Loading ...Links are a central part of any search engine optimization plan. Without them, a site has a very hard time establishing popularity and good reputation with the search engines. Even once you have them, you have to worry about the sites they’re coming from and how you’re going to keep them up to date.
The work you do on your pages as part of SEO should be supported by links. Some of these will be the links coming from your other pages, which can be used to lend some of their ranking power, and some will come from outside your site. You can talk to our experts at SEO Consult Australia about the various links involved in optimisation.
Links count towards your search engine optimisation in two ways: on-page and off-page.
Linking as part of on-page optimization
Your site’s internal links are the few links you have complete control over, so it’s wise to use them as much as you can to support your pages. Links from pages within your site count less toward your ranking, but a good linking structure is important nonetheless. Without a good internal linking structure, the search engine spiders can easily get lost
- Straightforward paths. All too many sites completely ruin their link structure by making it too complicated. Search engine spiders are unlikely to travel too deep within a site, so it’s important to keep main pages as close to your home page as possible. Internet users will also appreciate having to make fewer clicks to get around.
- Good anchor text. It’s important to link your pages together using your keywords when you can. Boost the relevance of your pages by linking with keyword-rich anchor text.
- Fixing broken links. Links are frequently overlooked when it comes to ongoing SEO maintenance. Check that all of your links are working when you post a new page, and test old links periodically.
- Publishing site maps. The two kinds of site map – one published on your site and an XML one for the search engines – are vital to a good internal linking system. It can help to plot out your link structure on a whiteboard in the office when you want to draw up a site map. This can also be helpful when you’re trying to spot flaws in your link structure.
Links for your off-page SEO plan
You have less control over your inbound links, but you do have some say in who links to you by way of who you approach. Research potential links thoroughly to ensure you’re not wasting your time on a bad site. Sites with high PageRank provide the most value to your site, but that’s not the only important factor. Sites that have pages relevant to your own, and sites whose owners you can build a good relationship are sometimes more valuable in the long run.
Bad inbound links cannot do too much damage to your site. If you’re going to spend time on link building, however, it’s important to not waste your resources. Do your homework for best results.
Related posts:
- The lowdown on links
- The elements of a link
- How To Plan Your Link Structure
- Too many links can mean trouble
- A Better Way To Inbound Links
Tags: Keywords, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO Consult Australia, spiders
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