Importance of link building to your site ranking

[Brian Turner]

I think you'll find Google has enough data on user behaviour to be able to ascribe a value to links according to human user use, rather than on-page elements.

In which case, I'd argue that nofollow links that can get direct human user traffic definitely have value, because they offer a quality signal Google can track and process.

[Find Accountants]

Thanks for this. What you're saying makes sense, so why is it that some people say a 'nofollow'.

I guess any link is a good link as long as it come from a relevant site or enhances user experience?

[Brian Turner]

Indeed, I wouldn't worry too much about nofollow links, unless the primary source of links to your website are nofollowed. That may not be a very positive signal, but a natural link profile will contain some regardless.

[Secure Data Destruction]

I endorse Brian's view that you need to have a valid reason for generating links. eg. you have to have an active interest in a subject or find an interest and promote your site on the back of it. The days of finding links for the sakes of SEO alone are long gone

[Find Accountants]

Hi Secure Data Destruction & welcome to the forum.

Why do you say the days of link building for SEO are long gone? One of the main reasons why people build links is for SEO, as the amount of traffic a site actually receives from some of the sites they link to, is very minimal.

Obviously there are links that are beneficial from an SEO point of view as well as a traffic generation point of view, but no where near enough to get a good ranking on SE's (for competitive KW's that is), hence why most people have to build more links SEO purposes!

[Secure Data Destruction]

thanks for the welcome.

I suppose its more a personal point in that its just so boring doing it unless you have got an interest. I have much more fun promoting my blog on ISO 27001 because I am active in the subject matter - even though its an excruciatingly boring subject.

While I am on, my blog has just gone from PR 0 to PR 2 - can you explain what normally causes that to happen. The same thing has just happened to the home page. Will it just be related to age of the site? Link is below.

[Find Accountants]

Hi Secure Data Destruction,

I think the PR changes when google updates something (not sire what though), but I read that they update whatever it is they update every 4 months or so, hence why it takes ages for the PR of a site to change, even though you may have built a lot of good incoming links.

Hope this makes sense, but I'm sure there will be someone on this forum who knows more about it than me : )

[vixar]

Originally Posted by Niche

Several free methods you can use for generating links to your sites.
Article marketing is one method that works. You could also consider link bait, social bookmarking, PR releases.

Directories? Well I still do directory submissions and have got some do follow links from some so I wouldn't totally discount directory submisssions altogether

You are very close to the truth. Article marketing,Social bookmarking, PR releases are something that I have found very benefitting over time.

[Find Accountants]

I still hven't got round to any article marketing! I always put it off to the next day but never do it! I've set up a facebook account for my web-site though. Is this classed as Social Bookmarking?

[t.everest]

Also, aare blogs better than forums or are they the same?

I think Blogs are Better than Forums