screw link building - clickz live new york 2014

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@RyanJones

@RyanJonesManager – SEO & Analytics

www.RyanMJones.com

This presentation online:http://tiny.tw/3iGk

3A Brief History Of Link Building@RyanJones

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@RyanJones

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The Evolution of Link Building…

@RyanJonesDirectories

Link Exchanges

Article Submissions

Press Releases

Widgets

Infographics

Guest Blogs

Blog Comments

Forum Signatures

Profiles

Local / Places

?

Link Triangles

Paid Links

Youtube/Pinterest301s & Subdomains

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Let’s Talk About Search Engine Penalties

@RyanJones

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Cutts 1:20:14

Thou Shalt Not

Guest Blog

@RyanJones

8My thoughts on guest blogging are pretty transparent

@RyanJones

Here’s How I Reacted To That:

Search Engines want to takes action on:INTENT… NOT

TACTICS

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Tactics vs. Strategy

@RyanJones

A strategy is a plan of action with a goal. It consists of several tactics.

A tactic is a smaller, focused, less impactful action that’s part of a strategy.

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@RyanJones

WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY?

Guest Blogging Is NOT a Strategy.

Strategies include:

Acquire lower funnel traffic

Increase brand awareness

Ask: “what’s the goal of guest blogging?” What’s the goal of rankings?

That will lead you to your strategy.

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DON’T BE A LINK BUILDING IDIOT

@RyanJones

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@RyanJones

LINK BUILDINGEvolution vs. Creation

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Brand BuildingContent Marketing

Press Mentions“Going Viral”

Social Engagement

These are Earned Links

QUIT CREATING LINKS.

START EARNING THEM

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If You Can Automate & Scale It…

SEARCH ENGINES CAN DETECT IT

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This is NOT Link Building

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Engines Favor Brands Because Brands Earn LinksBig Brands don’t think of it as “Link Building”

They treat link building like any other type of ad:

• Is this audience appropriate?• How many eyeballs will see it?• How much traffic should I expect?• Will it convert?• Does it accomplish my campaign goals?

@RyanJones

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THIS IS HOW I BUILD LINKS

I Turn This:

Into This:

Source: Google Webmaster Tools Crawl Errors Report@RyanJones

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MEASURING LINK BUILDING

VANITY METRICS:

# of LinksPageRankPage AuthorityLRDs (linking root domains)

BETTER METRICS:

VisitorsNew VisitorsConversionsUnique Referring Domains

FACT:

LINK BUILDING IS HARD

SO DON’T DO LINK BUILDING:

DO BRAND BUILDING

DON’T GET LINKS.

GET ENDORSEMENTSBUILD RELATIONSHIPS

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The Evolution of Link Building…

@RyanJonesDirectories

Link Exchanges

Article Submissions

Press Releases

Widgets

Infographics

Guest Blogs

Blog Comments

Forum Signatures

Profiles

Local / Places

Link Triangles

Paid Links

Youtube/Pinterest301s & Subdomains

Relationship Building&

Real Marketing

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Let’s….

@RyanJonesLinkedin.com/in/jonesywww.RyanMJones.com

Ryan JonesManager – SEO & AnalyticsSapientNitro