike Grehan, author of Search Engine Marketing: The essential best practice guide, whom I consider an expert in the field, to give us an authoritative answer:

"I actually get asked this a lot by major clients with plenty of cash: 'Why don't we just throw up a few thousand fake sites and point them at our main site to improve linkage?' It's very much the same issue with a smaller organization linking a handful of mini-sites together.

It may fool a search engine into thinking that the 'mother ship' is hugely popular. But the search engine then looks to see who is pointing at the fake sites.

Of course, the linkage surrounding the fake sites will be very weak and based on mainly inbound links from the same network. Basically, it is a spam island, pretty much isolated from the rest of the community. That's not natural, so it will likely get penalized.

You could try to build linkage around the fake sites from the community at large. But it's a bit of a waste of time, because you're diluting linkage which could be pointing directly at your main site.

However, on the upside, if you have a business which is diverse and targets a number of niches within the same community, then you might benefit from a 'natural' mini-network.

Let's say you are a computer manufacturer and you also supply peripherals and accessories. You could have a number of websites across your entire product range which cross-sell and up-sell to the same 'macro' audience.

Each one of the sites in the network will be attractive to a certain fraction of the industry sector and should be able to garner quality (as opposed to quantity) natural linkage.

A quick of word of warning about mini-networks. Google recently became a domain name registrar. This means they have access to a lot more data on who owns which domain names, expired domain names as well as IP addresses, etc."

This is Ralph Wilson back again. About a year ago I began consolidating domains and brands. I still own the DoctorEbiz.com domain and registered trademark, but its PageRank and Alexa ranking were low compared to my main WilsonWeb.com site. I decided to get all the links to my site focused on WilsonWeb.com in the future, not divide them between sites. I took my strongest domain and worked to make it even stronger.

A lot of this is being wise about your own time and energy. It is also about working with PageRank, not against it. [Note: Google PageRank is a relative indicator on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 high) of the quantity and quality of incoming links to a website and has a great deal to do with Google's ranking of the site for its important keywords.]

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Submitting Your URL to Directories

Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, Wilson Internet Rocklin, CA
Mar 15, 2006, 14:57

"I work for a large Communications / Ad agency. I have been submitting our URL to many free web directories. Is there a limit to how many I can submit to? Is it bad for our site? Do search engines not like this?" -- Tim Wren, www.silveroaks.com

So long as these are legitimate directories and not just glorified link farms (unorganized collections of links designed to dupe the search engines), the more directories you're listed in, the merrier. Yet many newer directories are sites in search of a business plan, not serious online players. I would question directories that demand a reciprocal link in order to include your listing. Directories specialized for your industry, however, can  be helpful. You'll get the most mileage from directories that have a high Google PageRank (out of 10 points, 10 being high). You can determine PageRank from the Google Toolbar (http://toolbar.google.com/).

A green bar indicates the PageRank; the longer the green bar, the more valuable it is to obtain a link from this site. Directories are an excellent place to begin a linking campaign. But look first at the PageRank. If a directory's PageRank is low or non-existent, it may not be worth much in terms of helping your own PageRank.