Quick Question About SEO - Linking To Authority Sites Is Good?

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by bad_bob00, Feb 24, 2009.

  1. #1
    Hi,

    A while ago I heard that it was a good thing to link to a site like Wikipedia or a site with authority which is related to your site. Is this true? Does it give your site a better SEO ranking when you link to other good, related sites?

    I always thought it was just the other way round (aim to get links from authority sites) and not to link to them?


    Thanks for any help
     
    bad_bob00, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  2. shailendra

    shailendra Peon

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    #2
    well i heard the same but the linking should me absolute relevant to your content and must be helpful for the visitor to further enhance his knowledge or whatever he is looking for. but i don't know what SEO benefits does it reap for the linking website
     
    shailendra, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  3. jitendraag

    jitendraag Notable Member

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    #3
    I link to authority from new sites for getting the 'niche' established in search engine's algorithms. It also helps in getting correct advertisements with adsense.
     
    jitendraag, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  4. magda

    magda Notable Member

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    #4
    It can make your site look a bit more serious - more like an establised site, rather than a fly-by-nite-spammer.
    Also, as far as linking to established sites in your niche, I think it's 'good etiquette' - as so much of the Google algo still relies on the 'vote' of a backlink.
    BUT- please don't link to wikipedia, or if you must, nofollow it. They don't give out link juice to anyone but themselves in their internal linking, so why give them any
     
    magda, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  5. bad_bob00

    bad_bob00 Active Member

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    #5
    But if you link to them using the nofollow tag then surely Google won't actually notice the link?

    Does linking to a big site like wikipedia give you better SEO rankings or it it just seen as a good thing to do (make your site seem genuine etc)?
     
    bad_bob00, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  6. evosys

    evosys Peon

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    #6
    Linking out to other sites by itself won't increase your rankings, but it could decrease them if you link out to the wrong kind of site.
     
    evosys, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  7. rena

    rena Peon

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    #7
    The outbound links not helping for SEO . Only helping for the users for reference
    So even link to google no use for SEO
     
    rena, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  8. internetmarketingiq

    internetmarketingiq Well-Known Member

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    #8
    External links should have a purpose for your visitors. External links should contain keywords relevant to your site. This tells the search engines more about the content on your page. Accurately conveying the topic of your page is a good thing.

    Having a disproportionate number of incoming or outgoing links based on whatever criteria Google is using for sites in your industry is either a good thing or a very bad thing. You just have to track it. No risk, no reward.
     
    internetmarketingiq, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  9. freelistfool

    freelistfool Peon

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    #9
    When you link to an authority site in your own niche it increases the odds that your own site will be considered an authority in the niche. What you're trying to do is become part of the circle of sites for that niche. So if you link to "Authority Site A" then they link to "Site B" who links to another site in the niche...then somewhere down the link chain another site in the niche links to you...your site becomes part of the inner circle. Without the link to the authority site you may not be considered as important in the niche.

    My advice, link out to sites in your niche that you consider an authority...but not your direct competition for keywords...and that you think will help your visitors. It will help your site in the long run.
     
    freelistfool, Feb 24, 2009 IP
  10. NaughtyNeo

    NaughtyNeo Peon

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    #10
    It helps.

    It won't boost your rank dramatically. Google wants you to build sites for users and not for search engine spiders. If you take a look at the authority sites you will see that they all link to relevant useful content published in other authority sites. I have tested it and found that links to authority sites can boost your SERP position if done correctly. But if try to trick (like adding a couple of links to authority sites in every page etc) you might be in trouble.

    -Neo
     
    NaughtyNeo, Feb 25, 2009 IP