Links - what else to do?

[preciousbags]

Hi all,

Apart from Link Building, how else can i optimise my site? I have been using keywords all over the site, using H1 etc. Creating blog posts when i can? Adding new products as much as i can.

Is there anything else i can do online apart from Link building?

Or do i just sit back and wait?

Had the site changed to hopefully make it look better too recently so just seeing how things go.

Thanks

[akirk]

Yes, lots - that is about SEO on your website, now start to look more at your website in the context of the overall internet... interestingly I blogged an overview on this a few hours ago: http://www.designtoo.com/seo

Alasdair

[MASSEY]

Yes, lots - that is about SEO on your website, now start to look more at your website in the context of the overall internet... interestingly I blogged an overview on this a few hours ago: http://www.designtoo.com/seo

Alasdair


"Keywords - very misunderstood, Google does not use these, but some search engines do, so you might as well have them - these are words related to your organisation, so if you are a School Teacher / Tutor, you might include: school, tutor, qualified, maths, english, 7-11, etc."

:redface:

[akirk]

keywords in your website are not used by Google and never have been :)

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.html

to confirm this :)

if I recall - Ask and Yahoo do use them for various purposes, though not for ranking per se...

Alasdair

[paretowasright]

Hi all,

Apart from Link Building, how else can i optimise my site? I have been using keywords all over the site, using H1 etc. Creating blog posts when i can? Adding new products as much as i can.

Is there anything else i can do online apart from Link building?

Or do i just sit back and wait?

Had the site changed to hopefully make it look better too recently so just seeing how things go.

Thanks

Blog postings, reviews from authority bloggers and fashion sites, back link building with focussed keyword anchor text from relevant sites with good page rank, ensure postage is communicated on every page of site, SSL certification /secure site to build consumer trust, get all products on google base with descriptions, testimonials from customers.

[MASSEY]

keywords in your website are not used by Google and never have been :)

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.html

to confirm this :)

if I recall - Ask and Yahoo do use them for various purposes, though not for ranking per se...

Alasdair

Something tells me you are very new to seo as you seem to be mixing something up / not explaining yourself well. ;)

[Mystro]

keywords in your website are not used by Google and never have been :)

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.html

to confirm this :)

if I recall - Ask and Yahoo do use them for various purposes, though not for ranking per se...

Alasdair

This has gone from asking for advice to giving advice.:D

Paul

[akirk]

Something tells me you are very new to seo as you seem to be mixing something up / not explaining yourself well. ;)

Not quite sure what you think that I am mixing up :)
keywords - meta tags - one of the most requested things which people ask for SEO in their websites - Google does not use them in making their decision on how to rank your website...
you highlighted this section of my blog - presumably to suggest that I had got it wrong :| I responded with a link to Google's blog post where they say that they don't use them...
what is mixed up about that?

Alasdair

[paretowasright]

Not quite sure what you think that I am mixing up :)
keywords - meta tags - one of the most requested things which people ask for SEO in their websites - Google does not use them in making their decision on how to rank your website...
you highlighted this section of my blog - presumably to suggest that I had got it wrong :| I responded with a link to Google's blog post where they say that they don't use them...
what is mixed up about that?

Alasdair

I am thinking you have perhaps beeen beamed down as your thinking is definitely from another planet Captain Kirk ;)

[An Oasis]

Something tells me you are very new to seo as you seem to be mixing something up / not explaining yourself well. ;)

Poor bloke tries to help out and gets a kicking and told by members talking ******** that he's talking ********...way to go folks, knock yourselves out.:rolleyes:

For what it's worth I think that you can also add Bing to the list.

[akirk]

Thank you An Oasis :) for some sanity in this!
anyway, back to the original poster...

The key in SEO is what happens off-site while Google and others use your website content as a basis of ranking and results - its place in the overall scheme of things - how it sits among all the other sites / is linked around them is very important - and the key to that is relevance.

So, getting out there on the internet is a part of that approach...

Alasdair

[MASSEY]

Hi all,

Apart from Link Building, how else can i optimise my site? I have been using keywords all over the site, using H1 etc. Creating blog posts when i can? Adding new products as much as i can.

Is there anything else i can do online apart from Link building?

Or do i just sit back and wait?

Had the site changed to hopefully make it look better too recently so just seeing how things go.

Thanks

for the sort of things you possibly want to rank for i think this is another example of crap is king. Maybe you need to spend some money with an Indian seo company and hammer your site with links.

