Link Building (partII)

What you need to get started with link building. Please read Link Building part I before continuing.

Keyword phrase list

How do you come up with a list of keywords?

I first look at my site and try and think like my potential visitor. In other words, what would a visitor type into the search bar to find your site? This is a good basic place to start. The next step would be to utilize keyword tools such as:

• Google Keyword tool, which gives lots of alternatives, but little quantitative data in relation to the number of searches.
• Overture Keyword tool, which is now owned by Yahoo. Gives results for monthly searches for words and monthly searches for related key terms. Does not break down singulars and plurals, does not filter many different searches, and results tend to be skewed due to the lack of filters.
• Wordtracker Keyword tool, does require a membership, but also offers a free trial.
  Results are daily searches, not monthly, and are broken down by singulars and plurals, and various filters are used to which create less skewed results.

Keyword research is a very important step in determining your sites SEO, so take your time and do it right. Here is a good Keyword Research post from Lisa Barone of Search Engine Guide.com, if you would like more info on the subject of Keyword Research.

Description Text

When I do link building I usually have numerous descriptions that go with each keyword phrase. I make some standard descripitions out ahead of time and place them in a notepad doc along with the keyword phrases and the urls I want to use. Other SEO specialists that I know, don’t use prewritten site descriptions, but prefer to make them up as they go. This does take a bit more time, but will insure you don’t overuse the same description too many times. These descriptions should not be spammy(use of multiple keywords), use html, or use sales hype. Just describe what a visitor will find on the site.

Keyword corresponding Sub-page urls

Each keyword phrase should have a sub url which can be submitted when deep links are allowed. As mentioned before, not all directories allow deep links. Several reasons for submitting deep links include higher relevance of deep link pages than the home page, and it will also help to get the deep linked pages visited by the search engines, which will also result in these pages as well as the home page showing up for the given keyword phrase. It has been proven that sites that appear in the SERP’s with two pages, get more clicks than those with only one result.

Important things to know about directories and link building:

There are similarities and differences with most directories.
• Most directories have a list of Guidelines you need to follow to increase your chances of having your site accepted into the directory.
• Most directories offer the option to submit your site as Featured or Sponsored, Express for a fee; and Regular or Reciprocal – usually free.
• If you have a budget to work with – choose the paid option, as these links tend to be accepted more often and far quicker.
• When choosing a category to submit to – choose the highest level category that the directory will let you submit to – that is still relevant to the site you are submitting. For example, if you’re submitting a site for breast cancer treatment and the categories you have to choose from are health/ conditions & diseases/ cancer/ breast cancer/ breast cancer treatments. It would appear that the breast cancer treatment category would be the best BUT because it is buried so deep within the directory it probably won’t get picked up by the search engine spiders very often. So, I would submit the site to the cancer category.

Link Building part III will focus on submitting to the best directories, the best categories of directories, and the best way to get listed.

Written by Pixelhead on February 27th, 2007 with 5 comments.
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