Beyond Linkbaiting Lisa Myers Director, Verve Search

About Lisa Myers Director & Founder, Verve Search (Search Consultancy – SEO, PPC & Online PR/Social Media) Speaker at Search Conferences (SES, SMX, Search Marketing World, B2B Search Events, IAB & Chinwag) Regular contributor to on and offline publications (UK, US & Europe) Heavily involved in the global Search Community, founded SEO-chicks.com and blogs for European search blog searchcowboys.com Awards Management Today “ 35 women under 35 ” list 2009 “ Best Use of Technology woman under 30” BlackBerry Woman & Technology Awards (2008) “ B2B Marketing Newcomer of the Year” (2007)

Director & Founder, Verve Search (Search Consultancy – SEO, PPC & Online PR/Social Media)

Speaker at Search Conferences (SES, SMX, Search Marketing World, B2B Search Events, IAB & Chinwag)

Regular contributor to on and offline publications (UK, US & Europe)

Heavily involved in the global Search Community, founded SEO-chicks.com and blogs for European search blog searchcowboys.com

Awards

Management Today “ 35 women under 35 ” list 2009

“ Best Use of Technology woman under 30”

BlackBerry Woman & Technology Awards (2008)

“ B2B Marketing Newcomer of the Year” (2007)

Changes in SE algorithms Incoming links are judged more strictly, big crack down on paid links Relevancy of content around links increased Authority of domain increased Semantic relationship between sites as well as pages

Incoming links are judged more strictly, big crack down on paid links

Relevancy of content around links increased

Authority of domain increased

Semantic relationship between sites as well as pages

Link Development Strategies Link Development Content Syndication Social Media Link baiting Press Releases Relationship building Site Seeding Events & Offline Activity

Link Baiting Great content

What it is Creating a piece of content (can be any type of digital content) that specifically increases the chances for “organic links” Once you have created the content, you have to SPREAD THE WORD! This is where social media merges in....

Creating a piece of content (can be any type of digital content) that specifically increases the chances for “organic links”

Once you have created the content, you have to SPREAD THE WORD! This is where social media merges in....

Absolutely Completely Must Be Good creative/idea! All the digging, sphinning, buzz building, social networking and seeding in the world will NOT work if the idea is rubbish!! Idea/Creative = Dogs Bullocks

Good creative/idea!

All the digging, sphinning, buzz building,

social networking and seeding in the world

will NOT work if the idea is rubbish!!

Idea/Creative = Dogs Bullocks

Host the content! This type of link development requires you to host the content on the domain you are doing link dev for!! Creating a fab link bait or social media campaign that is not on your domain = lost link equity

This type of link development requires you to host the content on the domain you are doing link dev for!!

Creating a fab link bait or social media campaign that is not on your domain = lost link equity

Power of “being nice” Communicating with buzz builders/linkerati; Bloggers Tweet peeps Hard core networkers Talk don’t tell! Make it relevant, find an angle that makes it a “must have” for them!

Communicating with buzz builders/linkerati;

Bloggers

Tweet peeps

Hard core networkers

Talk don’t tell!

Make it relevant, find an angle that makes it a “must have” for them!

Social Media Users Linkerati Internet Users

The linkerati is not stupid Linkerati

Using Twitter Developing relationship via twitter, will indirectly help link generation Twitter users are more likely to have their own websites/blogs Twitter Alert (brand, descriptive keyword etc) Tweetbeep.com Use hash tags #A4Uexpo

Developing relationship via twitter, will indirectly help link generation

Twitter users are more likely to have their own websites/blogs

Twitter Alert (brand, descriptive keyword etc) Tweetbeep.com

Use hash tags #A4Uexpo

Contentlinkation Using a piece of content to get a link can be very effective. BUT it needs to be relevant to the people you contact. Don’t waste their time, and yours!

Using a piece of content to get a link can be very effective. BUT it needs to be relevant to the people you contact. Don’t waste their time, and yours!

The Process Do your research Hunt down most appropriate contact Tone of voice in email Be direct, don’t waffle. Tailor your email to person Develop a relationship Follow up ALWAYS, ALWAYS be polite and personable!

Do your research

Hunt down most appropriate contact

Tone of voice in email

Be direct, don’t waffle.

Tailor your email to person

Develop a relationship

Follow up

ALWAYS, ALWAYS be polite and personable!

Give something back Have something to trade, why should they be linking to you? Content (must be relevant!) Discount/competition Breaking news Free A4U passes ;p

Have something to trade, why should they

be linking to you?

Content (must be relevant!)

Discount/competition

Breaking news

Free A4U passes ;p

Real Examples Hotel client. Created a piece of content about different ways of making a hotel “different” Mattress company. Piece of content about importance of sleeping whilst pregnant. Invoice Factoring Company. Piece of content about solving company cash flow problem

Hotel client. Created a piece of content about different ways of making a hotel “different”

Mattress company. Piece of content about importance of sleeping whilst pregnant.

Invoice Factoring Company. Piece of content about solving company cash flow problem

Press Releases If the idea is good ENOUGH using press release distribution sites can be beneficial to distribute your content BUT don’t waste your money by using just press releases as a link development strategy = rubbish!

If the idea is good ENOUGH using press release distribution sites can be beneficial to distribute your content

BUT don’t waste your money by using just press releases as a link development strategy = rubbish!

@lisadmyers Thank You! Email: [email_address] Web: www.vervesearch.com www.seo-chicks.com www.searchcowboys.com