Three Tips for One Golden Link

1.      Using Influencers

Find an audience of least resistance. You know who the influencers are in your industry. You know that they start the trends. Those who follow them will be more receptive to your message. Similarly while you look for a link from a top blogger or mainstream media outlet, you’ll have improved chances of success if your link is something that they have a history of linking to.

All you have to do is pay attention to the blogs written in your industry. Let’s say you provide a web-related service and you want me to link to you from my blog. What could you do? Well, you’ll notice that my most popular blogs are my ad reviews and I often call for ad submissions. You could send me an ad to review (which I probably would). Then I’d post the review on my blog with a link to your site.

Advertising techniques are a popular subject on my blog. Crafting Catchy Titles is one of my most popular posts. You could consider sending me a proposal to guestblog on my blog. If you are a sign company or billboard marketer this would be a great venue for you. You could also suggest I link to a similar article on your site.

2.      Sweeten the Deal

In my article on using influencers to increase sales I make suggestions such as sending over a free product for them to test and review or buying them dinner. (Food always wins people over. And I almost never say no to lunch or coffee. –Hint-Hint-)

Want to get a link from my website or blog? Work on building a relationship first. Follow me (or whoever is your influencer) on Twitter. Bonus points for saying nice things and tagging me. Link to my site. Chances are, I’ll notice it. (I do check my Alexa links regularly. And I get Twitter notifications right on my smartphone.) Although this in itself is not a guarantee of link back, it’s a start.

A link is like a gesture most people are inclined to reciprocate where realistic and appropriate (sorry porn and gaming sites need not apply.) 

3.      Be Direct

So you’ve got something linkworthy, you’ve started conversing with your top blogger or media outlet, and you’ve sweetened the deal. Perhaps they’ve seen your blog post and link on their WordPress dashboard, maybe you’ve tweeted. Now’s the hard part. Ask. What are you waiting for? The worst you could get is a no.

Send your blogger target an email. Make it something they want to read. Tony from ATailoredSuit.com suggested sending a private video directly to them. Mention that you liked their article on (your topic) on (the date it was published). Tell them you think they’ll like this link. If possible, also communicate the link on Twitter. Look for them to be active on the network and send them an @ reply. Tell them you just sent an email they might be interested in.

Have you had success in getting a powerful link? We’d love to hear it. Please share in the comments below.

Types of Links

Last week we discussed link building and quality inbound links. Even some lower quality links can help search engine ranking of your site. As a general rule of thumb, the higher authority of the site, the harder it is to get a link from them. These links take a lot of research, creativity, and negotiation to attain. These links are crucial for SEO, traffic, and branding. To see what is happening in your industry search for your top keyword phrases. Examine the top results. Find out who is linking to them.


The reverse is also true. Lower authority sites and links are easier to get. And we have to start somewhere. Directory listing is a good place to start. Listing will takes some time, but isn’t overly challenging. And it will help your SEO. One internet marketing blog recommends keeping directory links to 15% or fewer of your links.

Reciprocal links are link exchanges with other websites or blogs. These may require a little finesse and negotiation, but are only moderate level of difficulty. Reciprocals are especially helpful for getting new web pages crawled. Keep reciprocal links to 10% or less. Three-way links involve three websites that are similar (A links to B, B links to C, C links to A). Three-ways should be limited, but they do provide a moderate SEO value.

Sitewide links placed on every page of a site are not recommended. Text link brokers offer these, but Google frowns upon them.

Of very high value are one-way links. One-way links drive traffic and improve SEO. These coveted links pass on valuable link juice without a reciprocal link. Use your network of industry connections to build one-way links.

Not all sites have the same reputation, credibility, and authority. If you can get links from sites that end in .edu or .gov, these links will result in more SEO, traffic, and branding value. Links from these sites may be difficult to attain, but they are worth the effort. Start with your local colleges or governments and look for linking opportunities. Media links are also very desirable. If you can connect with a local radio, newspaper, or magazine – go for it. Again, look among your professional network. Can a journalist provide help?

Some links that are easier to attain include press release links, article links, and RSS links. You will drive traffic and gain some branding with online press release syndication. Articles of high quality will prove you to be a subject matter expert while improving traffic and branding. RSS links, when bloggers subscribe to your feed, may have some positive effect on traffic.

