Link building. In this age of social media it still remains a key anchor of a strong SEO strategy for your blog. The rationale is really simple: search engines rank the pages of your site or blog based on a number of factors, one of the more critical ones being the number of external webpages that link to yours.
So… we’re after links. Good ones and lost of them. And not all links are equal. But more on analyzing links in another post.
What caught my eye today was a comment I received yesterday on this post:
I am very amaze of what you post Alister. You explain everything clearly and full of informations of what people, especially marketers really need to know.
Thank you so much..
Now, people can claim to be anyone in a blog comment, so I’ll just say that this commenter purports to be “Idea Guy” with the web address of www.myideaguy.com/blog/.
I went over to that blog to check it out (something I will usually do if you leave me a comment), and something was immediately obvious to me: this is a caucasian male who clearly has a good command of the English language, and (from the Contact page) lives in Ontario, Canada. So it seemed immediately strange to me that his comment on my blog post was written in broken, second-rate English.
What you can’t see from the front-end of my blog is what my admin page tells me: that the IP address of this commenter is 58.69.208.247. I do an RDNS lookup, a traceroute, a geo-ip lookup and all that jazz and come up with the confident fact that the commenter is in the Philippines! What the?!
So I asks myself the scary question, I does…
What would motivate this filipino dude to come to my site and post a comment on behalf of a guy in Canada?
Well you know, I just couldn’t come up with an answer that made any real sense, that didn’t to a degree incriminate Mr Stu McLaren (the Ontario Idea Guy). I also couldn’t get the search engines or (Technorati) to show me if my site was “hit” as part of a broader linking campaign that some guy in the Philippines was doing on Stu’s behalf. But I’m still really sus.
Now, I’m not saying it’s wrong per se to get someone to “ghost-write” harmless blog post comments all over the place. Lame, but perhaps not wrong. Heck, outsourced link-building campaigns are the backbone of SEO, and in that world this kind of proxy commenting would be seen as a lighter-shade of grey(hat), at most.
But hey… at the very least try to get it done to a standard where it’s not immediately obvious that it’s someone else and not you! Secondly, make sure you’re not paying more than a few cents per link for this “service” because blog comments are the lowest of the low hanging fruit, for a couple of reasons:
- For a start, the search engines and directories (like Technorati) don’t count the URL/link under the comment author’s name for much. Only links in the body of the post count for anything worth the trouble.
- To add insult to injury, many (but definitely not all) blogs these days attach a rel=”nofollow” attribute to the A tag of the link to the commenter’s website/blog, rendering it of no value in a link-building campaign. No value for any keywords that matter to you, anyway.
I don’t know why anyone would want to hand real money over to a filipino link-builder who didn’t understand those two points!
So, if you’re going to hand money over the table for a link-building campaign, here are some quick — hopefully helpful — tips:
- Understand that a little outsourced link-building can be quite effective to push a blog or site from total obscurity (i.e. PR0 and unknown to Technorati) to a PR4, say. After that, the kinds of links these link guys will (typically) get you become less and less helpful.
- Don’t get someone to write anything on your behalf. It’s not necessary. You write the really good content on your own blog/site and (if you can’t resist) use some outsourced link-building to get you some highly ranked inbound links from authority sites or (ahem) directories.
- Make sure you supply the link-building dude with a selection of different pages to link to on your site, plus different permutations and combinations of text/keywords for the text of the link.
- Screw the link-building dude down to a commitment to list for you in a report every page on which he’s secured a link, what page was linked to, and what text was used in that link.
- Agree on a way to price the links based on their value. Pagerank is an OK guide to start with. Dot Gov and Dot Edu links score double, if they’re not dodgy student-run servers/sites.
I could go on, but hey… I don’t think too much of outsourced link-building, as a rule. I have never paid for any, myself. My opinion is that great content “sells itself”… almost! Great content needs great marketing; it’s just that I don’t think buying links is great marketing.
Now linkbait… that’s a great link-building strategy for your blog! So are the various devices of social media marketing. Go sick on the linkbait and engaging people in conversation in the relational web, and the links will largely take care of themselves.
