Ideas for Business

Quality inbound links are an essential element of web site marketing and search engine optimization programs to increase traffic and online sales. The greater the number of relevant and authoritative links to a web page, the greater the potential for higher search engine rankings and qualified traffic.

A recent survey from SEOmoz illustrates just how important inbound links are to rankings. An impressive 4 of the top 5 ranking factors involve inbound links:

• Keyword focused anchor text from external links: 73% very high importance
• External link popularity: 71% very high importance
• Diversity of link sources: 67% very high importance
• Trustworthiness of the domain based on link distance from trusted domains: 66% very high importance

Conversely, the No. 2 negative ranking factor was link acquisition from known link brokers or sellers (56% high importance).  Incidentally, TopRank has never engaged in link acquisitions in this manner, focusing instead on earning links through creative content promotions, social media and online public relations.

Tracking links to your web pages — and those of your competitors — is a major part of any SEO strategy. Fortunately, a host of free and paid tools exist to provide a comprehensive looks at where your web pages stand.

Since link building is so important, Lee and I have collected these 10 tools for tracking inbound links for you to test:

1. Majestic-SEO

Majestic-SEO allows users to track link information for any domain – their own sites or those of competitors. Illustrated in the image below, users can access the number of:

• Sub domains
• Pages
• Links
• Referring domains
• Images
• NoFollow links
• Redirects

By verifying ownership of a domain, users can obtain a more detailed report that includes unique links and their anchor text. With registration, the service for your own site is free. Users can buy credits to obtain that same information about other web sites such as competitors. Downloadable data is given on top anchor text, top referring domains and top pages. Plus, the tool offers a “daily update” feature that provides a daily journal of new inbound links.

2. BuzzStream Link Building

BuzzStream Link Building focuses on providing tools that help automate redundant tasks in relationship building. It’s a CRM system for link building with applications for SEO as well as online PR.

• Find Contact Info
• Track Email & Twitter
• Manage Link Prospects
• Monitor Backlinks for anchor text, nofollows, outbound links, banned words
• Track activities and conversion rate
• Delegate contacts, split prospecting from outreach

BuzzStream Link Building tools are very robust for link detection, suggestions, relationship management and link management. The BuzzMarker bookmarklet allows easy addition of new link opportunities via the browser. Many other tools focus on link detection, acquisition and the technical site of management. The CRM aspect of BuzzStream and the conversion tracking reports make it unique.

There is a free trial for BuzzStream and monthly costs range from $29/mo to $249/mo. There are also options for Agencies and Enterprise use.

3. SEOmoz Linkscape

This inbound link tracking tool offers both a free basic version and an advanced version with a subscription to SEOmoz PRO.

The basic search (illustrated in the image below) allows users to determine the number of inbound links to a page and the number of different domains linking to a page. The tool also gives a ranking of the page based on number and quality of inbound links, as well as a ranking of the domain overall.

In the full version, users can not only judge the quality and quantity of links to their own web pages, but to their competitors as well. Users can compare number of links, number of domains and domain ranking side-by-side against competitor sites.

Users can also determine the keywords competitor sites are targeting in their anchor text and identify competitors’ most powerful links.

4. Raven SEO Tools
Raven is a suite of SEO tools including a Links Manager that allows you to easily manage the link status, contacts and tasks related to each link.

Raven will automatically alert if any changes have occurred on an active link, if the nofollow attribute was added, the anchor text changed, the PageRank changed, or the link was removed. There is team link building management functionality as well as the ability to import, export in CSV format or generate reports online.

A standalone linking too is not available for purchase. The cost for the suite of Raven SEO Tools starts at $79 per month.

5. SoloSEO Link Building Tools
SoloSEO is a collection of SEO campaign management and implementation tools which includes “Links Manager” and “Link Build It!” modules for building and tracking inbound links to your web site.

The Links Manager module helps discover links, assess the strength and quality and track progress. It also includes ongoing link detection and automatic notification if a link is deleted. Link Build It! is a bookmarklet that shows backlink count, PageRank, and Alexa rank for the site, DMOZ listing, .edu or.gov links and the ability to easily add the URL of the page being viewed to the Links Manager.

