WebRev Blog

Earlier this week, we talked about how important internal links are for SEO, and how internal linking can increase reader retention.  Now, let's get specific, and discuss how to best use keywords in "anchor text."

The "anchor text," is the text used in your hyperlink.  For example, in the paragraph above, the "anchor text," is "internal links are for SEO" and "internal linking can increase reader retention."  The "keywords" I chose to include in the "anchor text" are: internal links, SEO, internal linking, reader retention.  These are keywords (search terms) that I'm hoping people will be searching for in the search engines. 

I could have written the first sentence of this post like this:

Earlier this week, we talked about how important internal links are for SEO (HERE), and how internal linking can increase reader retention (HERE)... 

It is unlikely, however, that potential readers for the WebRev blog would be using "HERE" as a search term on the search engines.  They are more likely to use, "internal links," "SEO," "internal linking," or "reader retention."

The same principle applies in online profile management, and applies to both internal and external linking. Links within, to and from your blog, site, or online profile will be more beneficial for you if the anchor text used in the link is actually the name of your blog, site, or online profile.  For example, if I wanted to direct you to the WebRev profile on Facebook, it would be more beneficial to do this:

Visit WebRevelation on Facebook!

Instead of doing this:

Visit WebRevelation on Facebook!

Simply put, when linking, always look for opportunities to attract the attention of the search engines to the most important text and keywords within your post, or in your sidebar.  Practice strategically using your keywords in your anchor text to highlight your best features.

Also see:  FHK: Don’t be Link-Lovin’ in Vain (Judiciously using ‘Anchor Text’)

Jennifer Pointer (e-mail) is a trainer and tech writer in Tulsa, OK. She promotes a simple, a low-tech approach to effective online profile management, search engine optimization and social networking. Her weakness is the mocha frappuccino.

Yesterday, we discussed what internal links are, and why they are important.  We mentioned that, internal links help you with reader retention and loyalty.  So, today, let's talk about how your internal links can encourage your readers to stick around.

Make sure your links open in a new window.  Actually, this advice applies to both internal and external links.  You may have noticed that nearly all of the links here on the WebRev blog open in a new window.  This allows your readers to follow the links you have referenced, while leaving the original post or article open, so they can find their way back, and continue reading.  If the links do not open in a new window, it is likely the reader will follow the link, and then just keep going, forgetting about the original link.

 

Most blogging and website editing software includes an option to have hyperlinks "open in a new window."  If you are in HTML mode, you will want to add target="_blank" within your hyperlink like this:

 

 

 

Use internal links to direct readers to related posts, tags, or categories.  For example, in the first paragraph of this post, I included an internal link, which directed readers to yesterday's, post.  I might have also used a similar opportuntiy to link to our SEO tag, or our Blogging category, here at WebRev, as appropriate.   Note that these internal links might be contained within the posts, or in the sidebar.

 

Provide a link to your RSS feed(s) on every post and page of your site.  The easiest way to do this is to put these links in the sidebar or header.  Subscribing to your RSS feed is usually how your readers will make sure they can find you again.  Again, make sure the link to your RSS feed opens in a new window, so that if your reader can come back to his or her starting point on your site and continue reading.

 Next, I'll show you how to strategically use keywords and anchor text in your internal linking.

Jennifer Pointer (e-mail) is a trainer and tech writer in Tulsa, OK. She promotes a simple, a low-tech approach to effective online profile management, search engine optimization and social networking. Her weakness is the mocha frappuccino.

We've talked here at WebReb about how important links are in page rank and SEO (search engine optimization).  It's important to use social networking and good blogging practices to encourage other sites to link to you.  To an extent, however, this can be frustrating, because you, as a blogger, have little control over those links, and whether or not they are effectively set up.  There is one type of linking, however, that you DO have control over, and which will also help you with page rank and SEO - internal linking.

An internal link is a link from  one place on your site to another place on your site.  It might be in your sidebar, in your header, on your flash page, or within your articles or posts, as long as it links to another place within your domain (e.g. FROM http://yourdomain.com/pointA TO http://yourdomain.com/pointB).

Internal links help the search engines find the various pages on your site, and identify "pillar posts," which are more valuable posts and pages on your site that you are constently referring back to. Although internal links help your main blog or site with page rank in the search engines, the also (more importantly), help increase the page rank individual posts or pages.  The reason this is more important is that potential readers who find you via the search engines are more likely to find you using the keywords contained within the text on your site rather than by the name of your site.

In addition to helping your search engine rankings, internal links help you with reader retention and loyalty.  When new readers come to your blog via a search engine or social networking link, if they are able to find additional posts to read while they are there, they are more likely to stay around longer, read more, perhaps add your site to their feed, and maybe even recommend your post or site to others.

This week, we will be discussing how to use your internal links more effectively - both for your readers and for the search engines.

Jennifer Pointer (e-mail) is a trainer and tech writer in Tulsa, OK. She promotes a simple, a low-tech approach to effective online profile management, search engine optimization and social networking. Her weakness is the mocha frappuccino.