The more inbound links to your website from authoritative websites, the more authoritative Google judges your own website and the more traffic it will deliver.
And you get extra points from Google as well as traffic if those links include hyperlink text. For example, if someone links to my website at PublicityHound.com, I’d much rather have them create a hyperlink from text that reads “publicity tips,” or “publicity ideas,” “word of mouth publicity” or any other keyword phrases that describe what’s at my website.
Instead of this:
Visit Joan’s website at http://www.PublicityHound.com
Or this:
Visit Joan’s website.
I’d rather see this:
Visit Joan’s website for publicity tips and advice.
That ensures that anyone who types “publicity tips” or “publicity advice” into the search engines will see my website on the organic search list on the left side of the screen.
One place you can use hyperlink text on LinkedIn, the popular business networking site, is in the section of your profile where you can list up to three websites. I have three sites listed: my regular website, my blog and the website where I offer free press release writing tips as part of the course called “89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases.” But rather than name those websites, which really doesn’t do me any good when it comes to pulling traffic to my sites, I used hyperlink text.
You can see how I did it here:
You can use this same tactic at any website. It doesn’t have to be a social networking site. But the reason I mention LinkedIn is because that site has a page rank of 8/10, which is very high. Hyperlink text at a very authoritative site can only help you.
Download the Google toolbar and refer to the ranking when you visit websites and blogs.
I noticed just that one place on LinkedIn that allows hyperlink text. If you know of more places, I’d love to know about them.
A hat tip to job search expert Susan Joyce of Job-Hunt.org, a member of The Publicity Hound Mentor Program. After Susan and I had a long discussion about hyperlink text last week, she suggested this LinkedIn tip.
Great tip, Joan!
Thanks, Joan! I used LinkedIn, but had no idea that a hyperlink such as you detailed above gets a better SEO rating than just the plain ol’ website address. Thanks for the tip! I will be sure to pass this one along as well.
Joan,
This is a very, very good tip page. This is why I make sure to thoroughly read every edition of your newsletter. If I didn’t I would have missed this advice! I have already redone the links on my LinkedIn page. You are the greatest!
Gary Dale
Ahh, great advice! I always seem to have a hard time inserting keywords into my links, for both myself and other people. But these are some great examples. I’d love to read more about your SEO strategies 🙂
Kelly, you just gave me a great idea for another product: SEO strategies for Publicity Hounds.
This is very cool Joan. Thank you!
great point Joan, I need to change up my links with full keywords like that. thx
Wicked advice – gonna retweet and chare with my subscribers immediately!