Search Trends - Search Engine Marketing

A list of 15 interviews of link building gurus.

Labels: link building, links

I just skimmed this article on SugarRae with 5 link building gurus answering their own toughest questions about link development. Looks like some very good stuff. I'll have to go back and read in more depth when I get some time.

Check it out if you care about links (hint: if you don't care about links, you should)

Labels: gurus, link building, links

Google is notorious for giving weak results for backlinks to a site using the link: command. They just released a new link tool as part of their webmaster tools that shows a lot more links to your site than you can see using the normal link: search. They say that it's still not all the links they know about, but it's a lot more than they used to offer, so it's definitely an improvement.

Danny Sullivan has a pretty comprehensive overview of the new link reporting tool.

I've tried it out just briefly and for most sites I've checked it provides a lot more useful information, but for at least one site, the new tool isn't showing any links to the homepage of the site, which is obviously not right, since a simple link: search shows nearly 100 links. Probably just a glitch, so I'll keep an eye on it.

To use the new tool, you just need to verify that you own the site through Google's webmaster central--although there have been reports that you can access link data on sites that you don't own. I'm sure they'll patch that hole quickly if they haven't already.

Labels: google, links

Arrgh! I hate it when I screw up. I wish I could say it rarely happens, but that would be a lie. This time, I was in such a rush to send out our Web Targeted email newsletter--so I wouldn't break my new years resolution to send it out monthly. Of course, but the time it went out, the January newsletter as 5 minutes into February. The worst part is that in my haste to get the darned thing out, I neglected to change the date from December 2006 to January 2007--oops. I guess it's not a huge deal, but it really bugs me to mess up something so simple like that. If anyone got that email and wondered why you're getting the January newsletter on Feb 1, yet it says December, just cut me a little slack--it's late and I'm tired.

Here's the article I sent out in this month's newsletter:

Link Building Tips for 2007

Articles

Writing articles is a great way to establish a reputation in your industry. It is also an excellent way to establish a lot of highly relevant links to your website. Submit your articles to article syndication directories. Be sure to include a link back to your website in your author bio box. Use keywords in your links if possible. To get the widest possible exposure, submit your article to high traffic websites or ezines in your industry.

Press Releases

Online press releases are a great way to generate awareness of your company or products. They can also be a great source of links. Be sure to include links to your website in all press releases. The press releases are archived online and indexed by the search engines, and news sources that write about your release will often include a link in their article. The most effective press releases are those that offer timely and newsworthy information. Write your press releases from the perspective of a journalist and you'll have a better chance of having the release picked up by the media.

Member Organizations

You should be sure your site is linked from any organizations that you're a member of. This can include chambers of commerce, better business bureau, and industry organizations. Contact each organization and request a link. Even if they aren't currently linking to members, they will often link to you if you contact them directly and ask.

Forums and Blogs

Being actively involved in forums is a great way to establish a name for yourself in your industry. It is also a way to generate traffic and links to your site. As you read blogs related to your business and make meaningful comments (not spam), you'll find that people will begin to value your opinion. You'll get people clicking through on your link to learn more about you and the search engines might even start to notice the links. Be sure you understand the proper linking rules and etiquette for each blog or forum you participate in.

Provide Something of Value

It may be something as simple as an article or blog post that resonates with your audience. Or perhaps it's a funny video that everyone forwards to their friends. Or maybe it's the end all, be all online tool for your industry. Whatever "it" is, if you build something really remarkable, people will notice and link to it. Don't be shy about letting the world know about your stuff, either. It's a good idea to get the word out with a press release, article, or even a well worded email can work wonders to let the right people know about your cool new content/tool/video/whatever.

These are a few ideas to get you thinking of ways that you can get more sites linking to yours. Don’t be afraid to try new methods for getting links. Get creative. Get links.

Labels: link building, link popularity, links