Some programmers feel that links are not as big of a ranking factor as they used to be, Orange County. The thought among web designers that link value has somehow been tarnished or ruined probably stems from the notion that inauthentic links used by spammers have caused search engines to judge them harshly. However, there is much evidence that indicates Google still regards them as highly now as it ever did before. In 2012, Google cracked down on link schemes by hitting sites that used them with manual penalties. Link spam can now be more easily identified, meaning that links can be as useful of an SEO tool as they ever were. Let’s look at how link usage can boost your SEO, Orange County.
Why Does Google Still Value Links So Highly?
For the answer as to why links matter for SEO, we must examine their qualities. Simply put, there are fundamental properties that links have that are unique in the ranking signals that they send. There are lots of ranking factors used by the Google algorithm, but only links have a specific signature that it looks for and values that highly. User engagement can’t duplicate it, nor can social media. Google is looking for the signals sent by links, and when your site sends out that signal it immediately gains some SEO standing, assuming that the links are to valuable and well-established sites and brands.
It’s Worth It To Invest In Links
One of the reasons that Google values links for SEO is because of the time it takes to create them. To create a link, you must find relevant content, evaluate its worth, then implement the link on a webpage. Links also stand as a public endorsement of sorts for the material to which you are linking. By doing this, you are, in essence, networking. It can become beneficial to do so if you start up relationships with representatives from other companies whose values intersect with yours. When you create an external link, you are encouraging a user to leave your site. That is no small thing. It states that you feel highly enough about content elsewhere that you are willing to send a customer to its location, even when that is no longer under your auspices.
It is because of all of this that quality external links remain such a critical factor for SEO and why hiring an SEO company to do it for your business website is a must. If you don’t have a backlog of valuable links, Orange County businesses, then you need to take some time to create them without delay.