Right now you're probably asking yourself, "What is link juice and how can I get some?" And if you aren't asking that question, you should be. Really.
"Link juice" is a pet name that online marketers and SEO geeks commonly use when discussing a website's link popularity. The phrase link popularity refers to the quantity and quality of backlinks that a website has obtained from other sites on the web. To understand why link juice is so important to the health of your website, you should first understand the two primary reasons the search engines use links on the web.
When crawling the vast expanse of the web, the search engine "spiders" or "bots" follow links that they find going from one web page to another. This allows them to find new content and discover new webpages that they've never visited before.
The search engines believe in democracy, at least to an extent. A link from Site A to Site B is interpreted by the search engines as an endorsement, or vote of confidence, from Site A for Site B. Generally speaking, sites which have the most links, or votes, from other websites are determined to have higher quality content, and as a result, are given priority in the search engine rankings. This is where the link juice comes in.
It's not just the sheer number of backlinks that a site has obtained that will effectively boost its search engine rankings, there is a quality factor that comes into play as well. As in the real world, it's not about the number of connections you have, it's about having the right connections. It's critical to establish relationships with sites that will give you the most link juice, because those relationships will drive targeted traffic to your website and boost your search engine rankings. So what makes a site juicy?
There are a number of factors that determine the quality of a link, but here are five important considerations:
Relevancy-Is the linking site's content relevant to your website's content? A link from a highly relevant site is much more valuable than one from a site that has nothing in common with yours.
Authority-Could the linking site be considered an authority site in your neighborhood? Does it rank highly for relevant keyword phrases? Does it have strong link popularity? Does it receive strong traffic on a daily basis? Would you recommend the site to others? If you answered "no" to any of those questions then most likely it's not an authority site.
Placement-Where on the site will your link be placed? Is the link partner going to place your link on a prime spot such as the homepage or bury it deeply in their site where it's unlikely to be found by a human or a spider?
Reputation-Reputation management is a critical factor for success. Just as knowing the wrong people can get you into trouble, being associated with the wrong type of websites can harm your site. You don't want links from websites that have dirty ties, so make sure you know your link partners.
Recognition-Is the link partner offering you a handshake or a pat on the back? Reciprocal linking with the right sites is okay, but if given the opportunity you should go for the one-way backlink. A one-way backlink is seen as a vote of confidence for your site, a reciprocal link can be viewed by the search engines as an agreement between two sites.
Not all links are created equal. ThoughtProcess creates custom Link Building campaigns that are designed to enhance search engine rankings and drive qualified to your website. Give us a call and we'll discuss your online marketing goals, and then design a Link Building program that is customized to your business.