What do you think?
23 Comments
you were wondering... I believe in rewarding commenters!
maybe he was drunken blogging?
Alister,
You earned a place in my feed reader because I generally liked your content.
But I find this specific post derogatory. I didn’t expect this kind of post from you. I’m taking you out of my feed reader.
James
A Google Search on that IP address reveals some more blog comments which are potential spam.
I did a backlinks check on one of the “potentially link spam” URL’s in Yahoo (Yahoo ignores nofollow attributes) and it seemed to confirm the link spam theory.
I had to laugh when I saw a comment which read along the lines of:
“I really like your blog on {insert keyword}. I also have some information on {insert keyword} on my blog at {URL}”
Autotext fields. Classic.
@James - I will be honest with you and admit that I pondered this one a while before posting it, for fear that I might be charged with hastily or wrongly accusing one or other of these guys with something unfair, but I think I was balanced enough.
If you are filipino and feel somehow that I have generalised or suggested something about filipinos in general, then that is something I do regret, because that was not at all my intention.
Your comment is general and doesn’t say anything specific about what caused you offence. Please do comment further if you wish, knowing I will listen to you conscientiously.
I don’t know why anyone would want to hand real money over to a filipino link-builder who didn’t understand those two points!
I’m speculating here, but I think it’s this statement, along with the title, that makes this post come off as derogatory. There was no real need, IMO, to mention the nationality of the commenter twice (thrice if you count the RDNS lookup). Simply saying that the said person couldn’t write would have sufficed.
On another note, the word Filipino, like American, British, or any other noun referring to a person from the country in question, should start with a capital F.
Having said all that, I’m adding your blog to my feed reader. I think you could’ve been a little more tactful in this post, but I don’t believe it detracts from the rest of your writing.
Alister,
I appreciate your comments regarding hiring a link builder.
It definitely made me stop and rethink my strategy.
Blogging is still relatively new to me so actually getting traffic to my blog is something I have very little understanding of at this particular time.
However, I did learn that getting links back to my blog was a good thing (I’ve still got to invest the time to learn the difference between the types of links as you pointed out in your post).
With that said, you should know that the person who commented on your blog for me is a girl named Bev who does work in the Philippines.
However, her primary function for me is actually researching potential blogs and websites that would be a good fit for exchanging links.
Posting a comment was something she did on her own initiative and I was proud that she even thought to do so because it demonstrated to me that she understood the purpose behind her research - to find quality sites to ultimately link back to us.
With that said, I didn’t think about the “backlash” or implications you outlined in your post and they are all points definitely worth correcting on my end.
I will say this…
Even though I have little experience as a “pro blogger”, I did find your post unprofessional in a couple of areas.
First, is it necessary to mention names, websites and locations when the lesson could easily be given without those details?
Second, if it bothered you as you outlined above, then why not contact me and share your thoughts?
Third, the main lesson I got from your post was this…
******
Don’t hire someone to build relationships for you - that’s something you want to do on your own.
******
Your post really has nothing to do with the fact that Bev is from the Philippines. It’s that in the end, she was making a post on my behalf and you deemed that lazy/grey-hat/not good for blogging ect.
Ok, understood and it serves as a good lesson for a blogger newbie like myself.
My thoughts are this - great post, good tips but no need to get personal with either myself or Bev.
Obviously you have a tremendous amount of experience blogging so why not take a leadership role and reach out to others when you see strategies like this that don’t jive?
I think in the end, you’d get a few more backlinks yourself
so, what we learned from this post?
1. Do not say Filipino link builders are spammers because Filipino SEO understand those things behind the blog comments. It’s clear that the one who comment-spam is not SEO but traffic seeker.
2. You can criticize someone but do not criticize all as if all are doing this stupid things.
3. It’s true that most of the Filipino speak/write bad in English but atleast we’re trying hard to make our grammar right. But never think that all Canadian/American can write articles with good grammar because although they speak/write English but still there are those who can’t speak/write with correct grammar.
