I sort of asked the same question a couple days ago - but I didn't really get a good response -plus, I didn't go into detail... Well, here's the deal. Last year I started out doing just signature links with clients. I had very good success. I then started doing other things like article marketing, press releases, web 2.0 properties and some other things as well. I always called the sig links my "bread and butter" - because they often got me good rankings for my clients (believe it or not). I've noticed the last couple months my good fortune has turned to mud. The sig links aren't moving up at all. I do article marketing as well - and these backlinks are not working. The backlinks off of the web 2.0 props are not working as well. I do get some referral traffic from all this, but it isn't much. The sig links are really disappointing because these suckers are not working well at all. It used to be I could take a client to the first page within a niche where the keyword was long tailed KW - and sometimes with just a two worded phrase, but not anymore. I'm beginning to think if Google has really changed their algorithm and clamped down on backlinking. What do you guys think? Are you having the same problems?
it all depends on your competition, I use article marketing, forum commenting and my sites at on top of page 1 of Google for 9 keyphrases, with over 103 million competiton sites. I try different tactics and then when I find one that gets most results, I hit the site hard with the succesfull way and BANG you are at #1 spot! It takes time but it is worth it.
I think if you have a client base you should start looking at outsourcing some of your backlinking strategy. I use http://www.lexorsoft.net I buy a block of credits and allocate each client 5 credit per month. Then I simply pick off their list and have them do the work. You must make sure you are doing a variety of different article, forum, blog, high page rank and others every month to gain what you are looking for in results. Use www.basecamphq.com to post the work you do each month and give your client access to this via your basecamp setup. You will find your clients will love you for this, your links will start to have real power and you can keep charging your clients a monthly fee for the work. Hope this helps Rob
I agree with your insights, I can prove this of course but I think G is has changed their algo on how they evaluate links, and I have also noticed the same thing that you have concerning forum profile links and their effectiveness.
I agree with you ,since the blog and network like dig become more and more popular ,anyone can easily build sig link,If google maintain old algorithm,All links lost their values
may be your competition are working harder. dont forget, relevancy is the name of the game for backlinks these days.
Yes I have found also that sig links are becoming almost worthless. However they do still have a tiny bit of value and should be included in every SEO marketing strategy.
If one way link strategies are fading what is the next best thing for PR? I've been hearing good things about using Twitter and Facebook but is it white hat techniques? You guys heard about anything new and exciting?
IMHO signatures are only good to get indexed soon or get some traffic. Are too many of them to change the ranking. Try to find some good, relevant sites and ask them for link-sharing or buy a link on the front page.
Yes, I also have same problem. When I was started submission with relevancy after 1 month my site is on first page on Google but day by day my links is off so lost position from first page. Still not getting answers what to do?
Friend, I write about that every day. Links in user-generated content work worse and worse every day. Blog comments, forum profiles, articles and links directories today are less effective than they were yesterday and obviously they will be less effective tomorrow than they are today. They are used for spamming. Millions posts and links are posted for only one object - getting to the serp top (sometimes for PR improvement). Sure, Google knows about that and filter such links. What is the way to work these days? Get contextual incontent links posted by site owners. Such links are very natural and they are fantastically effective. We promote hundreds of websites and don't have any problems using this method.