When was the last time you gave something to someone? In terms of SEO, I mean. You have a talent. I don't know what it is. Maybe you are a great designer. Maybe you are a CSS guru or a PHP pundit. Maybe you are a marketing genius or have the gift of gab. Whatever it is, you have something to offer. When was the last time you offered it? When was the last time you said, "Dude, what can I do to help"?
Giving your talents to someone else reaps rewards that are often unimaginable. Many times, you don't reap anything right away. I'm not talking about talent for hire or even the barter system here. Don't give someone a bit of your knowledge, creativity, talent or genius and expect to get money or a link in return. In fact, that person you help may never return the favor - at least not directly. But even if you get nothing from them directly, they will likely mention your name in passing at some point. Or someone will ask them, "Hey, dude, who made that totally rockin' logo on your website"?
Say you give your time to 20 people this year. Or 50. Or 100. Maybe you volunteer your talent to help a charity organization. Possibly, you mentor a kid who creates the next generation MySpace. Or maybe, you help someone, and they give you a link.
You don't always have to follow a step-by-step plan outlined in an ebook in order to increase your backlinks, gain authority and trust, or outrank your competitors. Step away from the rules once in a while and Give. It's kind of a cool thing to incorporate into your SEO routine.
I often make things for free when they don’t know how to start.. I like it when people like to write and to participate in Internet / Blogging. I only ask a link back. Its always good to work with others.. you get new ideas and happy people.
Not just as a SEO, but as human. Helping somebody makes me feel good and I believe that is no different with anybody else. That means that you get something out of it no matter what. You feel better about yourself and the place you live in.
Add on top of that the tendency of good things you have done to come back to you in unexpected ways, times, forms and shapes.
I blogged about this indirectly if you consider social media in terms of knowledge sharing via blogs and other communities giving for free. Life is weird sometimes and things happen that do not happen in a cold and calculated environment.
See the post here. Not a single dime played a role in this. Call it business without doing business?! KInd of.
Cheers!