Google Linking Strategy

How Google ranks links on your website, within your site and to your website always seems somewhat mysterious.

However, as part of the recent Links Week, Google lifted the veil a little more to help webmaster gain a better understanding of what pleases Google in terms of SEO.

The following is a high level summary:

Content and inbound links are the two most important factors - pretty much what most SEO experts have always maintained.

Content - should be compelling and/or offer quality products, reviews etc

Links -- forget the inbound links from spam sites, Google is only interested in quality inbound links to contribute to the PageRank

To create unique and compelling content for your site:

• Start a blog
• Make videos
• Do original researc
• Post interesting stuff on a regular basis.
• Teach readers new things
• Uncover new news
• Be entertaining or insightful
• Show expertise
• Interview different personalities
• Provide a useful product or service.

Creating valuable, unique, relevant useful content is still one of the best ways to get your site and pages ranked highly in Google.

Other Tips

1. Linking to other sites should only be done as a way to offer more value to the visitor experience. Google expects helpful relevant links to other sites so avoid linking to spam sites with only pages of links and little or no unique content. Never have more than 100 links on a page - this overloads the robots.
2. Ensure all important site pages are no more than 3 clicks from the home page. The directory level is of no consequence - its the linking level that matters more.
3. Check your site hasn't been hacked and hidden links placed on your site. Ensure WordPress blogs have the latest security installed and are updated.
4. Interestingly, Google has been lowering the ranking on paid Directories.
5. Use descriptive anchor text links for interior links, using keywords.
6. Keep your site is transparent - Do not use link cloaking.
7. Use 301 Redirects if you have permanently moved any webpages
8. Have a sitemap to help visitors and robots find all important content.
9. Focus on SERPs. It's what drives the traffic most.

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