Links or Content?

Discussion in 'Google' started by skionxb, Dec 21, 2006.

  1. #1
    What is better to rank higher in google? I know many people will say both. But in my opinion LINKs are the most important factors in today Google's algorithm. Any thoughts on that?
     
    skionxb, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  2. chris123

    chris123 Peon

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    #2
    Links. But you can't make linkbait without content ;)
     
    chris123, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  3. fsmedia

    fsmedia Prominent Member

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    #3
    chris is right. Unique content is the best because it will attract new links to your site, but at the same time you need more quality links in order to rank high.
     
    fsmedia, Dec 21, 2006 IP
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  4. Valrod

    Valrod Peon

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    #4
    It's a catch 22, but if I had to pick I would rather have thousands of pages indexed than just have PR. Reading the google blog, Matt points out not to worry too much about PR. Maybe he's right and we're all just too obsessed with it or maybe they just want to throw us off.

    I'd work on both though, slowly but surely with one (content), you will get the other (links).
     
    Valrod, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  5. dudy255

    dudy255 Peon

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    #5
    yes if you have unique content other sites will link to your site.
     
    dudy255, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  6. Anita

    Anita Peon

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    #6
    Based on my limited experience, I'd go for content. I run a humor blog (in the sig), and my site has received between 100 and 1000 hits per day from Google. I have a 0 PR (site is only 2 months old), but have TONS of content.

    In the end, targetted traffic is more important than anything else.
     
    Anita, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  7. Valrod

    Valrod Peon

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    #7
    Cool, let me thread jack for a moment, how'd you get the "digg this" at the bottom of all your posts. I'd like to do the same on mine, but I haven't really found a hack that works for wordpress.
     
    Valrod, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  8. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #8
    Focus on quality content. If you're providing good unique content, high quality links will come on their own much, and you'll end up with both. Buying / getting links on the otherhand as your focus, won't help you in the content area.
     
    jhmattern, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  9. Rasputin

    Rasputin Peon

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    #9
    If you are targetting a non-competitive niche, the focus can be more on content. But more competitive terms require more active site promotion - either getting links, or promoting your site in other ways that make people want to link to it.

    As said above it's a catch 22. It is very possible to have 500 pages of fascinating content that no one knows about, and google ignore because it has no links. Hence no one finds your site and no one links to it.

    Broadly I would think 50% of time should be spent on content and 50% on site promotion. Buying relevant links can help you get out of the catch 22 situation. Buying links just for PR won't help at all.
     
    Rasputin, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  10. vid

    vid Peon

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    #10
    I'll say both, but I put my attention more on content...
     
    vid, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  11. bsales

    bsales Peon

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    #11
    both Good Quality Content and In bound links is more valued .

    link SPAM or LINKS for LINK Farm results in drop
     
    bsales, Dec 21, 2006 IP
  12. kh7

    kh7 Peon

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    #12
    It's not just links, but QUALITY, ON TOPIC links that determine the google algorithms. But yes, content is king any day because it provides the keywords and makes it possible to get those links.
     
    kh7, Dec 22, 2006 IP
  13. Mong

    Mong ↓↘→ horsePower

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    #13
    Imho only links are most important factor...
    now you have two ways..

    1) launching campaign for getting high quality backlinks for your low quality contents {or no content}
    2) launching campaign for getting high quality backlinks for your high quality contents {original content}

    Its crystal clear that contents rank nowhere in Google if you don't have proper backup of quality backlinks.

    So if you will follow (1) route you will have less success but on route (2) you rate of success is higher. .... {here success is only getting quality backlinks}

    I hope you can now understand interconnections of ranking higher in Google with different type of contents and backup of links. :)
     
    Mong, Dec 22, 2006 IP
  14. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #14
    You don't have to launch a campaign for link-building. If your content is high quality, and you promote in other ways to get any kind of decent audience, they'll link to you on their own. The same does NOT work, however, for sites filled with crap content. You need to create an actual, and worthy, resource. Content also has more "staying power", as you never know how Google and others will look at those same links tomorrow... high quality, unique content will never have a reason to be penalized.
     
    jhmattern, Dec 22, 2006 IP
  15. Sem-Advance

    Sem-Advance Notable Member

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    #15
    Neither one

    There are over 100 parts to the algorithim.. great content and good links without proper meta info wont rank your pages for high competition keyword terms.
     
    Sem-Advance, Dec 22, 2006 IP
  16. ferret77

    ferret77 Heretic

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    #16
    I call BS

    how many of you guys have created e-commerce sites that genrated enough links off their content to rank?

    I bet few to none.

    Yet everyone in the world says if you have great content people will link to you, why? Isn't really rare that happens?

    I mean how many website visitors have a website to even link to you from?
     
    ferret77, Dec 22, 2006 IP
  17. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #17
    If you just put content up and let it sit Ferret, you're right... but then you'd be a pretty incompetent webmaster. You still have to market the site to bring visitors. Backlinks come naturally IF your content is good and IF you know how to market it. You don't need to spend a lot of time specifically trying to get backlinks. They come naturally with other promotion.

    If you send a press release and honestly have something worth saying, you'll get some high quality backlinks without the extra time of trying to manually solicit them.

    If you publish something important, like an exclusive interview with someone who actually matters in your niche, and market it effectively to get viewers, they'll link to it if it's remotely worth it.

    If you run a contest or promotion, and simply announce it in a highly targeted forum (or other outlet), people will link to it if they think it's of interest to their own audiences (such as for their blogs).

    It's not hard. You just have to think about traffic in general, and actually giving them something worthwhile. It's also how most of the large content networks get huge incoming links, aside from interlinking. They don't go around submitting to directories, posting in tons of forums for sig links, or do link exchanges the vast majority of the time. People want to link to an article, so they do. That strategy also ups your deep links rather than just general home page links, helping you to rank well for more keyword phrases in the end.
     
    jhmattern, Dec 22, 2006 IP
  18. lekhi123

    lekhi123 Active Member

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    #18
    Well i hope , you want to assist me.. i alwayz publish quality and good technology articles , also submitted the my blog to many directories, but still the traffic is 0. I want to get with the backlinks and i offered link exchange wth techlnological sites.. and i promised them that i will place their link on the front page.. but i am not able to get sweetness of success...
     
    lekhi123, Dec 22, 2006 IP
  19. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #19
    If you are having trouble marketing on your own, hire someone to help you. There are a lot of internet marketers here, and there's a lot of free advice here to help you do it well. ;) Submitting to blog directories isn't necessarily going to get you a ton of traffic... you need to be writing about something not everyone and their brother is already writing about (or with a unique spin), and market it. One tactic doesn't equal effective marketing. You need to create awareness that your site/blog actually exists, and links alone won't do that for you.
     
    jhmattern, Dec 22, 2006 IP
  20. kh7

    kh7 Peon

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    #20
    Jhmattern is right on the money.
    Elaborating on what she said: there are tons of technology forums out there, so be an active contributor in a few of them. Mention your site (or rather: specific articles on your site) in relevant threads, and be a helpful contributor besides. Same with stumbleupon and delicio.us etc.
     
    kh7, Dec 22, 2006 IP
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