IS There Such a LINK As A Perfect Link

A Perfect Link
By Sharon Housley (c) 2008

Webmasters are given the advice that they must attract links,
but the key is not just to attract links... they need to attract
good links. But what is the perfect link? The search for the
perfect link need not be a quest in vain. Consider the following
when attempting to attract links...

1. Related

The best links should come from related websites which contain
similar and related content but not the same type of material
or content. For example: A link for baby clothing would benefit
from a link that discusses baby care.

2. Anchor

The anchor text (the "text" that is used in the link) should
include keywords that relate to the topic covered on the web
page that is being linked to. Anchor text should be varied;
links that all have the same anchor text will appear manipulated
and contrived to the search engines. Therefore, the text links
should contain a variety of related words.

3. Deep Link

The links should direct visitors to a related page within the
website. Do not make the mistake of directing all of the web
links to a website's home page. Deep linking, and directing
visitors to material that corresponds to content that is closely
related to the text link is key. Deep linking appears more
natural to search engines, whereas links directing all visitors
to a single page or the home page seem unnatural, and could be
interpreted as an effort to manipulate search engine ranking.

4. Domain And Page Authority

Search engines trust some websites more than others. Links from
"authority" websites have more weight than links from
lesser-known websites. Google is said to use PageRank as an
indicator of authority. Keep in mind that PageRank is not the
only factor used to determine a website's authority. Authority
websites should still relate to the website it is pointing to.

5. Nix NoFollow

Links should not contain the NoFollow command. The NoFollow
command directs search engines to not "follow" the link. If a
link contains "NoFollow" there is no search engine benefit
from the link; the only benefit to having the link is any
organic traffic that results if the link is clicked. As a
result, NoFollow links are nearly worthless.

6. Mix It Up

Links should come from a variety of sources. Fewer links from a
larger number of websites will generally "weigh" more than a
large number of links from a small number of websites.

7. Surrounding Text

Some search experts claim that the text surrounding a link can
influence ranking. Whether this is true or not is difficult to
determine. It is more likely that links containing surrounding
text are more likely to be relevant, and as a result those links
tend to be worth more.

8. Link Position

The location of the link on the page can also influence the
value of the link. Some search experts claim that footer links
carry less value than links which are integrated into the actual
web page content.

9. Type of Link

There does not appear to be a difference between a "text"
link's value and an "image" link's value, if the image link
contains ALT text. The search engines use the image ALT text in
the same way they use the anchor text of a text link.

10. Number Of Outbound Links

A page with fewer links is better than a page with a large
number of links. This is because a webpage passes along what is
referred to as "link juice". The more "link juice" passed
along, the more valuable the link is. The link juice is divided
up over all the links on a webpage, so popular websites with few
outgoing links are more valuable than those with a large number
of links.

11. Link Age

Search engine critics cannot seem to agree as to whether older
links or newer links carry more value. When information is
vague, it is best to garner both aged links and new links to
websites.

12. Vintage Domain

The age of the domain is said to influence link power. More than
likely the age of the domain simply contributes to the
trustworthiness of the website, and links from trusted websites
tend to have more value.

13. One Way Links

Links that are not reciprocal carry more weight than those which
are simply link-for-link exchanges.

14. Page Content

A web page that is mostly just a list of links has less value
than a web page that contains a mixture of links and content.

15. Updated Pages

Web pages that are updated frequently will typically be spidered
by search engines on a more frequent basis. The update will not
influence the power of the link, but it will mean that the link
will be picked up more quickly by the search engines.

16. Link Surges

Webmasters should be encouraged to gradually build links over
time, rather than all at once. The gradual increase is more
natural and will have a stronger impact on organic search
rankings.

The quest for the perfect link can be frustrating and elusive,
but the fact is: the perfect link is logical, appears natural,
and grows over time. Best of luck in your attempt to find the
perfect link.

Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll
(http://www.feedforall.com) software for creating, editing,
publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages
marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio
recording and editing software.

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