There is a free trial and the cost for SoloSEO is $29 per month for 5 domains and $4 per domain after.

6. Yahoo! Site Explorer
Yahoo! Site Explorer is a popular, free tool for analyzing and tracking inbound links for users’ own and their competitors’ sites. Users can:

• Determine the number pages within a domain indexed by SLURP, Yahoo’s search engine crawler
• Explore each page to determine inbound links for each
• Exclude inbound links from the domain
• Exclude inbound links from the subdomain
• Export results into a TSV file

7. Page Inlink Analyzer
Page Inlink Analyzer is a tool created by Eric Miraglia that leverages the Yahoo Site Explorer tool mentioned above in a more useful interface that combines a left side column listing of indexed pages for the site being researched and the inbound links to the focus URL in the right column. This allows the user to quickly research the inbound links to each page of a particular site.

For each inbound link the page level and domain level inlink counts are reported as well as the number of Delicious bookmarks (with a link to view them) for each link and the associated keyword tags.

The Page Inlink Analyzer tool is free.

8. pluginSEO Beta Linking Tools
pluginSEO is a service in Beta that works to simplify SEO and linking tasks by having users input keywords and competitor URLs to generate advice including link building suggestions.

Link features include:

• The Reactor:Links page makes suggestions
• My Links shows inbound links to your own site
• Competitor links documents inbound links to the competing sites entered
• Link suggestions provides a visual listing of new linking opportunities displayed below

pluginSEO is in Beta and is now offering free trials.

9. Sheer SEO Backlinks Watchdog
Sheer SEO is a set of SEO project management tools, one of which, monitors “guarded” inbound links. The Backlinks Watchdog tool monitors the following link characteristics:

• Anchor text
• Page rank
• Number of outbound links in the referring page
• Availability of the page
• Presence of meta tags “nofollow” and “noindex”
• Existance of the link to your site
• Presense of “nofollow” attribute on the backlink (rel=”nofollow” causes the link not to pass rank)

There is a 90 day free trial for Sheer SEO with paid options ranging from $7 to $40 per month.

10. HubSpot Website Grader
This free SEO tool provides an overall SEO score for websites based on inbound links, website traffic, SEO, social popularity and other factors. Users submit their website URL, along with competing site URLs, and are then emailed a detailed report that includes:

• Google PageRank and number of Google indexed pages
• Number of inbound links, with the option to analyze links through HubSpot
• Competitive analysis with website grade, Google PageRank, number of inbound links and number of del.icio.us bookmarks

A sample report is shown below.

There are many other link building and tracking tools ranging from the SEOBook toolbar and Backlink Harvester to SEO Spyglass Link Assistant. These 10 should be a good start.

What web based or desktop software tools have you found to be useful for tracking inbound links?

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2009. | 10 Link Building Tools for Tracking Inbound Links | No comment | http://www.toprankblog.com

Both Steve and I recently had our professional images updated, and we were so delighted with the results!  I learned a great deal about the importance of your photographic image while working with our photographer, Wendy Blomseth from InBeaute Photography and wanted to pass that knowledge along to you.  What better way to do that [...]

The people behind Opera Mini, a web browser for cell phones, reports that Opera Mini users have saved billions of dollars just by using the popular web browser. Furthermore, usage of Opera Mini has gone up 238% since October 2008. The lesson here for web marketers is that the age of mobile web marketing has begun. [...]

Google is a master of innovation in the search space and while they seem to subscribe to Guy Kawasaki’s “release early and release often” new product philosophy, the attention to changing the Google search page is near-holy. Minuscule design changes at even the pixel level are cautious and carefully considered. And rare.

Apparently, Google is testing a redesign and logo which you can see in this home page screen shot:

The logo has changed and the “Google Search” and “I’m Feeling Lucky” buttons are blue rather than gray. But the biggest changes are on the search results page:

I’ll mention some of the specific changes but I have to say, my initial (and critical) opinion of the updated search results page is “awesome”. I liked it immediately.

