Ready for a lesson in SEO? All right, here we go!

By Paige Donnell, Founder & CEO

SEO can be broken down into two categories:

1. On-site SEO, which deals with technical issues such as the HTML structure, keyword usage, service loading speed and other things that are handled directly on the website itself.
2. Off-site SEO, which typically involves the process of building high-quality links that point back to your website. This process can be a tedious task of building relationships with other websites in the hope that they will share your content of gaining that ever-important backlink.

A little background on the SEO game…

As SEO evolved over time, people began to game the system and acquire links in a way that manipulated the search results. Thus, Google adapted, got smarter and started changing the way that they used these off-site SEO link signals. Google created and patented a new algorithm update known as “Panda.” One of the most important factors in this update involved the way that they treated links in their ranking process.

One of the clues regarding how Google now treats these backlink SEO signals is hidden in the patent text itself.

“The system determines a count of independent links for the group (step 302). A link for a group of resources is an incoming link to a resource in the group, i.e., a link having a resource in the group as its target. Links for the group can include express links, implied links or both. An express link, e.g., a hyperlink, is a link that is included in a source resource that a user can follow to navigate to a target resource. An implied link is a reference to a target resource, e.g., a citation to the target resource, which is included in a source resource but is not an express link to the target resource. Thus, a resource in the group can be the target of an implied link without a user being able to navigate to the resource by following the implied link.”

Google Panda patent (patent 8,682,892)

Today, Google now gives you a positive SEO boost based on both “express links” and “implied links.” 

What is an implied link? It is a BRAND MENTION.

Both express links and implied links still need to come from reputable websites and social media activity in order to give you the most value. What is the best way to gain more brand mentions from reputable sources? Earned media placements!

If social and earned media isn’t a part of your communications strategy, it’s time to reconsider. All link building and off-site SEO strategists should strongly consider tapping into media and influencer brand mentions that Paige PR can provide.

For more information, reach out to info@paigepr.com.