How to Use Google Queries to Find Backlink-Friendly Sites

A while ago, I was out cruisin' the blogosphere's main drag, and found another helpful post. This one talked about how to establish quality backlinks.  Much of the posting talked about some pretty typical ideas, like writing and posting good articles, and posting blog comments, etc...  These strategies are pretty well-known.  However, one thing about this article that most other postings have ignored is just how to find the best sites to place your links. 

The genius of this article is in using very specific Google searches to find these sites.  Some of these search strategies kinda fall in the realm of "Power Searching" on Google because they involve more than just typing in words and hoping to get good hits.  We'll talk about these as we get through them.

Directories, Lists, and Vertical Portals

It's important to get your site listed in Directories, especially topic-specific ones (especially vertical portals).  But how do you find them?  Well, it turns out that there are some common factors that these pages all seem to have, and you can use that in your searches to get straight to them.

First pick one of your keyword phrases.  The first part of the search will be that phrase included in quotations (yes, you'll use the quotations in the Google search bar).  Like this:

"outdoor cooking"

This will tell google to search for sites that contain an exact match for the words "outdoor cooking".  If a site has the word "outdoor" and "cooking" but they're apart, in different sentences, for example, then the site won't come up in the results list.

Then, after a space, type a plus sign (+), like this:

“outdoor cooking” +

This tells Google that you want to include something else in the search criteria.

After another space, type: “add url” (and include the quotations), like this:

“outdoor cooking” + “add url”

Google will return only web pages that include both the exact phrase, "outdoor cooking" AND the exact phrase "add url", but they don't have to be right next to each other in the page.  See, most directories, lists, and vertical portals include the phrase, "add url".  But we don't want EVERY directory and portal, just the ones about outdoor cooking, so we include that, as well, in the search.

Here are some other searches that will bring up directories, lists, and portals (use your own keyword phrases in place of the words "Keyword phrase" and remember to include the quotation marks):


“Keyword phrase” + “add site”
“Keyword phrase” +  “add website”

Another trick involves Squidoo.com and their system of establishing lists.  Go to Google and do this search:

“add+to+this+list”+”keyword phrase”+site:squidoo.com

This search query will pull up a list of Squidoo.com pages (many with good pageranks) that allow you to add your site to their list, and, in many cases, even choose your own link text.

Using these searches can save you a lot of time in the most labor intensive part of your linking campaigns, that is: finding the kinds of sites you want to use. 

Mark is currently in the curriculum Department of an internet and SEO training company. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including Mark's Black Pot - Dutch Oven Recipes, MarkHansenMusic.com and his MoBoy blog.

This Years Hottest Ranking Factors

-Or-

Not Exactly the Billboard Charts


Every two years, SEOMoz.com polls some of the top search engine optimization practitioners and gurus and asks them, "What can you do to get ranked?"  They come back with all of the various factors that they have found to be most and least impactful on search engine ranking.  That data is all compiled and sorted, and presented to you at their site, as a guide to overall value in search engine optimization.

Now, this is absolutely incredibly vital information!  This tells us what to put our best efforts into, what to merely pay attention to, and what we can pretty much ignore altogether.

Keep in mind that these are the opinions of those professionals that are out on the field playing the game, but not pronouncements from those that are making the rules.  Google, Bing, and Yahoo don't come out and reveal their ranking algorithms.  They give guidelines, and leave it up to the rest of us to figure out what the details are.

Still, when a lot of really smart people with a lot of experience put their heads together and give their opinions, I'm gonna recommend that we all shut up and listen!

I looked over the various factors in several categories, and I noticed that many of them overlapped.  For quick simplicity, I merged the categories, and created a list of the most critical overall ranking factors.

