In this age of technology, everyone has a website. The tools to create and maintain our websites are plentiful. Because of all of the options available, it is easy to get carried away with designs, video, audio, and apps. These things make your website appealing to the user, but that is just one part of your website. Being Google (search engine) compliant is just as important.
Search Engine Friendly
Many experts agree backlinks are the most important resource you can utilize for your website. Google is classified as the best and the world’s most popular search engine. Google’s algorithms are complex and continually being modified to keep up with technology. While it is fair to say hackers are always looking for a way to get past their regulations if they do their success is short-lived.
The consequences of using links incorrectly can reap several results. First, they can simply leave your website dormant and allow it to float the internet with no movement. This tells Google your site is dead and the site will get lower and lower on the SERP (search engines results page). The second result of misuse of your links and backlinks is penalties assigned from Google. These penalties can be harsh and could include removal from the search engine results permanently. So, we have established two facts:
● Links and backlinks are the most important part of your website and not to be ignored.
● You need good
quality backlinks in order to rank higher on search engines and grow your business and reputation with Google.
Authority Sites - Linking
An authority site is just what it sounds like. It is a site that is a professional in their field. For example, your local Chamber of Commerce may put you in touch with a company in your area that teaches people how to start their own business. They may have a wonderful website to help you along your way. However,
Entrepreneur Magazine is a nationwide magazine that reports on “everything small business”. They write on every topic about businesses of all types and sizes. They have been in business since 1977 and they are an authority site. Linking to Entrepreneur Magazine immediately tells Google that your site is going to get more visibility based on your link. It tells Google that your site is valuable to other people. Simply put, it gives you a leg up on the rating board.
Authority Sites - Backlinking
Linking to an authority site is great. With the amount of information they put on the web, it is not difficult to find a place to link to them. But the brass ring is not linking to them, it is having them link to you! They have a huge following. People trust them. Google trusts them. If there is a link to you on their site, you can bet your traffic is going to increase. People will value your information because they will consider the authority site your reference. You will quickly find your company on the first page of the internet search engine pages. You may be unsure of how to obtain these sources, but it is possible. Here are some
helpful tips to get you started.
Working the pages
It is not always easy to work on a website. People often get the home page done and then put little on the rest of the site. Granted, the home page is important. However, you have to make every page special. If you do not, people will soon fall away and Google will spot the site as a poorly written site designed to draw people. Google has a 100% customer satisfaction policy. They do not like sites that lose their luster after the first page. Here are a few things to watch out for:
● Do not put all your links on the home page. Put some links on the other pages on the site. It is good to have authoritative sites on the home page, but if you have too many it looks cluttered and like you have nothing of your own to share.
● Content is still king. Have quality content that is current and informative. If everyone is blogging about something, do some digging. Find out what they missed. Most of them are simply reading each other’s work. Do some research and report the rest of the story or the story from a different point of view.
● If you are unsure about how to get or use backlinks it is important to seek help. This is the one subject that can make or break your website and your internet presence.
The age of technology continues to evolve. Creating a quality site that can grow with your business is perhaps the most important business decision you can make. As 2020 begins, there will never be a better time than right now. An investment in your system really is an investment in your future.
