Why Links Matter to Small Businesses & How to Get Them

Why Links Matter to Small Businesses

& How to Get Them

Kane Jamison ofHood Web Management

For more presentations and speaking info please visithttp://www.hoodwebmanagement.com/speaking/

http://www.kanejamison.com/

http://www.hoodwebmanagement.com/


http://www.hoodwebmanagement.com/speaking/

Why Links Matter to Small Businesses & How to Get Them Kane Jamison of Hood Web Management

Today we're going to focus on:

Quick Intro – How Google & SEO Works

Part 1 – Link Building Concepts: How links are like a popularity contest What makes a link “good” Best practices when building links

Part 2 – How to Build Links: Methods that every small business can

use to build links to their site

Intro



First, Let's Clarify How Google Works:


Speaking broadly, Google places value on two things:

Content on your site such as text, images, and video

&

Quantity & quality of links to your site from other websites on the Internet

1 2

Intro – How Google & SEO Works



In other words:


Better links leads to

Better rankings on Google, which means...

More website traffic, which means...

More leads, which means...

More sales




The Short Version:

To Get More Website Traffic,Create good content & get links from others


Those are the two fundamental activities of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).







Part 1 – Link Building Concepts: How links are like a popularity contest What makes a link “good” Best practices when building links



Intro



How Are Links Like a Popularity Contest?


Building links is a lot like running for student president:

Quality of the candidate matters, but if nobody vouches for them, they don't stand a chance of winning against a popular competitor

Same with website content

Part 1








Quantity of votes is important

Same with links

Part 1








Quantity of votes is important

Same with links

Quality of votes matters, too. Not all votes are created equally - being endorsed by Varsity quarterback carries more weight than the new kid

Same with links - a link from the New York Times is almost always worth more than John Doe’s Personal Blog

Part 1



So What Makes a Link “Good”


Part 1





#1 – What site the link comes from:

Just like our high school quarterback vs. new kid example:

A link from the Seattle Times

is probably worth more than

A link from john-does-travel-stories.blogspot.com

Part 1





#1 – What site the link comes from:Ideally we want links from popular, authoritative, relevant, and trustworthy sites.

Examples:

- TMZ.com- Popular Blogs- Pinterest- Huffington Post

- Wikipedia- Leading websites in your industry

- Chamber of Commerce- Newspapers- University and Government

.edu & .gov sites

- Topically relevant:Leading websites in your industry

- Locally relevant:West Seattle Blog

Note: Most of these sites fall under more than 1 of these categories.

Part 1




#2 – Followed vs. NoFollow

“Followed Links” are regular links, which DO count for value with search engines

“NoFollowed Links” are discounted links which DON'T count for much value with search engines

That doesn't mean NoFollowed links are useless - there is still inherent value in the potential traffic you can get from those links. They just won't help very much for SEO.


Part 1




#2 – NoFollow vs. FollowExamples of links that are often NoFollow:

Paid Ads

Example: West Seattle Blog sidebar ads

Why: Since Google relies on links as quality indicators, they don't want paid links “tainting” their index of links on the internet.


Part 1




#2 – NoFollow vs. FollowExamples of links that are often NoFollow:

Paid Ads

Example: West Seattle Blog sidebar ads

Why: Since Google relies on links as quality indicators, they don't want paid links “tainting” their index of links on the internet.

“User Generated Content”

Example: Links in the comments section of a newspaper website.

Why: Websites do this to discourage spammers and to tell Google that they don't vouch for the quality of the websites.


Part 1




#3 – DiversityGoogle likes to see “natural” link profiles.

That means diverse types of links, such as the following sources:


Part 1

Higher Quality: Memberships like chamber, BNI, rotary; Guest blogging; Professional organizations you belong to; Industry directories; Suppliers and client websites; Prominent local websites or bloggers; Social media profiles, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter.

Medium Quality: Blog comments, generic-but-not-spammy directory links; Internet Yellow Pages...




#4 – Age or FreshnessOld established links are great, but it's good to spread your links out over time.

