Like the title of the post says, I often wish I could hide this blog from prying eyes so that I could be more open about things. Unfortunately, we are all forced to live with some restraint. I am going to share a tip in a rather vague way here, but I will be happy to share the details if I know and trust you. And if I know and trust you, then you know how to get in touch with me. 🙂
So...
I acquired a certain type of link earlier this year, and noticed that having just a couple of them really gave a site a nice boost, in which rankings jumped from the 20's-30's up to top ten, then top 5, and finally #1 (all in about 3 weeks of time).
Pleased with those results, I acquired the same type of links for another site that also needed some rankings boosted. As before, the rankings went from top 20 to top 10 to #1 within a couple of weeks.
Pleased yet again, I once again acquired the same type of links for a third site, and the results were exactly the same.
To continue with the experiment, I've begun testing to see what happens if I lose those links. So far, after a couple of months of not having the links to the first site, I've only lost the rankings on Yahoo. Google and Live both kept the rankings, so either they haven't noticed that the links are gone, or they don't care.
After just one month of not having the links to the second site, the same thing has happened. Yahoo has just recently dropped the rankings, but the rankings are still holding in Google and Live.
I've only just recently begun testing the disappearance of the backlinks to the third site, and so far, there have been no drop in rankings. I expect to see Yahoo drop the rankings in another 2 or 3 weeks.
I wish I could share the type of link that was so effective publicly, but you all know how quickly that would be made ineffective once the search engine spies got wind of it. But again, if you and I are buddies (and I consider lots of you to be in that category), give me a shout and I'll share with you privately. However, keep in mind that if I see you turn around and share the info publicly, you'll never get another tip from me again, and I'll do my best to make sure no one else does either. (Oh, that little "warning" made me feel so mafia-esque. LOL).
Dang Donna! Now you’ve got me all curious. I’ve sent you a PM over at my favorite forum but if you tell me “a link from an authority site in your niche” I’m going to be mighty disappointed lol.
LOL, I promise I wouldn’t do that to you or anyone. 🙂
Just tried it out. I’ll let you know what kind of results I see.
mafia-esque….classic. LOL
*sigh* I need more BFF
😉
I wish you could share too. I’ve PMd you as well at my favorite forum.
Donna you sure to have me curious now with what you have mentioned lol. By all means let me know what you at least did when it no longer is effective for you. Even though the link type will no longer work, my mind is still itching to know your secret. Come by the spot sometime and say hi! 🙂
Steve
Donna, you just know how curious us SEO types are, knowledge is power and all that stuff! Tell me, tell me!!! I’d love to do some test follow ups 😀
I would love to have the information.
Hmm… do you take bribes?
LOL, billse, sure, paypal me $75,000. 😀
I’m an SEO – I only have pocket lint and a few paperclips. Will that work? 😉
Hi Donna,
Just sent you an email. You made me curious and I’d love to be part of your share circle. 🙂
Thank you
Hi Donna, While on the surface your test seems to be great, but you have us all assuming that “nothing” else at all was done to any of those client sites but those links coming in that were added. You had 3 clients you tested this with, and you are saying that not one single content change was made on any of the client pages? Nothing was ever added to any page by the client or by yourself? Not a single title tag was modified at all on any site? I find that kind of hard to believe, but if true… great.
You are also assuming that there have not been algo changes in the markets your clients are in and that no other sites that are targeting your terms have done anything to move down since your clients moved up. Do you see what I mean?
I’m not even sure anyone could be 100% sure that a one link coming in made that site go up in positions as we never know what other variables might have been in play at the time. Weights of different parts of an algo go up and down daily for the most part. It’s never a static type of thing. the smallest change on any page could make a big difference at anytime.
As far as having private stuff goes; oh sure; there are things that I may not be free and open with, but you really can find out everything somewhere on the internet right now anyway. Most of this stuff has to do with the actual design/structure/architecture of the site and how it’s developed to begin with. Making a small change to any of that makes a difference. I just don’t see how a certain type of link would be the “sole” reason something jumped to number one as you state. Even with the perfect test environment you could not simulate any changes made to other sites targeting the same term and to any algo change an engine may have made at the same time.
my 2 cents. 🙂
Donna,
I am a new reader to your blog, but would love to have the tip, if you would care to share.
There will be no leaks, but if there are, feel free to pour cement over me, and leave me in the bottom of the Hudson.
Hey Donna, old pal – we’re pals, right? It’s great that you’ve discovered something this useful, if you ever feel generous would you mind indulging me a bit more about the topic? 🙂
Oh please, Doug, do crawl back to your forum and bitch about me there. You assume things you know nothing about – you don’t know me from Adam. First of all, those weren’t client sites, they were MY sites, so I know exactly what happened with them. And yes, of course, nothing is guaranteed to be certain cause and effect, since we have no control over algo changes, but frankly, my readers are smart enough to understand that, and to understand that I wouldn’t tell them something unless I’d done as thorough a test as is possible. Please, don’t come here and try to “educate” me or any of my readers with information on site structure, etc. We are a savvy group of people, whether you believe it or not.
Oh please? LOL
Donna; You can check my forums real soon as your comment will be front and center now. So you really think the “spin” community is savvy? Don’t make me laugh as I had too much pork yesterday.
I gave you a comment that should help your readers. If you cannot understand that, …. you know what you can do as well.
Matter of fact; by posting in “your” blog, I’m adding to your content. Why is that some people cannot take constructive criticism?
If you really believe that ONE damn link helped those sites to the top, then you and your readers certainly do need help.
Everything I posted in my prior post is true.
Sigh…I was told I would regret being so bitchy once my fever broke, and that’s true. Now I’ll find a bit more medicine and go get more sleep. I hate being sick. Uck.
Doug, how is it that half the time you get into some disagreement with others you allow yourself to wind up sounding like some sad, lonely stalker type?
Seriously, last time I was at your forums I was profoundly reminded of David Koresh and the branch Davidians, you and your little cronies all patting each other on the back about how holy you all are. Do you not realize yet, even at your age, how strongly your true inner self shows through every time you highlight how important it is to your ego to tear other people down and belittle them?
Add up all the joy you get from acting holier than thou to those you consider beneath you, Doug. Literally go back through the last months worth of your online rants, and make a tally of every time you talked down to someone, and make a little score next to each as to how good it made you feel. I know that even as you read this you are deluding yourself into thinking that what I’m saying here isn’t important… but try it and then say I’m wrong. Once you’ve done that, imagine subtracting all that joy out of your life.
See what’s left, Doug. I bet it ain’t pretty.