Linking best practice

[ozzie_jim]

Can I please get some current advice on linking:
- Are inbound links still important?
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?
- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google?
- Are directory links worth having?

Any other pointers with my links?

thanks,

Jim.

[Janna122003]

Are inbound links still important?

it helps if the site you're linking is related to your site

Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?

Yes I link out to quality site like wiki and other informative links.

Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?
Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google?

It doesn't matter for me.

Are directory links worth having?

I love directories in directory critic

[iandoc]

Originally Posted by ozzie_jim

- Are inbound links still important?
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?
- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google?
- Are directory links worth having?
.

- Are inbound links still important?
Yes - and the more closely related the better.
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?
Keep your links - think about your users rather than the engines.
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?
I never use them.
- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google?
Why not? Unsure of the significance of this one.
- Are directory links worth having?
Yes, definitely.

[claybutler]

target =blank just fine.
It's more of a useability issue. If the link is from a framed page then definitely use the target=blank otherwise the page will be "framed". When linking to PDF's, Word files, Spreadsheets, Zip files, big JPG's, etc. I always use target=blank so someone can continue using my site while the file loads in another window. All others I just link normally.

As a general rule inbound links are always good.

Link to sites that would be useful for your users. Not only is this the foundation of the web ( sites linking to sites) it also makes your site more valuable to your users and therefor more likely to be bookmarked and revisited. I have a collection of bookmarked sites that I always go for for specific info because they are loaded with helpful lists of useful websites. Pulling links because someone doesn't reciprocate it just lame.

No follow rules are for Google's benefit, not yours. Don't worry about it.

[cbosleeds]

Iandoc makes an important point here - the more valuable, content-rich and contextually on message material you provide your visitors with the better you will do both in terms of conversions and search engine performance. relevant outbound links do count for something but don't put too many on all your pages and as few as possible on your homepage or any other important landing pages.

Internal links within your website also count both in terms of quality and quantity - I am for at least 50 internal links on every content page and at a ratio of 50/2 or 50/3 against external links as a rough guideline. This is for any webpage that I want to generate a lot of traffic and be a viable landing page in its own right.

Inbound links are very important indeed and getting relevant ones is what counts towards your success. High quality IBLs to a content rich, user-friendly website is the goal.

[kc412o0yz]

- Are inbound links still important?

I've found inbound links are still very important as well as good anchor text which describes different services/products you offer.

- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?

Linking to quality sites is also very important, besides the SEO importance, your users sometimes base the credibility of your site on the partners and websites you send them to

- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?

I don't use any "no follow" commands on any outbound links, if the site is not worth following, I don't include a link on the page, although it can be useful it certain situations, esp blog entries.

- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google?
I'm not sure if this will be looked down on by Google, but some surfers find it aggrevating when all pages open into new browser, esp when you have multiple outgoing links. Most people include this in code to ensure user will not click off their site and not have at least one open browser including their web.

- Are directory links worth having?

I wonder if directory links have any real impact on SERP these days, look forward to additional insight into this questions. For now, I do not link from any paid directories and only post on free relevant local directories to my specific niche.

[incrediblehelp]

Originally Posted by ozzie_jim

Can I please get some current advice on linking:
- Are inbound links still important?
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?
- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google?
- Are directory links worth having?

Any other pointers with my links?

thanks,

Jim.

-yes
-yes
-no
-no
-sure if they are relevant

[rickanderson]

Originally Posted by iandoc

- Are inbound links still important?
Yes - and the more closely related the better.
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?
Keep your links - think about your users rather than the engines.
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?
I never use them.
- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google?
Why not? Unsure of the significance of this one.
- Are directory links worth having?
Yes, definitely.

iandoc

im in the painting contracting business. what specific steps can i take to start a "links program" right now?

regards
rick

[advancedmerchant]

Originally Posted by rickanderson

iandoc

im in the painting contracting business. what specific steps can i take to start a "links program" right now?

regards
rick

Contact your vendors for paint, supplies, etc. The more business you get, the more you buy, so they should be happy to list you on their site.

Outbound links are like holes in the bottom of your boat. Unless they are there as a benefit that outweighs the fact you have a hole, then PLUG IT!

