7 replies to this topic

[ClickClick]

Hi, I have a powerful health-related website that is pretty much the highest ranking site within its market in the UK and probably Europe. It receives around 1800 unique visits a day.

We have a small in-house SEO (content writing) team and new content is added on a daily basis, which has helped the site's listings dramatically in the last few years (this time last year we were getting 600 or so visits a day). The content brings in a steady number of links naturally because of the interesting content.

We do however have a competitor who has shot up recently for the main keywords within the inustry. The site is nothing special and the content isn't updated or added on a regular basis so all I can put the increase in listings down to is a link campaign. Their links have increased dramatically in-line with their improved listings and they are now in fact usually listed higher than us for the best keyword in the industry, although the listings for both sites (and most of the others in the first page) fluctuate regularly - we alternate between number 3 and number 8 - it literally changes on a weekly basis. At the moment we are number 5 and they are number 3.

Looking at the evidence, I believe that the 'icing on the cake' for us would be to partake in a link-building campaign. This would combine the plusses of our website, which is listed very well, with the plusses of the competitor in question's website, which is also listed very well.

The problem is, I'm very wary of trusting a company to build such links for us. It's taken a lot of time to get the site to where it is and I woudln't want to risk throwing that away. The company I have consulted have shown me some examples of very reputable similar companies whose websites they have worked on and are now appearing very high for some very competitive keywords so they seem to get the results. They are also listed very well themselves for some strong SEO keywords.

They have offered 450 links over a 6 month period - 50 to be built the first and second month, 75 the third and forth and 100 the fifth and sixth. It is something that I would like to try but I just want to ensure that this isn't something that is going to get me penalised. Does this amount of links sound safe?

Thank you, any help or advice would be appreciated!

[SelfMade]

The problem is, I'm very wary of trusting a company to build such links for us. It's taken a lot of time to get the site to where it is and I woudln't want to risk throwing that away. The company I have consulted have shown me some examples of very reputable similar companies whose websites they have worked on and are now appearing very high for some very competitive keywords so they seem to get the results. They are also listed very well themselves for some strong SEO keywords.

I just want to ensure that this isn't something that is going to get me penalised. Does this amount of links sound safe?

Thank you, any help or advice would be appreciated!

If the company is reputable: i.e checked them out yourself fully, examples and so on, that aspect isn't an issue.

However, you are absolutely right with your concerns, the real issue is getting into a bad link neighbourhood.

I like to keep in mind "a company can be ruined on a bad sandwich" but thats just me.

Your choice at the end of the day...but the stats you have just mentioned its a question of whether I would be willing to risk or compromise that.. I'm not sure I would.

Call me a cynic!

[Randy]

I would personally go another route, given the facts as you've laid them out.

You already have a team writing content. So if it were me I'd be thinking of ways to basically syndicate some of this content out to other reputable sites in a way that will bring your targeted links that carry value. This is a marketing tactic I use each and every week. Done right it can work wonders. Done wrong it's not all that helpful.

You'll have much more control over the process and end up with as many links for probably less cash outlay. And the links themselves should be more valuable too. Not to mention the fact that the links could also bring you some direct traffic.

Sounds like you've already got everything you need to put such a plan into place, except a delivery system to syndicate the content. There are a few of them out there and none of them cost much. Feel free to PM if you want to get into a more detailed discussion of the concept.

[kynduvme]

A great way to generate quality backlinks and still use your inhouse content team, is to have them write articles and submit to article distribution websites. Make sure they include the appropriate anchor text links back to your home page or which ever page you are interested in creating link pop for.

[ClickClick]

Thank you all for your replies. Kynduvme, do you mean sites such as PR Web? We publish a PR Web story once a month. Do you have any other site suggestions?

Randy - thanks for your advice. I'm going to PM you

[Michael-F]

I would personally go another route, given the facts as you've laid them out.

You already have a team writing content. So if it were me I'd be thinking of ways to basically syndicate some of this content out to other reputable sites in a way that will bring your targeted links that carry value. This is a marketing tactic I use each and every week. Done right it can work wonders. Done wrong it's not all that helpful.

You'll have much more control over the process and end up with as many links for probably less cash outlay. And the links themselves should be more valuable too. Not to mention the fact that the links could also bring you some direct traffic.

Sounds like you've already got everything you need to put such a plan into place, except a delivery system to syndicate the content. There are a few of them out there and none of them cost much. Feel free to PM if you want to get into a more detailed discussion of the concept.

I'd like a bit more detail on this as well, if you don't mind. We're currently doing a little bit of syndication with the content we're creating, but I'd love to hear about ways to make it quicker, easier and more effective.

[kynduvme]

"Syndicate the content". Randy, I would love to hear your methods for this.

[Randy]

heh I answered your PM kynduvme.