Left column: Colorful blue headings and icons are added for categories of search. The number of initial categories displayed varies by the search query. When I searched on “playstation 3″, Everything, News, Blogs and Shopping showed as the default search categories. You can expand categories to include images, video, books, maps and forums.  What initially displays and the remaining categories to expand varies by the query.

Related search queries are listed below that followed by options for time intervals which are from the Options feature.

Additional search tools can be expanded including even more related searches and a timeline.

Standard search are displayed as a default, but under expanded search tools options for Page images, Fewer shopping sites, More shopping sites and Page previews are available.

Middle Column. The search results for news, blogs, images, video etc all stay within the same format as standard search, although shopping is unique.  There is a preview page image search option that is pretty handy, allowing you to see a thumbnail of the page.

I did notice related queries suggested at the top of the page on some queries, but not all. Also, on some search results, it shows a link for cached but also for “similar” on some, not all listings.

This was reported on Google Blogscoped Wed where you can get the copy/paste code to check out the redesigned Google yourself. SEL also mentioned it.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2009. | All New Google.com | No comment | http://www.toprankblog.com

With Thanksgiving almost within reach, it’s hard to think of anything but turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes and warm homemade rolls. Actually, for me, my mind is on my aunt’s chocolate pie and my grandmother’s macaroni and cheese.

But regardless of the type of food item occupying your thoughts right now, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we have to be grateful for. I, for one, realize I have a lot to be grateful for, considering the people I interact with on a daily basis and the work I’m tasked with each day.

Michelle Bowles

Having been a part of the TopRank Online Marketing team for 4 months  now, I’m thankful for my fellow team members who have patiently shown me the ropes along the way and made me feel welcome.

And as a brand-new Minnesotan, I’m also thankful for my team members’ recommendations on the best restaurants in Minneapolis, directions to the neighborhood post office, insight on the area speed traps to look out for – you name it!

In the spirit of such thankfulness, I asked some of my fellow Online Marketing Blog contributors here at @TopRank to share what they’re thankful for this holiday season:

Jolina Pettice

“This Thanksgiving, I am especially thankful for TopRank clients. 2009 has been a great year of achieving new heights and celebrating success, whether it was attaining that sought after 1^st place ranking for a competitive term, increasing inquiries or launching a blog. I am also extremely thankful for the TopRank team for their dedication, and my friends and family who keep me laughing all year long.”

Adam Singer

“I’m thankful for being a team member of an industry leading digital marketing firm like TopRank, writing for Online Marketing Blog, working with high-quality clients and the marketing community as a whole for being a great group of people. Additionally, as a (relatively) new Minnesotan, I’m thankful that it is nearly December and I still have not had to use the ice scraper provided to me by Dana.”

Thomas McMahon

“I’m thankful to work in a company that is open to new ideas, new media, and that is ever evolving into new and exciting spaces. I’m also thankful for my coworkers who keep me entertained with their witty, and sometimes strange, stories.”

Lee Odden

“I am truly grateful for the amazingly talented and hard working team we have at TopRank and the clients we are fortunate to serve. There is a real spirit of collaboration, problem solving and work quality here that a lot of other agencies don’t have. The heartbeat of our company is Susan Misukanis, and her dedicated long hours keep our team running smoothly – I am forever thankful for her leadership and commitment.

“I’m also thankful for the TopRank community of blog readers, Twitter followers and IRL friends at conferences, in the industry and the media that have been so generous with their participation and attention. I only hope we’ve provided as much value to you as you have to us.

“Last, but not least, I am thankful for my 3 little ‘munchkins’ who make me proud, make me laugh and remind me of what’s most important of all.”

Dana Larson

“Since I began working with TopRank, the thing that I am most thankful for on a continuous basis is the ability for each team member to help each other out when necessary. No one hesitates to lend a helping hand, and we all maintain a positive attitude. Working as a team ensures all ideas are heard, and we all pitch in to benefit the company as a whole. I am also thankful when our TopRank team members help out coworkers outside of work, such as when I am moving next month *hint hint*

Now it’s your turn. What are you thankful for this holiday season?

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2009. | Thankful Wishes From Online Marketing Blog | No comment | http://www.toprankblog.com