This factor is a best practice but not essential IF you're already significantly ahead of competition.

This is an example of a good, ongoing link profile spanning many years.


Part 1




Best Practice #1 – Anchor TextAnchor text is the text used in a link.

In this example, the anchor text is “Joe’s Burgers”:

OK, What About Best Practices?

Part 1




Best Practice #1 – Anchor TextBest: Branding and keywords (without being spammy):

Branded: Kane is the owner of Hood Web ManagementKeywords: Hood Web Management is a Seattle SEO Company

Careful, don't go overboard on anchor text or it can look spammy.

OK: Just the URL:

URL: http://www.hoodwebmanagement.com/

Avoid: Non-Descriptive Anchor Text:

Non-Descriptive: click here for more info


Part 1





Best Practice #2 – ConsistencyBest practice: Be consistent with the following things:

Brand Name: Is it West 5, West 5 Lounge, or West 5 Lounge and Restaurant? Pick one, and make it match the titles of your pages on Google Places, Facebook, Yelp, etc.

Address: Stick with 4250 California Ave SW Suite 101 Don't change to 4250 California Avenue Southwest, Ste. 101

Phone: (206) 905-4053 or 206-905-4053, but not both

URL: Yes http://www.hoodwebmanagement.com/No http://hoodwebmanagement.com


Part 1






http://hoodwebmanagement.com/


Best Practice #3 – Avoid Spam Services:Avoid things like:

• “Cheap” or “Bulk” link providers• Link services that talk about “link wheels” and “link networks” or

building links exclusively on websites that they own.

• X number of article submissions per month• X number of blog comments per month• X number of directory submissions per month• X number of social bookmarks per month• X number of RSS submissions per month

None of these things are inherently spammy, but when they promise you a certain number on an ongoing basis – that’s almost always spam.


Part 1






Part 1 - Link Building Concepts: How links are like a popularity contest What makes a link “good” Best practices when building links



Intro



Method #1 – Claim & Complete Listings

GetListed.org:

Part 2


http://www.getlisted.org/



Part 2


Method #1 – Claim & Complete Listings



Part 2


Method #2 – Copy Competitors

Type their name in quotes and the beginning of their address in quotes. Start on page 1 of Google and visit each page, and think to yourself “how could I get a link from this page or this website? Then do that.



Part 2


Method #2 – Copy Competitors



Part 2


Method #3 – Ask Suppliers(Or anyone you pay money to)

• Give them a testimonial and ask that they link your company name

• Ask them to list you on their “vendors” or “where to find our product” pages

• Are you in a office building with a website? Or does your landlord have a website? Do you have art from a local artist on your walls? Your janitor service? Coffee delivery service?...

I bet they all have websites…

*hat tip to Adam at SEER interactive and this blog post:http://www.seerinteractive.com/blog/35-local-link-opportunities-you-missed



http://www.seerinteractive.com/blog/35-local-link-opportunities-you-missed

Part 2


Method #4 – Ask Clients & Customers

• Depends on the niche, but there are often pages on their site that would be appropriate to link to you.

• If they’re highly unrelated (they’re a nutritionist, you’re their lawyer) than that’s less valuable.



Part 2


Method #5 – Blogging

• Creating quality content is still a great way to earn links

• Once the content is created, you’ll need to reach out to relevant websites and partners to get them to share the content on social networks, their websites, or their email lists

• This strategy is highly recommended, because adding blog content to your website tends to add a lot of value to your site



Part 2


Method #6 – Guest Blogging

• Creating quality content for other websites - could be national blogs, could be local and complementary businesses

• The rough process is:• Offer to create some content for them• Create the content• Get an author’s byline in the content:



http://pointblankseo.com/lending-a-hand

Part 2


Method #7 – Contests

• People love free stuff - Hold a contest, preferably giving away some of your product or service as the prize

• There are many, many contest websites that will happily link to http://www.yoursite.com/contest-page

• The basic goal should be some combination of more Facebook Fans/Likes, Email Subscribers, Twitter Followers, etc.

