The Value in ‘NoFollow’ Links
Far too often in SEO a link is valued only by its ability to directly increase Page Rank or SERP visibility. CornwallSEO suggests that while many blogs enlist ‘nofollow’ attributes to all comments, the possibility of click-through traffic and site recognition create enough significance for a link.
I would go one step further, and suggest there is a wealth of digital marketing potential from the high domain authorities who ‘nofollow’ all outgoing links. Relevant advertising in any field will increase brand identity. This is especially helpful for small businesses who can afford no or limited SEO services. You may trade or be an expert in a specific industry which has yet to fully embrace the digital era – this is your opportunity to set the standard.
When Wikipedia became ‘nofollow’ at the turn of 2007 the incentive to optimise this resource decreased for many- there are still many pages with pitifully short entries; with no subsections, images, or resources. While it has been a running joke of the past decade that college students, journalists, and politicians alike have trusted the open source encyclopedia blindly, this is an indication of how much of a go-to knowledge bank Wikipedia has become. It also has the added advantage of being highly trusted and visited across all age demographics. If you have the ability to add specialist knowledge to a subject, don’t shy away from editing wiki entries, especially if you’re in a position to use a page of your website as the resource. This can drive traffic to your site and lead to other, ‘dofollow’ sites linking to you.
If you already have a web presence, however small, in your specialist area, make yourself heard. This doesn’t need to mean altering your browsing habits at all; many of us are silent but avid readers. Don’t bite your tongue. If you have a fair and relevant comment to make on a blog or forum, do so. Make sure all login profiles are as three dimensional as possible – if you’ve taken the time to be open about who you are your comment will have more significance to bloggers and site owners. Utilise your forum lurking and acquired knowledge to turn a new leaf in 2011 and start posting – and especially remember to optimise your signature so your website is clearly linked and described without being an eyesore. Finally remember that no one is interested in a spammer, but everyone is interested in a sage.