Not sure who will agree with me :redface:

[paretowasright]

Poor bloke tries to help out and gets a kicking and told by members talking ******** that he's talking ********...way to go folks, knock yourselves out.:rolleyes:

For what it's worth I think that you can also add Bing to the list.


I hardly think the good advice I have given to the original posting is B***** so perhaps you may want to explain that one in detail to give the above any credibility. I agree we have given Alasdair a bit of a hard time but the Google keyword thing was a bit of a sweeping statement and my comment did have a smiley at the end. Why do people on here take everything so seriously?

[eventdomain]

There are a few rules with links, and if you break them it will hurt you big time, so listen to someone that''s been there and got the tee-shirt...

Ok, when linking you must protect yourself, as some links just wont work - period, but we need to know why people link in the first place.

Usually its for 2 reasons:

1. PageRank (Green toolbar pixels) and Search Engine Position (SEP)

PageRank is useless, it has no use nor gives any advantage whatsoever to any website, so forget that.

2. SEP - this (in my book) is the 2nd biggest reason why people chase links - and its to boost their website position in the SERPS , to stand out etc etc. Unfortunately, the amount of websites/web pages means that little advantage can come from this as its impossible to stand out enough. Also large businesses wont rely on it to generate sales and enquiries, they will know/have other methods in place that'll do a far better job.

Linking for Traffic Flow

Links are the life-blood of the web, this is how people get about the internet, always has, always will be. So, to be found its logical you must get links somehow - but all links are NOT good links....

I always took the view that links placed on any website where great effort has been put into it, must surely be a good link - but that's one of the biggest errors everyone makes when seeking worthwhile links. These websites may appear heavily used, established - but their not in reality, as their way off track, and most are not the right segment to use.

People just don't do enough homework, for instance, if an on-target website is getting lots of media attention, its worth getting advertising on that site, why? I would have thought it was obvious, but its bcos it's a hotty, and people are going nuts over it, that's why. Not to mention that its likely to get a huge following and that means masses of visitors using it daily, monthly or whatever.

So what's a good link?

Good links are targeted specifically to buyers, that's it in a nutshell. Not much point in telling it another way, bcos its that simple to grasp.

Some examples of good links are:

Niche search engines
Niche Directories
Press mentions
Targeted/related websites
Chamber of Commerce links
High content portals eg: Amazon
Niche content portals eg: ZDNet, AskMen

I'll tackle these in order:

Niche search engines

These are the Gold of the web, you get on one of these, you'll get insane traffic, and its all targeted. Trouble is anyone with half a brain will realise you can't get on these without paying, Unless, the owner is generous enough to allow you on it for free - I say ALLOW you on it, and thats a big IF, at the moment with websites being highly guarded and prized by the owners/founders. Basically you have no choice but to pay to get on these monsters, and they are monsters of search. But its worth it.

Niche directories

Okay, these are a tad easier to get on as the fees aren't as heavy, but these are still very select on who they allow/let in, so I wouldn't advise trying it on with any old link approach, as like all things - any decent placement will cost. Good thing about these are the link is permanent for a long time eg: 12 months, and the targeting will be spot-on.


Press mentions

These give great exposure and superb credibility, and its free.


Chamber of Commerce links

Again, these will be directory links, and their NOT cheap at £160ish a year (fees dependent on employee number), but you will get exposure to other biz owners and sent out in mailings to a select group, also regular discounts, legal advice etc - so the benefits CAN be good, but IMHO, limited. But the link will have cred. In all, I'd say not a bad link to get.


High content portals

Okay, I wont muck about here, unless you pay, you ain't coming in! These are the Daddies of the web, and are owned by sometimes 2 or 3 large web operators, that own other trademarked names/holding companies like Reedbusiness.

But the upside is a ton of great traffic, and superb presence on a respected website/s, backed by a huge corporate company.


Niche content portals

Players like CNet, Jobsite operators etc, the list is endless, but also very expensive - but then the traffic is great, so you get what you pay for.

Tip: Much searching is needed to track these sites down, so no effort means no rewards. So start searching links, its really the only way as there's no fast routes to this.

[FLAUK]

Not quite sure what you think that I am mixing up :)
keywords - meta tags - one of the most requested things which people ask for SEO in their websites - Google does not use them in making their decision on how to rank your website...
you highlighted this section of my blog - presumably to suggest that I had got it wrong :| I responded with a link to Google's blog post where they say that they don't use them...
what is mixed up about that?

Alasdair

It wasn't quite clear that you were referring to the keyword meta tag - sounded more like keywords in general.

I think anyone familiar with seo knew what you meant however.