• Shameless plug – Hood Web Management has a contest promotion package.



http://www.hoodwebmanagement.com/services/contest-promotion-package/

Part 2


Method #8 – Host Events

By doing local SEO presentations, I’ve gotten links from:

These are just the business event sites, there’s many more for “fun” events.

• Biznik.com• WSChamber.com• ChamberMaster.com• HelloSeattle.com• Seattle.com• LinkedIn.com• EventSetter.com

• SeattleBusinessMag.com• KomoNews.com• Eventful.com• NWSource.com (Seattle Times)• SpeakerMix.com• SeattleBusinessDirectory.net



Part 2


Method #9 – Get Press #1

Two ways to approach getting press:

1 – Do Something Worth Talking About:



Part 2


Method #10 – Get Press #2

Two ways to approach getting press:

2 – Be a Resource to Journalists:

Help A Reporter Out: http://www.helpareporter.com/

Because of HARO, I’ve been quoted and linked on:

• Dun & Bradstreet - http://blog.dandb.com• Under 30 CEO - http://under30ceo.com/• Insperity - http://www.insperity.com/• YFS Magazine - http://yfsentrepreneur.com/• Flex Jobs - http://www.flexjobs.com/• Handful of others that were less notable

All of these were short quotes – no more than a few sentences.



http://www.helpareporter.com/

http://blog.dandb.com/2012/01/17/resolutions/

http://under30ceo.com/40-ways-small-business-owners-waste-their-money/

http://www.insperity.com/

http://yfsentrepreneur.com/

http://www.flexjobs.com/

Part 2


Method #11 – Sponsor Your Community

This is the digital equivalent of getting your name on Tee-ball jerseys.

Plenty of local charities have “sponsor” and “donors” pages.

Not sure where to start? Try searching Google for:

"seattle" sponsor* site:.org

"west seattle" donat* list

in kind donations list site:.org “Green lake” Seattle

• Tee-ball teams• Boy Scouts• Churches• School Bands• Animal Shelters

• Rotary• Food Bank• Kiwanis• Arts Walk• Block Parties

• Movies in the Park• Taste of WS



Part 2


Method #12 – Offer Discounts

Offering discounts to groups like Students, Business Groups, Community:

KEXP:http://kexp.org/support/donorbenefits.asp (Requires Sponsorship)

Associated General Contractors of Washington:http://www.agcwa.com/MemberBenefits/

UW:http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/benefits/saving/discounts/index.html

http://www.studentrate.com/studentrate/school/deals/DealSummary.aspx?title=Local_Deals&school=washington



http://kexp.org/support/donorbenefits.asp

http://www.agcwa.com/MemberBenefits/

http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/benefits/saving/discounts/index.html



Part 2


Method #13 – Sponsor Meetup Groups

Sponsor groups on Meetup.com:

Yarn store? Sponsor knitting club.

Lawyer? Sponsor free legal services or law school group.

Greek Restaurant? Sponsor cooking club, or “Greek culture” group.

Meetup.com offers followed links for group sponsors, but “perks” go to a separate landing page. Offer both if they’ll let you.



Part 2


More Methods

Continue thinking about pre-existing opportunities:

• Industry Groups & Associations you belong to:• Guilds & Unions, Professional Associations, etc.• Certification websites for your industry

• Local Groups & Associations you belong to:• Chamber, BBB, BNI, Rotary, Junction Association, etc.

• Quality Business Directories:

• Yelp• Manta• CitySearch• Yahoo Local• Bing Local• Google Local• Superpages• UrbanSpoon• OpenTable

• Yellow Pages• Angie’s List• Express Update USA• Merchant Circle• Insider Pages• Localeze• Judy’s Book• Kudzu• BrownBook

• Acxiom• Business.com• AboutUs.org• Local.BOTW.org• BizJournals.com• CityVoter.com



Kane JamisonPhone: (206) 905-4053Email: [email protected]

Also:Twitter.com/KaneJamisonTwitter.com/HoodWebMgmtFacebook.com/

HoodWebManagement

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Why Links Matter to Small Businesses & How to Get Them

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