The 2 types of business people who typically don't make the most of backlinks
All business bloggers have a more than healthy interest in who is linking to their blog posts. And when you're not one of the blogosphere megastars and you are struggling to lure targeted, valuable traffic to your site, it's easy to put the destination before the journey.
While it's perfectly fine to use logical strategies to encourage quality posters, encouraging shouldn't become the be-all and the end all of your blog posting focus.
Here are 5 tips to help you increase your links without even trying - while turning your attention elsewhere.
1. It's about your reader. Listen to what they're saying, and blog about (answer) asked and un-answered questions
2. Think of yourself at a party, and do your best to chat - and entertain. Very often if something is truly entertaining, people will make time to engage where they normally wouldn't. After all, if some guy came up to you at a party and proceeded to lecture you about the importance of Search Bots, totally ignoring your statement about never using the net and doing everything on your mobile, you'd probably think he was a self-important, clueless bore.
3. Create a Date. If your posts of necessity are always fact-filled and dry, create an official day when you'll blog about anything and everything. "Whining Wednesday" (save all your griping for that day)... or "Weekly Wall-Off", where you leave your regular weighty subject of cellular technology and discuss the chicken you saved, named Eleanor, who turned out to be a capon. (You might be surprise at the relevant people - your regular but silent readers - who actually comment on this seeming frivolity!)
4. Add a Link. You've been told that this is absolutely verboten: That you should on no account ever encourage people to click away from your blog... but the truth is, back when I was starting out, one of the most traffic-generating, page-rank-improving posts I ever made was one where I pointed my readers to a really handy and unique resource! That generated buzz, got passed around - and the megastar I sent them to graciously commented, leaving his link on my blog.
5. Interview an Expert. This can be a related professional in your niche, it doesn't have to be Oprah: And hook them in by only asking a single question - it's a blog post, so this keeps it short. But make it a doozy; one your readers will really be keen to discuss - and link to.
In each of these 5 techniques, you're focusing on your subject, your competition, your life or your readers. Pull one of these randomly out of a hat, whenever you find yourself fretting about the resounding cavern of silence that is your blog comment section - and have some fun, seeing what generates relevant or even "famous" links.
Friday, June 4, 2010
SEOMoz – Have You Been Introduced?
Keen to start link building? Let me introduce you to SEOmoz.org, a site boasting “The Web’s Best SEO Resources”. SEOmoz’ main claim to fame in traditional link-building annals is it’s famous toolset, which includes “over twenty SEO tools”.
That may be too rich for the new marketer’s blood, but what about some of the other tools?
Linkscape is a free tool that allows you to perform a number of targeted analysis functions on your competition (and your own sites), including:
- Checking your links to see if they are from suspect sources
- Identify your competitors’ anchor text keywords
- Analyze their strongest linking strategies
- Analyze your own sites’ strongest web pages
(And that’s just for starters).
What SEOmoz doesn’t tell you up front is that you can only see basic data, until you upgrade to a paid subscription: Still, a web page that can instantly show you – simply by your entering a website URL – its “mozRank”, number of links and number of root domains linking to that site is a pretty cool tool, when you’re analyzing your link strategy!
My favorite tool is Trifecta. The free option allows you to run one analysis per day, and lets you see:
- how many pages and sites currently link to yours
- how many times your “brand” is “mentioned on the web”
- how much traffic your site has
You can analyze your competitors too, of course. All sites are equal (figuratively speaking) at SEOmoz. And many people wouldn’t be without their SEOmoz Firefox toolbar add-on for instant stats.
Other paid link analysis tools include BacklinkAnalysis, and the SEOtoolbox page offers you the ability to check backlinks, page rank, domain age and indexed pages (in 3 major search engines).
A “pro” subscription that allows you to analyze in much more depth than you can probably imagine right now begins at $79.00 per month. Is it really worth it?
Only you will be able to tell.
That may be too rich for the new marketer’s blood, but what about some of the other tools?
Linkscape is a free tool that allows you to perform a number of targeted analysis functions on your competition (and your own sites), including:
- Checking your links to see if they are from suspect sources
- Identify your competitors’ anchor text keywords
- Analyze their strongest linking strategies
- Analyze your own sites’ strongest web pages
(And that’s just for starters).
What SEOmoz doesn’t tell you up front is that you can only see basic data, until you upgrade to a paid subscription: Still, a web page that can instantly show you – simply by your entering a website URL – its “mozRank”, number of links and number of root domains linking to that site is a pretty cool tool, when you’re analyzing your link strategy!
