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Free Website Content - A Perfect Link
A Perfect Link
By Sharon Housley
Webmasters are given the advice that they
must attract links, but the key is not just to attract links...
they need to attract good links. But what is the
perfect link? The search for the perfect link need not be
a quest in vain. Consider the following when attempting
to attract links...
1. Related
The best links should come from related websites
which contain similar and related content, but not the same
type of material or content. For example: A link for baby
clothing would benefit from a link that discusses baby care.
2. Anchor
The anchor text (the "text" that is used in
the link) should include keywords that relate to the topic
covered on the web page that is being linked to. Anchor
text should be varied; links that all have the same anchor
text will appear manipulated and contrived to the search
engines. Therefore, the text links should contain a variety
of related words.
3. Deep Link
The links should direct visitors to a related
page within the website. Do not make the mistake of directing
all of the web links to a website's home page. Deep linking,
and directing visitors to material that corresponds to content
that is closely related to the text link is key. Deep linking
appears more natural to search engines, whereas links directing
all visitors to a single page or the home page seem unnatural,
and could be interpreted as an effort to manipulate search
engine ranking.
4. Domain And Page Authority
Search engines trust some websites more than
others. Links from "authority" websites have more weight
than links from lesser-known websites. Google is said to
use PageRank as an indicator of authority. Keep in mind
that PageRank is not the only factor used to determine a
website's authority. Authority websites should still relate
to the website it is pointing to.
5. Nix NoFollow
Links should not contain the NoFollow command.
The NoFollow command directs search engines to not "follow"
the link. If a link contains "NoFollow" there is no search
engine benefit from the link; the only benefit to having
the link is any organic traffic that results if the link
is clicked. As a result, NoFollow links are nearly worthless.
6. Mix It Up
Links should come from a variety of sources.
Fewer links from a larger number of websites will generally
"weigh" more than a large number of links from a small number
of websites.
7. Surrounding Text
Some search experts claim that the text surrounding
a link can influence ranking. Whether this is true or not
is difficult to determine. It is more likely that links
containing surrounding text are more likely to be relevant,
and as a result those links tend to be worth more.
8. Link Position
The location of the link on the page can
also influence the value of the link. Some search experts
claim that footer links carry less value than links which
are integrated into the actual web page content.
9. Type of Link
There does not appear to be a difference between
a "text" link's value and an "image" link's value, if the
image link contains ALT text. The search engines use the
image ALT text in the same way they use the anchor text
of a text link.
10. Number Of Outbound Links
A page with fewer links is better than a page
with a large number of links. This is because a webpage
passes along what is referred to as "link juice". The more
"link juice" passed along, the more valuable the link is.
The link juice is divided up over all the links on a webpage,
so popular websites with few outgoing links are more valuable
than those with a large number of links.
11. Link Age
Search engine critics cannot seem to agree
as to whether older links or newer links carry more value.
When information is vague, it is best to garner both aged
links and new links to websites.
12. Vintage Domain
The age of the domain is said to influence
link power. More than likely the age of the domain simply
contributes to the trustworthiness of the website, and links
from trusted websites tend to have more value.
13. One Way Links
Links that are not reciprocal carry more weight
than those which are simply link-for-link exchanges.
14. Page Content
A web page that is mostly just a list of links
has less value than a web page that contains a mixture of
links and content.
15. Updated Pages
Web pages that are updated frequently will
typically be spidered by search engines on a more frequent
basis. The update will not influence the power of the link,
but it will mean that the link will be picked up more quickly
by the search engines.
16. Link Surges
Webmasters should be encouraged to gradually
build links over time, rather than all at once. The gradual
increase is more natural and will have a stronger impact
on organic search rankings.
The quest for the perfect link can be frustrating
and elusive, but the fact is: the perfect link is logical,
appears natural, and grows over time. Best of luck in your
attempt to find the perfect link.
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com
software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and
podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll
http://www.recordforall.com
audio recording and editing software.
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This article may be used freely in opt-in
publications and websites, provided that the resource box
is included and the links are active. A courtesy copy of
the issue or a link to any online posting would be greatly
appreciated send an email to sharon@notepage.net
.
Additional articles available for publication available
at http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm
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