Linking to specific webpages. does it hurt main page?

[bpaynter]

We are trying to add links to our site map page in hopes of increasing its importance with search engines.... So, we are giving out the address http://www.hotslots132.com/132slotcars.php as the linking address... Here is my question.. up to now.. we have always used our home page address for links: simply.. www.hotslots132.com.. will we get any "credit" from google if they do a link search the home page.. if we start sending links to internal pages?

Thanks!
bpaynter

[bhartzer]

This is perfectly fine. I would actually try to get links to your specific product pages rather than your sitemap page, but getting links to all your pages on your site can only help you.

Getting a link to your sitemap page will be fine, and will most likely pass on some PR to your product pages as well as your home page (as long as you link to your product pages and your home page on the sitemap page).

Getting links to the interior pages of your site is a good tactic because when it comes down to it, your competitors most likely have more links to their home page than their interior product pages. And if you are competing one-on-one with your product page and someone else's product page, you're most likely going to have a better chance of winning because you have off-site links to your product page.

[bpaynter]

Bhartzer,

Thanks so much for your response. Will try to do the product pages as well, sounds like from what you are saying that the parts equal the whole here.. that they are not treated as separate.. So if I get more links to any of the internal pages.. it is a good thing all the way around... Sounds good to me! One of the reasons, we are trying to focus on the site map is that one of our major competitors is in the top 3-4 with a page that is basically a site map.. all links come into their page .. so we are trying to see if that will help us also!

Thanks again for your quick response!

Bpaynter

[bhartzer]

I don't think your competitor got their sitemap page ranked so well on purpose. It turns out that the current algorithm favors the sitemap, probably because of the outgoing text links on those types of pages. I've seen a lot of this happening lately, especially with companies that have lots of product pages.

What's actually best for your visitors and what's best for your overall ROI is that you get your individual product pages ranked for their keywords, not your sitemap page. You'll get your best ROI if someone searches for 'red carerra slot car' and they land on your 'red carerra slot car' page. So, getting links to that individual product page from other websites would be best, especially if your competitors don't have links from other sites going to their product pages. Often, just one or two links from off-site pages is enough, as most people don't have off-site links going to their product pages.