Aside from Google, no one truly understands their search and rank algorithm. One of the reasons Google has risen to the top of all search engines is its ability to rank pages using a top-secret, yet most effective, mathematical algorithmic formula that takes a whole lot of ranking criteria, and gives each one a weight to the final ranking. One of the criteria that can set one website above another is the number of outside links to that website.
Google terms the outside linking process and analysis “PageRank.” The PageRank link analysis tells Google how many times a link is provided to a specific website, and the importance of the other websites providing the links. Thus, with PageRank an important element in overall search ranking, it is good to distribute articles through article distribution sites and do guest blogging on other websites, right? Not necessarily, says Google.
Webmaster trend analyst, John Mueller posts many articles and interviews about web ranking. In a recent interview with UK web architect, Rhys Wynne, Mueller states, “it generally makes much more sense to create great content for your own site, instead of giving it to a large number of other sites to publish.” He goes on to say about guest blogging:
“making and promoting a new site takes time and effort. In general I would recommend putting that work into your own site, instead of creating content for other people’s sites. It’s much better to create great content for your blog and to let other sites refer visitors to your site on their own.”
So does this mean you should not guest blog for other sites, or submit your own blog articles for publication through distribution sites? Not at all. What Mr. Mueller is saying is that outside links to your site should occur naturally, and through the efforts of other people who like your website and its content. In essence, that is what a Google “perfect world” would look like.
However, don’t let Google’s answer intimidate you from guest blogging and practicing article distribution to help your outside links. These are indeed important steps. In fact, they may be critical. It is very possible that the remarks made were specific, as Google regularly dissuades people from utilizing tactics that may enhance their rankings or manipulate search engine rankings. As Mr. Mueller says, it is important to invest the time in your own real estate blog and make sure you have quality content worth linking back to. However, this coupled with guest blogging, and article directory submissions could indeed be a powerful combination that allows one to compete for even the most competitive of terms.
By performing guest blogging and article directory submissions one would be taking a proactive approach to enhancing their online presence.
