All You Need to Know About Missing Links

Two weeks ago, we began a discussion of SEO, SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION. Notice how I capitalized those words and put them in bold. I want the spiders to pick up those words and if someone like you is looking for info about SEO as it applies to Advertising Specialty or Promotional Marketing, I would likely get a high placement from Google. That was the essence of the first article.

The second most important way to improve your position with the search engines is Links. I really struggled with implementing this idea, because the experts talk in their own special language. Hopefully, since I'm not an expert and I only think I know something about SEO, I can exlain it in a way you can get it right away.

You want other web sites, blogs, listing services, directories, RSS feeds, and anything else that has a place on the web to put your web site address (URL) on their page. So, if I were to mention that XYZ Promotional Products Company has a great new website at http://www.XYZ promo.com this would give you one link. The more links the better. Sometimes you see a link that is kind of hidden like California Springs. Note that it is a different color. If you click on it, you go to the California Springs Web Site (something you should do every day.) This is also a link.

The Spider gives you extra points for links, because it logically assumes that if other people think you've got something important to say, you must be important. And if the site that has listed you or mentioned you has similar key words and other indications that suggest you are in the same business, that link gets you even more points. If your link is on a page about installing home air conditioners, it will not get the same kind of benefit. (That is, unless the mention is about the great job you did with a promotion for them.)

The best links are one way links. If someone mentions you, but you don't mention them, the spider figures that there was no quid pro quo. There are a lot of folks trading links to get better positioning that have nothing to do with each other except the desire to improve their SEO.

So, if your suppliers list distributors, get on the list. There are also 100's of directories and aggregators who will list you for free or a small fee. Look up directories on Google. I will also post a couple of good resources in a few days or so.

Link sharing is fine (I'll link you if you link me) when the links are in the same industry. So if your supplier has a list of distributors, but wants you to list him as a great supplier on your page, go for it. California Springs is happy to do that, so let us know if you want to swap links.

You can also pay for links. Or you can advertise on a web site, which creates a link. Again, that link is not as highly rated as a one way unpaid link, but it is a link, and it has value.

Getting a bunch of links may take you a couple of man days to achieve. However, they are a gift that keeps on giving. Not only might the link bring you traffic, but unless the other web site makes a major revision, that link might be up there for 5 years.

Having your key words and text all done properly doesn't need to wait for links, nor do you need to wait until your text has been fixed to start linking. Each of these will bring you traffic right away.

Next time - Secret stuff in the HTML of your source code. I know, it sounds scary. Its not that hard.