Linkbuilding for SEO

Here at Webbed Marketing we get a lot of questions about link building, how it helps with search engine optimization and how a site can build links. Here is a new piece developed by our own Tommy Redmond and Ryan Whiteside that covers the basics.

Linking is a key ingredient to search engine ranking. In fact, it is possibly the key ingredient. While the exact algorithms and formulas for the most popular search engines like Google and Bing remain a mystery, the basic components are understood. The quality of inbound links a website has is directly proportional to its search engine ranking.

 So what are inbound links? Inbound links are any instance where a website on a different domain links to one of your webpages. Does your business or organization have a listing on Wikipedia or Yelp? If so, then there is probably a link from that listing to your website (probably to your homepage). This is an inbound link.

 Quantity of Links –

 The more inbound links a website has, the more important the search engines deem it to be. This is because, in the search engine’s point of view, links mean popularity. And popular websites are what the search engine assumes that people want to visit when performing a search. The more important or popular the search engine deems a website to be, the more likely the search engine will serve that website up as a result for related searches. The websites deemed most important will earn the highest page one search results.

 Quality of Links –

 Of course, quantity is not everything with link building. Just as important as the number of inbound links your website has is the quality of these links. For example, earning a link from a large, well respected website like Wikipedia might have as big an impact on your search engine ranking as earning 100 links from small, relatively unknown blogs.

 Earning links from these large websites is not particularly easy, which is why a diversified link building strategy is a key component to any search engine optimization efforts. Targeting a large number of smaller linking opportunities and a few “heavy hitters” will typically produce the best results.

 Whether targeting a large, well known website or a niche industry blog, relevance is always important with link building. Having a link from a large, national retailer is great for a business selling products carried in that retailer’s stores, but it’s probably not a great fit for a company in the B2B information technology industry.

 METHOD:

 The term “link building” refers to the process of increasing the number of inbound links to a particular domain or website.

 There are literally hundreds of different methods that can be used to increase the number of inbound links to a website. Some of these methods produce results relatively quickly while others can take months to develop. Additionally, some methods for link building are considered unethical and can lead to a search engine blacklisting a website.

 Below are some of the link building methods that Webbed Marketing will use to optimize a client’s search engine rankings. These are well established, ethical methods to earn inbound links that have been proven to have a dramatic effect on search engine rankings. Because every business and organization is different, the best link building strategy will always depend on a number of different circumstances. The methods listed below are just a sample of some of the more common link building methods.

 Blog Submissions –

 Blog submissions are one of the fastest and easiest ways to earn inbound links. There are millions of blogs on the Internet, most of which cater to a particular industry or topic. This is significant because earning relevant links is so important. This is particularly a good strategy for new or young websites.

 Social Bookmarking –

Social bookmarking is the process by which people can bookmark, share and even vote on Internet content. Websites such as Digg and StumbleUpon allow users to browse countless press releases, news stories, blog posts and other pieces of content. Visitors to these social bookmarking sites can show their interest in a particular piece of content by voting on it. The most popular content is displayed on the front page of these social bookmarking sites, which can generate substantial web traffic. However, every piece of content that is “bookmarked” receives a link – regardless of popularity.

 Directory Submissions: General and Niche –

 General Directories

Directories are large websites which catalogue and organize other webpages. For example, Yahoo! got its start as a general directory. Today, DMOZ is the most significant and respected general directory.

 Niche Directories

These directories are much more specific than general directories, catering to a particular industry or topic. There are niche directories for almost any business or organization, from wholesale foodstuffs to non-profit healthcare.

Although directories have fallen slightly in popularity as more Internet users rely on search for content, th search engines themselves view these directories as valuable and important. Thus, a link from a directory is given a good deal of credibility by search engines.

NEW: Communities on Mixx

The social bookmarking site, Mixx, has launched a new feature called Communities. The Mixx Communities are similar to the Mixx groups but offer a lot more bells and whistles.

They say it best:

Mixx Communities offer an easier way to focus on the topics and issues that you're most passionate about, whether that's wildlife activism, social media, political reform or the NY Giants. Once you start a Mixx Community, it will reside within Mixx but you can give it your own stamp by importing an image header and/or logo, choosing a custom color scheme, and determining specific topics and categories to include. For instance, if your Community is dedicated to environmental preservation, you might want to have as your topics "News," "Science," "Politics" and "Education."

The community pages will have:

• Featured space for  editorial and promotional content
• A personalized sub-domain on Mixx.com
• Ability to import existing favorites tags so your new Community will immediately have new content
• The ability to embed video from YouTube and MetaCafé
• Option to participate in a revenue sharing program through Google AdSense API.

Community members also have some cool new features:

• A more unique experience on  your customized community page
• More visible message boards
• Ability to participate in polls related to the group's message
• Earn karma points  within the community that will be added to their general Mixx karma pool
• Better comment following that allows reader to follow comments on a particular story across all groups, both public and private, that they are a member of.

Some communities I have noticed so far are Obama 08, Apple, Photography Lovers, Anti War, Tech Stories and Social Blend.

What is your niche?

Tags: community, mixx, social bookmarking, social networking