My favorite tool is Trifecta. The free option allows you to run one analysis per day, and lets you see:
- how many pages and sites currently link to yours
- how many times your “brand” is “mentioned on the web”
- how much traffic your site has
You can analyze your competitors too, of course. All sites are equal (figuratively speaking) at SEOmoz. And many people wouldn’t be without their SEOmoz Firefox toolbar add-on for instant stats.
Other paid link analysis tools include BacklinkAnalysis, and the SEOtoolbox page offers you the ability to check backlinks, page rank, domain age and indexed pages (in 3 major search engines).
A “pro” subscription that allows you to analyze in much more depth than you can probably imagine right now begins at $79.00 per month. Is it really worth it?
Only you will be able to tell.
Secret Link Building Strategy – Hiding in Plain Sight
You can read all sorts of link building advice on the net. How to create backlinks, whether or not chasing external links is valid strategy, how to drive your readers to speak up and leave their links in your comment section, how to find strong sites to link to…
But there’s one super-powerful link building strategy hardly anyone seems to mention. And that’s having an affiliate program.
Think about it. It’s so easy to create a digital product, upload it to Clickbank’s marketplace – and having Clickbank handle everything, including signing up and paying your affiliates on time. (And even having your URL on Clickbank itself – with its Alexa traffic rank of 333 and U.S. rank of 135 – is a great backlink.)
Make the Most of Your Affiliates and Feel the Link Love
Don’t just abandon your affiliates to Clickbank, however. Create a resource center for them on your product site, complete with snippets of code, banner and button ads, PLR, tips, FAQs and anything else that will help them enthusiastically sell your product. Now, granted, they’ll have to contact you of their own volition – but you’ll find experienced affiliate marketers will have no hesitation in doing that.
Bottom line – be ready for them. Give them what they want – and they’ll promote you gladly.
Also provide them with a free brandable report they can redistribute to their list. If you’re not a writer, have a good ghostwriter produce it for you, filled with high value tips.
Offer to do interviews. Upload YouTube videos (yet another “must-do” place to put your link!) showing your affiliates how to create link cloaking redirects, or how to use your product – whatever useful video you can think up.
The better quality your product – and affiliate resources – the more enthusiastically they’ll promote you, and increase your link power. Add that free brandable report (think “viral marketing”) and watch your links explode!
But there’s one super-powerful link building strategy hardly anyone seems to mention. And that’s having an affiliate program.
Think about it. It’s so easy to create a digital product, upload it to Clickbank’s marketplace – and having Clickbank handle everything, including signing up and paying your affiliates on time. (And even having your URL on Clickbank itself – with its Alexa traffic rank of 333 and U.S. rank of 135 – is a great backlink.)
Make the Most of Your Affiliates and Feel the Link Love
Don’t just abandon your affiliates to Clickbank, however. Create a resource center for them on your product site, complete with snippets of code, banner and button ads, PLR, tips, FAQs and anything else that will help them enthusiastically sell your product. Now, granted, they’ll have to contact you of their own volition – but you’ll find experienced affiliate marketers will have no hesitation in doing that.
Bottom line – be ready for them. Give them what they want – and they’ll promote you gladly.
Also provide them with a free brandable report they can redistribute to their list. If you’re not a writer, have a good ghostwriter produce it for you, filled with high value tips.
Offer to do interviews. Upload YouTube videos (yet another “must-do” place to put your link!) showing your affiliates how to create link cloaking redirects, or how to use your product – whatever useful video you can think up.
The better quality your product – and affiliate resources – the more enthusiastically they’ll promote you, and increase your link power. Add that free brandable report (think “viral marketing”) and watch your links explode!
LinkedIn - Is It A Good Link Building Strategy?
One of the most refreshing things about social networking site, LinkedIn, is the way you don't have to pretend you're not trying to generate links. Part of the reason lies in the demographic, according to Quantcast:
- 35-50 plus age group
- No children
- $60k income, with the majority being over $100k
- Asian
- Male
This group tends to be professional, focused, and with little time for platitudes or nonsense. But if that's the market you want to reach, setting out on the right foot by following these 7 basic tips help increase your link SEO chances straight away...
1. Make sure you have a memorable "Public Profile" URL (customize it, if you have to!)
2. Don't neglect your home page. Unlike some, it's not static: It's a shortcut to "what's hot" in your field - and who.
3. Keep your status updated - don't just "set and forget". Unlike other social media sites, it's the perfect place to showcase new creds
4. Be sure to use the "Index" option, so that Google (and other search engines) can quickly serve you up on a platter.
5. Break the ice: Instead of answering - ask. Give others a chance to show their expertise (be grateful - but don't be deferential).
