LINK EXCHANGE

[RiverStevens]

I was about to start exchanging links with other poker sites but I have a few questions before I proceed. Now I understand it is better to link to sites that have a high PR rating but does the description of your site play a major role in getting ranked for certain keywords? If yes, then does it matter how many keywords you put in your description and is putting the word earlier in the description better than later. Just wondering if there was any science behind exchanging links and google rating for keywords in the description. Thanks for the help if you know, I'm guessing Equathereal knows the answer.

River~~~

[Dave]

It's not the PR of the site that points to you that matters, it's the PR of the page your link is on that matters.

Many sites have high PR homepages but their link pages have low, or no PR, not good for you.

The most important thing for your link is anchor text.

For instence don't make your clickable link RiverStevens.com, the search engines will think your site is about rivers, or stevens.

Use key words that describe your site in the link like "How To Win At Online Texas Holdem" or "Winning Poker Tournament Strategies" ect.

The description words next to the link do have a small impact on the effectiveness of the link according to SEO experts.

Remember that the SE's are constently changing their algo's and what they consider important when rating a website.

Last month Yahoo was sending me 90% of my traffic, now 90% is coming from Google and Yahoo thinks I'm invisible, not from any changes on my part, that's just the way the SEO world is. Crazy.

Get as many relevent high PR PAGES to link to your homepage, and some internal pages as you can. Use key words reletive to the page it's pointing to in the clickable anchor text.

After reading your post again are you talking about the description in the meta tags of your site? Now I'm confused.

It's not better for you to link to high rating PR sites, you want high rating PR PAGES to link to your site.

Accually it is good for your site to have a few links pointing to some high rating PR authorative poker sites like PokerPages.

Could you rephrase your question?

[RiverStevens]

Nope, no rephrasing, you answered my questions. Thank you so much and yes it was about the keywords in the description not the meta tags, and you stated it has a little bit of effect. Thanks again....time to start exchanging.

River~~~

[Dave]

Hi River,

I'm glad your link questions were answered.

I just had a look at your site and I think you're going to have a tough time getting quality links to your site.

Many beginner poker affiliates on this forum, just starting a website like you seem to have the same problems with their sites.

I don't mean to be critical, yes I do, so here goes.

1. What is the Poker Plaza? You need a good tag line that tells me what the Poker Plaza is about, and how is this poker site any different from the thousands, literally thousands of other poker sites I see everyday surfing the web. What can you offer me the others don't or I'm hitting the back button in about two seconds. Good bye Poker Plaza.

2. In your poker strategy section you have just one article written by Brad Daughterty I've personally seen hundreds, literally hundreds of times on other poker sites. The ONLY way you will get visitors to your website is to write original content. The search engines aren't stupid, they point their customers to webpages that offer valueable, original information that their web surfers are looking for and can't find anywhere else, that's there job. Poker Plaza offers nothing original, or of value to their customers that they couldn't find on thousands of other sites so you end up nowhere in the search engine results. No traffic equals no money for you.

3. Your poker book reviews are excellent. Good job. I'm sure you put a lot of work and time into writing them. Only one problem. Amazon pays you about a buck per book sale. I can tell you from personal experience that you will not make any money promoting poker books. It adds some value to your site for your visitors but don't spend too much time or effort on it. It's a waste of your valueable time.

4. You're promoting lot's of the small poker sites. I know what your thinking, the big poker sites must be saturated so I'll promote the little guy's where most online poker player don't have an account yet. Pretty smart right? Wrong! It doesn't work. Why? I don't know. Who cares. I've tried it. Most successful affiliates on this forum have probably tried it but they always go back to where the money is. Party Poker, Empire, UB, maybe Pokeroom, FulTilt , Paradise and Absolute that's where the money is for now. Trust me.

You have to write original material that can be found nowhere elses on the web before the search engine will even notice you, and even then you'll have a wack of other sites competeing with you for those popular key words, but you have to at least get in to the game by writing your own articles. I know that's a lot of work but it is the only way.

What I do is scan the 50 or so poker books I own and think of ways to write helpful, interesting articles about poker strategies, tips, calculating odds, the rules of poker, stuff that poker web surfer wont find anywhere else. Put your own spin and personality into your words. Talk to your visitors like you would an old friend, then they may trust you when you recommend which poker site they should play at.

I promised myself I wouldn't give away my secrects to newbies on this forum because the last thing I need is more competition but I've had a few drinks and I'm feeling generous.

