I will be starting my first internet business this summer. I've been educating myself in the basics of SEO over the past few months, and I see the benefit multiple links to your website. However, I am worried that having a bunch of random, non-related links (to go along with a few good links) will be more harmful than helpful... is that true? For instance, say I have five very content-related links (good links). Which of these two scenarios would be more beneficial for my website? 1) 45 additional links to non-related content (directories) in which my links with related content total 10% of my links? or 2) 495 additional links to non-related content (directories) in which my links with related content total 1% of my links? I hope that is not too confusing. I guess what I'm trying to ask is if you must keep the proportion of related-content links to non-related-content links the same as you submit to more and more directories, or if the sheer number of links is more important. Thanks!
I've always been of the impression that a link from a good site never hurts, whether theme-related or not. Does anyone know otherwise? Also, if you find a "related" category in a directory, that can only help you.
Found out, in directories, some use a no-follow rule for free links. And thus, no benefit. Still, is this true? And that a paid link or paid featured link in a directory is always better than free because of the above, or even if not used.
Just FYI, this isn't a bump, my post is at the top... I wanted to clarify a bit more. My question is regarding percentages. If I have 10 good links and 50 non-related links, I have a good percentage of related links. If I have 10 good links and 5000 non-related links, I have a low percentage of related links, but more links overall. Which is better when it comes to SE ranking?
Quantity = Good on MSN that filter does not applied too much. Quality = Good on Google and Yahoo that filtered too much about improper link building.
sxperm is right, if you have quality links the better you perform in Google and Yahoo to follow. MSN loves backlinks even if its non related.
I believe the quality matters more than the quantity. If you get 1000 of links that are not related to your theme, you won't get qualified traffic.
If you had 5000 links pointing to your site, you are going to get some good traffic from people just surfing around for information, as long as the link is relevant for what they are looking for. So... Quality for SE's Backlinks Quantity for Visitor traffic Maybe a good mix of both?
At this stage I believe that non related links would not be a bad thing, just have less impact than a relative link, this may change. So it is not viewed as a percentage, you do not need to have more relative than non relative - its just the crappy one's count less but they dont do any harm. I'd rather have 500 relative links, but I'd take 4500 unrelated one's and 500related, that would be much better than just the 500 and nothing else.
"So it is not viewed as a percentage, you do not need to have more relative than non relative - its just the crappy one's count less but they dont do any harm." Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for. Good advice everyone.