Get involved socially. In order to make your comments count. Get a globally recognized avatar at http://en.gravatar.com/. When you have a meaningful comment to add to another website or blog use your email address, which will then use your Gravatar, and include a link to your site. Note: some sites may not be set to “dofollow.” These won’t pass on any link juice.

Social media links are pretty easy to attain. When you get links from Facebook or other social media outlets you’re gaining SEO, traffic, and branding. Business is all about relationships. People like doing business with people they like. Leverage your connections to gain relevant links to your site.

By the way, find me on Facebook!
And link to FletcherFreelance.com (or anything on this blog you enjoy)!

What is Link Building?

The two secrets of Search Engine Optimization are (1) solid content and (2) quality inbound links. Quality content involves using the right words and providing value to the reader, a subject for another post.


What is a Quality Inbound Link?

According to Google Webmaster Central Blog, “Inbound links are links from pages on external sites linking back to your site. Inbound links can bring new users to your site, and when the links are merit-based and freely-volunteered as an editorial choice, they’re also one of the positive signals to Google about your site’s importance.”

A quality inbound link will have as many of the following attributes as possible.

A relevant inbound link will be given voluntarily. It means someone else found what you had to say useful. If you felt inclined to write an article about top marketing consultants and linked to FletcherFreelance.com, not only would I be flattered and appreciative, that link would make me look good in Google’s eyes. A relevant link will come from a webpage that carries a theme or topic related to your site.

Link sharing services or spammers offering link exchange may not be the way to go. All external links from the site need to be of high quality. There should be no links to unrelated sites (especially gambling or adult themed). Web crawlers prefer that there are less than 20-30 outbound links on the webpage where your link is (dilution). Look for websites with a good reputation. A PageRank should be 2-3 or higher. The website should be established, at least 2-3 years old.

Location. Location. Location. A link placed higher on the page and surrounded by relevant content will do more good than any other kind. Links should come from a variety of sources, not the same IP or website. Wording matters, too. The link should use proper anchor text. The link text should be intuitive, a keyword phrase (not “click here”). The webmaster also needs to allow links on the website to pass on “link juice.” It needs to be set in “dofollow” mode.

Watch for a future post on types of links. To jumpstart your link building campaign call Terra today! (715) 584-6773

Two of My Favorite Sites Right Now

For those that know me, you know that I’m a bit partial to Facebook, but there are plenty of social networking opportunities out there. If you’re looking to add to your repertoire, consider these two sites that I highly recommend for my local clients to improve their online visibility.


Merchant Circle

MerchantCircle.com touts “Free Online Advertising. In just 5 minutes, we'll get your business more exposure on the Internet.” I’m enjoying “the largest online network of local business owners.” I can’t say for certainty yet how much business it has directly generated, but it has surely helped with “top of mind” among local business owners. And I’m pleasantly surprised at how far (geographically) my connections have reached. And the potential is huge. (If only I could get off Facebook and spend a little more time here.)

Merchant Circle is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, has about 1 million businesses, and a strong reputation. Merchant Circle promotes local shopping, extols the expertise of local business owners, and believes that local business is key to jobs and a strong economy; they run their business that way.

What should you do? Create a profile on Merchant Circle. It’s free! Upload pictures, publicize events, post updates, and connect with local businesses. Don’t forget to answer questions related to your industry. This is prime opportunity to show yourself a subject matter expert. Shoppers can circle their favorite businesses to receive news from them, write and share reviews, and create lists of their favorite merchants.

The Bubbler

TheBubbler.com is a little-known Wisconsin secret. The design leaves something to be desired, but the site “promotes Wisconsin businesses, organizations, people, and places with passion and commitment.” The forums are useful for both consumers and businesses. The directory listing of businesses is free and well organized.

What should you do? Sign up! Create a profile, upload a picture, add a link to your website from the signature, comment in the forums, and give a shout-out to your Wisconsin city/county.

Don’t be afraid to widen out in your online marketing. Take advantage of link building opportunities and the potential to prove yourself a subject matter expert. Set a designated time each week to devote to online marketing. Soon more people will be finding your business online.

And if you want someone to do it for you... call me... (715) 584-6773