Here at Blueclaw we’ve been discussing what are likely to be the key SEO factors for 2011. Various topics have passed our lips such as Google Places, review content, faceted search/navigation, brand reputation monitoring, Tweet mentions, quality content etc. However there is one area that has dominated our thoughts more than any other; and that is Google’s current interpretation of anchor text within back-links. Ultimately what is the most effective way to add keywords as anchor text to back-links on 3rd party sites whilst still ensuring a Google friendly link-mix?

To anchor or not to anchor?

The much discussed Google update that occurred midway through 2010 almost certainly placed penalties on web pages that had imbalanced keyword anchor ratios pointing to them. Or more precisely, I believe that Google slapped various aged domains (say 2 year plus) with heavy keyword link mix histories (sites that over anchored 4-5 main keywords). Newer sites, say under a year old, seemed to not be affected, or at least just yet. I was going to show actual domain examples then I thought best not to for obvious reasons.

Therefore what are the best strategies when anchoring links?

If you have a new domain (say under 12 months)

If this is the case then I still believe that it is fair game to push contextual anchor text linking a little harder, however be mindful of Google’s current position and add keyword targeted anchor text in the right places. Try not to add keyword anchors within blogrolls, site-wides, footers etc as this can indicate paid links. Keep track of your anchors and mix your links with various phrases. Don’t just link to your homepage. Spread your links across various deeper landing pages within your site as this will look more natural and will run in tandem with your on-site SEO strategy.

Keep an eye on your competition and see how they are building their links (i.e. quality and quantity – use tools to analyse links such as Majestic SEO and Open Site Explorer), especially the newer sites that are flying up the SERPS. Remember you’re most likely playing catch up so you have a tad more room to go for it. Google doesn’t know your domain yet therefore, you can take a few more calculated risks.

A good tactic, if you have the time and budget, is to SEO two or three sites for similar phrases (place on different IPs and don’t interlink), experiment a little and see which link mixes come out on top. It is fine to add links on lower grade domains. I wouldn’t steep too low though such as adding links to spam Xrumer type sites, dodgy bookmarking sites and link wheel blogs. Opt for articles sites and half decent blogs. Google may slap your site if the majority of your links are all say PR 5s because this smacks of paid inclusion.

If you have an aged domain (say 12-18 months plus)

Some of the points I mentioned in the above paragraphs are relevant for this section, however there are a few more considerations when it comes to domain age.

If you haven’t pushed your domain in terms of link building for several months then it’s probably wise to start at a steady pace. It will look unnatural if there is a sudden surge of links to your site. Google will have cached your site many times, it knows your domain.

However, if you have created a fantastic piece of content and harvested natural links and tweets, then Google will most likely pat you on the back. What I am referring to is building links in moderation that are that are not necessarily bona fide ‘natural’ links, such as article submissions, guest blog posts, online PR, widgets, paid links, advertorials and so forth. Essentially, where you can control anchor text and start bulking up your link profile.

If your domain already has many targeted keyword anchors linking to it and is holding first page positions, then I suggest generating competitor back-link reports and checking the anchor mix of the sites around your domain. This is always a good exercise for new and older domains. Analyse the link mixes and make a judgment call, you’ll soon see the anchor text mix/ratio dominating the 1^st page SERPS. I always check positions 10-30 for newer players; to see what potential link juice is flying around.

2011 is going to be the year of the ‘intelligent link mix’, keep a close eye on your competition, find where the link juice is flowing and build your anchors in the right places, if you do this then you will be in a right place for 2012!

Please feel free to share your thoughts below, how do you intend to ensure your link mix is correct?



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Link Building, Search Engine Optimisation