I originally published this post in November 2011 pointing out that people really didn’t understand how to use link networks. I’ve now updated it = UPDATED: March 2012 after Google de-indexed Build My Rank
OK guys apparently the world changed and some of you didn’t notice. Ironic really, I’ve heard plenty of people whinging about not being able to get good backlinks. Or asking for alternatives to Build My Rank because the BMR blogs didn’t look “real” and weren’t niche specific.
There are two really obvious things that are apparently from Google’s swipe at backlink networks. First obviously backlinks from these networks were effective (otherwise Google would have just ignored them) and, in future you are going to have to play smarter.
Build My Rank was not the only network to get deindexed and devalued, it was probably just the highest profile one amongst the make money crowd. SEO Nitro, SEO Linkvine. The sites that have not got hit are generally keeping a VERY low profile.
This is quite specific – Google isn’t targeting spammy backlinks from forums, automated bookmarking or the other stuff you can buy for $5 at fiverr. People who have spammed the hell out of their own sites are reporting no drop in rankings and no nasty messages in Google tools about “unnatural links being noted on their sites”
This is all about networks which insisted on 150 -odd words of unique content. Google has found them and taken them down manually.
So what do you do now to rank – what are the alternatives to BMR?
Alternative 1: Forget Manufactured Backlinks Make Your Site High Quality
Yeah I know I probably just lost 90% of you. And no I’m not saying you don’t need backlinks – what I’m saying if you write really good content, engage with your readers, and be genuinely helpful. You will then, over time get natural backlinks, when people link to and promote your content. Its a sound approach, which will take a while, but at the end, you will be mainly Google-proof. Not entirely – because you’d be an idiot to trust Google after this week – but a lot more than if you just have a mini-site of thrown together content that you don’t actually know much about.
If you want to learn how to develop a long-term, high quality websites – CLICK to check out the Keyword Academy
Alternative 2: Find a Few High Quality links
I started a new site – 3 weeks later it was a PR3 – nine months later its still PR3 and on page 1 for its desired keyword? What did I do? I gave it one single link from a PR3 site which I controlled which was relevant to the niche and didn’t have too many outbound links.
It not rocket science, it hasn’t changed any time recently. Some links are more useful than others. When you have access to strong links you will find it easier to rank your websites.
Getting just one really, really good backlink can do more for your rankings than a 1000 crappy links. It will also look more natural to Google.
What is a good backlink? A link from an authority site? So WTF is an authority site? A site which ranks well in the same niche as you, a site which has an engaged audience who find it useful, a page which has similar or the same keywords as you want to rank for, a site with PR (this is the least important factor).
How do you get those links? Well as I said above the best way is to have such an awesome site that people in the same field WANT to link to you. But you can hurry up the process a bit. Its not rocket science. Its called guest posting. Try to find a blog who will accept a guest post from you. You’ll have to write really good content. You’ll have to make it possibly even more useful than the stuff you would publish on your own site. And in return they will give you a link. And you know what – you might even get visitors from that link – there’s a thought!
Its pretty tough finding guest posting opportunities. You’ll have to contact a lot of webmasters, and expect a lot of rejections – or ignores. I hate doing it. On the other hand after a while you get to know a few people in the same niche and then its a little easier.
It probably all sounds a bit overwhelming – and I can understand if you are pretty discouraged after the news of BMR. But if you give up now – Google wins – and I HATE letting the bullies win!
Check out the Keyword Academy – really – you’ll be pleased you did – its also free for the first month – so no risk to you. Really check out my new Postrunner V2 Review – a great opportunity for quality backlinks.
41 replies on “Build My Rank Alternatives”
Way to go and wade into those damn link spammers! When will people realize that things have changed and Google doesn’t pay much attention to crappy links any more?
But its good for us – less competition that really knows what its doing.
In fact, hell, please continue folks. Just as you were. Xbummer and Scrapeshit rule!
