Backlinks are Worthless. Here's what I did to get #1 on Google in Less Than 2-Days!

[quiescen]

Backlinks. I've bought them before. Spent a lot of time slowly adding them to my site as well.

Big waste of time. You see, I have a website at Free Piano Sheet Music in the New Age Style that was hovering in the top 20 (usually at the bottom) for the search term 'free piano sheet music.'

I hadn't updated the site in a long time and thought ... why not just add some new posts to this Blogger blog. I did and within 48 hours I was #1 for the same search term. BTW, 'free piano sheet music' is a very competitive search phrase.

How many backlinks do I have for this site? A huge number ... 4.

So, what did I learn? Google wants FRESH CONTENT! That's pretty much it and the sites that provide it will be rewarded with high ranking in the serps.

[JamesGw]

Lol, you're not #1 for that search term. Maybe you should turn off Google Webhistory so it's not returning personalized results. You're like #14 and still on page 2.

Backlinks still matter.

Also, your site has 257 backlinks as reported by Yahoo site explorer. Google always returns a low number. It says Warriorforum only has like 183 backlinks, which is far fewer than it really does.

[quiescen]

Interesting. I'm not logged into Google and have search results set to show United States sites.

[vickybabe]

Yeah, i think every program you use will get different results.

[RossChops]

I suffer from the same problem all the time...I put my search term into Google and I spend a good few minutes dancing around the room before I realise that Google is playing games. Only a complete clearing of the cache, cookies etc and turning off web history gives me true results. I always Google unexpected SERP movements on my Phone before celebrating these days :-)

[lisakleinweber]

fresh content is not everything. It can only sustain you for so long if no one links to it. It also used to be that fresh content with links out that had anchor text containing the keywords you wanted to rank for would do well - but now the panda update made these types of links out not so great anymore.

[quiescen]

Well, all I can say is that when I added fresh content, the site zipped up to #1 very quickly. It probably won't stay there of course, but at least I know how to get it there.

[RossChops]

My problem is that I want the content that I write to be generating traffic. if i spend 12 hours testing a product and then writing a huge product review then I want it to be read and generate some sales.

Back to link building I go.....

[Alexa Smith]

In forum communities of this nature, backlinks will always be slightly overemphasised and content always relatively undervalued (you can see why, if you think about it? ).

Anyway, well done with your fresh content. I've also had great and consistent SEO benefits from that, with some of my sites, and I think it's underrated by many.

(Remember, though, that where you see your site in Google's SERP's isn't necessarily where everyone see it, and that if you look again with a different browser, it can sometimes be in a different position).

[Hamida Harland]

Originally Posted by quiescen

Well, all I can say is that when I added fresh content, the site zipped up to #1 very quickly. It probably won't stay there of course, but at least I know how to get it there.

From experience I can say it probably won't stay there - it happens quite alot (a page 1 rank for a few days). Fresh content is important, but backlinks play their part in gaining and maintaining rank.

[hotboy18]

Fresh content alone will not give you first page rankings in Google. You must have some quality backlinks also for a higher page ranking along with a fully optimized site.

[BloggingPro]

Google pushed you up front because you are fresh content. Eventually you won't be fresh anymore and Google will push you back down. This could actually happen within the next few hours.

To say that backlinks are worthless however is extremely ignorant in my opinion. That would be like saying you spent $500 on an Adwords campaign and got ranked for really competitive keywords and proclaiming that you don't need backlinks to rank.

Once you stop paying your numero uno ranking is going to disappear--quickly.

[VegasGreg]

I see you are actually ranked 15th (2nd page). I bet if you did care about backlinks you could go to and STAY closer to the top.

[JustVisiting]

Smart move.

Dropping into your post your keyword phrase 'Free Piano Sheet Music in the New Age Style' hyperlinked to your blogger blog URL.

You are #1 from 6,570,000 results in Google.

Cheers

Paul

[Rough Outline]

You are 18th for me, nowhere near top spot. But hey backlinks are DEFINITELY worthless.

[MichaelG469]

Ranked 14th...get those backlinks and you'll move up to 1st page.

[Steven Miranda]

I'm sorry to say but backlinks DO matter. No, I'm not just saying this either because I am a backlink provider. They really do. You will not stay in a high position on Google without sustained backlinks and diverse links.

[yukon]

Your getting personalized search results based on your browser history.

Looks like one of your backlinks is ranking higher (#3) than your site. Without quotes your backlink doesn't show. Your actual site still ranks the same with, or without quotes.

I'm not selling backlinks so I have nothing to gain from telling you, backlinks still help in the SERPs.

BTW, use Google Chrome Incognito when checking your keyword in the SERPs.

[masterjani]

Google loves fresh content no doubt about it.But with backlinks you will gain the top spot and stick it.Otherwise it will be always dancing around.

[kimberly Aita]

I am getting number 13 which isn't bad at all but I agree with everyone else, you could be in the top 10 if you build some quality backlinks.

find someone on here who does backlinking and just buy a 3 month subscription

[drvosjeca]

BLA BLA BLA BLA... This is all i can see here.

Sorry for being rude, but if backlinks would be worthless there would not be so many people making seriouse money by selling them. Dont you think so?

[ljanak1]

Updating fresh content is important but backlinks are as well. I would reconsider my strategy if I were you and work on link building organically.

[4webmaster]

You are on 12 in google for me, even log out and clear cookies, cache, history you can see in top 1 simply because google have record your IP and know that you go many time on that site it puts on ranking 1-5. You can check on another computer and place to see real ranking or best tips will be to check with hidemyass com site. Me too I have my site ranked 1 before and was like WOW, but when check on a different PC and place I was like F---!

