Defensible Link Building
Posted Feb 16, 2007 @ 7:07 am, Viewed by 1096 Visitors, Read 1101 Times.Here are some things to consider BEFORE going down the "let's SPAM the hell out of other forums and blogs and sites road" (Which we already seem to be well on the onramp of in the SEO world today for those who haven't been reading the road signs )
Consideration 1: Q.Why does SPAM exist? A. Because it does (or at least DID) work at one time. (We likely all agree on that) What was at one time mainstream is now considered bad form in many cases.
Consideration 2: And then there is the consideration for HOW long it will work --which DIRECTLY relates to the longevity of my site STAYING at the top.
Consideration 3: Does it still generate the value it once did? MANY older tactics (now considered SPAM, but once used VERY effectively) may not penalize, but may be devalued by the search engines to the point that they are not worth it.
Consideration 4 (and IMO the most important) Am I leaving myself vulnerable to a penalty that will ruin my asset and put an end to a valuable revenue stream.
With ANY "tactic" that you consider, you should consider the above IMHO.
There's a helluva difference between what you CAN do and what you SHOULD do.
We all CAN buy a ton of stacked, sitewide links on non relevant sites and add a boatload of backlinks in a hurry...but is that the right move as an asset builder?
We can all buy solid directory links.
We can all go to forums that don't have decent controls on sig links and rack up meaningless posts to beat the band....
Many of us can comment on blog posts with meaningless drivel and a link.
Many of us are tempted to because of our competitive position (or simply our greedy nature-grin)
The key in my opinion is to do things that others cannot easily do. That creates DEFENSABLE linking that will generate a longer term ride at the top--i.e. if your going to spend treasure and toil on SEO, why not get a better return? Play for the long haul.
If we do link building strategies that are defensible, won't those be the ones that Google is looking to find and reward as well? They are in the business of rewarding those long term winners...(ummm--link aging is simply the process of rewarding those at the top so that Google doesn’t have to find the next defensible linking strategy to reward....)
On page strategies can change and you can accomodate for them, however linking ugliness can cost you an asset for MUCH longer (again IMHO).
Note: I am not saying that ANY of the above strategies are bad or evil. I am a businessman. I try to look at things in practical terms. So if we are going to discuss it, where have you tested?
Do you know where these strategies rank in the overall scheme of the considerations above? How much blog comment spamming do you have to do before you get to page 1 and then, how long can you maintain before you lose...Is it even still viable?
My philosophy has always been to build as much quality as possible. Why? Because it creates a longer term asset.
That approach has worked for me. Consistently.
I'd love to hear your opinions.
Eric Blackwell
Technologist
Louisville Real Estate | Southern Indiana Real Estate
RE/MAX Properties East
Southern Indiana Search Marketing / EriconSearch
My Local Search Engine Marketing Blog
Insider News and Opinion from the Real Estate Industry
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Thank you for sharing this great post Eric
I agree with you 100% do not look for a way around the search engines. Try to put in writing just how relevant you truly are and your rank stays strong forever. The search engines are always looking for ways to plug loopholes and every one of them gets squashed eventually. The sites with truly good content just get stronger each time. Let others build your links by saying what they want to hear. Have a Great Day!
That is so true, man. Thanks for that post.
James Boyer
Man, you can write, Great Post. time to get to work implementing some of that.
I agree. It occurred to me that any post or blog should have the same editorial criteria as books or magazines. After all, they do not rely on search engines to be found. They are found by people wanting to learn. It does make more sense to just write for writing's sake. As for SEO, it does warrant consideration, but I think too many web authors place undue emphasis on being 'found' as opposed to being 'desired'.
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Eric Blackwell is Director of Technology for RE/MAX Properties East. He helps REALTORS reach and assist their clients using Technology and he is the Webmaster of www.HomesinLouisville.com.
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Great post, Eric!