Backlinking is so frustrating!

1. 45

   Mikeydoesposted 12 years ago

   I am still pretty much on square one when it comes to backlinking.
   
   Other than facebook I have no other sites to really share my hubs on, which makes it hard. I think I'm going to make more hubs and figure out backlinking when I can.
   
   How hard was backlinking for you when you first started?

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      Shadesbreathposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I don't know how hard it is, but I do know how boring is has to be.  So boring, I said, "screw it," and just write stuff.  Turns out, good stuff will get backlinked for real by real readers anyway, it just takes longer. 
      
      Plus, I think Google is going to keep trying to find ways to cut out the garbage that is floating to the top by contrived mechanisms anyway.  Better to write good stuff with a bit of keyword research, IMO.

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         Simone Smithposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I second Shadesbreath's motion!  Focus on writing high quality, useful content.  Occasionally share links on social media sites (so long as you comply with their own rules - and share other neat stuff too ), and don't worry about it too much.  And if you have a blog, consider writing complimentary articles that link to your hubs.
         I think that backlinking is only hard when it's done in a contrived manner, so as long as you're behaving like a normal human, it's cake!
         
         

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            Twenty One Daysposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            mmm, carrot cake.

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      YU_First 1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It would not be so frustrating if it was a plain Jane thing.
      
      It so hard especially when one has to use links that one has to keep going back to monitor that they are still existent and worthy!

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   3. 91

      Pcunixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I don't do any. As I "started" long before there was such thing as search engines or SEO, when we made links, it was always either to point people to other things of interest or to answer specific  questions they had.
      
      Which is exactly what I do now and what everyone but the spammers recommends today.  Announce your page on Facebook and Twitter.  If you have another page here or elsewhere that your readers woukd appreciate your linking this page to or from, do that.  Skip all the spamming and stop thinking about search engines.
      
      Things like Squidoo are fine if you really are using them for the benefit of readers. If you collect a pile of really useful links on sone subject and your truly useful page is among them, great. Otherwise, don't.
      
      If you adjust your thinking to what will benefit real people, you will do fine.

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      Mishaposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Backlinking usually is a boring job, even more boring if you do it the wrong way.

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         PaulaHenry1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Amen!

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   5. 83

      Lily Roseposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      When I first started it took quite a while for me to figure out whatthe heck everyone meant by "backlinking".  Once I figured it out I started doing it really slowly.  It's not hard, just very tedious and boring!
      
      My favorite backlinking sites are Xomba, Snipsly, and SheToldMe.  I've really concentrated on the first two more so.
      
      One tip I can give you is that if you are in fact planning on doing backlinking, make it part of your hub creation tasks - after you hit publish, go do the backlinks.
      
      I started when I had around 100 hubs and it was a real pain in the ass to play catch-up!  I still haven't backlinked them all, but I'm not sure I want to anymore...

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         Teresa Schultzposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Hi Lily - why are you not sure you want to anymore (finish catching up backlinking your older hubs)?  Are you getting enough traffic without doing it anymore, or you don't want to do it because it's tedious and boring?  Good tip to do backlinking right after posting a new hub, thanks.  It's difficult to do it sometimes though, for example:
         hub just posted
         urgently need to do something else
         do I put off the urgent thing while I do backlinking, or do I do the urgent thing and have to come back and do backlinking later?
         (Aaargh!)
         
         ps I also use Xomba, Snipsly and SheToldMe - now also SheToldMe's owner's new site Best Reviewer, and then also RedGage (although the site is so slow and has many 404 hassles), as well as my own site or blog.

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   6. 69

      tritrainposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have been putting together a list of good places and ways to get backlinks.
      
      I'd love hear of any that have been missed, especially places specifically for Hubs.
      
      

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   7. 0

      Twenty One Daysposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Mike, just build a Sitemap, which is a collection of all your links. Then submit the sitemap to Google, etc. Even better, if you have an RSS feed (which here on HP you technically have 3 -latest, best, hot) you can use that as your sitemap. This will save tons of frustrating hours going one potato, two potato and give you more time to write. RSS are automatically updated every 30 minutes. The links submitted with either get indexed or dumped for duplicity. So the work is done for you.
      
      Hope it helps. James.

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2. 0

   Nelle Hoxieposted 12 years ago

   I find the HP rules on "excessive" backlinking so confusing, I'm just going to stop doing it. Let's face it, every link I add from one of my own sites to HP, is done for the sake of backlinking. So by their standards it's wrong. I don't know, would they consider my rss feed one one of my sites wrong. Is my rss feed on two of my sites okay? But three not?
   
   So I'm just taking everything down.

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      shazwellynposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Before making any single decision, you should ask yourself the question: Is this going to be beneficial for my page's visitors?
      
      So, if your rssfeeds benefit your visitors, there is nothing wrong with it

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      skyfireposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Instead of taking everything down why not split it ? That way you can see the results. At the brink of holiday season and other online shopping spree, i don't know taking down all the links would be a good idea.

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3. 75

   sofsposted 12 years ago

   woo hooo I found some one to think like me.. I've truly given up on back linking.. just going to enjoy what I am doing.. write and write some more..

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      Mikeydoesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yea, I figure I will learn more about backlinking in the future, as of now I feel getting followers here and making hubs is a good start.
      
      Thanks for your pointers everyone.

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4. 85

   rebekahELLEposted 12 years ago

   this is probably more true than we realize. there is a lot of garbage out there.

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5. 69

   tritrainposted 12 years ago

   The challenge is finding "Hub Pages-friendly" sites that would allow a backlink.
   
   Blog comments, forum sigs, some Web 2.0 sites.
   
   I know of only one directory that allows Hub Pages, at the moment.

