Hello , It seams like Google is full of surprises .. that's ok from my part but i'm wondering.. does backlinks and anchor text on backlinks still matter when it comes to ranking in SERPs ? I know they had a "word to say" some time ago.. but i'm wondering if they still do now.. looking forward to your answers StudioWorks.
I came upon a site that had a recent test, which tested onpage optimization vs. links w/ anchor.... it was clear that the links w/anchor is far more important that onpage optimization. The page that used the links w/ anchor text had no onpage optimization and did not mention the said keyword even once. Take it for what you will heh... nothing is ever conclusive however, my short time with seo I have seen my rankings improve greatly with additional links from the co-op with a wide array of anchor text... for each keyword or phrase that I targeted my serps improved. Good Luck..
i've always been a firm believer of links with good anchor text. I too have optimized pages for keywords that don't appear on the page. however, i do understand that algorithms change, and what works today might not necessarily work tomorrow. i've read threads on how google is trying to discredit the role links are playing in their algo. i guess we'll have to wait and see over time. in the meantime however i do believe they play a large role. check out the first result for 'miserable failure' http://www.google.com/search?source...GGLD,GGLD:2005-09,GGLD:en&q=miserable+failure ...
I look at it this way.. A site with no backlinks - On-page Optimization is its only weapon. A site with a few backlinks - On-page Optimization is still very effective but now keywords in anchor text start to influence ranking. A site with a great number of quality backlinks with great keyword-laden anchor text - Influence of on-page optimization is surpassed by the power of off-page optimization. A rough example but true for the most part.
Here are a Couple of interesting articles about Linking and SEO: What Is Anchor Text? Incoming Links, Anchor Text and Google Rank
Thank you. You helped me with your replys. The truth is that ive been watchin' this forum and i finnaly decided to join and im glad I did that. Most of you guys really know what you're talking about when it comes to SEO ( I dont mean to offend anyone when i say " most of you guys " ) Regards, StudioWorks