A backlink debate you guys can settle...

TeenAngel · Nov 22, 2011

Hey,

A friend and I are having a debate about backlinking pages vs. backlinking domains. Let's say that you have two very similar websites trying to rank for the same keyword. All on-page optimization is correct and on-par on both sites. All url's include the main keyword, as do the domains/homepages.

But when it comes to backlinking, one site focuses on homepage backlinks, the other focuses on backlinks at the page level.

So if these two domains want to get their pages and/or urls' to #1, who has the correct backlinking strategy?

I say that Google doesn't look at domains so much as they look at pages within those domains, and if each of those pages has high numbers of backlinks, eventually the whole site rises. My friend thinks that hitting the homepage with backlinks is the way to go.

So who's right?? (Say me ).

Thanks!!

JasonG · Nov 22, 2011

Both... Link diversity (URL and Page level) is best - they are going to boost each other.

Also - you missed one main factor - internal linking. You NEED a strong internal linking strategy and you will be good. Linking to an inner page that links to your home page will give it that much more of a boost, also - linking to a home page which then links to other main inner pages will boost those...

eterxx · Nov 22, 2011

Google looks for the domain's authority and the page's authority.
So it's easier to rank a single page website

Codythebest · Nov 22, 2011

Google looks at inner pages very seriously. But I still doubt that backlinks do any kind of job putting sites up in SERP.

An example, I searched "Miami real estate" in google.

While www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Miami_OK goes #2, it has only 4 backlinks (all PR 0) coming from its own site. Note that this page is for Miami, Oklahoma, almost irrelevent for Miami, which all other searches are for Miami, Florida. I mean, you have to be very strong in SERP to show Miami in Oklahoma for a search like "miami real estate"

www.cervera.com is #11 and has 33 backlinks with a bunch of PR2 and PR1.

I still have no proof that backlinks increase a site's SERP

TeenAngel · Nov 22, 2011

Cost then what would? I've had good success backlink pages and getting to #1 in SERP. They are diverse links but they are links nonetheless.

meatro · Nov 22, 2011

First, I can't believe somebody here FINALLY mentioned "internal," "linking" and "strategy" all in one term. Awesome, Jason, TY for that. I thought 99% of this place was to talk about off-site link building only.

Codythebest said:
Google looks at inner pages very seriously. But I still doubt that backlinks do any kind of job putting sites up in SERP.

I still have no proof that backlinks increase a site's SERP

Don't mean to offend, so please don't take this the wrong way. But I think there's quite a bit more reading on linking and how links work in your future.

TeenAngel · Nov 22, 2011

meatro said:
First, I can't believe somebody here FINALLY mentioned "internal," "linking" and "strategy" all in one term. Awesome, Jason, TY for that. I thought 99% of this place was to talk about off-site link building only.

Don't mean to offend, so please don't take this the wrong way. But I think there's quite a bit more reading on linking and how links work in your future.

That sort of thing is all over the white hat forum. It's also part of SEOProsser, the tells you to link to an internal page.

Blackhat doesn't mean ignore on-page factors. At least I don't think it does.

Codythebest · Nov 22, 2011

JasonG said:
Both... Link diversity (URL and Page level) is best - they are going to boost each other.

Also - you missed one main factor - internal linking. You NEED a strong internal linking strategy and you will be good. Linking to an inner page that links to your home page will give it that much more of a boost, also - linking to a home page which then links to other main inner pages will boost those...

Interesting. Do you have any source?
I'm doing this since a while already. I have a site with a blog ( /blog )
The site has about 4-5 pages but the blog has 2250 indexed pages.
Each time I post a blog, I put a link to the site (homepage). I have a few links from the site to some blog's pages but not the all 2250 obviously.
So far, the blog has no backlink and the home page has 5. None from the blog itself.
Site and blog are 2 y/o

Codythebest · Nov 22, 2011

meatro said:
Don't mean to offend, so please don't take this the wrong way. But I think there's quite a bit more reading on linking and how links work in your future.

I don't take it the wrong way, don't worry.
I know there's a lot to read but nothing really proves it works on SERP.
Besides, it's easy to find counter-examples about those reading.

themidiman · Nov 22, 2011

You need to have your inner pages linked. Period.
It does not look natural at all to have all of your links pointing to the main domain.
As said previously, internally linking your pages correctly is also huge.
I use internal linking to make sure that my homepage shows for as many KW's as possible. (hate having inner pages ranking)

I still have no proof that backlinks increase a site's SERP

I can't decide if you are just trying to spread misinformation, or if you honestly believe that.
Of course you aren't getting anybody to prove you wrong, as nobody is going to show you their websites.

