SEO Road Block - Help/Advice Needed!

[Matt Attack]

Over the last several months I have in my free time built a few niche sites that are all doing ok. The problem is while I am on page 1 for all these sites for each keyword I am targeting, I am not in the #1 spot for any of them. One of my sites is #2, and the #1 site for that keyword can totally be overtaken, but it appears my SEO strategy seems to get me on the first page and then I will top out somewhere between position 2-5 in each case.

I know my income for these sites will increase substantially if I could figure out how to get them to that #1 spot, or even up a spot or two in each case. Here is what my SEO strategy looks like:

Using wordpress and doing all the necessary on-page SEO including but not limited to All-in-one SEO pack, XML sitemaps, and many other little things I have done on my site.

Off Page: I use BMR as my main off-page SEO plan. I will normally build a link every other day to a site (for each site) and they are typically anywhere from PR 1-4. I throw in a few manual blog comments and profile links once in a while.

I just started writing articles on an article directory linking to my sites, and plan on using BMR to build links to those articles to get some link structure going - will this help a lot?

I guess what I am asking - what is the next best thing I can do to climb those last couple spots in the SERPS? Just keep doing what I am doing? Perhaps buy high PR backlinks?

No blackhat stuff please,

thanks guys/gals

[lutherlars]

Dont build BMR links linking to articles on a dir, point those links to your site instead.

Originally Posted by carp104

Over the last several months I have in my free time built a few niche sites that are all doing ok. The problem is while I am on page 1 for all these sites for each keyword I am targeting, I am not in the #1 spot for any of them. One of my sites is #2, and the #1 site for that keyword can totally be overtaken, but it appears my SEO strategy seems to get me on the first page and then I will top out somewhere between position 2-5 in each case.

I know my income for these sites will increase substantially if I could figure out how to get them to that #1 spot, or even up a spot or two in each case. Here is what my SEO strategy looks like:

Using wordpress and doing all the necessary on-page SEO including but not limited to All-in-one SEO pack, XML sitemaps, and many other little things I have done on my site.

Off Page: I use BMR as my main off-page SEO plan. I will normally build a link every other day to a site (for each site) and they are typically anywhere from PR 1-4. I throw in a few manual blog comments and profile links once in a while.

I just started writing articles on an article directory linking to my sites, and plan on using BMR to build links to those articles to get some link structure going - will this help a lot?

I guess what I am asking - what is the next best thing I can do to climb those last couple spots in the SERPS? Just keep doing what I am doing? Perhaps buy high PR backlinks?

No BlueFart stuff please,

thanks guys/gals

[packerfan]

I'd up the BMR posts to 5-10/day (you can outsource this cheaply if you don't mind paying). Vary the anchor text but do about 50% for the main keywords you're trying to rank for.

Also, guest blogging is a terrific way if you don't mind writing some articles. You'll not only get links but you'll get traffic (which is far more important).

If you're sites don't suck, those visitors may share your site with people that similar interests.

[Matt Attack]

I am just afraid of using over 90% of my backlinks as BMR links, or rather the same 'type' of backlinks. One of my sites fell and I feel this is the reason why, so when I started throwing in some profile and blog posts it eventually went back up in the SERPS.

Is there a more efficient way than this to get to the top faster? I was always under the impression some link structure (pyramid, wheel, whatever) was better than just a bunch of single links pointing at your site - especially the same type of links.

[Abledragon]

The first thing to keep in mind is that even if/when you do get the #1 slot you're not going to be able to keep it consistently - you'll move up and down, and this is especially so if your site is new.

Secondly, rather than building content on someone else's site (the article directory) you're better off building it on your own site(s). In the post-Panda world article directories no longer have the linking authority they used to have.

The structure you've set up seems to be working for you - just focus on adding content on your own sites that people will find helpful, amusing or entertaining. Publish lots of high quality content.

There's more info on how SEO has changed here:

SEO Has Changed | WealthyDragon

(And the link at the bottom to the article on SEOMoz is definitely worth a read).

Cheers,

Martin.

[TopGun38]

You can look into trying out one of those high PR backlinks packages selling out there. Some people claimed to have success with those. Maybe that might be it for the #1 ranking.