Do Links to Quality References Improve Google Ranking?

Many online writers hesitate to reference their sources for fear that it gives the impression they relied too heavily on the ideas of some one else--but they've got references all wrong. Providing quality references to your work builds your credibility as writer and gives the reader further information. However, that's not all it does. Linking your work to credible sources in the reference section or in the text of your article provides Google with a path to follow.

When Google follows the path to a reputable site and discovers that the information on the site is similar to yours, you get a the perk of being associated with the site. It's not quite as powerful as getting backlinks from the site itself, but many insist that it  boosts the value of your work. Vaughn's Summaries notes this practice in his chart of actions that effect the SEO of your site or article, but do keep in mind that the chart was developed before the new Google Algorithm was implemented.

Although there are some that will argue that the quality of your outgoing links has no positive effect on the ranking of your blog--while poor quality is likely to hurt you--the absence of those links appears to be a determining factor in the new algorithm.

Google repeatedly announced its intentions to penalize content farms, yet its new algorithm came as a blow to many writing communities.To the surprise of many, Demand Medias' eHow did not suffer the negative impact of Google's Farmer Update and them asking why. The answer may be more obvious than you think. Demand Media requires links to quality references with a preference for edu and gov sites.

As online writers, we would do well to follow suit providing quality links to our work whenever possible--not only do we provide the reader with further information we just may gain favor with Google, as well.

*Finding reputable references is quick and easy with SearchEdu.com.

What Does Google's New Algorithm Mean to Online Writers?

If you are like most online writers this morning your thoughts are probably filled with Google's unveiling of its new algorithm. Reports across the Internet reveal that many writing sites took a big hit in ratings and dropped drastically in ranking on Google. Until now, many held the "wait and see" approach not fully believing that Google would really go through with its threats to bury the little guy--but for now, at least, it appears they did.

The reason? According to Google--to improve the reader's experience--to weed out inferior sites--to give the reader the most relevant information. A few quick searches brought me lots of commercial sites and few informational sites. I won't get into the implications of that in this post, as it goes a bit beyond the direction I want to take.

I want to focus on is what this means for the online writer. We all know that it means quick change is necessary, but few of us know exactly what we need to do to keep up with the change. Just when we thought we had it all figured out and were beginning to get a grasp on SEO the proverbial rug has been pulled out from under us.

Until the dust settles, it is anyone's guess where this will all lead--but as writers many of us cannot afford to sit back and wait. So what do we do?

• Keep Writing --slacking off now will only compound the issue.
• Explore Your Options--take the time to look at what sites are ranking well with the new algorithm.
• Maintain Quality--this may be more important than ever.
• Find a Niche-- the fewer competing articles there are out there, the better your chances of reaching the top. Some reports indicate that those with niche articles have faired better since the change.
• Seek Out Private Clients--although always important, now might be the time to align yourself with work for private clients to offset the reduced earning you are likely experience from writing sites.

** I'd love to hear what you think. Please share your comments and ideas in the comment section.

SERP and Page Rank: What's the Difference?

If you find the whole idea of page rank and SERP confusing, you are not alone. Many writers unwittingly confuse the two, or simply assume they are the same. They are not.

Search Engine Results Page (SERP)

SERP (Search Engine Results Page) refers to where your particular site (or article) falls in Google as a result of a search. How well your title and url reflect your content, the number of other competing sites and the specific focus and keywords in your work all effect SERP.

SERP changes according to the search term used. Although you may appear in the #1 spot by searching the exact title inside of quotation marks, be aware that unless your title reflects the exact words readers search to find your information, it is unlikely to appear #1 with their search terms.

Many new writers are excited to find their writing ranking well on Google, but fail to understand that unless the term is one that is searched often—it really doesn’t matter. The goal, of course, it to land your work above the fold on the first page of Google with several search terms that are searched often—not #1 with one search term readers seldom use.

Page Rank

Page rank ranges from 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest-ranking possible. This honor is reserved for Google itself. Page rank number reflects the value Google places on your site. Although the algorithm for earning a high rating remains known only to Google, good SEO practices, the amount of traffic and the quality of the links all contribute to the page rank of a site. Google updates Page rank once approximately every three months, while SERP may change frequently.

Building Page Rank

Producing quality work with fresh content helps to build the page rank of the site, but it doesn’t happen overnight. If you have your own blog or website, have patience. Provide the reader with valuable information, seek links from high ranked sites, use good anchor text and create a site that is easy to navigate and page rank will take care of itself.

Improving SERP

Meanwhile, follow good SEO practices to improve SERP, by using relevant keywords and avoiding keyword stuffing--or attempts to trick the system by adding high paying keywords that don’t relate to your topic. Although it may seem like a great idea at the time, attempting to draw traffic to ads by slipping in a few high paying keywords can (and often does) come back to haunt you, as readers decide to go elsewhere to find the information they seek.