Mysterious backlink issue?

Blade Runner 88 · 12-22-2009, 10:42 PM

Hi,
I've been using a backlink tracking tool and pretty regularly I'm finding medium to big commercial sites that have links from several other websites but also have anything from 20 to 150 linking from their own site for any given keyword.
My questions are, what does that look like when its in practice? Are they locating a keyword on page 8, and many others on other pages, and making it link to something on page one?

How do search engines see this? Its obviously a powerful technique for seo that plenty of big sites are using.

ExRat · 12-22-2009, 11:58 PM

Hi,

Yes internal linking is an important and helpful part of SEO.

I can't comment on specifics without seeing the site.

You can do this manually, or automate it.

The downside of automating it is that you get less choice over what the anchor text will be.

Manually - they might just cherry pick certain keywords, or they might follow a distinct SEO plan mapped out before the build where they have a group of related keywords for each page, and they go through that group and ensure that those keywords are sprinkled on other pages, and then anchor link back to the target page.

Automated - html site builders can be set to use breadcrumb trails, or related article lists. WP blogs use plugins like related post plugin, similar post plugin etc.

Quote:

How do search engines see this?

It depends how they view your site. If they trust it and see it as an authority, they will view it as a navigational aid for users - particularly if the users seem to appreciate and use it. The way the site is structured initially and the way it works for the user is vital in gaining this trust.

Conversely, if they see too much of this linking, or think it's inappropriate and an SEO trick, it could kill the trust.

Think about the times you might have read a great blog article, and it was on a blog that was all about 'widgets' for example. You as a visitor are particularly interested in widgets, mainly blue ones. You don't need any info on red or yellow widgets, even though the blog has other articles that deal with them. And this article is about blue ones. After reading it and finding it a great source for blue widget info, you scroll down and the 'related posts plugin' is showing related articles about - light blue widgets, small blue widgets etc.

If you are a blue widget lover, this is exactly what you want. So the navigation is really easy for you. What you want is right there. You are happy. If Google are tracking users to this site and their reactions, they will 'see' that you are happy and the site will get G love in the SERPs with growing Google rep as a blue widget authority site.

Then you bookmark the pages (on the web or your PC), or you type in to the address bar a few days later to go back there - google notices. More G love.

Does that help at all?

12-22-2009, 10:42 PM	#1
Blade Runner 88 Blade Runner 88 War Room Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Auckland, NZ. Posts: 346 Thanks: 162 Thanked 19 Times in 14 Posts	Mysterious backlink issue? Hi, I've been using a backlink tracking tool and pretty regularly I'm finding medium to big commercial sites that have links from several other websites but also have anything from 20 to 150 linking from their own site for any given keyword. My questions are, what does that look like when its in practice? Are they locating a keyword on page 8, and many others on other pages, and making it link to something on page one? How do search engines see this? Its obviously a powerful technique for seo that plenty of big sites are using.