Basic SEO theory and ‘on page’ factors have been covered in an earlier article. However, what really matters concerns off-page SEO. It’s a sort of selection process. If another site places a link to your site then that site has given you a vote of confidence. They’re saying, “Look at them - they’ve got something interesting to say…”
There are 2 main bits to the link. First, the actual URL or web address of the page they are pointing to. And second, the ‘anchor text’ or ‘keyword phrase’ that is highlighted on the web-page for you to click. That page can then be seen as receiving one ‘vote’. To clarify, that’s a check in the box saying raise this site up the organic Search Engine lists for the phrase embedded in the link.
It always works in this way. The keyword phrase and targeted page are completely tied to each other. You can’t create a vote for a page without some highlighted anchor text. The anchor text notifies the Search Engine about the page’s content - and thus what search term it should come under. This is vital to understand: The anchor text controls which searches you would appear for.
For this reason, a highlighted link with ‘CLICK here to read more’ would serve no SEO purpose - can you see why? ‘Click Here’ becomes the keyword phrase we’ve created a vote for. Who on earth is going to search for that term? There isn’t anybody.
That is why the anchor text is SO important. As the keyword phrases you will be rated for depend on it. Incidentally, the Adobe Reader Download always comes top if you do search for ‘Click here’ on Google. Is that because Adobe want to rank for ‘click here’? Heck No! But think how many web pages include a link to their site with the words click here…
In short, anchor text phrases are always used by the SE’s to place a vote. And why not? Google wants to emulate what a real human being is looking for and would like to find. The content of your page isn’t necessarily relevant. You’ll rank for the terms in the anchor text phrases that point to you. That is how it is.
Of course, it’s not quite as simple as that… Because the SE’s also use the page title and wording of the page being pointed at to correlate the results. Along with a host of other things as well. (To give you an idea, the spread of the sites linking to yours, and their relevancy to your site).
But let’s cut to the chase - building a huge number of back links is the most fundamental aspect of SEO. And back links with the right anchor texts that come from lots of different websites. The quality of a site counts too… Receiving a link from a top site like Microsoft is much more valuable than one from a start-up site.
Identifying which keywords to use deserves time and effort. Before you settle on the right ones for you, give due diligence to your competitors keywords. Fundamentally though: Which words do potential clients ‘Google’ when they’re searching for the things you supply? When you know that, you know which keyword phrases and anchor text to use.
Interesting answers often come up when you do your researches and tests. The phrases that perform best are sometimes quite unforeseen. So many different phrases come to mind when we think of what to search for. Someone may type in SUPPORTIVE MATTRESS if they’re looking for a better night’s sleep. Yet ‘more sleep please’ could be someone else’s first thought.
Would you really want to trust your marketing to vague ideas and feelings about what might be typed in? A lot of measuring, testing and research of each term is of vital importance. They’ll form the basis of ALL the visitors you’ll get to your website. Picture an advert featured in the Yellow Pages. You won’t receive any calls if you’re listed under an inappropriate heading. Search Engine Optimisation can only be effective with painstaking and detailed keyword research.
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