Well skirmishes like these do happen once in a while. Since Allister has made amends to any possible harm this post has done, this would pass on as a footnote to blogging and SEO history.
A lesson from which we must all learn from.
Close one Alister. A wee bit careless, a lesson to be learned by all, but I highly commend you on leaving this post open, with mistakes scrubbed out.
Hey Cameron,
So as to remove the need for you to back check, I am a Filipino and in a way I can say that I have been involved with the SEO of a few known sites in the US. I do blogs mostly and I can say that my Caucasian superiors cannot be happier with the work that I am doing. For one, I write well and next I do know what I am doing. And though I made the front page of Digg and a few bookmarking sites only a few times, I guess that was enough to at least say that I can write. And yeah, I write for myself, under my own name but does represent the company.
I think you have a great blog here, but I can say that this post carried with it a generalization that is harsh and quite unfounded. In my less than a year helping out with SEO, I have made friends with a lot of Caucasians who have been in the business of online marketing for longer periods. Some of them have in fact asked for my help in a few things such as grammar, ideas, etc.etc.
I forwarded your post to my bosses too and though they wanted to comment on your post I told them it would be best if I do it.
Seriously, SEO is new in the Philippines. As for information, I do not think all Filipino SEO’s do not to know the points you have mentioned above. I know about no follow and no index tags. And yes that is pretty basic.
I have checked the comment left by this Filipina. I did not find it spammy at all. I guess she just wanted to fill the blanks. And so you will not think that I am here to get some links on your end I chose to leave that space for my site blank. I know they are not worth anything anyway.
For a blogger who coaches other bloggers, I guess I expected you to be a little more discreet and respectful when posting names of sites, IP addresses and people. Given that the comment left was not spammy and was in fact friendly, I can say that what motivated this blog was an issue of “because we are asians”. I wouldn’t blame you if you would not welcome any asian compliments.
I appreciate your comments though. I just hope you will be a little more careful next time man. Things like this are a big deal for a race like ours.
I think this is a good post. The tips, and lesson stuff. But I think you could’ve just avoided the specifics. I mean putting stupid and Filipino in a title caught brought about much of raised-brows. It’s a good bait though. Cheers to that one. Just be more tact, that’s all.
None taken.
Im new here, your title with the words “Filipino” and “Can’t” caught my attention, and regardless if you apologized or not, I have to understand your side as well.
I’m also used to these type of posts, “because we’re Asians”, as a professional gamer (I get paid to play), I’ve seen countless of anti-Filipino and anti-Asian comments and sentiments. I’m not saying you are being anti- or being racist, but rather, we’re better off not blogging about these things.
I don’t know, but I have a couple of commenters who do just that and as long as they are not doing anything bad or against anyone, I leave them-be. Whatever their reason is for promoting someone else’s blog or site, it’s their purpose in life.
But hey… don’t delete posts
not-so “blogging” if you know what I mean :p
To the rest of the Pinoys and Asians in general, just get used to it :p We’re just misunderstood by the Western world :p
I guess the point to why Filipino’s will start hating you would be because you used the word “Filipino”, why not another title.. may have been the first thing that popped-up in that little brain of yours.. think man.. We Filipinos are very Nationalistic.. Filipino is a very BIG word to use.. its like God! What was the point of this blog anyway?? What was your goal?? that Australians are more intelligent that Filipinos?? That you are more intelligent that the average Filipino?? Is this some kind of attack?? well I’d be proud to tell you that The Filipino nation will in all its power bring you down!!! ••••••••••••••••♥••••••••••••••••
soooo.. if this were a blog.. how would you feel?? reading an article that degrades the very blood that flows in your veins.. it may have been a mistake.. but ironically.. i don’t see any wrong spellings or grammatical errors in your blog.. so think about it.