I’m sort of glad that hardly anyone ever really listens to me and what I’ve been saying for years about building your own sites to provide those super strength links that no one else can have! Please keep ignoring me, cause what do I know LMFAO!
OK I won’t tell anyone you were right Terry – you probably shouldn’t either though!
🙂
SY’s right, the bulk of IMers won’t work our way because it really is a lot of hard work, long hours writing… so much writing… so, so much writing… sob!
Who wants to do all that? Maybe they’ve been listening to me all along, but its not what they want to hear.
Definitely an interesting take. I can’t help thinking that blog networks would remain effective if the people submitting to them actually thought like bloggers and not like link spammers.
If they posted good quality content, they would probably benefit from visitors and link juice.
Darren you are a genius – its not that flipping hard guys!
I also find it is often easier to rank at ezinearticles.com, or similar sites like hubpages.com, because they already have a lot of authority. If you are promoting a offline business that is useful to know. If you want to promote a online business, make sure your web site has a lot of original content that interlinks with each other, has good keyword research, and has plenty of backlinks and you will be fine. You can promote your site using forums, blog comments, and similar methods if you are not too spammy and add value.
When did you last try this with hubpages Cassy – I’ve tested it and their automatic authority of HP is long gone
“…- and you spam it with crappy spun-content from your favourite fiverr outsourcer! ” I think it is a attitude problem, many people still chase the dream of “getting rich over night without any effort. People who do this simply don’t want to work / put any effort in anything they do. I bet the sites they linked to looked also very poorly! I noticed that back in the days when I had a site in Postrunner. Great articles linked typically to great sites and poor articles linked to poor sites, SY
but doing on that spinning and submitting actually takes more time than actually writing a couple of decent articles SY -that’s why I don’t bloody get!
That is where the attitude comes in and the outsourcer!
Hey Lis, this is right on! This is one of the best and clearest explanations I’ve seen for explaining the quality of links and how to go about getting the ones that really matter. Very nicely done!
Hey Lis,
I really admire and appreciate your firm and well fabricated drilling on how to get valuable backlinks.I always focus on “Developing a GREAT Guest Post” strategy because i do believe that quality matters a lot than quantity.”SEO Cobra” was an update for me,i should check it out.I do agree with Terry’s response also,if folks continue to make crappy links then it would definitely going to help genuine persons like us.
Thank you Lis for sharing such a great,valuable,informative and considerable content with us.
Good Luck and God Bless!!
With Regards!
Samuel Joshua
“Developing a GREAT Guest Post” and linking to your guest post(s) is probably the easiest and most effective way to build backlinks to your good sites. It helps you and it helps the site where you post it.
It’s amazing how little this is used in the right way.
I just got an even better variation on this one RT – I submitted a “guest post” new a new online mag – they was a backlog so i had to wait 6 weeks or so, but not only did they publish with my do follow link but they also paid ME $15 – how good is that!
Very good! Care to share this great new resource? Sam the dog is running up a vet bill, broke his toe rather badly, and extra funds would be welcome. Saying this and looking at your ‘wait six weeks’ remark, perhaps that wouldn’t help much …
Could work for you SY as they have a photos section as well: http://www.vagabundomagazine.com/want-to-contribute/
Thanks will look into it, I have a lot of travel photos just clocking up my hard drive 😉 SY
“clocking” – I love it, not quite how I’d say it though maybe more “clogging” – unless they are ticking that is!
That is how it sounds when a German pronounces ‘clogging’ which would have been, you are correct, the correct word 😉 Nice re-write and update of the post btw 😉
I will probably go back to keyword academy soon. I have some infobarrel articles that need links desperately. Looking forward to building at least 25 links per infobarrel article to see how that goes. What I found interesting was that while I was a member I built a lot of links to one of my sites and saw little movement. I stopped building links to take care of other things in life and after some months the links hit or something and the site started to get decent traffic. Lol, and I thought the link aging thing was just a myth. Wonder how my site would be doing if I kept building links… 🙂
yeah I am sure that google has a delay filter – to get rid of the easily put-off wanna-bes!