Damm you Jeromy Enke!!!

[RiverStevens]

Thanks Dave, I'm working on all the things that you have suggested, though I know very little about website building, and have been discouraged for a little while now. I now have someone about to start designing and helping me with my site, so it will get much better very shortly. Thanks for the constructive criticism, its always welcome.

River~~~

[RiverStevens]

Thanks Dave, I'm working on all the things that you have suggested, though I know very little about website building, and have been discouraged for a little while now. I now have someone about to start designing and helping me with my site, so it will get much better very shortly. Thanks for the constructive criticism, its always welcome.

River~~~

[Dave]

I'm working on all the things that you have suggested, though I know very little about website building, and have been discouraged for a little while now. I now have someone about to start designing and helping me with my site, so it will get much better very shortly.

You don't need to know anything about website design to have a successful affiliate poker site. Fancy graghics and site design mean nothing to the search engines, and very little to your visitors.

I assume you can type.

Write your own articles about poker using your own unique style of writing and add them to your website.

Noone can do this for you, you have to do it yourself! Your visitors can tell the difference between pre-made fluff and genuine advice offered by someone who has a true passion for the game of poker.

Of course I'm assuming you really love the game and are not in this just to try and make a few bucks on the latest internet fad because if you are, you're doomed. The competition is just too tough for someone who isn't a true poker player and fan of the game. Web surfers can tell the difference. Seriously, they can. They will not sign up for poker sites you recommend if they don't like you and trust your opinions. You need to build a relationship with your visitors.

Damnit Dave........you finally came out of your shell :lol:

Constructive critisism is great and the way you did it was done in a professional manner. Folks like you are a true asset in this community!

To capitalize on that (I am an offline pro, so take what I say with a grain of salt) but all the successful online marketers have unique content or news on their site. Let me point out a friend of mines site.

NeverWinPoker.com

Micon who own this site writes news every day or so.............hell thats why I go back there all the time :P

It's great unique content like that which keeps his visitors returning. He also carved out a little niche in the market by having a forum focused on pokerstars high limit games. The reason I bring up his site though is because his content. If NeverWinPoker.com had the same same static page for the last 2 years he would have never been able to grow his site like he has.

That's it for now. Thanks again Dave.

[chipster]

Thanks Dave and Jeremy.
This thread is just pure gold especially to someone new and finding their way. Dave, I checked out your site. You are really appling the concepts that you talk about. I think it's like Jeremy said earlier, that is ; so much of success is taking action- going out and doing it.
-Chip

[Dave]

Now I understand it is better to link to sites that have a high PR rating but does the description of your site play a major role in getting ranked for certain keywords? If yes, then does it matter how many keywords you put in your description and is putting the word earlier in the description better than later. answer.

Use your keyword or keyword phrase for that page of content only once in your clickable anchor text and your description text. Try using your keyword as the second or third word. That seems to be most effective for now.

The same goes for your meta tags Title and Description. Yahoo use to give preference to having your keywords twice, but not anymore. At least that has been my experience in the last month. This will change of course. Google seems to like them once in the meta's and a keyword density lower than in the past.

Try one keyword for each paragragh of 5 to 6 sentences for Google. More in the first paragragh, high on the page, no more than twice in the first 100 words, and have just one text link, no more than two with your keyword in it linking to a high PR authoritive site relative to poker like PokerPages or Steve Badger''s site.

If you don't know who Steve Badger is you have a lot to learn about the world of marketing poker on the net. It took me months to get him to link to my site but the shmoosing was worth the effort.

Type the word "poker" or "online poker" into any search engine and Steve's site will be on the first page. How does he do it? Hundreds on pages of unique, original content and about 3000 incoming links. Steve started writing poker articles for his website years ago, before poker became hugely popular. He must be making a killing.

Can any of us catch up to him and steal some of his traffic?

Sure you can, write lots or unique content and work on getting incoming links to your site. Target obscure keywords like........ well I'm not going to give away all of my secrets. You'll have to seek out those words for yourself.


Chipster,

The fact that you can separate the fluff from the gold on this, or any other affiliate marketing forum tells me you have the smarts and will to succeed.

You're already ahead of 90% of the wanabees out there.

PM me if you want to exchange links, or have an ideas that you want to persue.

I'm always looking for a new partner who is willing to put in some hard work to make money, because that is the only way it going to happen.


Dave