Link Optimization

Popularity Is Everything

By Charles Snodgrass
Deep Creek Arts

ven though it’s a state-of-the-art search engine, Google is nonetheless a computer — a machine incapable of expressing subjective opinions.

So when you initiate a search and Google responds with thousands of web sites that apparently match your request, how does the search engine know which ones to "recommend"? In other words, how does Google choose which web sites appear on the all-important first two pages of the search engine results?

The answer has two parts. First Google objectively measures a site’s "content." And then it measures the site’s "link popularity."

How Google Ranks A Site

To measure a site’s content, Google basically counts the recurrence of certain key words and phrases. If the words "large blue umbrella" appear prominently, then Google assumes the page must contain useful information about large blue umbrellas. (We discuss key words in greater depth in the article "And Then Along Came A Spider.")

Then Google searches its own database to determine how many other web pages contain links to the "large blue umbrella" page. Google essentially considers each inbound link a "vote" for the large blue umbrella page. And the pages with the most votes move to the top of the list.

Consider The Source

But not just any link will do. Google uses a complex formula to determine the relative value of each inbound link to your site. Links from relevant sites have good value. And links from relevant pages with good "PageRank" (explained below) have great value. Links from unrelated sites are essentially worthless.

In short, to increase its link popularity, our "large blue umbrella" site needs links from other umbrella or weather-related sites.

After considering both the quantity and the quality of a page’s incoming links, Google assigns a value rating or "PageRank." And you guessed it — web pages with the highest PageRank rise to the top of the search engine results.

Make Your Site Link-Worthy

Your goal is to build your own private referral network of highly relevant web sites linking to yours. It’s a time-consuming process, accomplished one link at a time. But it’s something that web site owners can do themselves, without professional help.

Before you begin, take a long, hard look at your own site. Is it the kind of site that others will want to link to? Does it offer valuable information? How-to articles, tips, travel guides and maps, for instance. If it doesn’t, consider adding one or more pages of linkable content. In addition to helping you recruit links, good informative content will add quality and depth to your web site.

The Key To Link Popularity Is Relevance

To reiterate, when developing your web of inbound links, concentrate on web sites that have something in common with your business.

You may know of companies that share your target market but are not direct competitors. For example, an accommodations business and an attractions business may advertise entirely different services to the same tourist market.

Other Articles:

Internet Marketing
(introduction)

Search Engine Optimization

A Web Site
Checklist

Domain Management

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