Small Business Owner’s Guide to Google Backlinks

Update 3-20-09: Learn about a creative way to build links and obtain content at the same time - check out this AWESOME article on Getting Links and Content from Flickr by Lisa Barone of Outspoken Media over at Searchengineland.com.  This is a really great idea, very safe, and, as Lisa points out - potentially quite lucrative.

Ronel posted a question of me over on my SEW Article “Linkbuilding Without a Dime” asking me to “demystify” the Google Back Link. Here’s the question verbatim:

…on the topic of backlinks I remain stumped!!!   
Why have I found almost 200 other websites linking to my own website homepage (I would consider at least 20% of these as quality sites) yet Google only records my site as having 4 backlinks? I have submitted those site’s pages to Google, clicked through from them while my Google Toolbar is hopefully sending info and all else I could think of. What am I missing?  

I would say - you’re doing everything right, Ronel - and the only error in what you’re looking at is the assumption that Google will tell you every link they’re giving you credit for….they wont.

The “history” of Search Engine Optimization is one of discovery and disaster.  Every time someone figures out that special thing to make a website rank well - it gets over used, and then it’s broken.  A prime example would be the meta keyword tag.  Once upon a time, meta keywords were a really good thing to have, and Google gave good weight to sites that used them.  An enterprising young…person…figured out that if they crammed their meta-keyword tag with 300 keywords - they’d rank for lots of good stuff, some of it irrelevant.  Google then completely devalued that ranking factor - because it had been gamed WAY too much.

Backlinks in Google have been protected from discovery for awhile now.  What you need to know is that you ARE getting credit from many of those 200 links coming into your site - but Google’s not going to tell you that.  If Google were to show as a backlink EVERY domain they gave “points” to, the SEO industry would add those sites to a huge list and then everyone would submit every website - thus flooding the ranking factor with unworthy sites. 

Google will show a fraction of the sites they’re giving you credit for - in some cases I bet 20-40% ONLY - maybe less.  So what do you need to know to master your Google Backlink skills?  Be relevant - and be transparent.

Here’s what you need to do and consider when looking at links that will be strong Google backlinks:

• Sign up for Google Webmaster Central and make sure Google likes your site and your pages.  If they’re not crawling the pages that the outside domains are linking to, you’re not going to get credit.  You can also view many more of the incoming links Google sees here.  I’m not convinced this is 100% of the links - but it’s MANY more than the link: will give you.  Not only will you see incoming links - you’ll see their distribution throughout your site.  Consider spreading the incoming links to relevant pages within your site - not ALL to the homepage.  Natural linking is deep linking - with relevant pages linking to relevant pages.
• Once  you’ve set up Webmaster Central - and you’re site is being crawled and indexed nicely - and you’re sure not ALL of your links are pointing at ONE page on the site (likely your homepage) you can start looking for new relevant links.  I suggest reading my article “Linkbuildng Without a Dime” right away.  This is going to give you some great ideas for finding and obtaining links into your site.
  • Mine your competitor’s and similarly topic backlinks and try to obtain some of the same directory and blog opportunities they’re utilizing.  Don’t use the Google site:operator for this - use Yahoo Site Explorer - they’ll tell you every incoming link to the pages/site - this is easier for finding good link opportunities.
  • Make partnerships with your neighbors and supporting companies. If you’re a furnace repair shop, ask some of your suppliers to link to your site from their site.
  • Reciprocal linking isnt bad if it’s relevant. If I’m shopping for a new air conditioner in Denver - a link from the air conditioner site to your pizza parlor website offers absolutely no value to my mission - Google doesn’t like that.
• Directories can give you great links - and great traffic.  Don’t dismiss a directory because it nofollows it’s link - you might gain more than just some link juice (that’s a different article, actually.)  Keep in mind - most good directories are human edited - and have a fee.  You’re going to have to pay for good directory listings - and most talk about the “link” as a side benefit.
• Get social.  I know you don’t have a lot of time for being social and networking online.  Participating in a forum related to what you do is probably enough at first.  Be available and helpful - give suggestions to those with issues - point them in the right direction (it’s OK if that direction is your site - just disclose that.)  If you’re in the right place at the right time, you might get a great link and a write up out of it and a link!
• Keep at it.  I’d rather see you spend 1/2 a day on a Saturday compiling a huge list of possibilities and then looking at that list once a week and make some submissions instead of spending 2 full days doing some linkbuilding - and then ignoring it for six months.  Google rewards “natural” linkbuilding.  I sort of consider that somewhat of an oxymoron - but really they want steady sustained growth in incoming links.

Linkbuilding and Google back links are definitely one of the more abstract concepts in search engine optimization.  Because Google doesnt necessarily “tell all” there is a lot of speculation.  That’s not necessarily bad - but that means you need to use your common sense, obtain links that support what you do and what your customers want, and dont break the rules by hiring someone to “auto submit your site to 100s of directories.”  Slow and steady wins the race, right?