Another 5000 Backlinks Question

[Suzi]

Sorry about the delay. Crazy week of catch-up after traveling for a week!

I would definitely work through the link opps strategically, skipping any that are obviously UNrelated to your niche. So for the health/fitness niche you would skip things like pet, online business, mortgage, etc. But don't discount the link opps from authority sites that aren't directly related, but not UNrelated either - such as addthis, pbs, flickr, etc.

Arrgh - I'm really struggling with this. Forgive me, am hoping someone is going to say something that makes it all click into place for this bit of my brain that doesn't seem to want to accept it!

Could anyone give me an example of how they have used this at the 'addthis' site? When I registered, I couldn't see anywhere that I could include my url, and I just can't think what kind of comment I could leave (with a link) without being spammy, as the forum seems to mainly about technical help. I need to see a working example I think, to jump over this hurdle! I know there are plenty of other sites I could choose, but this is a general one that is being suggested and if I could understand it for a site like this, then it would make the others easier.

I couldn't even do it on a site that was within my niche which I found through Market Samurai. If you go to http://www.ricksteves.com/blog/index...ry&entryID=418 you will see that I added a comment right down towards the end on January 18. I made my point, but just didn't know how to actually mention 'packabook' without sounding spammy, so I didn't! Do you admit it is your own site, or do you pretend you are someone who has discovered it as a resource? Could anyone suggest what they would have written here to actually get a link?

Help! I will be so glad when I finally get my head around this!
Suzi

[jkgourmet]

I'm not sure I can answer all your questions - because I've been struggling with the same thing. However, I asked some similar questions here http://www.selfstartersweeklytips.co...2781#post32781

Lynn's answer to my questions was "Yes, Yes and Yes."

Your link to Rick Steve's blog doesn't work, but if I understand this if you register at a do follow blog and make a post, you get a link. Some blogs and forums allow anchor links in your post. If they do, you can use an anchor link with your key words to direct somebody to a specific page within your blog.

On those blogs/forums that do not allow anchor text (or a signature link), I believe the idea is to become part of the community, to participate and make posts of value. this will increase your visibility and people will be interested enough to click on your profile to see who you are and go to your webpage.
I've done that plenty of times, and bet you have too.

I hope this helps some, at least until the morning when the experts show up!

PS - I'm inclined to think that your niche would be one where guest posting would be really valuable and welcome. You've got a unique site that many travel related sites would find interesting. And not just strictly travel sites - sites for ex-pats, sites for students doing exchange studies overseas, home exchange/home swap sites, corporate and military relocation blogs, maybe even some general reading blogs.

[Suzi]

Ah that's no good that the link didn't work. Basically it was a post where he asked people what their new year's resolutions are in terms of getting more out of travelling. People had things like 'listen to music from the place' 'become involved in a conversation with a local each day' etc.

So in my comment I said:

"I think one of the best ways to add value to your travels, is to read a novel that is set in the place you are visiting. It is something I am trying to do with every place I visit. Admittedly, travelling with too many books can be a challenge, but there is nothing like reading a novel in the place where it is set....preferably with a glass of wine of course!"

That was me getting involved in the conversation!

I wanted to say something that would direct people to my site of course, but had no idea what to actually say... There is no profile you can sign up with on this site, so - am hoping the experts at doing this could give me an example of what might be acceptable....

Suzi

[Lynn Terry]

On AddThis you can register, go to the forum and set up your profile - which is where you include a link to your website, and then post on their forum. Even if you don't post on their forum, your profile page there serves a link to your website. Posting will help that profile page get found & indexed easier.

Here's my profile:
http://www.addthis.com/forum/memberl...ofile&u=292525

Notice the keywords in proximity to that link, in the Interests field.

[Lynn Terry]

Suzi,

Sometimes you have to get real creative so as not to drop a link in a spammy way, but to add value to the conversation. Usually there is a place for your URL when leaving a comment, but if not you might include it like this (tacking it on to the example comment you shared above):

In fact, I enjoy it so much that I now have a website where I am making it easier for others to find books for their trips too: http://www.packabook.com

[Suzi]

Lynn - thank you, thank you, thank you....those comments are a great help.

Without you showing me an example of your profile, I wouldn't have realised that you COULD go in and add your URL etc. I'm sure they didn't give me that option when I first signed up. And then I was looking for things like 'update your profile' 'change your profile' etc - even with the knowledge that it was possible, it took me ages to find the 'user control panel' which is where you do it. I don't think 'user control panel' is the world's most user-friendly term!!

Anyway - thank you again - and your example of how to not be spammy is a great help as well, I will definitely be using that one!

Suzi

[jkgourmet]

Suzi,

Sometimes you have to get real creative so as not to drop a link in a spammy way, but to add value to the conversation. Usually there is a place for your URL when leaving a comment, but if not you might include it like this (tacking it on to the example comment you shared above):

In fact, I enjoy it so much that I now have a website where I am making it easier for others to find books for their trips too: http://www.packabook.com

I've had it happen that sites have pulled the comment when I've done this - even on a foodie forum that I have participated on for ten years (they did send an email to explain that "personal promotion is not allowed" and apologized). However, I do include my website url (not anchor text, as that is not allowed) at the bottom of my comment and can see in the stats that readers have clicked through to the site. Example:

Jeanette
www.AnythingGoesGourmet.com

So readers can click thru to the site without having to look at my profile. One step less, I guess.

[Suzi]

I've had it happen that sites have pulled the comment when I've done this - even on a foodie forum that I have participated on for ten years (they did send an email to explain that "personal promotion is not allowed" and apologized). However, I do include my website url (not anchor text, as that is not allowed) at the bottom of my comment and can see in the stats that readers have clicked through to the site. Example:

Jeanette
www.AnythingGoesGourmet.com

So readers can click thru to the site without having to look at my profile. One step less, I guess.

Ah excellent Jeanette. I didn't think of just doing that. And so the forum didn't mind you doing that even though 'personal promotion is not allowed'? i.e. - they don't consider just putting your site at the bottom like that as personal promotion?

[areaK]

Sorry about the delay. Crazy week of catch-up after traveling for a week!

I would definitely work through the link opps strategically, skipping any that are obviously UNrelated to your niche. So for the health/fitness niche you would skip things like pet, online business, mortgage, etc. But don't discount the link opps from authority sites that aren't directly related, but not UNrelated either - such as addthis, pbs, flickr, etc.

Totally agreed. You want sites that are related to your niche so that the SEs see your site as being relative to that topic BUT there are lots of authority sites that contain info and links from all kinds of places because they aren't focused on a specific niche per se so they are still great link juice for their authority and because they aren't totally UNrelated.

As an example, consider Squidoo (or as Lynn mentioned Flickr) these sites aren't related to a specific niche, they're for most everyone, so the SEs aren't holding them to a specific type of niche but they have good authority so they can give you good link juice anyways.

[WAHumor]

Your AddThis profile doesn't show when I click the link, Lynn.


Dan


P.S. Still plugging!!!