Posted by on June 23rd, 2010 View Comments
Posted in Miscellaneous |
Identifying Your Link Opportunities
A link building campaign can only be successful if you can identify the right amount and value of a given link opportunity type in a keyword market. But first, you have to fully understand the different aspects that come into play. Correctly identifying how the following concepts differ will guide you in planning an effective link building campaign by finding the right link opportunities and evaluating among the different types of opportunities that will be discussed later on.
Your Linkable Assets and Link Opportunity Types
Let us first distinguish between “linkable assets” and “link opportunity types.”
A linkable asset is anything that can entice web site publishers to link or cite them in their web pages. These can include events, data, journals, research materials, free software, a blogger, industry expert, or any person and page that lures publishers to establish a link. By being able to identify your linkable assets before planning for your link building campaign can help you evaluate the types of web sites or opportunities these assets open up for you.
On the other hand, link opportunity types are simply the opportunities for link in the keyword space. They include different types of channels, such as guest posts, link or directory listings, industry news sites, product review blogs, forums, blog discussions or comments, upcoming event listings and others. By identifying the right link opportunity types in your keyword space, you can successfully look for the linkable assets that are highly linkable. You can also explore on more new link opportunity types in your keyword space by establishing queries as well as conducting competitor profile analysis. A single linkable asset opens up numerous link opportunity types, including site directories, blog posting, and interviews among others.
For example, if your company and your web site offer free mobile applications, then the apps themselves are the linkable assets, while mobile application directory sites, mobile app review sites, and guest postings that feature a mobile app are the related link opportunity types.
Distinguishing Market Defining Keywords from Money Keywords
Next, it is important to also distinguish between money keywords and market defining keywords (MDFK) to determine the right keywords to utilize in an effective link building campaign. As we all know, keywords are the means to know the movement of a certain market or industry. It is the bridge between search engine optimization efforts and revenues from these efforts.
Search engine marketers are usually familiar of money keywords, or the keywords that are bidded and optimized for because they are searched by potential clients when are looking for ideas, products, or services as their target solutions. However, money keywords cannot always give you the needed help to analyze your market or industry for link building opportunities. The key to this endeavor is the market defining keywords (MDFK) which are high-level keywords that describe a market. They are usually not the keywords you seek for with your organic efforts. For instance, an online shoe retailer’s money keywords would be brand names (Nike, Geox, etc.), type of shoes (rubber shoes, leather shoes, etc.), and specific shoe names. Its MDFK would be simply shoes.
Identifying Market Defining Keywords for Industry Link Opportunity Analysis
To identify the right link opportunities that exist in your market, you should first look on your market defining keywords to evaluate the different opportunities. You should determine the top three market defining keywords—and not the profitable keywords—that would best suit your site.
Measuring the Value of the Different Link Opportunities in Your Keyword Space
After getting your MDFKs, it’s now time to know how to measure each link opportunity using your MDFKs. The following are the different types of link opportunities you can evaluate and utilize to your link building campaign’s advantage.
• Blogs
You should consider checking blogs related to your market. By looking at the blogging community in your keyword space, you can determine whether it is worth it to engage in blogging communities such as interviews and blog post collaborations. You can search Google with the following queries if the search results are relevant and to test whether your MDFKs are broad enough: MDFK blogs, MDFK blog lists, top MDFK blogs
(insert your own MDFKs in the “MDFK” portion).
• Industry News Sites and Trade Publications
You should also check out industry news sites and trade publications since they are effective channels to campaign your links and create new business relationships. Contributing to these sites through submitting news releases, articles featuring certain tips or interesting comments in discussion forums, industry news sites, and trade publications can greatly contribute in your link building campaign.
Search for the following terms in Google to look sites and help you decide whether it’s wise to engage in these channels: MDFK news, MDFK trade publication, MDFK conference.
• Guest Publishing
Guest posting or guest publishing should be given great consideration especially when other web publishers are actively looking for content. Guest posting is also an effective way to establish your online presence and links in your market and to attract your needed online traffic. To look for web publishers that are currently looking for more content, you can search Google with the following keywords: MDFK guest post, MDFK inurl:category/guest, MDFK guest article.
• Interviews
You can establish your relevance and credibility in your keyword market if you conduct interviews, especially from experts in your industry. You can also build working relationships with the people you interview, and consequently, extend your network of links. When you are planning to hold interviews, you should look for two important things first. You have to look for the experts or renowned members in the organization you are interviewing, and you should also hold a wider scale group interview with all the industry experts who have already received interviews. You can check if doing interviews with certain experts are feasible or if it is worth your effort by doing a Google search on existing interviews and interview tips with the following terms: MDFK intitle:interview, MDFK intitle:”q&a with”, MDFK intitle:”tips from” OR “advice from” OR “chat with.”
• Niche Directories
In niche directories, you can find listings related to your keyword space. They are usually worth submitting to. Being found in such directories can help your site attract a wider targeted audience and enhance the trustworthiness and relevance of your web site among the different major search engines. Search Google with the following terms to check different directories or listings related to your keyword space: MDFK directory, MDFK websites, MDFK suggest * URL.
• Niche Online Communities
It is also advisable to check for forums and social networking sites related to your niche to get a picture of the online community in your keyword market. Discussion forums are a great venue for exchanging ideas, interacting with other experts and target audience, and establishing your link. Online communities such as social networking sites like Facebook and social media sites like Digg and StumbleUpon are great channels to get content ideas and establish your online presence through contribution and interaction. Remember to not just join these communities to drop your links — this can harm your reputation among the other members of the communities. You have to be actively involved. Check out online communities in your niche with these search keywords: MDFK community, intitle:MDFK forum, MDFK inurl:blogs.
• Professional Associations
Finding professional associations within your industry can help you in your link building efforts through building professional relationships. You should definitely join professional organizations to connect with other experts within your industry. This is also a way of finding online newsletters and publications of some industry organization where you can also submit content to. You can check if your industry has prominent professional organizations by googling for: MDFK association, ADFK associated, MDFK intitle:“location” (insert your own location).
If you are able to take advantage of the different link opportunities listed above and determine the right mix that suits you, you will surely direct your link building campaign to the right path.
