Welcome to the latest issue of the Search Engine Facts newsletter.
This week, we're taking a look at an official search engine statement about link building. There are things that you should do to improve your rankings and other things that you should avoid.
In the news: Google releases the Caffeine index in one datacenter, you can test Google's new interface, Google talks about comment spam and more.
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Bing recently published a document about link building. Although it focuses on how Bing deals with inbound links, it can also help you to get better links for Google, Yahoo and other search engines. The most important points of Bing's document can be found in this article.
The importance of link building
The Bing engineers know that link building is important and they describe link building as follows:
"Link building is a very important form of self-promotion on the Web. You contact webmasters of other, related websites and let them know your site exists. If the value that you have worked so hard to instill in your site is evident to them, they will assist their own customers by linking back to your site. That, my friend, is the essence of link building."
In other words, reciprocal linking is fine. They also remind webmasters that link building is an ongoing process:
"Think of link building as your chance to build your reputation on the Web. As your website is likely one of your business' most valuable assets, consider link building to be a primary business-building exercise. Just don't make the mistake of believing it will result in instant gratification. Successful link building efforts require a long-term commitment, not an overnight or turnkey solution. You need to continually invest in link building efforts with creativity and time. Good things come to those who wait (and work smartly!)."
Things that you can do to get good links to your website
Here are the things that Bing recommends:
You should develop your website as a brand and brand it consistently. People like to link to high quality websites.You should find relevant bloggers, industry websites and product reviewers and make them aware of your website.You can publish concise and informative press releases online.You can publish expert articles in article directories.You can participate in relevant conversations on blogs and forums and add a link to your website when applicable.You can use social networks to connect to industry influencers. Your profiles should contain links to your website.You can use email newsletters to notify people about new content on your website.You can launch a blog or a forum on your website.You can participate in relevant industry associations and their online forums.You should strive to become a trusted expert voice for your industry while promoting your website.The link manager in IBP can help you with most of these tasks. It finds relevant blogs, related websites, directories, etc. It also helps you to contact the other websites, keeps track of your contacts, etc.
Warning: the following things will get your website in trouble
Just like Google and other major search engines, Bing doesn't like to be cheated. If they detect unnatural linking patterns, your website might be penalized. The following things can trigger search engine filters:
Your website get a lot of additional inbound links a very short time.Many links that point to your website are from unrelated websites or blog comments.Your web pages contain hidden links.You get links from links farms or automated link exchange systems.Paid links point to your website.Known spammers link to your website.Your website links to known spammers.Here's what Bing does when they find suspicious data that is related to your website:
"When probable manipulation is detected, a spam rank factor is applied to a site, depending upon the type and severity of the infraction. If the spam rating is high, a site can be penalized with a lowered rank. If the violations are egregious, a site can be temporarily or even permanently purged from the index."
Getting inbound links requires some work. The Bing engineers are very clear about this fact: "Make no mistake: getting legitimate and highly valuable, inbound links is not a couch-potato task."
Fortunately, the link builder in IBP will help you to get things done as efficiently as possible. You can download it here.
Back to table of contents - Visit Axandra.com2. Search engine news and articles of the week
Google Caffeine now live in one datacenter
Statement of Google's Matt Cutts: "209.85.225.103 as an IP address currently hits the Caffeine data center about 50% of the time [...]
209.85.225.103 does hit the Caffeine data center more often than other IP addresses, but it's always been the plan that Caffeine would roll out at one data center (no more data centers will get Caffeine until at least January)."
Check the redesigned Google (with always-visible sidebar) yourself
"When you paste the following into the address bar of your browser when on Google.com and hit return, you should find yourself as new participant of Google's latest and more all-encompassing prototype test – the one with a new logo, buttons, and always-visible left-hand pane in results."
Official Google statement: hard facts about comment spam
"Comment spammers are often trying to improve their site's organic search ranking by creating dubious inbound links to their site. Google has an understanding of the link graph of the web, and has algorithmic ways of discovering those alterations and tackling them.
At best, a link spammer might spend hours doing spammy linkdrops which would count for little or nothing because Google is pretty good at devaluing these types of links. Think of all the more productive things one could do with that time and energy that would provide much more value for one's site in the long run."
Editor's note: do not use spammy SEO methods. You will get lasting results if you use ethical SEO methods.
Google launches rich snippets in the UK
"Google uses information contained in HTML with Microformats or RDFa to produce these Rich Snippets which provide the end user with additional information such as ratings and price ranges."
Google this! The tech giants duke it out—again
"Microsoft scoffs at the idea of Google becoming a serious rival in operating systems. But the price tag on ChromeOS is going to appeal to hardware makers. Those guys are trying to make money on devices that cost $300 or less. If they can save a few bucks by not having to pay a license fee to Microsoft, that's a big deal."
Search engine newslets
Google awarded patent for local search integrated with Whois.Yandex and Google good for 96% share in Russia.Google backs bid to restore trust in ads.Google search by voice: now in Times Square.French minister wants Europe to take on Google.Why Google will buy Milo.com.Digg steals a Google exec as new VP product.Back to table of contents - Visit Axandra.com3. New in IBP: Google Universal results
IBP's ranking checker now supports Google Universal results
If you check the position of your website in Google's search results with IBP's ranking checker then you can now choose if IBP should also consider Google Maps and Google News results.
IBP enables you to choose whether you just want to check the regular website results or if you also want to include the local search and news results. You can download the trial here.
Using current tools is very important for search engine optimization. Things that worked last year might not work today. IBP is always up-to-date with the latest algorithms of Google and all other major search engines.
Back to table of contents - Visit Axandra.com
"The results are completely beyond expectation.""I launched my website www.canalbarge.co.uk to advertise Narrowboat Timeshare Rentals, out of desperation as I could find no reliable service elsewhere.
The biggest problem was not design (which could be very basic) but promotion. Money spent on consultant services seemed wasted and ineffectual and I eventually started investigating SEO software.
IBP seemed the best by far, of what I reviewed. After purchase, results became apparent within a few weeks. Rankings in the major search engines improving week on week, to the extent that within six months, or so, I had given up on expensive pay-by-click advertising and newspaper ads.
The savings have been enormous and the results in terms of number of visitors to the site as well as sales completely beyond expectation."
Ron Merriman, http://www.canalbarge.co.uk/
Tell us how IBP helped your business and 230,000 readers will see YOUR website
Let us know how IBP has helped you to improve your website and we might publish your success story with a link to your website in this newsletter. The more detailed your story is, the better.
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