Off-Page Search Engine Optimisation Simplified

We’ve discussed the basic premise of Search Engine Optimisation, (including factors pertinent to ‘on-page’ optimising) in an earlier feature. However, what really matters concerns off-page SEO. It’s rather like a voting scheme. One website volunteers a link or vote to another website. They’re suggesting the site is worth looking at.

There are 2 main bits to the link. First, the actual URL or web address of the page they are pointing to. Then secondly the keyword phrase. This will be highlighted on the web page. That page can then be seen as receiving one ‘vote’. In other words one ‘vote’ to push the website up the natural listings.

It always works in this way. There’s an irrevocable connection between the page pointed to and the anchor text. Or the process can’t happen. The Search Engines use the anchor text as an explanation of what the page is all about. It’s ESSENTIAL to understand this – Your site will only come up in searches it has anchor texts for.

So it becomes obvious why ‘CLICK HERE to learn more’ has no SEO value. We’ve done no more than give those two words our vote! Who thinks of typing in ‘CLICK HERE’ when they’re doing a search? Not a soul!

Hence why the anchor text must be used correctly. For it represents all the phrases your site will be listed for. For your information, the Adobe Reader download site features first for CLICK HERE. Is that because Adobe want to rank for ‘click here’? Absolutely not! But think how many web pages include a link to their site with the words click here…

In other words, the SE’s use the anchor text phrase to cast a vote for a page. Which is very logical. SE’s try to look for relevancy in the same way a real person would. The content of your page isn’t necessarily relevant. For if the text that is pointing to your site says Blue Flowers, then that is what you will be listed for! That’s how the ‘voting system’ works.

Naturally, there’s more to it than that… The title and wording of the page being pointed at are also rated by the SE’s. In addition to several other in-depth criteria. As an example – they’ll look at the sites that link to yours and assess how relevant they are and how well spread.

The crux of it all is though that a mass of back links solves all the problems! And these need to be from as many different sites as possible – with the correct phrases used as anchor text. A site’s quality is taken into account as well: Receiving a link from a top site like Microsoft is much more valuable than one from a start-up site.

There’s quite an art to choosing the right keyword phrases. Do perform sufficient competitor and keyword research before you firm up on your strategy. Fundamentally though: If someone’s searching for what you do, which words are they typing into the Search Engine? The answers to this question supply your anchor text and keyword phrases.

Getting it right though takes a lot of measuring, testing and research. The phrases that perform best are sometimes quite unforeseen. People have such diverse thoughts about how to express what they want. If you’re desperate for better quality sleep, the words ‘comfortable mattress’ might come into your mind. Whilst the line GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP could be used by someone else.

It’s simply not worth relying on supposition. It can’t be over-estimated how important it is to investigate, measure and test all the phrases to be used. How much visibility your site gets is absolutely dependent on this. Compare it to an entry in a physical printed Business Directory. You won’t receive any calls if you’re listed under an inappropriate heading. Search Engine Optimisation can only be effective with painstaking and detailed keyword research.

(C) Jason Kendall SEO. Pop over to EvolveSEM.co.uk for clear ideas on SEM Consultants.