I'm still waiting for you to rank for "car insurance" without any links. Let me know when you get there.

meatro · Nov 22, 2011

TeenAngel said:
That sort of thing is all over the white hat forum. It's also part of SEOProsser, the tells you to link to an internal page.

Blackhat doesn't mean ignore on-page factors. At least I don't think it does.

That was more sarcasm than anything. What I meant was you hear 100 suggestions for off-site link building for every 1 to improve your internal link structure around here it seems like.

lancis · Nov 22, 2011

If you backlink your domain only, eventually the domain will rank for a set of keywords you choose.

If you backlink your pages only, eventually the pages will rank for a set of keywords you choose.

Its that simple.

Since usually every page has an internal link to the domain, the domain will have the most PR. However, if you don't use keywords in the anchor of the internal domain link its not gonna rank.

TeenAngel · Nov 23, 2011

meatro said:
That was more sarcasm than anything. What I meant was you hear 100 suggestions for off-site link building for every 1 to improve your internal link structure around here it seems like.

It's BLACKHAT World, ain't it?

lancis said:
If you backlink your domain only, eventually the domain will rank for a set of keywords you choose.

If you backlink your pages only, eventually the pages will rank for a set of keywords you choose.

Its that simple.

Since usually every page has an internal link to the domain, the domain will have the most PR. However, if you don't use keywords in the anchor of the internal domain link its not gonna rank.

I think people underestimate the power of good, white-hat on-page link factors. That's OK, IMO. More opportunity for me

So the consensus is -- do both? I would take a "draw" in this debate but I'd prefer to rub it in my friend's face.

Dan Da Man · Nov 23, 2011

Codythebest said:
Interesting. Do you have any source?
I'm doing this since a while already. I have a site with a blog ( /blog )
The site has about 4-5 pages but the blog has 2250 indexed pages.
Each time I post a blog, I put a link to the site (homepage). I have a few links from the site to some blog's pages but not the all 2250 obviously.
So far, the blog has no backlink and the home page has 5. None from the blog itself.
Site and blog are 2 y/o

You have 600 posts and you are claiming that backlinks dont matter? Your joking right? Wait, your really fucked up? Just drunk? MEth? All of the above?

Weird cuz when I sit around and don't do anything, no traffic comes to my site. I mean, I wait for people to link to me but no one really wants to. Then I happen to build these so called backlinks to my site and I start seeing traffic. Weird coincidence huh?

themidiman · Nov 23, 2011

Dan Da Man said:
You have 600 posts and you are claiming that backlinks dont matter? Your joking right? Wait, your really fucked up? Just drunk? MEth? All of the above?

Weird cuz when I sit around and don't do anything, no traffic comes to my site. I mean, I wait for people to link to me but no one really wants to. Then I happen to build these so called backlinks to my site and I start seeing traffic. Weird coincidence huh?

He was talking this crazy stuff in another thread earlier.

To me, it's like saying that there is no connection between smoking and lung cancer.
While we may not completely understand how much smoking causes it, or why certain smokers get lung cancer,
the majority of individuals with lung cancer....smoke(d).

partymarty4870 · Nov 23, 2011

Codythebest said:
Google looks at inner pages very seriously. But I still doubt that backlinks do any kind of job putting sites up in SERP.

I still have no proof that backlinks increase a site's SERP

Well I do have proof. House, Car, Boat, Bank Balance etc.

But if thats what you believe, keep doing whats working for you. Actually why don't you approach my competitors and take over their SEO campaigns. I'll even pay some of their costs if you like.

Dan Da Man · Nov 23, 2011

themidiman said:
He was talking this crazy stuff in another thread earlier.

To me, it's like saying that there is no connection between smoking and lung cancer.
While we may not completely understand how much smoking causes it, or why certain smokers get lung cancer,
the majority of individuals with lung cancer....smoke(d).

Ya and to go even further if it were coming from some one who had lost a parent from smoking and still doesn't see any correlation between the two. This guy literally has logged in hundreds of hours on this forum, wtf people are so dumb, sometimes I forget this.

tencentpiece · Nov 23, 2011

Diversity is key, I usually send around 60% to homepage and 40% to innerpages, but it depends on the site.

Codythebest · Nov 23, 2011

@Dan Da Man, PartyMarty, themidiman and other,

First, no need for insult.
Second, I'm asking.
Show me how backlinks move a site up in SERP. That's all I ask.
I have shown example where lots of quality and relevant backlinked sites where staying behind no backlinked site in SERP.
I have show that a site with 2 no relevant backlinks was ahead of amazon for a product and keyword.
I proved you wrong.

Please, prove me wrong as well and explain. Give us concrete examples.

Oh, and I will never go as low as saying you're a dumb because of this or that. Like all of us, you know plenty that I don't...and vice versa.

A backlink debate you guys can settle...

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