• External link popularity - The best links to boost your ranking are:
• Inbound links
• From diverse domains (many other unique websites)
• From websites with authority in your area
• From other relevant websites
• Using keywords in the text they use to link to you.
• Keyword use anywhere in the title tag - Many of the responses added that having a keyword match as the first word of a title tag was also very significant.
• Having a valuable website - This is determined based on a lot of factors, including:
• Unique, substantial content on the page
• A high Google Page Rank
• A high "TrustRank"
• Keyword use in the URL - Especially in the root domain name (eg. "keyword.com").
• Having internal links (from other pages in your site) that contain keywords.
• Having a steady growth in your inbound links, rather than a sudden influx of many links.
• How recently the page was created or updated.
• Keyword use anywhere in the H1 headline tag.
• Keyword use in internal link text on the page.

There are some surprises.  For example, for many years, people have talked about the possibility of the "Age Rank", that is, Google giving preference to domains that have existed longer.  That didn't appear in the list this time.  In fact, it appears that some preference is being given to the freshest content.

Also, some gurus have long dismissed the Google Page Rank as a factor, but it's still in the list, so many others still believe it has value.

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter didn't appear to have that strong of an impact on search engine ranking.  However, most gurus seem to think their value is in more direct promotions and immediate clicks, rather than any search engine boost.

The META tags are pretty much ignored, however, the META description is still often used as the descriptive snippet in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).  So, having a good strong and attractive description can still help convince browsers to click on your link, instead of one that even ranks a step or two higher.

I'd encourage you to study the survey in detail, and begin to understand each unique element that combines to give your website the best possible chance for success!


Mark is currently in the curriculum Department of an internet and SEO training company. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including Mark's Black Pot - Dutch Oven Recipes, MarkHansenMusic.com and his MoBoy blog.

Optimizing eCommerce Shopping Sites

I read a blog post the other day about some of the challenges faced by webmasters of traditional e-commerce sites.  Basic shopping sites are in between a rock and a hard place.  They're a web 1.0 concept in a web 2.0 world.  Why do they survive?  Well, many don't.  But still many do!  The ones that survive do so because they are selling things that people want, and the webmasters know how to get the products in front of those that want them.

A big part of the problem is in differentiation.  What makes one herbal diet supplement site unique from another?  Should I buy the same remote-controlled car from this site or that one?  And, if they're all the same, that makes it very difficult for any one of them to rank well.

Here are some suggestions that will help you not only be unique, but also to rank higher, and draw more buying customers.

• Optimize individual products

This is a biggie.  A lot of web browsers are just checking things out and doing research.  Others have done the study, made the decision, and now they're ready to buy.  They just need to find a site, and put down their credit card.  Optimize the individual product pages, and when someone searches for that specific product, it will be found.  Then the customer will buy from you instead of thousands of other sites that weren't as savvy as you.

To optimize your product pages, make sure, first of all, that your products are spiderable.  Check with your webmaster or the tech team of your website.  Then, make sure that the product name, brand, and model are in the page's title, and a few times in the product description.

• Content pages

A good way to set yourself apart from EVERY OTHER WEBSITE selling the same stuff as you is to provide good useful information.  Not only does that make you unique, but it will build the customer's confidence in you.  You become an expert, not just a shop keeper.  They'll buy from you because you can help them better after the sale. 

If those content pages are optimized, too, then you'll draw in visitors while they're still doing the research I mentioned before.  Maybe they'll buy right away, maybe they'll come back.

• Article links and blog posts

Offsite content is another great way to establish yourself as an authority in your field.  Plus, the inbound links will boost your ranking.  When you set these up, link to your main page, but also link to your product pages.  That will draw shopping traffic, and will also improve that product's search ranking.

• Social Networking
  

Even if your website is still web 1.0, there's no reason you should be.  Get on Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks and talk with your audience.  Share your website with them.  Engage in the conversation. 

All of these strategies can work well to increase the value of your e-Commerce website!



Mark is currently in the curriculum Department of an internet and SEO training company. Mark also has other sites and blogs, including Mark's Black Pot - Dutch Oven Recipes, MarkHansenMusic.com and his MoBoy blog.