Off-Page Search Engine Optimisation News
Posted by
patrick
Previously we discussed SEO basics and on-page optimisation. In this article, we're looking at the more crucial Off-Page optimisation. Think of it as appointing votes. If another site places a link to your site then that site has given you a vote of confidence. They're saying, "Look at them - they've got something interesting to say..."
There are 2 main bits to the link. First, the actual URL or web address of the page they are pointing to. Then secondly the keyword phrase. This will be highlighted on the web page. That page can then be seen as receiving one 'vote'. In other words one 'vote' to push the website up the natural listings.
It always works in this way. There's an irrevocable connection between the page pointed to and the anchor text. Or the process can't happen. The Search Engines use the anchor text as an explanation of what the page is all about. It's ESSENTIAL to understand this - Your site will only come up in searches it has anchor texts for.
Thus you'll understand why highlighting 'Click Here...' creates no value in SEO terms. 'Click Here' becomes the keyword phrase we've created a vote for. Whoever is going to type that phrase into the Search Engine? Clearly no-one would!
Hence why the anchor text must be used correctly. For it represents all the phrases your site will be listed for. For your information, the Adobe Reader download site features first for CLICK HERE. Is that because Adobe want to rank for 'click here'? Absolutely not! But think how many web pages include a link to their site with the words click here...
In other words, the SE's use the anchor text phrase to cast a vote for a page. Which is very logical. SE's try to look for relevancy in the same way a real person would. The content of your page isn't necessarily relevant. For if the text that is pointing to your site says Blue Flowers, then that is what you will be listed for! That's how the 'voting system' works.
Obviously, a few other things come into it - Because the SE's also use the page title and wording of the page being pointed at to correlate the results. And many more factors too. (To give you an idea, the spread of the sites linking to yours, and their relevancy to your site).
The bottom line is - to SEO successfully takes a ton of back-links. If these back links come from a variety of sites and have well phrased anchor texts, then so much the better. The quality of a site counts too... A back-link from Microsoft.com or Adobe.com would be worth a lot more than a back-link from a local hardware store!
There's quite an art to choosing the right keyword phrases. Do perform sufficient competitor and keyword research before you firm up on your strategy. Fundamentally though: If someone's searching for what you do, which words are they typing into the Search Engine? The answers to this question supply your anchor text and keyword phrases.
However, you can't just use your 'best guesses! Quite often, the phrases you'd expect to see don't rate very highly. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves. You may think to Google "quality mattresses" if you're hoping to sleep better. A different person though may choose to write the words 'I need to sleep better'.
Successful on-line marketing is about more than trusting vague hunches. We can't over-stress the need to TEST and MEASURE all the phrases you're considering using. The number of people visiting your site will be in direct proportion to the work you do in this area. An analogy could be drawn with a listing in the Business Yellow Pages. You're not going to get any enquiries for Car Repairs if you're indexed as a Hairdresser! It is just as crucial to get your keyword analysis correct. Then everyone who's looking for what you do will easily find you.
There are 2 main bits to the link. First, the actual URL or web address of the page they are pointing to. Then secondly the keyword phrase. This will be highlighted on the web page. That page can then be seen as receiving one 'vote'. In other words one 'vote' to push the website up the natural listings.
It always works in this way. There's an irrevocable connection between the page pointed to and the anchor text. Or the process can't happen. The Search Engines use the anchor text as an explanation of what the page is all about. It's ESSENTIAL to understand this - Your site will only come up in searches it has anchor texts for.
Thus you'll understand why highlighting 'Click Here...' creates no value in SEO terms. 'Click Here' becomes the keyword phrase we've created a vote for. Whoever is going to type that phrase into the Search Engine? Clearly no-one would!
Hence why the anchor text must be used correctly. For it represents all the phrases your site will be listed for. For your information, the Adobe Reader download site features first for CLICK HERE. Is that because Adobe want to rank for 'click here'? Absolutely not! But think how many web pages include a link to their site with the words click here...
In other words, the SE's use the anchor text phrase to cast a vote for a page. Which is very logical. SE's try to look for relevancy in the same way a real person would. The content of your page isn't necessarily relevant. For if the text that is pointing to your site says Blue Flowers, then that is what you will be listed for! That's how the 'voting system' works.
Obviously, a few other things come into it - Because the SE's also use the page title and wording of the page being pointed at to correlate the results. And many more factors too. (To give you an idea, the spread of the sites linking to yours, and their relevancy to your site).
The bottom line is - to SEO successfully takes a ton of back-links. If these back links come from a variety of sites and have well phrased anchor texts, then so much the better. The quality of a site counts too... A back-link from Microsoft.com or Adobe.com would be worth a lot more than a back-link from a local hardware store!
There's quite an art to choosing the right keyword phrases. Do perform sufficient competitor and keyword research before you firm up on your strategy. Fundamentally though: If someone's searching for what you do, which words are they typing into the Search Engine? The answers to this question supply your anchor text and keyword phrases.
However, you can't just use your 'best guesses! Quite often, the phrases you'd expect to see don't rate very highly. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves. You may think to Google "quality mattresses" if you're hoping to sleep better. A different person though may choose to write the words 'I need to sleep better'.
Successful on-line marketing is about more than trusting vague hunches. We can't over-stress the need to TEST and MEASURE all the phrases you're considering using. The number of people visiting your site will be in direct proportion to the work you do in this area. An analogy could be drawn with a listing in the Business Yellow Pages. You're not going to get any enquiries for Car Repairs if you're indexed as a Hairdresser! It is just as crucial to get your keyword analysis correct. Then everyone who's looking for what you do will easily find you.
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