Search engine optimisation is not always about the search engines. Certainly search engine ranking is the main focus of any SEO efforts, but there are other outcomes that SEO experts not only achieve but aim for within an SEO plan. Increased internet community presence is one of them.

Your site’s presence in the communities of your niche should be taken into consideration when you plan your SEO. There are several reasons for this. The most readily apparent, when you’re in the SEO mindset, is that internet communities can be a valuable source of inbound links. Less apparent is the value connecting with communities in your niche can have to your site’s reputation across the net.

There are various community networks on the net that frequently get overlooked by businesses when implementing an SEO plan:

Influential bloggers

For the purpose of the net, bloggers can be just as influential as a powerful journalist in the real world. The handy thing is that bloggers are usually a little more accessible than journalists, as they set their own rules for the most part.

You can approach blogs in two ways. The first, and most frequently used, is to attempt to gain a link from the blog by providing an article or a prize for a competition. Another way is to engage with the blog through the comments section. Both angles have advantages, the first being a more direct path to links and the second engaging more deeply with the community. Spend a little time observing who the influential bloggers are and researching their style before you begin communicating with them. This will help you avoid potentially negative bloggers.

Forums

Forums are an excellent place to communicate with your target users They are possibly the easiest way to meet with very specific groups. