Old SEO paradigms used to say if you linked to a page about hedge trimmers, then you should use a number of content-oriented sources that link back to the page via the anchor text “hedge trimmers.”
If only it were that easy! It’s never quite that simple – any “strategy” that places SEO before the user is bound to fail.
In fact, when search engines see dozens of links that derive from the same targeted anchor text (e.g., “hedge trimmers”), this may appear as though the links are paid for, spammy, and unnatural.
Thankfully, over-optimized anchor text is becoming a thing of the past, as search engines have been finding ways to reward natural webpages with organic link profiles that don’t appear overused or manipulated.
Certified Natural Anchor Text
SEO is not without its advantages, but there’s a wrong way to do it (forced) and a right way (natural). Here are five strategies you can incorporate into your efforts to give yourself a natural boost.
1. Conduct a Backlink Analysis – Compare your backlink analysis with a competitor’s. Not only will this give you a few insights into how you can adjust your efforts, it will keep you updated, help you improve your website, and motivate you to generate new ideas to meet your audience’s needs and interests.
2. Clean Up Your Website – Perform a quality investigation on your own website. Are there any pages that are lackluster? Do you repeat content on your website? Are you still utilizing pop ups or automatic audio? Double check each page on your website and eliminate any pages that are poor performers. Derivative content or pages with little content and tons of ads are toxic to your efforts.
3. Target the Middle – Recall the long-tail strategy? Aim for the middle of the long-tail by “sandwiching” your keywords in anchor text. Include the anchor text you want to use with an extension of relevant text to refine the topic. For example, if you’re writing an article discussing weight loss strategies for women over 40, then instead of using a generic anchor text link like “weight loss,” use “weight loss for women over 40.”
4. Use Your Brand/Company Name – Practice co-occurrence or brand association! In addition to your brand name, use keywords associated with your brand in your Resource Box to reinforce your transparency, relevance, rank, and click rate.
5. Focus on Your Message – Don’t forget your reader! Solidify your credibility by writing naturally and focusing on your reader’s benefit-oriented message. Build an original, quality article portfolio to cultivate interest and build exposure, but let your unique experience be all the natural SEO you need to succeed.[/vc_column_text][stm_post_bottom][stm_post_about_author][stm_post_comments][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ offset=”vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs”][stm_sidebar sidebar=”527″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
