Kalmia Records Blog

© 2004, John Calder http://www.TheEzine.net

Let’s face it, getting one-way, non-reciprocal links in to your site is the way to go these days, at least as far as SEO purposes go. Reciprocal links can send you traffic, and may count for something in the search engine ranking algorithms, but not nearly as much as they used to. To help you in the search results, you have to get the inbound links, preferably a text link with relevant text, from a site related to yours. Here are a few tips on getting those all-important inbounds.

It’s doubtful, for new sites in particular, that you’ll get another webmaster to link to you just for the asking. Many won’t even exchange links with low PR sites anymore, so your polite email request for a one-way link to your new PR 0 site may well be met with laughter.

But there are other ways to get the links you need. For example, you can post on relevant forums and newsgroups that themselves have some decent ranking. Remember though, that unless you’re selling to other marketers, there are a lot more forums than just marketing related ones. In fact, it’s much better, if you sell ski equipment for example, to post on ski vacation forums, local forums centered around various ski resorts, and so on. These are more on-topic to your site, and will carry more clout than a link from a marketing site.

You can also submit articles to the various article directories. Other webmasters typically have the right to use these articles on their sites, provided they leave your resource box intact. Again, these need to be relevant to the theme of your site for best results. It makes no sense to write about your favorite pet when you’re promoting the before-mentioned ski equipment site.

Finally, don’t overlook the use of RSS. With this technology, you are able to syndicate your content to other sites, through the use of a blog as one example. If other webmasters add your syndicated feed to their sites, you will get inbound links, most likely from sites that are relevant to yours.

A new “virus” is sweeping the Internet. It strikes by stealth at a websites profits and it could be crippling yours. It’s called “Invisible Website Syndrome” (or IWS) and renders it’s victims practically invisible on the world wide web.

The rise of IWS is attributed to the shear volume of webpages available online - now well over 2 Billion. Once, website visibility was not an issue - now it’s a major headache.

There are 5 steps to dealing with IWS:

1. Recognise the symptoms 2. Test for it 3. Recognise you are a sufferer 4. Take the medicine & commit to recover 5. Immunise against future outbreaks

1.Recognise the symptoms

Lack of “hits” and lacklustre profits are the most common symptoms. These are caused by the website appearing to be invisible to anyone searching for it’s products, services or content, due to disastrous search engine rankings. Consequently, potential customers are lost to the competition.

2. Test for it If you think you have the symptoms, then confirm by testing. Go from search engine to search engine, carrying out searches using keywords or phrases that your potential customers would use. Use those words or phrases that identify your products, services or subject matter - but not your company or website name itself. If you are well down the rankings, with many competitors “weighing in” above you, then your website is a sufferer. If you don’t have the time, a quick check method is to use a free visibility testing service (such as our own free visibility report - see below)

3. Recognise you have it If the diagnosis confirms your website as a sufferer, then face up to it. Acceptance is the first step towards recovery!

4. Take the medicine and commit wholeheartedly to recovery Resolve to take the medicine, however unpleasant the taste. There are two options: Do it yourself and you’ll need to study the search engines inside out. A potentially daunting task, but it may suit you if you’ve got more time than money.

Alternatively, enlist the help of a search engine specialist who can undertake & administer the whole process of recovery to full visibility.

(Special note: Don’t be tempted to cut corners by using automated software without proper research. You could do more harm than good.)

5. Immunise against future outbreaks Once on the road to recovery (it can be a long process), you’ll want to make certain IWS never strikes your site again. Constant attention will prevent further outbreaks. As the search engines change, so to does IWS. There is no “magic pill” cure - it can strike again at any time, unless you remain vigilant. So, keep on top of how it’s evolving as a result of search engine changes and act accordingly. A monthly maintenance programme to keep your website visible should be your goal.

Don’t ignore Invisible Website Syndrome. It’s the internet equivalent of a wasting disease, slowly taking hold on your website, eroding your profits while your competitors grow stronger. With the huge amount of webpages online, it can only get worse.