Anyone who has chased Google’s algorithm knows that backlinks rule. After all, when Google was first created, it was named “Backrub”. Links from other websites pointing to your website are “votes” for your website. Google, as well as other search engines, believes that if plenty of other sites link to your site, your site must contain valuable information. The more votes, the better.

The Search Engine Optimization world pushed linkbuilding to its outermost limits.
An entire sub-industry of link brokers and text link brokers sprang up. Websites willing to pay enough could gain hundreds, even thousands, of links within days – sometimes with hundreds of links coming from one site. Those with high Page Rank sites rented links on a monthly basis for big bucks. Wily webmasters created dozens of websites and linked them together in cunning ways to pass Page Rank, build link popularity and boost link reputation. Others went wild with reciprocal links, giving a link to anyone who would give them one back.

With the recent Jagger Update, linkbuilding has changed dramatically.
Contrary to the old way of thinking, some incoming links may now actually harm you. Others are simply discounted in the algorithm and will not help. Google appears to be able to look closely at your entire network of links and they are now trying to filter out the links that appear “unnatural” to them.

What does natural linking look like? 
Links created over time, in a variety of ways, with a variety of link text and from a variety of sources that have a reason to point to your website.

Reciprocal links should serve a purpose.
There should be a good reason for a reciprocal link.  For example, a caterer links to a DJ and a wedding photographer and they both link back. These are natural business relationships that benefit both parties. Reciprocal links that don’t serve a logical purpose will probably not be looked upon as natural and, if you have very many of them, they may hurt you.

Most links should come from within your own networks or communities.
People should link to your site for a good reason; other websites within your own realm are the ones that naturally have good reasons to link to yours. For example, a bank may link to a site with a mortgage calculator tool on it, the Federal Reserve website displaying the current prime rate, and a site showing blue book prices for used cars. These links all benefit the bank’s customers by directing them to more information related to banking. Linking in to the bank’s website, you may find a small business consultant whose customers may need loans, a used auto dealer, the state banking association to which they belong, the local chamber of commerce, and the website of a non-profit whose cause the bank sponsors.

Links should be built over time.
It is not normally good practice for a website to get many, many of links at one time. Natural links are built slowly, but not necessarily consistently. It is natural for a website to gain attention within its community and get clusters of links, as well as single links here and there. Sometimes a website does make a big splash for one reason or another and gets a crazy amount of links very quickly. Unfortunately, most website owners don’t need to worry about that happening to them.

Which links are best?
Next week, I’ll give you some tips as to which links have the most power.

Mary Bowling - Blizzard Internet Marketing, Inc.

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