Link Building

SEO: 5 Ecommerce Link-Building Ideas

To obtain good organic rankings in the search engines, web pages need inbound links. This is because search engines look for some way to determine how to rank one page over another. They look for some sort of indication of quality, some sort of “approval” that one ecommerce product page, for example, is more “important” than another product page. But how do you demonstrate that your product page is more important than the same product on another web page (perhaps your competitor is selling the same product)? One way to do this is to get links to your product page.

Create Content to Drive In-bound Links

That’s where creating content can be a big asset. Create content (photos, video, and articles), publish it on other websites (or on your own blog), and create links to it. Maintain social bookmarking and social networking accounts. Keep those accounts active by bookmarking, tweeting, and updating your status. Google monitors the activity on most social networks (except on Facebook) and it is aware of the links on them. By creating content, linking to your product pages, and mentioning that content on the social networking sites, you’re creating links, which will ultimately help your organic search engine rankings.

To create inbound links to a product page, consider writing an article or product review and linking to the product page within that content. Post the content on your website or create a separate blog using platforms like WordPress.com or My.Opera.com. Then, link to that content from Twitter, Digg, Delicious, Flickr.com (upload a photo and link to the product in the description), and other social bookmarking websites, such as ThisNext.com, Kaboodle.com, and even StumbleUpon.com.

Five Link-Building Ideas

Here are some other, specific ideas for creating links to your product pages.

  1. Write how-to articles for other websites. Find websites that offer services or advice to their readers about issues related to the products you sell. Seek out those websites, and write how-to articles related to the products you sell, even if it is a product review, and then link back to your site. You may only be able to get a “bio-type” link back to the home page of your website, but that can be a great link to have. You might also consider contacting bloggers who have blogs related to the products you sell and ask them if they will accept a guest post or product review for their blogs. Bloggers often look for relevant content. Once the article or blog post is live on the web, don’t forget to promote it, by submitting it to the social bookmarking websites; tweeting about it and posting it on your Facebook page.
  2. Utilize a blog. Develop your own blog, and write posts for it at least on a weekly basis. Link back from your blog to your own site. In order for this to be effective, you will need to develop links to the blog and the content will need to be useful and compelling. Product reviews are helpful if they are well written and honest. Don’t forget to promote each of the blog posts on the social media websites, as well.
  3. Post to Twitter. Although links from Twitter.com are tagged as “nofollow” links, I have seen evidence that the presence of a nofollow tag can be ignored by Google at times. Also, your Tweets may be shown on other websites that may not include a nofollow tag on the link. Google looks for ways to find quality blog posts and quality links, and the fact that a URL is tweeted and re-tweeted by several people could be an indication that a link is “good.” If you’re able to re-post your Twitter feed on Facebook, Friendfeed, and even on your own website or blog, then you’ll be able to get even more links to your products. Syndicating your Twitter feed is helpful.
  4. Post to Facebook. While Google does not generally index Facebook content, your Facebook page should include a link to your website. Posting your product reviews and other links will help “socialize” the content that you’ve created, and whenever you socialize your content, and tell others about it, there’s a chance that other websites will link to your content. Sharing a link will also help get users to your website, especially if you have a new “special” or “deal” on something.
  5. Use bookmarking sites. There are hundreds of social bookmarking sites. All of your content, articles, videos, and product reviews should be bookmarked on the major ones. If you vary your social bookmarks with other on-topic articles on your industry, and don’t just include your own bookmarks, then your bookmarks won’t likely be seen as spam. Sometimes it only takes a few links to a product page to “beat out” your competitor’s page (if they’re selling the same product), and social bookmarks may help.

Summary

By creating compelling content about your products, linking to your products in that content, and using the social bookmarking and social networking websites to promote that content, you are creating inbound links to your product pages, which will help your organic search engine rankings.

 

Bill Hartzer
Bill Hartzer
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