In the SEO “war” establishing and evolving an effective outgoing link strategy is yet another critical weapon. However, the structure and content of each and every one of those outgoing links is critical to your eventual success in the battle. Descriptive links which are rich in critical keyword are essential, while you should avoid at all costs the “click here” strategy. As a replacement for a “click here” link, substitute a very descriptive link with primary keywords, and you will be working toward optimization each time a reader clicks.
Why Outbound Links Matter
Outbound links count with your visitors as well as human editors of directories since providing meaningful links to other quality sites actually makes your own site all the more credible. Readers always want to know just what’s in it for them, so when you provide links to offer advice, information and quality content, you are more likely to be looked on kindly by your visitors. We all want solutions to our problems, or even just better surfing experiences, so high-quality outbound links can provide just that. A note of caution however—you need to be super-aware of the words “other quality sites,” when constructing outbound links. Nothing can destroy your credibility and loyal fan base any quicker than linking to inferior websites. When you put a link into your copy, you are essentially giving your stamp of approval to the site and telling your readers that it is well worth their while to take the time to click and read.
Location, Location, Location
Search engines tend to pay special attention to outgoing links which are located within the paragraph headings, with a few key links scattered throughout the paragraph text. There is a fine line, however between the judicious use of links throughout your content and links randomly stuffed into your page which will likely hurt your search engine ranking. Pages which are overfull of external links can be seen as an attempt at deception, leading Google—and others—to discount your pages entirely. If you have a larger number of outbound links than is ideal, then do your best to balance those with an equal number of internal links.
Stay in Your Neighborhood
When you are considering the links you want to send your readers to, try your best to ensure they are first, non-competing and second, high traffic. You always want to remain within your own specific niche. Specifically, keep your links theme-related to your own website or blog site. Don’t forget to link out to your other domains which cover related topics, and to ensure you get maximum bang for your buck, include your specific keywords incorporated into outbound and inbound links.
Don’t Hang Out With the Wrong Crowd
As stated, “bad” links can seriously hurt you. Just like mom always told you, you are judged by the company you keep, and if readers are consistently given spammy links, or even links which are not helpful or uninteresting, they will begin to distrust you and your site. Never, ever, obtain links from link farms and avoid marketing gimmicks which proclaim they will provide millions of links to your site for the low, low price of….
Link Maintenance
While link maintenance is painstaking and time consuming, it is also incredibly important. The success of your website depends on all your links being valid and in perfect working order. Digging through your archives to check the links within your post can seem like just too much, however take a look at the link-checking tools which can help automate the process.
Making the effort to create a solid outgoing link strategy can pay off big time in search engine optimization, so work at it and perfect your process!
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