Hello Liz,
Backlinks 101 eh? It’s always worth a little reminder about what works well.
I’ve been using BMR for about 18 months now I think. I have the $ 59 unlimited submissions plan – great value for money. Of course, you need to use it and submit articles – but it works very well for me.
The main concern I have is that it will be outed by Google at some point. It has been almost too good for too long – but that may be due to the rather strict quality controls that they have in place.
It seems that everywhere I look these days, bloggers are singing the praises of BMR – even some fairly mainstream blogs.
Link diversity is good of course, so I think that I will be taking at look at SEO Cobra when it reopens its doors next year. I signed up for your newsletter – presumably you will drop a reminder into my inbox at the appropriate time.
Finally, I just need to take issue a little with your comment that HubPages has lost its mojo. I know that it got hit pretty hard by Google. I have seen a fall in traffic to my Hubs – but not anything catastrophic. They are also harder to rank than they were previously. However, I am finding that it’s still not too difficult to get them to PR2 or PR3 with a little (BMR) backlink love – so I think that HP still has some value for backlinking to your money sites.
Hamish – I’m a low down Z-List blogger of course I will let you know when you can spend money with me! RE hubs – I’m not seeing new hubs rank like they used to ie with no effort from me! I am also really unhappy about how they are stuffing up the ways to make money on their site – their latest is that Iwon’t be able to use Amazon direct there come Jan 🙁
Hi Lis,
I love your post, I think I’m one of your follower now. As I have said last comment I post in one of your blog (If you accept it) That I’m planning to create a simple blog site. After reading your two post I have come to a conclusion that earning money online and creating business online is not done overnight. It is not easy but it is not hard either. I just need to be strong and have perseverance in everything I do to gain success. If ever my future plans will come to pass can I bookmark this page and ask for help from an expert like you?
It’s simple, focus on creating great content and the rest will follow. In the case of back linking, you’ll need to work, but having great content will also help as others will distribute your content, therefore getting back links!
The idea of three guest posts and driving the link authority to one of those guest posts is golden idea. Never thought of it myself before.
And you can make it count even more if you throw a nice small linking campaign from your other sources to that one linking guest post to make it even more effective 😉
Old Griz trick Sami – sure you knew and just forgot about it! Hows the big man and reindeers going in your part of the world?
SEO best ways to pump your SERP.. but. . i’m confused with new alogarithm. .
Lis, this post is proof that Google’s algorithm is not working. I search for a “build my rank alternative” and your post comes up #1 and I think – cool, I’m going to hear a couple recommendations from a guy who has tested similar products to BMR that are still working, despite Google’s rolling update.
So, i take the time to read your post and all i get is “guest blogging” and “quality content”. C’mon man, let’s be real. If you want to get to #1 in Google, you’re going to need a whole lot of guest blogging. You might as well hire a team of outsources to make contact with bloggers in your niche, write articles and hope they are approved. To do it one off, as an SEO consultant, is time-consuming and expensive – not much help for small business owners seeking affordable solutions.
Alas, I do have something positive to add to the conversation. Check out Blogger Link Up, its 100% free and gives you a chance to find blogs to write for and offer articles to be picked up by others.
Take care.
Mike
LOL Mike – you mean like Blogger Link UP ? I didn’t say you couldn’t outsource the process! Though I do think many people will have to pay more for articles than they’ve been used to! Well from what I’ve seen so far that Google hasn’t devalued all those old spammy techniques of mass bookmarking, forum profiles, and spam comments. But you probably don’t want to do that to genuine small businesses (I hope). Frankly I do think guest posting is the best option for genuine small businesses – I still think its cheaper than traditional advertising – and the resulting rankings are much better converting.
Agree. I’m starting a new client with this process in its entirety – no blog subscriptions or other automatic tools, so i’ll have a good case study in a few months. Take care!
