link strategies for seo: an semrush webinar

Thanks

Thanks so much for a.ending the webinar And thanks to SEMrush for hos:ng, and for the great data and industry insights See this slide deck on my page at slideshare.net/JakeAull


Outline

•  Site architecture link planning •  The importance of good keyword drivers •  All about anchor text •  Write for readers & engagement; not for search engines •  New anchor text with relevance •  The difference between inbound and outbound links •  Links and relaBonal relevance •  Overall digital network architecture •  Today’s strategic content managers •  Examples of link engagement •  QuanBtaBve links: SBll have any value?

See this slide deck on my page at slideshare.net/JakeAull


SITE ARCHITECTURE LINK PLANNING

•  Plan your website upfront for good linking and SEO results

•  The power of the Footer navigaBon

•  Linking throughout the site: •  It sounds cumbersome, but plan links through every page and blog

post of your site if possible. When you write up your sitemap, plan which pages you want to link to the next, and so on and so on.

•  Link planning doesn’t require a long list of links on your website’s pages! •  Target a primary link (maybe 2 or 3) to show, and push web users

conBnually through your site.

•  Blog/news: •  This can especially work for the blog secBon of your site – you can

conBnually link to/from those posts to distribute link juice.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD KEYWORD DRIVERS

•  Good copywriBng is vital – and can be used in conjuncBon with good keywords!

•  CopywriBng can be built on primary keywords for a page/post. •  Find the juncBon of readability, SEO, copy hooks and website

usability

•  Link bait: •  Good wriBng intrigues readers

to read on and share your link

•  CTAs: •  You need good calls-‐to-‐acBon –

ensure your reader takes the next step and links to where you drive them!

THE ROLE OF ANCHOR TEXT

•  Be observant of your site’s pages. Each page’s/post’s copy is ideally built around one primary keyword phrase.

•  It used to be that when Page A linked to Page B, the link would be wri\en with the “anchor text” of Page B’s keyword phrase for relevance of link juice.

•  (old example: “Our website sells many choices including root beer flavor lollipops and other candies.”)

•  Link strategies for anchor text were pre\y safe and sound SEO pracBces for years.

•  But more and more it’s been coming to surface that keyword-‐rich anchor text has become a flag for Google to spot potenBal over-‐worked SEO.

WRITE FOR READERS & ENGAGEMENT, NOT FOR SEARCH ENGINES

•  In other words: sBff, keyword-‐heavy anchor text represents professionals wriBng for search engines, rather than marketers or subject ma\er experts wriBng for readers.

•  Google conBnually wants the la\er -‐ the natural wriBng for the natural audience

•  So write for “link engagement;” with anchor text that has hook; CTAs that pull the reader to click. Think that way first, keywords later for anchor text, and your results should be fine.

•  For example: “Harry Po.er wasn’t the first :me someone thought to sell nasty-‐tas:ng candy flavors!”

•  Another thing I see recommended a lot is pure brand name menBons in link anchor text. That can’t hurt.

•  For example: “CopyCandies.com con:nues to be a family favorite.”

NEW ANCHOR TEXT WITH RELEVANCE

•  Personally I would sBll like to see the link anchor text have some relevance -‐ maybe not the focal keyword phrase for the page of copy, but some semanBc relevance nonetheless -‐ we are in the era of the semanBc web aaer all.

•  So for example: “While all the candy flavors on this website are popular with customers today, historically sarsaparilla was the soda people requested most in stores which sold our candies a hundred years ago.”

•  How long is too long for anchor text? •  Web usability •  Readability •  Good SEO

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INBOUND & OUTBOUND LINKS

•  Backlinks vs Referrals

•  Inbound links vs. Domains vs. IP addresses

•  noFollow commands in code – what do they do?

•  noIndex commands in code

•  Don’t buy links!!!

•  (and remember – ads are not organic backlinks)

•  Backlinks metrics such as authority and trust: and when to write disavows

•  To what degree should you create your own Backlinks? Separate blogs?

RELATIONAL RELEVANCE

•  What Google looks for: •  Do the sites and links relate

to each other?

•  Are the directories relevant?

•  VerBcal (industry nice) vs. locaBonal relevance •  Local channels are very beneficial. •  Even if you are an eCommerce, if you have a locaBon I would

sBll consider opBmizing locaBon-‐based profiles. Because Google loves Google+Local. And Bing loves Bing Local and Yahoo!Local.

