A possible linking strategy

[frobn]

I think most would agree that the vast majority of link exchanges are not for the benefit of potential visitors but are rather for the benefit of search engines. When this is the case, wouldn't the best backlink be to your sitemap? Has anyone thought about or used this strategy?

[Las Vegas Homes]

That is a very interesting idea Frobn, I for one now have a few sites I can test this out on. I will try this on one new real estate site and see what happens. Your conclusions seem to be right on as to it does not help the consumer you are targeting with recips.

[Real Estate Forum]

I think most would agree that the vast majority of link exchanges are not for the benefit of potential visitors but are rather for the benefit of search engines. When this is the case, wouldn't the best backlink be to your sitemap? Has anyone thought about or used this strategy?
Frank I love you dude ... check it out, some of the forums I sign up with, I placed my site map as the homepage. Just to get it spidered. not to get it ranked with keywords in a text link, just spidered to add search engine weight which then impacted all pages on my sites.

it worked.

not sure if it still does, have to check it out.
I love how you are one of the few seo's who uses common sense instead of just trying to follow some strategies that have been worn out!

[frobn]

Frank I love you dude ... check it out, some of the forums I sign up with, I placed my site map as the homepage. Just to get it spidered. not to get it ranked with keywords in a text link, just spidered to add search engine weight which then impacted all pages on my sites.

it worked.

not sure if it still does, have to check it out.
I love how you are one of the few seo's who uses common sense instead of just trying to follow some strategies that have been worn out!

Thanks Mike, that is exactly what I want to accomplish and it is nice to know that it works.

[Las Vegas Real Estate]

... check it out, some of the forums I sign up with, I placed my site map as the homepage.
Mike, can you explain that a bit more to me, please? (Speak slowly and draw big pictures, LoL...)

[Real Estate Forum]

OK since we are all adults here let me ellaborate:

Signature links do help. Especially when a forum is about the same industry which the site your signature links to is.
When you have " San Diego Real Estate " as the text on your link, it will help you rank for that term. but be very careful, have other sites link to you with some variations such as " San Diego Homes for sale ".
When all of your text links say the same thing, it can be an indicator to the search engines that you links have not been grown organically meaning you told the webmaster how to link to you to impact the serps.

Google states here amongst other things:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/webmasters/2.html

"setting up pages/links with the sole purpose of fooling search engines may result in permanent removal from our index"

So be careful.



When you have your url in the home page section of your profile, it will not read any keyterms other than the ones present in your url itself.


In my case it is good since http://www.national-real-estate-directory.com/real-estate-forum/ has a lot thereof ;)
But what it will do is spider your page and add weight which determines value in the eyes of the search engines and impacts your rankings lateron.
When you link to your sitemap, it increases credibility to your sitemap and since it links to EVERY page of your site with the right keywords, it will help you more overall than with any other page.

Frank is fairly new to this and just like I when I started, he is thinking about stuff like this which is cool.
Since you guys are busy selling houses and I am online all day ... we will be the ones throwing out pointers.

Feel free to ask, agree or disagree if you wish :)

[frobn]

When you have your url in the home page section of your profile, it will not read any keyterms other than the ones present in your url itself.


In my case it is good since http://www.national-real-estate-directory.com/real-estate-forum/ has a lot thereof ;)
But what it will do is spider your page and add weight which determines value in the eyes of the search engines and impacts your rankings lateron.
When you link to your sitemap, it increases credibility to your sitemap and since it links to EVERY page of your site with the right keywords, it will help you more overall than with any other page.


Just want you to know it works! I have been trying to get google to spider my listing view pages without any luck. Since linking to the sitemap Google is beginning to spider the pages. Now I will add more to the sitemap or make additional sitemap pages. All pages have dynamic titles and descriptions based on the listing itself so I am not concerned about duplicate content.

[San Diego Real Estate]

frobn,

Great information...whats your take on home page links? ;)

[frobn]

frobn,

Great information...whats your take on home page links? ;)

I don't have an opinion about HP links except that if it makes sense then it is likely ok. What strikes me about Google's new patent is a general downgrading of links as a strategy. Let me explain. Links are still important but Google's emphasis has shifted from the link to the linking process. I believe the emphasis is or will be on 'how the web site evolves' its links and content over time. How often do I add content, how fast do I get links and how meaningful is the link, assuming the links have relevancy, are just as important as the links themselves. This in not a very good example, but we see many sites with pages for state directories, but how meaningful are they? You can argue that they are but if you and I both specialize in vacation homes wouldn't reciprocal links be more natural and relevant on a 'vacation page' than links on a Florida or Calf. page.

I am still working on the process but here is where I am headed. If the "process" is important then it makes sense to seek out linking partners who have a strategy to evolve their site even if their strategy it is different than mine.

Watch for the new SEO catch word "natural" ie, 'natural SEO', 'natural linking strategies', etc