Mike
I agree with the high quality content, but there are many many niches out there where buyers do not care what content you create for them, they only want to buy the cheapest product.
If you can tell me a way to guest post or provide useful information about toilet paper dispensers that people actually about, you can let me know
so that leaves us with making our own networks……
There is so much to consider here that you really have to be on your toes. Ways to leave footprints numerous, and the process is expensive, it’s probably you leave it to the experts, otherwise you will spend years building one up and have it bite the dust anyway.
BMR alternatives such as rank jumpers, serp gold private network, or straight up link buying is probably your best bet in these cases, and still holds risk, however really is your best bet in these boring niches….
Yeah I’ve heard a few private networks hit the dust recently too – though in every case they’d been using spun content *sigh*. To do private networks WELL is very hard work.
Craig, many years go when I worked in Hotel and catering there were a lot of specialist print magazines around themes around hotel equipment etc. I am sure they are now all online and would be willing to publish a blog post / article about your product. Think also about nursing / care / Kindergarten equipment, they all need a lot of toilet paper there 😉 Just look where your potential customers already are and meet them there 😉
Building a home grown network is not so hard. But it is expensive. The upside is that when you popuate it with high PR sites, you don’t need so many of them to have a powerful link source.
How to keep your own networks under the radar:
Avoid putting up wordpress sites, because that’s what every blog network uses – the biggest footprint of them all! Use different blog platforms, static sites etc.
Populate each site with quality articles that people can actually read and get something useful from. Don’t use spun crap no matter how well it passes copyscape.
Make the sites look different and like some effort has gone into their design and don’t all look like Griz’s old MMOFB blog
Be sensible about linking.
Do these things and you don’t show a footprint and in effect there is no network to see because it should look like a bunch of very good sites all owned by different people.
Long term,yoru own network is really the only viable solution. If you don’t control your links, they can get taken down at any time.
Guest blog posts can lose links through a change in blog owner – “Hey, I don’t want all these links in the posts I just bought – bye… Link networks are all a lottery now, so don’t waste you money on them. Even web 2.0 properties are outside of yoru control. Posterous just got bought out by Twitter. Guess that means all their outbound links will soon be nofollow…
Lucky for me, I doubt 0.1% of the IM/SEO population will want to do it my way. It means too much work and a sizeable cash investment.
One thing that can’t be denied – while most of my competition has dropped like a stone in the serps thanks to the sudden loss of all their BMR links, my sites are still there. Nuff said?
Hey Terry,
Terrific idea and you’re right. I’m trying out linkauthority.com and a couple other tools that hopefully do not leave a footprint. And, i’m spending more time on the white hat techniques of reverse engineering and trying to build relationships. Time consuming, but very worthwhile, as once you have a relationship in place, it can continue to grow and provide lots of opportunities.
That said, I’m interested in receiving guest blog posts for my small business SEO site and willing to provide the same to others. Contact me at mikemunterseo.com.
Thanks!
Mike
Mike – Terry has been working on his approach, in an uber-spammy, competitive niche, for years – and it does work. If you are doing SEO work for clients – you could do a lot worse than do something similar for them. You’d get clients for life AND your reputation as an SEO would be amazing.
You are totally right Terry – both in that your approach did/does/will continue to work, and that most IMers won’t bother doing it ! I’m really glad to hear that you are getting some traction as your competitors fall by the wayside!
I believe that google wants people not to game SEO, but anyone in SEO is gaming it to one extent or another…. they are placing so much emphasis on links that on their latest update they have started ranking pages with no content and not even in that niche… I am perplexed at what is happening with Google at the moment… I can safely say that my sites are in good order, but I’m scared that Google is about to self destruct and take everyone with them!
The idea of three guest posts and driving the link authority to one of those guest posts is golden idea. Never thought of it myself before.
And you can make it count even more if you throw a nice small linking campaign from your other sources to that one linking guest post to make it even more effective 😉
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Darren you are a genius – its not that flipping hard guys!