6. Get links by simply asking for recommendations (providing, of course, you're asking other members who have bought your products, used your services or served with you on non-profit projects).
7. Remember that on LinkedIn, relationships matter, even more usual when it comes to social sites. Don't be flakey - be consistent. Thank people who help, help people who ask - and be generous with your time and attention.
The pay off in valuable links and traffic is definitely worth it.
- 35-50 plus age group
- No children
- $60k income, with the majority being over $100k
- Asian
- Male
This group tends to be professional, focused, and with little time for platitudes or nonsense. But if that's the market you want to reach, setting out on the right foot by following these 7 basic tips help increase your link SEO chances straight away...
1. Make sure you have a memorable "Public Profile" URL (customize it, if you have to!)
2. Don't neglect your home page. Unlike some, it's not static: It's a shortcut to "what's hot" in your field - and who.
3. Keep your status updated - don't just "set and forget". Unlike other social media sites, it's the perfect place to showcase new creds
4. Be sure to use the "Index" option, so that Google (and other search engines) can quickly serve you up on a platter.
5. Break the ice: Instead of answering - ask. Give others a chance to show their expertise (be grateful - but don't be deferential).
6. Get links by simply asking for recommendations (providing, of course, you're asking other members who have bought your products, used your services or served with you on non-profit projects).
7. Remember that on LinkedIn, relationships matter, even more usual when it comes to social sites. Don't be flakey - be consistent. Thank people who help, help people who ask - and be generous with your time and attention.
The pay off in valuable links and traffic is definitely worth it.
3 Reasons Why Your Comments Get Deleted
Have you ever written what you thought was a positive, timely comment to a blog you like, only to never see it appear? … Or worse… see it on the blog for a day or two, then have it disappear?
Most likely it’s nothing to worry about. Blog owners don’t check their “comments to be approved” section for days, or they hit the wrong button when deleting potential spam (we’ve probably all of us realized that split second too late, we just deleted a favorite follower’s post by mistake).
But if it happens to you frequently, check to see if you’re making these unwitting mistakes…
1. Leaving incredibly short, vague comments.
You may have been totally sincere when you wrote: “Cool blog! I’m so glad I discovered this site!” but unfortunately, that’s exactly what spammers do.
FIX: Leave comments that contribute to the conversation. Reference some specific point you agreed or disagreed with in the post. Offer an alternative viewpoint, elaborate a little more (providing you know some fact that adds to the post value).
And if you really can’t think of anything to say but: “Oh Wow! I love your blog!” - it’s really not worth commenting at all, kindly though your sentiments may be.
2. You’ve accidentally violated a rule.
For example, including a link in your comment, when the blog’s guidelines say “no URLS in comments”; or you’ve used aggressive or crude language and offended the shy owner of the Warhammer blog with your raunchy old lady knitting comments.
3. You’ve just posted something extremely dazzling that makes the poster look bad – especially if he’s a direct competitor.
This is called “not being very smart” in the real world, and is akin to beating the boss at golf.
Fortunately, it doesn’t happen too often… but if you can shake your competitor so badly that he stoops to deleting or not acknowledging your comment – you won’t need much help in the near future with your linking efforts!
Most likely it’s nothing to worry about. Blog owners don’t check their “comments to be approved” section for days, or they hit the wrong button when deleting potential spam (we’ve probably all of us realized that split second too late, we just deleted a favorite follower’s post by mistake).
But if it happens to you frequently, check to see if you’re making these unwitting mistakes…
1. Leaving incredibly short, vague comments.
You may have been totally sincere when you wrote: “Cool blog! I’m so glad I discovered this site!” but unfortunately, that’s exactly what spammers do.
FIX: Leave comments that contribute to the conversation. Reference some specific point you agreed or disagreed with in the post. Offer an alternative viewpoint, elaborate a little more (providing you know some fact that adds to the post value).
And if you really can’t think of anything to say but: “Oh Wow! I love your blog!” - it’s really not worth commenting at all, kindly though your sentiments may be.
2. You’ve accidentally violated a rule.
For example, including a link in your comment, when the blog’s guidelines say “no URLS in comments”; or you’ve used aggressive or crude language and offended the shy owner of the Warhammer blog with your raunchy old lady knitting comments.
3. You’ve just posted something extremely dazzling that makes the poster look bad – especially if he’s a direct competitor.
This is called “not being very smart” in the real world, and is akin to beating the boss at golf.
Fortunately, it doesn’t happen too often… but if you can shake your competitor so badly that he stoops to deleting or not acknowledging your comment – you won’t need much help in the near future with your linking efforts!
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