To: JC John SESE Cuneta
I have to admit that I’ve got even more disturbed with your comment than that of what Alister had against us Filipinos. I mean, yes you did say you are an Asian and with your family name, I’d guess your even a Filipino too yourself! The thing is…it’s not because something is usual, you could just accept it to be right and just stay passive about it. Yes…we Filipinos receive a lot of bad criticisms about our use of the English language…that may be true…but I don’t think we just have to stop by just saying, “let it be!” Guys…I don’t know with you but I feel both sorry and challenged by this incident. I feel sorry because I’ve realized that there are some people who just accept something (in this case, an insult) without even doing something about it. I mean can’t you even just defend yourselves? My second point is that I actually felt challenged by what Alister had to say because this since-then–existing fact of Filipinos using English in a rather “substandard” way has hit me once again. Therefore, now I for a fact, plan to study and practice more so as to improve my command of the English language. However, there is still this fact that I want you, Alister to understand…the Philippines is an archipelagic nation having more than 7100 islands with which comes more than 8000 dialects being used in the different parts of the country by the “Filipinos.” I for myself had to grew up learning four languages, 2 of them being more widely used (English and Filipino) and the other 2 being minor dialects used in the country (Waray and Cebuano). Therefore…it could somehow, in one way or another, at least be understandable that some and not all Filipinos would have hard time perfecting a foreign language such as English given that their environment is actually a hybrid of cultures and dialects! My point is…maybe you first have to consider and understand factors such as these before you do a hasty generalization about every Filipino that has ever lived in this world!
@Filipina - Thank you for your thoughtful comment. A great addition to this discussion (which I thought was over!)…
I guess the challenge for any nation like the Philippines, in this Global Economy, is to take a hold of the challenge with grit and clenched fists, knowing that it will always be a tremendous fight for the “developing nations”, but one well worth fighting. In the case of your nation, as far as language goes, you have all the respect you deserve for the reasons you mention. (I am tri-lingual but I know just how awful my second and third languages are, compared to my first - no arguments there.)
So as far as attitude goes, you have it right: these “criticisms” like mine need to be taken positively by mature people… as an opportunity to grow, to aim for higher, to resolve our determination to be better!
I therefore see the use of sub-standard English by Filipinos (or anyone else) who are offering outsourced SEO as a lose-lose scenario! The client loses because he gets “found out” by people like me, and because his business is done a disservice by being unpleasantly represented by this bad language. And the service supplier is equally badly served, because their reputation will be tarnished and they will not get the repeat business… the client will go elsewhere next time.
Goodness, this outsources SEO “hack-work” market is at the “low-end” of the SEO business where there is a lot of competition from nations in the “developing world”. Surely you can all see that the determiner of your success may well include, as a key, the quality of your English?!
So Philippines, Indonesia, Belarus, Uganda, wherever… take pride in your product. Challenge yourselves internally to rise to the challenge of being a dominant player in these supply “industries” and DO IT WELL! If you don’t someone else will… probably India!
No prob, really. Just another self-righteous dude out to tell the world how great (righteous) he is. I’ve seen this kind of species a lot of times, and its usually harmless. Just don’t keep pricking it and make it more agitated. Let its steam die out.
well, yea…thats about right. I live in the Phils now and yes, it is possibly the least intelligent country I have ever been in. The best advice given to me was to never call a filipina ’stupid’…which is a good idea since they get PISSED and get to screaming and yelling. But the truth is that their universities here are jokes. No wonder they get sensitive, they just learned to be masters of cell-phone texting and somehow think they are intellectual equals with the rest of the world because of it. Please, please…never get any medical or dental work done here. I made that mistake 3 times - never again will I do it.
I got to this post accidentally and I haven’t read the entire thing. The mere fact that a Filipino was criticized for such a tiny bit of issue irritated me.
Alister, I assume you are aware of the fact that many companies are outsourcing their workforce here in the Philippines - call centers, websites and others. This is due to another fact that Filipinos use the English language as a second language.
Thanks to your American ancestors who invaded our country we learned how to speak, read and write in English. Now for this tiny bit of issue, and as other posts have stressed, there are those who have inadequacies when it comes grammar and spelling. Not only Filipinos, but everyone who are trying to speak, read and write the English language- a language that is not native to one’s own tongue and mother land.
