Links Links Links. and your average Joe
Remember links make Google work and drives SEO. Google says that the more sites linking to something, the more relevant it is. Now the problem with links is that links are easy to game for those with computer skills. Also, up until Web 2.0, it was relatively difficult for 80% of internet users to link to things (This is a guesstimation based on my experience and in no way a solid number. However, think if you knew how to make links in 2003. Now, if you dont live within 100 miles of Silicone Valley, how many people even knew how a link worked? Yeah, my guestimation might even be conservative)
Links are Votes of Confidence
Links represent opinions. IF 80% of internet users are not weighing in with links, and only 54.7% of Americans had internet access (This is a real stat: http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p23-208.pdf).
Now, that means that roughly 12 % of americans were weighing in to Google and the SERPS about what was important to them, essentially voting with links. Also, this was 12% of Americans that was NOT a representative sample, because these skills essentially mean you did not represent core examples.
Links represent opinions. IF 80% of internet users are not weighing in with links, and only 54.7% of Americans had internet access (This is a real stat: http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p23-208.pdf).
Now, that means that roughly 12 % of americans were weighing in to Google and the SERPS about what was important to them, essentially voting with links. Also, this was 12% of Americans that was NOT a representative sample, because these skills essentially mean you did not represent core examples.
Not All Links Are Born Equal, Especially On Social Media
Links are not all the same. The most important difference are No Follow Links. This way websites can say that certain. links are NOT votes and that the search engines should not follow these links. Hence, “No Follow” links.
Now most Social Media sites set their links to no follow to prevent spammers from gaming the system. Also in preventing the links from leaving, Social Media Sites such as Facebook increase their authority to search engines, keeping more inbound traffic to themselves
It’s a common practice otherwise I could sit on Facebook all day and get all of my sites to number onbe AND make Facebook’s website irrelevant. Would you want to be there if everyone was linking to porn and viagra? Nope
So Facebook Links Don’t Mean Anything, Or Do They?
Ok, so Facebook links don’t mean much, so why are we talking about this? Click here to read more About Social Media and SEO and Your Business.