Nick Bella

In the past, search engine optimisation consultants could get inbound links by purchasing them. It was also possible to use many general directories to acquire links. However, this meant that some low quality sites were doing better than they deserved to in the search engine results pages. Hence, Google opted to outlaw link buying. Since then, competition and the search engines have conspired to make SEO link building a more complex activity.

At Searchengineoptimisation.co.uk we have the experience and expertise to devise and implement link building campaigns of the highest quality. Our campaigns are site-specific but nonetheless some tactics work well in different contexts as long as they are properly tailored to the particular needs of each site. Due to the ever-changing nature of the sphere of search, the campaigns we run are adjusted on a regular basis.

The best ways of getting inbound links of the necessary relevance and quality involve improving the quality of the site in an incremental fashion. It may help to think of acquiring links as a popularity contest. The central idea is to deploy high grade content to the site so that more and more inbound links are attracted. However, if a site is in a different sector or if it has spam connected with it, a link from it is not desirable. Nevertheless, not every single link which is obtained should be of top quality because it could make the search engines suspicious.

There is a diversity of ways by which a site can improve its profile in order to gradually get more links. Adroit use of guest blogging, social media networking sites and even holding competitions can all pay off. Contributing to relevant forums can also be of assistance. The key is for the site to act as a useful and helpful participant in discussions around its central topic. It is possible to design link bait to get additional attention.

It is important to recall that the best approach is to focus on pleasing a well-defined target audience. If a site caters well for the kind of users it is after, then the links will eventually come. It is imperative to plan a link acquisition campaign and essential to ensure that the landing pages of the site are adequately prepared. Moreover, if the navigation of the site is not easy for users to negotiate the hard work will be wasted.

If all this was not complicated enough, further innovation from Google has opened up a new technique for seeking links. For example, sites can now use an option entitled Search by Image. This has a certain advantage over conventional methods of link attraction attached to it.

It is beyond the capacity of the average site owner to keep abreast of all the developments which keep changing the world of search, but a consultancy has the resources to do so. Any new technique like Search by Image takes a little getting used to. It is also crucial that any new methods are implemented in ways that fit well with existing strategies. The modification of ongoing campaigns is an important part of optimisation.

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If search engine optimisation services do not remain vigilant at all times they miss out on crucial changes in the sphere of search. This means that there is a need for significant investment in research and monitoring activities. Professional SEO services keep scanning the horizon for shifts in the behaviour of the search engines and the social media. To do otherwise would be to run the risk of campaigns losing their focus and they might even eventually stray into unethical black hat territory.

At Searchengineoptimisation.co.uk we remain alert to all the developments in the sphere of search. By being focused on continuity and change, we ensure that our site-specific campaigns use the most up-to-date techniques. Without this approach, the diverse sites we manage would be unable to perform well and would be too exposed to the intense competition in their particular sectors,

A case in point is the ending of a deal between Google and Twitter in early July 2011. Before this date, the search engine giant regularly featured tweets in its search engine results pages. This gave the search engine a greater ability to facilitate real-time search and gave the social media platform more publicity. The move had shown how conventional optimisation was converging and was even influencing the way in which some shrewd operators were tweeting. They were reflecting on the first part of their tweet as a de facto headline in case Google featured it.

At more or less the same time as the mutually beneficial deal between Google and Twitter lapsed, Google+ was launched. Following on from the failure of Google Buzz, Google+ was a more concerted effort by Google to break into the social media. Perhaps Google now saw less value in its previous arrangement with Twitter. Almost immediately after Google+ launched, the mighty Facebook announced that it was entering into a relationship with Skype to enable video chat. While it had been possible to observe elements of competition and collaboration between the search engines and the social media prior to July, it now seemed that the key aspect of the relationships under scrutiny was competitive.

All these developments had implications for the campaigns that optimisation consultancies were in charge of. It is still possible and desirable to manage multifaceted campaigns which aim to make progress on more than one front. However, the task is becoming more complicated. Consultancies can deliver campaigns that get a target audience by partly focusing on Twitter and Facebook, but they must bear in mind the possibility of Google+ eventually gaining some ground. Furthermore, they must track the evolution of all the players with care.

Twitter may have lost a little influence with the demise of its Google deal. Similarly, Facebook may have lost some users due to the concerns over privacy issues. Nonetheless, Twitter seems resilient and popular enough for it to continue its development path without being deflected. Facebook’s massive audiences and its forward-looking deal with Skype both underline the fact that its dominance over other social media looks set to endure for some time. Campaigns have to be based on a charting of these emergent realities.