Your post is plainly offensive and racist in a way. I just hope you’ll re-read what you are writing and think twice before you post. This is not the job of a good SEO writer or blogger. It is purely lambasting whoever or whatever you feel like lambasting.
@Filipina SEO Writer - You should have read the entire thing, starting with the big fat top box that explains my apology. You should also have worked out that I am Australia, and have no American ancestors. Nor do I have Spanish ancestors, who also taught you to speak Spanish (and gave you Roman Catholicism, which you mixed with traditional animistic beliefs), but that’s beside the point.
My point in this post was to highlight a VERY BAD blogging practice, of outsourcing commenting to a 3rd party, much less someone who cannot adequately fake your command of the English language.
Anything about the Philippines — or Filipino people — was ENTIRELY parenthetical to my main point. Had the person in this particular case been Russian, Nigerian, or Texan (!), then in the mood I was in at the time, they would have appear in the title and body of this post.
I do SINCERELY hope you and other readers here will get that point, which I have repeatedly stated and don’t want to have to say again.
-Alister
SEO is not just by being crawl by search Engine… SEO is a Technique and you don’t have any idea why some people comment on blogs and drop links it is not because the search engine counts them but it is because it will add traffics to their blogs or sites. So you can’t say that this certain Filipino guy or this Canadian owner of the blog is a dumb @ss. You didn’t know their intention in the first place… so don’t judge without researching thoroughly on this topic… and I may say you are no SEO expert so I think your SEO thingy topic is not credible.
What would you think if this Canadian guy handed the work to an American? will you whine more than you whine about this Filipino guy? or just shut your Chicken @ss mouth and let the topic go by?
It would hurt any Filipino writer or link builder to read about this post, particularly over the misleading title that deliberately associates Filipino link builders with a stupid SEO strategy.
True, an incomprehensible comment such as that one posted by the link builder deserves a bit of reproach but the way Filipino link builders are seemingly labeled as terribly inarticulate and singled out in this post would come about as offensive and even discriminatory in a way.
Well, these are lessons to learn from both sides, though I would like to commend you on your link building tips.
Wow! You really got the some Pinoy bloggers pissed off and leaving comments up to last week! Even with poor English language that Filipinos would really talk and stand up to a write up like this… I just could not resist leaving something to say…
Have you ever thought that:
- maybe the IP address was spoofed or the server happened to sit in the Philippines
- maybe that commenter really lives in Canada and happened to be on a vacation with some relatives in the Philippines
- maybe he decided to get a Filipino web host than going for the likes of GoDaddy (it’s a lot cheaper)
- a host of other things that network administrators know better than we do
I really think that tracing the IP address to where that comment came from should not be taken at face value.
Oh, the commenter was grateful for the information that you had provided so far!!!
wow! you got yourself an audience by commenting about “filipinos” congratulations! I guess yeah… you have made a mistake with the title “the filipino link builder who can’t write” and by writing “was written in broken, second-rate English”
but no matter how you apologize, you have already hurt a lot of peoples’ feelings, i guess the whole FILIPINO NATION’s feelings…
we filipinos make a fun out of our fellow filipinos at times, but coming from a caucasian like you, it will hurt most filipinos to read an “un-called for” comment to a seemingly friendly comment that you got from a “FILIPINO”…
filipinos are a hard audience to please, so you should even thank that commenter, for she appreciated your writing.. even if she may not speak or write perfect english like you claim to be, well, point is, she’s just doing her job, and not ought to be treated like she’s a good for nothing!
so! to correct you:
So I asks myself the scary question, I does…
( what?!! what do you mean “I does” ????) you should have written “So I asked myself the scary question…”
What would motivate this filipino dude to come to my site and post a comment on behalf of a guy in Canada?
(What would motivate this filipino dude to come to my site and post a comment “in” behalf of a guy from Canada?)
It would have been better if you wrote:
What would motivate this filipino dude to come to my site and post a comment on a Canadian guys’ behalf?
just some basic english i learned from school.
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