My site ( in signature) currently ranks either on the 4th or 5th page of Google for the search term: free itunes gift card. I have been working on this site for a few months and have done link exchanges, unique article submissions, and some blog commenting. What can I do to improve my serps (ideally first page of Google). Should I look into link wheels or more blog comments? Thanks Edit: I have also ammased ~750 backlinks, some from sites with high PR
You might want to find a different niche - basically add a fifth word to the phrase - really making it a long tailed KW.
Yeah, that's way too common a search phrase. I would think outside the box. If it were me I wouldn't even use "download" in your desired search terms. Find something that doesn't have millions of potential competitors. Your in a congested niche, so you need to get creative.
Assuming I don't want to change niches, what can I do to obtain better serps. Are linkwheels effective?
I have the same problem with a common main keyword. I rank way back there for it {#414 to be precise. Might as well not rank at all} i get on the first page when I add another of my keywords to it, but those aren't very common searches compared to the one I want up on.
I think it is a congested, competitve niche thats why the results are in 5th page or 6th page for your keyword 'free itunes gift card'. You might want to add more quality content and create more backlinks in order to improve that ranking.
yaa that's right and make sure submit good content not only in website but also in submission so it more beneficial for you
Besides standard blog comments and article submissions, should I consider anything else (like linkwheels?) Will adding a related blog to my site help with content?
Link wheels, as usually constructed, are pretty worthless. The only way they provide value is if you build each one of the spokes up by building quality one way links from pages with high PR and few outbound links. Regarding your links from 'sites' with high PR, unless the PR is on the actual PAGE where you link is, then the link provides extremely minimal value. If you are absolutely sure you have a done a very through key phrase analysis, and you have done absoluytly everything you possibly can in regards to on page optimization, then all you need to do is acquire one way, do follow backlinks form quality, relevant pages with strong PR and few outbound links. There are a few different ways to do that, including blogpost commenting and text link ads. Things like directory submissions, link wheels, angela's links, and xrumer blasts are very, very minimally effective, and only do well because people that don't know otherwise think they are shortcuts.
Have some patience dear my site is also on second page of google from several; days what i am working to improve it.