[datetopia]

Originally Posted by ozzie_jim

Can I please get some current advice on linking:
- Are inbound links still important? YES
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links? YES
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links? YES
- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google? NO
- Are directory links worth having? YES

Any other pointers with my links?

thanks,

Jim.

It's important to have links from and to pages relevant to your website's content (common keywords). It's also important to have relevant keywords on the links / images (ALT tag).

[meadrose]

- Are inbound links still important?
Yes - RELEVANT inbound links are quite important, particularly if the sites linking in have a higher page rank
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?
Yes. But simply to have your users regard you as a generous source of information
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?
No reason to stop the spiders
- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google?
No. It is transparent to Google. It is considered to be just another outbound link, only it follows the best practice rule that "A link which opens to any page where the original navigation is not present must open a fresh window as a courtesy to the user" Using javascript to open a new window will hurt you since it is regarded as a broken link.
- Are directory links worth having?
Yes, definitely.

[cbosleeds]

Originally Posted by advancedmerchant

Contact your vendors for paint, supplies, etc. The more business you get, the more you buy, so they should be happy to list you on their site.

Outbound links are like holes in the bottom of your boat. Unless they are there as a benefit that outweighs the fact you have a hole, then PLUG IT!

I like the boating simile. I tend you use an anatomical one when trying to get the message across. I.e. links flowing around your site are like blood circulation and inbound links like food - whereas each outbound link from an internal page is like a small cut, and one from your homepage like a gaping artereal wound.

[smargenau]

Is anyone concerned with leaking out PR anymore to sites with no links back? Is this a non issue now?

[incrediblehelp]

Originally Posted by smargenau

Is anyone concerned with leaking out PR anymore to sites with no links back? Is this a non issue now?

Not really. Not sure why everyone think they can control PR. PR is not tangible. Google doesnt "give" you so much PR for you to wheel and deal out to whoever you want, but I dont want to start that argument again.

[blogdawg1]

My 2 cents:
- Are inbound links still important? ABSOLUTELY - FROM THE RIGHT SITES
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links? KEP THE LINKS - IF THE ARE GOOD "NEIGHBORS"
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links? UP TO YOU, BUT WE LIKE TO SHARE THE LINK LOVE
- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google? I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS AT ALL, BUT HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING DEFINITIVE ON IT.
- Are directory links worth having? GOOD DIRECTORIES ARE - ONES THAT ACTUALLY REVIEW YOUR LISTING.

Last piece of advice - subscribe to our blog: Link Building Best Practices: Link Building Strategies | Link Building Experts | Advanced Link Building

[tombstoneweb]

I have always wondered about these things, since my main website is a town/tourist/business directory for the town I live in. Most all my pages have outbound links and lots of them, yet I can still squeak onto the first page of most search engines for my keywords.

[sofomor]

Only Google knows about the "real PR", the tool bar PR is just amusement. Still every one likes to see it leaping forwards

Answers:

1. Yes, in fact "Link Building" could be the deciding factor for rankings
2. Yes you can! for reference purposes
3. Primary usage of the "no_follow" tag was for comment spaming. You can use it at your discretion
4. No i don't think so
5. Yes definately but in my experience 2/20 may actually link to you but with no traffic stats at all

Thank you

[TryUsOut]

Originally Posted by ozzie_jim

Can I please get some current advice on linking:
- Are inbound links still important?
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?
- Will having target = _blank on outbound links be regarded as bad by google?
- Are directory links worth having?

Any other pointers with my links?

thanks,

Jim.

1. Yes - link building is a cornerstone of SEO
2. Link to other sites that would be helpful for your visitors.
3. Only to sites that you don't want to vouch for and if you don't want to pass PR.
4. Don't know exactly if such would have a bad effect.. sorry
5. Depends on which directories you submit your site to. Opt for the ones that are well maintained and SEOed. They tend to stay and exist longer.

Keep your link building targeted as they can also be sources of direct targeted traffic in the long run.

[kgun]

Same procedure as last year

Same procedure every year

Age: More than just a number?