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   1. 45

      Mikeydoesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have to spend so much time here that it is hard to find other places. I have been at other forums, but not lately beacuse HPs has been taking it all up.
      
      I do need to start posting at other forums more, thats easy. I don't know what forums to join though. any ideas on some good forums that I can post at?

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      Pcunixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      And do you understand why that is?
      
      It is because people have been following bad advice from certain people here and elsewhere to create piles of spammy links.
      
      Stop thinking about linking for SEO.  think about creating useful content and linking only for the benefit of real readers, not search engines.

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         Mikeydoesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I'm going to take your approach on things a little more, glad you keep saying what you have to say. What you say has a great deal common sense to it. Not only is it better and more fun than backlinking, its the truth.

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   shazwellynposted 12 years ago

   If people are discovered self promoting, and remember that Google are developing to combat these methods, then the links you make will not only be counteracted but become a negative value.  Do you really want to chance it?

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   sunforgedposted 12 years ago

   Perhaps look outside of Hubpages for valid information.
   
   In this thread there has been multiple mentions of facebook and twitter as "backlinks"... they are not.
   
   There has been mention of a link becoming "negative value" - not a possibility, this is a competitive world, webmasters would use such a possibility to attack competition.
   
   The two sides that should make the basis of your own approach and understanding:
   
   The Professionals who earn a living with such things:
   http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors
   
   The Professionals who earn a living valuing and devaluing such things.
   http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/webspam-projects-in-2010/
   
   
   
   Forum advice is usually out of scope, parroted or foolish, use it only to assist yourself in finding your own path.

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      Pcunixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Same old song.
      
      But the truth is that people HAVE been banned from Google for spammy backlinking and HP HAS taken down pages here for the same reason.
      
      That's a 'negative value" in anyones world.

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      skyfireposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      +1.
      
      
      
      I'll listen to Aron wall(SEO Book) and SEO Moz team rather than any one else posting advice on forums.
      
      Even google is two faced when it comes to SEO and promotion. Speaking of restriction on promotion, google has it's own so-called white hat SEO guide. Few years earlier they slapped URL shortner sites and now they officially launched it with "goo.gl". You need to understand how much and where to take google seriously.

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      1. 91

         Pcunixposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         And I listen to Google and Matt Cutts rather than the people who are constantly trying to manipulate them.
         
         I'd also like to ask HP  why they encourage and even allow the sort of techniques advised in the various 'challenges".  Enthusiastic application of those methods has caused at least one person to be temporarily banned from Google.  I would bet dollars to donuts that they have also caused other sites to ban HP links.
         
         Haven't we had enough of this junk? Isn't it time to stop idolizing spammers and manipulators?
         
         It looks to me that HP is changing course in the right direction. I am very happy to see that.

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         1. 81

            skyfireposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Do what you like, i have no objection. I have my reasons not to listen to google when it comes to  word 'manipulation'.
            
            I don't idolize spammers or use black-hat techniques. Period.
            
            I prefer not to chase newbies in thread for creating panic in their mind. I prefer not to take down every person in online forum who opposes my views. You are free to make your own views and start the witch-hunt. I'm done.

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8. 57

   prettydarkhorseposted 12 years ago

   Hi Mikeydoes, It is not hard or difficult to backlink at all. There are many ways to backlink -- The easiest is RSS submission to sites. Once you have submitted your feed then to sites, it is automatic. Ping it too if you like.
   this is the discussion about different ways to promote your hubs -- http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/50536#post1155130
   I think the prob with not using any backlink even minimal is you lose the potential of your hubs. Even if your obj is to earn or just share information in which you still need more people to read your hubs.
   
   There is a debate what actually constitutes overly promotional backlinks even here at HP.
   
   I don't do backlinks when I first started here, but I have hubs which are informational which I want people to read (even though I don't earn from those hubs). I like to learn and don't like to miss anything.

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   psycheskinnerposted 12 years ago

   When I link from one of my sites it is not done for 'backlinking/SEO', it is done so that people who liked what I wrote on that site can also find what I wrote here.  I think that is the point, you are sending people to the hub because they might actually like it, not just to get Google juice.

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10. 45

    Mikeydoesposted 12 years ago

    Can't nice people just tweet my threads for me! Geez that would be so easy on me
    
    I have been dabbling into backlinking little by little. Its oevrwhelming at first, it really is.

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       Jane@CMposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       It can be daunting, yes it is boring.  Just don't over do it. Give it a test drive - back link several good performers and several poor performing hubs and see if it makes a difference! Sit back and wait...be patient.    Write more while you wait

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       rebekahELLEposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       be careful tweeting links in all your updates. it is a form of spam according to their twitter rules.
       If your updates consist mainly of links, and not personal updates;
       it is considered spam.

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          Mikeydoesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

          Ha, thanks for the heads up. 3 followers ohh dear.

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             WryLiltposted 12 years agoin reply to this

             Use #channels to reach a wider audience.
             
             For instance if you put "I just bought a red #car", your post will show along with all the other posts about cars.

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                Mikeydoesposted 12 years agoin reply to this

                Cool thanks that helps a lot.

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    Cheeky Girlposted 12 years ago

    I also use SeoMOZ, and I even explain how they work on a page of my personal website. There are some tools that can help with back linking. Blogs provide natural backlinks, DIGG and StumbleUpon are great for getting traffic too. The new Facebook feature started on HP is also good. Facebook and MySpace are hard to beat. RSS feeds are also good. They may be time consuming but they are all free!

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    jcalesposted 12 years ago

    Yes, it can be very boring but it can pay off in the end so you don't worry about money if experiencing hard times or retiring. An extra $1k to $2k a month certainly helps. Invest 5 to 10 years in this, as a serious hobby, and you should be OK. If you do this and hate it, little success may result.

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