•  And have you ever searched for any businesses or products, only to see Yelp and YP lisBngs on first page of results? They’re there – use them if you can.

OVERALL DIGITAL NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

•  Planning the consumer journey across the web space •  Because web users “surf” – how to keep your digital assets in front

of them? •  Link wheels:

•  Are they good or bad? •  Even 3 years ago SEO gurus would have put a lot of faith in these. •  Today many SEO sites will say that link wheels will get you penalized

by Google. I sBll like the concept of the link wheel, but you have to think about it, again, with ‘relaBonal relevance,’ and you should consider it surrounding the architecture and links within your own site.

•  For external, inbound links, I would say you can try to be strategic with a few pointed backlinks if you are able to achieve them through reputable means.

•  Such as industry trade magazine arBcles about you or industry trade show website lisBngs and bios (quality, relevance over quanBty).

OVERALL DIGITAL NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

•  Guest blogging •  Part of past SEO strategy used to be guest blogging. And again,

many current SEO gurus will warn you against this, because it has been abused to the point of black hat.

•  How to use the concept strategically, less for quanBty and more for quality (just as with news arBcles)

•  Remember: it’s all about pushing people to and through your website

•  Aaer all, this is why digital marketers have landing pages (and hubs and spokes)

STRATEGIC CONTENT MANAGERS

•  The emphasis on content, and link, quality has helped drive the new generaBon of “content managers.”

•  Whether using social media, copywriBng, video or SEO technology, content to meet digital markeBng goals is the strategy.

•  And today, it’s a strategy more of quality than quanBty – for Google and for social media engagement.

•  So today we want “link engagement;” backlinks from social engagement strategies, relevant content and referral sites – everything we’ve discussed here.

EXAMPLE OF LINK ENGAGEMENT

•  Image social sites are good for a couple of reasons for SEO: •  For one, images in sites like Flickr and Google+ can appear in Google

Images results or even regular organic Google lisBngs. •  Long descripBons (keeping within max requirements of the channel)

for an image, uBlizing both keywords (without stuffing) and the backlink to your website, can help with your SEO.

•  Save filenames with keywords, such as seo-‐example-‐filename.jpg •  These strategies also work for YouTube videos. •  If your channels’ files give you the opportunity to have thumbnails,

use them – larger files will slow download Bme (which Google doesn’t like) and will aggregate viewers or drive them elsewhere.

•  Also, if you have opportuniBes to assign store/office locaBon info, this is another opportunity for your SEO.

•  With all of these, don’t forget user percepBon – if the descripBon is stuffed with hashtags, that’s how it will appear to the viewer! SEO is a compromise with good usability and viewer-‐friendly content

DOES ‘QUANTITY’ STILL HAVE A ROLE?

•  In a word? Yes.

•  Because if nothing else, increased website visits and traffic can improve your overall SEO results.

•  The point is backlinks in Facebook may not help your organic Google results much for targeted search terms, but increased traffic from Facebook will.

•  Likewise with adverBsing: •  So even when adverBsing links are just a\empts to push traffic,

they sBll have SEO value. Just don’t worry as much about them to build link juice on specific website pages that need higher rankings.

Link Strategies for SEO Today’s new world of link engagement


SUMMARY: •  Keywords are sBll vital, but no longer anchor text with keyword

stuffing! •  Care to read more from my sources on SEO changes in anchor

text? Here you go: delicious.com/jakeaull/seo-‐link-‐building •  Otherwise, remember to write for readers •  Content and links should demonstrate “relaBonal relevance” •  Try for link engagement rather than “spammy backlinks” •  Quality over quanBty •  All of these factors drive strategic content management

My Bio

Jake Aull is principal of ZenFires, an SEO, branding digital strategist, web designer & good guy if I say so myself. I write digital markeBng books for PrenBce Hall, teach social media markeBng/SEO at Georgia State University part-‐Bme, have been published and cited in publicaBons such as Atlanta Business Chronicle and Oz Magazine. I am President of SCAD Alumni in Atlanta & was co-‐founder and Chair for Atlanta InteracBve MarkeBng AssociaBon Social Media SIG. I regularly speak in industry conferences such as WordCamp throughout the southeast. Please check out my book WordPress SEO Success available in Barnes & Noble bookstores and online on Amazon See this slide deck on my page at slideshare.net/JakeAull


Questions? Thank You! See this slide deck on my page at slideshare.net/JakeAull


link strategies for seo: an semrush webinar

Business

link strategies

new anchor text

search engines inotherwords

readers engagement