Hyperlinks are the basic currency of search engine rankings, so it’s important that you understand how to code them correctly.
How Google ranks a site
Google uses a complex and constantly evolving set of algorithms to determine search result positioning, but the influence on in-coming links on these results is paramount. Google is, in effect, a big voting system where a link from a site is regarded as a recommendation for your own site. The more credible the source of the link, the better the value for your site.
Hyperlinks are not the only factor used in search engine positioning. Other factors such as the quality and relevance of content on your site, the regularity with which your site it is updated, and your site’s overall reputation also contribute to your positioning in search results.
This article explores how to make the most out of your hyperlinks, exploring how to code them correctly and suggesting linking strategies that can help maximise your search engine value.
Coding links correctly
A badly-coded hyperlink is worthless. If a search engine cannot read it or does not associate it with the appropriate subject keywords then the hyperlink might as well not be there at all.
1. Pay attention to the text of a link
When a search engine spider encounters a link, it uses the text within the link to determine the relevant key phrase for the link.
For example, the following link may be linking to this page, but for SEO purposes the key phrase is “Click here”:
<a href="http://www.ben-morris.com/seo-good-quality-hyperlinks/">
Click here
</a>
If we want the link to refer to the actual subject matter of the page, then we will have to make sure that the phrase “Build good quality hyperlinks” is contained in the hyperlink text:
<a href="http://www.ben-morris.com/seo-good-quality-hyperlinks/">
Building good quality SEO hyperlinks
</a>
2. Don’t use scripted links
Don’t use scripted links if you want them to be followed by a search engine. Search engine spiders cannot follow any links defined by a browser scripting language.
For example, instead of
<a href="javascript:document.location='http://www.example.com/';">
Click here to visit the site
</a>
use:
<a href="http://www.example.com">
Click here to visit the site
</a>
3. Try to avoid “Dynamic” links
Dynamic links are those links where arguments on the URL make up a part of the page address. Basic content management systems that read content from a database often use dynamic links to distinguish between different pages.
<a href="http://www.example.com/content.aspx?page_id=22">
Click here to visit the site
</a>
Dynamic links are often identified as weak in terms of SEO. Although search engines will index dynamic links, they are fairly poor from a usability perspective. There is also some evidence that Google takes account of a URL when determining the value of a page.
You should aim to avoid dynamic linking. If you are using a CMS, a system of URL masking can get over this issue and make your dynamic hyperlinks more readable.
Linking to other sites
You can’t control who links to you, but you can certainly control who you link to. If you give somebody a link from your site you are not diluting your own SEO value, but I would be cautious about freely offering external links – from a commercial point of view there is very little point in lending SEO value to another organisation for free. After all, you are in effect referring customers to them.
Note that the practice of exchanging links is of no use to you – the fact that you are linking a site can negate the positive effects of your link from that site. Link exchange schemes in particular should be avoided as these are an explicit attempt to manipulate the Google engine through artificial link building. Note that Google penalises sites that it thinks are cheating in this way, and if you link to them then you could find yourself penalised too.
“Throttling” – negating the effect of out-bound links
Webmasters are often pestered by organisations angling for links to their sites. I have noticed an increasing tendency for organisations to make a link part of the terms of any business collaboration. I am particularly prudent when it comes to linking from sites that I control refuse requests whenever I can. However, there are occasions when external links are necessary and there are a couple of techniques that you can use to negate the SEO impact of an out-bound link:
1. Use a javascript link
We’ve established that search engines do not read scripted links – you can use this to your advantage and make any out-bound links external.
2. Use the “nofollow” attribute
Google, MSN and Yahoo all recognise the “rel=nofollow” attribute when it is included in a hyperlink and will not index it.
<a href="http://www.example.com/" rel="nofollow"> Click here to visit the site </a>
Building up your in-bound links
Increasing the number of external links to your site is a key SEO activity that can have a very positive impact on your search engine rankings if carried out consistently over a long period of time.
It is important not to build too many links too quickly – Google attempts to detect explicit link-building campaigns and will penalise you if it thinks that you are over-doing it. The idea is encourage the organic growth of your in-bound links, by adding to the rate of link growth on your site by a small amount each month.
There are a variety of ways to build up your in-bound links – this is where the expertise of a good quality SEO consultant will come into its own. Typical techniques that are worth exploring include:
- Submitting your site to directories – there are a number of good free ones out there but many charge for listings
- Writing and syndicating articles that contain links back to your site
Building up the internal links in your site
This should not be over-looked. A well linked site is easier to use, and much easier for spiders to determine what the key information in the site is.
1. Cross-reference sensibly
If you have a well-planned and well-organised web site with pertinant information then it makes sense to cross-reference.
2. Use a site map
A site map gives a spider a good overview of all the content on the site allowing both spiders and human users to see what is going on. Google recommends that a site map should not be more than 100 entries long – if it is then consider splitting it up.
3. Don’t over-do it
If you add too many links the page becomes unreadable, both for a human and a spider. You will run the risk of being interpreted as spam.
In general, if your page looks like spam, it probably will be regarded as such.