”The first link counts” - Questions and Opinions

[GrindcoreVlad]

I have some questions on how "the first link counts" rule applies:
1. Are the rest of the links on the same page indexed by Google?
2. Do the rest of the links transfer anchor text?
3. Do the rest of the links transfer PR?
4. What are the main differences between a regular outbound link and a 2nd, 3rd etc link?

I haven't been able to test these and this is why I want to ask you guys.

 

[nikoman]

In my experience, the first link found contextually is the one that has more value. Think as a visitor would do: If a visitor find your link several times in a page is more likely to be visited? Right? So yes all count but have different weight according to its position in a page.

 

[GrindcoreVlad]

? So yes all count but have different weight according to its position in a page.

Does this mean they all transfer PR and anchor text?

 

[nikoman]

Does this mean they all transfer PR and anchor text?

Yes. However, it must be d0follow, and have certain distance in the page. I mean not putting them altogether in a list pointing to the same url using different anchor text. Make some distance among them: This can be done by adding some text in between.

 

[GrindcoreVlad]

Yes. However, it must be d0follow, and have certain distance in the page. I mean not putting them altogether in a list pointing to the same url using different anchor text. Make some distance among them: This can be done by adding some text in between.

Thanks for the answer.

What if I use the same anchor text sever times on the same page for a link pointing to the same page? Is the value of these links deprecated? Varying the anchor text present any advantage ...in terms of link weight?

 

[nikoman]

Thanks for the answer.

What if I use the same anchor text sever times on the same page for a link pointing to the same page? Is the value of these links deprecated? Varying the anchor text present any advantage ...in terms of link weight?

Search engine spiders are programmed to "think" as a visitor would do. So if an user or visitor finds the same link distributed in a page, it is more likely the visitor would click it. Of course, the link must be relevant to the page subject to have more success. So if the Gbot finds your link several times in a page, it would give more pagerank to that link because it is more click-able. Just be natural an do not do this

******************

Your anchor text same url
Your anchor text same url
another anchor text same url
and yet another anchor text but same url

Better do this:

This is random text to your anchor text same url and another random text to another anchor text same url. In addition, I recommend this link your anchor text same url

I recommend giving more distance among links.

********************************

Take this advice: Stop thinking as a robot and start thinking as a human . That is what Google is trying to do: making their bots think as humans. One of the biggest mistakes of Blackhat methods is thinking only as robots when Search engines are becoming more human.

 

[j.v.eeckelenburgh]

Someone on seomoz wrote a nice article about this. He tested it and found 3 ways to avoid the first link counts rule. It is posted on January 17th, 2011 in the youmoz section. Sorry I haven't been a member long enough to post the link.

 

[GrindcoreVlad]

Someone on seomoz wrote a nice article about this. He tested it and found 3 ways to avoid the first link counts rule. It is posted on January 17th, 2011 in the youmoz section. Sorry I haven't been a member long enough to post the link.

I've read that article but doesn't fit the topic of this discussion.

 

[j.v.eeckelenburgh]

It answers at least question 1 and 2, and explains what the first link counts rule is. This rule only has something to do with anchor text.
And yes all links transfer pagerank but not evenly, for example footer links will transfer less pagerank than high placed in content links.