So use a tool like hidemyass.com to check real ranking placement.

[DavidG]

Only thing I could add here is that the more quality content you have, the less backlinking you need.

regZ

[Serenity090]

........................

[ARVolund]

Originally Posted by quiescen

Well, all I can say is that when I added fresh content, the site zipped up to #1 very quickly. It probably won't stay there of course, but at least I know how to get it there.

Except as noted you did not really go to #1, all you were seeing is your personalized search results. Also as noted you have a lot more than 4 backlinks so really your whole premise is flawed.

Is content important? Of course it is and more now than before with the last couple of updates but you are not going to rank well for any kind of competitive keyword without backlinks.

[TaYou]

ARVolund, please give your opinion on the importance of backlinks.

[clickbump]

Originally Posted by quiescen

I hadn't updated the site in a long time and thought ... why not just add some new posts to this Blogger blog. I did and within 48 hours I was #1 for the same search term. BTW, 'free piano sheet music' is a very competitive search phrase.

Hi there, as others have said, you are certainly getting a personalized view of the search results.

You are #16 for this long tail term "Free Piano Sheet Music in the New Age Style" and #78 for the phrase "Free Piano Sheet Music".

The bad news is, "Free Piano Sheet Music in the New Age Style" doesn't even register in GAKT's monthly search totals. Although "Free Piano Sheet Music" gets a very respectable amount of monthly searches.

If you were to optimize your home page around that term, and do an SEO makeover on your markup, the sky's the limit.

One of the core problems you are facing is that your home page is littered with markup, particularly font tags. If you were to optimize your site for SEO, you'd stand a much better chance of showcasing your content (without diluting its value with markup tags) and ranking higher for these terms.

Consider hiring a developer to spend a half hour creating a css stylesheet for your home page and removing all those inline font tags and such. Your page would load faster, your content to markup ratio would level out, and I'd bet you'd certainly move up in the serps.

[Wakunahum]

Backlinks are VERY VERY VERY valid. You aren't going to be number one for a fairly competitive term with good content alone.

Good content can gain you backlinks since users link to it which will move you up in the spots but that's still backlinks no matter how you look at it.

[Dubturbo]

So his web history spoofed him and now he thinks backlinks don't matter? So funny!

[subzero525]

backlinks always matter it one of the basics you need to build a website. and few people will search for the specific term you mentioned
regards

[guarino1235]

the more backlinks, the higher place in search engine results.. of course you also need fresh original content.

[yukon]

Originally Posted by guarino1235

the more backlinks, the higher place in search engine results.. of course you also need fresh original content.

Maybe 10 years ago...

[mologic]

very true, you can hit a variety of data centers, and they seem to be doing a lot more local search delivery nowadays too

Originally Posted by vickybabe

Yeah, i think every program you use will get different results.

[Fraggler]

Originally Posted by clickbump

One of the core problems you are facing is that your home page is littered with markup, particularly font tags. If you were to optimize your site for SEO, you'd stand a much better chance of showcasing your content (without diluting its value with markup tags) and ranking higher for these terms.

Consider hiring a developer to spend a half hour creating a css stylesheet for your home page and removing all those inline font tags and such. Your page would load faster, your content to markup ratio would level out, and I'd bet you'd certainly move up in the serps.

You really think search engines take into account hidden code and 'content to markup ratio' when working out a site's relevance? Surely they are past that and all that matters is the user experience?

[MIRENGE]

Backlinks are very important no matter what never the less you should keep on trying different methods for you never know which one works better.

[morc3x]

Backlinks are important. Just make sure they are from various sources.

-m

[softwharf]

Thats really not true about backlinks.
Backlinks are like votes for your site and they play a very important role in SEO.
I have my site and I have optimized it with backlinks

[dbadwal]

Sometimes google just put it at No. 1 position for couple of days then it sinks to an unknown rank. it happened with me in past.

[clickbump]

Originally Posted by Fraggler

You really think search engines take into account hidden code and 'content to markup ratio' when working out a site's relevance? Surely they are past that and all that matters is the user experience?

You are saying "content to markup" ratio has no bearing on user experience?

[clature]

I think it was kinda lucky on your part, hitting the first page. But it won't last if you don't work on those backlinks mate ...

[TotalGaz]

Originally Posted by quiescen

Interesting. I'm not logged into Google and have search results set to show United States sites.

To get real results from Google US open an incognito window in chrome, open https://www.google.com then you'll see real results without your cookies, cahce and social shares on twitter influencing what you see in the results.

[scole954387]

Originally Posted by quiescen

So, what did I learn? Google wants FRESH CONTENT! That's pretty much it and the sites that provide it will be rewarded with high ranking in the serps.

Both are equally important!!! You need fresh content to keep Google interested which usually gives you bumps in position... but you need backlinks (ie people talking about your content) to keep you in the top position.

You can't have one without the other. Keep creating original fresh content and keep getting backlinks to your new content.

Shannon

[EvcRo]

The guy is right, all please stop building backlinks, it's uselles, i'm stupid and i will continue to build backlinks.

And btw you are on #25 not 1 and i wont call it very competitive search either.

Probably you were logged in you google acocunt, voted +1 on you site and on the next search google served it first to you.

[FaviooxD]

Ranked 23th

[retsek]

Yup backlinks are definitely worthless.

[yukon]

Originally Posted by FaviooxD

Ranked 23th

Your keyboard has a lisp?

[just playing]

[dagaul101]

Google has always stated fresh content and quality backlinks from authority sites will get you there

[seothatworks]

fresh content is good, but backlinks come first dude. with a few more good backlinks you could me number one

[NRC1983]

I think fresh content is great, but so are backlinks...and an optomized site...they all go together hand and hand.