[Webnauts]

I would like to add here that if you have irrelevant IBLs you should not try to get rid of them either. They cannot hurt you anyway. Other SE are not so strict with that issue like Google. And if Google does not give it value or too less, they will not penalize you either. LINK IS A LINK.

Can't you all remember here at WPW that some web designers/SEO where telling that they add a link on their clients back to their sites, even if those were irrelevant? Don't you remember those flaming debates we had here? Obviously from the business point of view (customer realtionship, etc) I do not approve such practices, but in terms of SEO I do not see a problem.

[Webnauts]

Originally Posted by smargenau

Is anyone concerned with leaking out PR anymore to sites with no links back? Is this a non issue now?

You are not leaking PR when you are linking out. Linking to quality or authority site can only boost your trust and credibility when it comes to SE.

But lets not start with PR discussions now.

Do you want my tip?

"Work in a way as you would have, if PR or that bloody toolbar didn't exist. That is the key for the best results."

My $0.2

[copywriter39]

Links are always important to your site. To me the best source of quality links is your competition. Look to see where they have links coming to their site. If its a highly competitive phrase, look at high ranking sites with a fewer number of links. This usually means these are quality links.

[cbosleeds]

A really good point copywriter39. A trawl through links that are working for related sites and the competition is very often the most efficient way to work.

I would add to Webnauts's comment about irrelevant links that this is not always the case when it comes to irrelevant links from blogs - especially those where just one response can land you a couple of 100 links or more. A few times I've made this mistake and I've dropped a page or two for my targeted keywords. If you have the patience enough you can see the correlation by watching yourself climb back up as the links deteriorate; although its like watching paint dry and you need to be looking at a key phrase which is a fairly easy target to be able to see clearly what is going on.

[meganjenna]

Originally Posted by ozzie_jim

Can I please get some current advice on linking:
- Are inbound links still important?
- Do I still link out to quality sites that don't link back or should I delete their links?
- Do I use any "no follow" rules on outbound links?

hi

According to todays seo, inbounds links are not important. Now search engines are not paying that much importance for inbound links. Better to avoid them.

And "no follow" should be consider because if you have nofollow in the out bound link google will not give points to even that link is pointing to your site

[Webnauts]

Originally Posted by meganjenna

hi

According to todays seo, inbounds links are not important. Now search engines are not paying that much importance for inbound links. Better to avoid them.

And "no follow" should be consider because if you have nofollow in the out bound link google will not give points to even that link is pointing to your site

WHAAAT???

[tombstoneweb]

Originally Posted by Webnauts

WHAAAT???

Thank you Webnauts! You jumped in there while my jaw was still on the floor.

[copywriter39]

I think Meganjenna is the anti-SEO consultant. I'm curious as to what SEO factors are important if links is not one of them.

[meganjenna]

yes linking is best practice. But there should be limit in the daily activity. Daily we have to do only 10 to 30 links iam not anti seo consultant.

[mcaronan]

Originally Posted by meganjenna

According to todays seo, inbounds links are not important. Now search engines are not paying that much importance for inbound links. Better to avoid them.

Originally Posted by meganjenna

yes linking is best practice. But there should be limit in the daily activity. Daily we have to do only 10 to 30 links iam not anti seo consultant.

Err... I dont get it.. You stated that inbounds link are not important and your last post you are doing 10 to 30 links... Anyways, links are very important specially inbound links!!

[rickanderson]

Originally Posted by mcaronan

Err... I dont get it.. You stated that inbounds link are not important and your last post you are doing 10 to 30 links... Anyways, links are very important specially inbound links!!

runswithdog.blogspot.com/2007/06/link-rama.html


since the thread is getting silly... (contradicting info...shouting...) i thought i would add my two cents....yes "Link" was very important.

rick

[rickanderson]

Originally Posted by rickanderson

runswithdog.blogspot.com/2007/06/link-rama.html


since the thread is getting silly... (contradicting info...shouting...) i thought i would add my two cents....yes "Link" was very important.

rick

Originally Posted by mcaronan

Err... I dont get it.. You stated that inbounds link are not important and your last post you are doing 10 to 30 links... Anyways, links are very important specially inbound links!!

[Webnauts]

Some nice resources for further reading:
Search Marketing Standard Magazine | Link Building