December 2013 - Ontarget

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Fundamentals with WordPress, Part 2. Link Building Every business wants its website to appear at the top of a potential customer’s internet search results. As explained in my prior article Easy WordPress SEO, SEO is an invaluable business tool that helps a company do just that. One of the most important steps to implementing SEO is optimizing a site’s links. In this article, I explain the general principles of Google’s linking system as well as the basics of our Easy Link Building Strategy. Google Signals and Linking System Explained In order to implement an Easy Link Building Strategy, one must first understand signals. Like many other search engines, Google interprets your site through the signals given to Google via the HTML that it reads. The specific HTML code on which Google generally focuses is that regarding: Page Titles Headings – h1, h2, h3 Content – Good relevant content, Keywords URL Images – alt attribute in your img tag Links As noted, in addition to the other items listed above, Google, like many search engines, uses your website’s links to understand and interpret your site and to gauge its relevance to a particular search. However, though Google reads and considers all of the above, links are undoubtedly one of the most important factors in Google’s evaluation of your site. In fact, links by themselves may be the reason why your site is higher or lower within Google’s search results. Thus, an Easy Link Building Strategy is key to increasing your site’s links and, therefore, your site’s ranking with Google’s search results. What are quality links? Google does not value all links equally. Thus, a good Easy Link Building Strategy will focus on those links that Google considers to be the most useful, such as: Links from more authoritative or established websites. Links from a verified, high-authority site, such as a .gov or .edu site. Links from pages that don’t have many other outgoing links. Quick Tip: A link is more valuable if the site linking to you has fewer links: as more links go out, the value of all links is diminished. Links with good anchor text Quick Tip: Good anchor text includes keywords that identify and summarize your site’s content – i.e. not “awesome site.” Quick Tip: Remember to check the text in the links that are voting for you! This can be done in Google Analytics. Links that Multiply: Social Media Links Don’t forget that the new player in SEO is the social media link. Google has recently chosen to greatly expand the scope of what is a link by including social media links. In the past, only people who made a website were able to vote for other websites by creating links; thus, the pool of people who could link to your site was much smaller. Now, with the proliferation of social media, all social media users (no matter if they have never made a website) can create links through Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. Thus, your Easy Link Building Strategy should ensure that linking, via social media or otherwise, is as easy as possible. We can help. As noted, an Easy Link Building Strategy should be the cornerstone of your company’s SEO plan. We work with our clients to implement Easy Link Building Strategies which can, singlehandedly, make the difference between a high and a low ranking within Google’s (and other search engines’) search results. We would love the opportunity to speak with you about an Easy Link Building Strategy that could help ensure your company’s future success.

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