link: strategy in google

[woofytalk]

In terms of offsite optimization, why is it that some people show up as the number one or number two rank in google (organic search) with so little external links pointing to their site?

for example,

If i type in google search: credit card consolidation

The top listed site is http://www.lowermybills.com/tipsadvice/credit-card-debt.jsp

but if i type in google: link:http://www.lowermybills.com/tipsadvice/credit-card-debt.jsp

there's only one link pointing to the site. What other methods are they using to get a top listing in organic search?

Kind Regards,
Jason

[stymiee]

1) Because Google purposely does not show all incoming links to that site

2) Quantity does not matter. Quality does

3) Links play only one part of a very complex algorithm

[canadafred]

What other methods are they using to get a top listing in organic search?

It is called search engine optimization, and, as you have demonstrated, it has little at all to do with incoming links.

[Dani]

The LowerMyBills site as a whole has a lot of incoming links, and therefore can spread around a lot of internal page rank to get all pages of its site well crawled.

[stymiee]

It is called search engine optimization, and, as you have demonstrated, it has little at all to do with incoming links.

As pointed out by cscgal and myself it can have lots to do with links. In fact, it almost certainly does.

[canadafred]

As pointed out by cscgal and myself it can have lots to do with links. In fact, it almost certainly does.

A search engine optimizer is different than a link strategist. Most around SEO circles seem to have difficulty differentiating between the two, so I will not feel bad if you disagree with me.

[stymiee]

Because links play such a fundamental part in SEO understanding linking structures, strategy, and value is very important for anyone doing SEO.

[Dani]

I think there's on-site SEO (aka keyword density, clean design, usability) and there's off-site SEO (aka link strategy and viral marketing).

[Alexandro]

The google not show all the links, if you use link operator, but in webmasters sitemap you will see all the links.
If you look on yahoo the page have 418 links and in google also the links are around 400 and the site have 13052 links.
Another important factor is the age of the site.

[Candy_ME]

I think i will stop link exchange with non related websites . I suspect that is the main reason for dropping in Jagger .I am thinking to kindly request to non related web sites remove their link to me . Would it be enough? i don't know .

also i will start link exchange from pages inside the web site (not just home page) with absolutely related web pages from other web sites .Am i correct?

[stymiee]

Link exchanges don't help anymore so stopping would be a good thing. If you don't want to be involved in link exchanges just remove your links to their sites. The incoming links will then be one way links which never hurt. (Although this would be uncool as your former link partner thinks they have an incoming link which they don't have anymore).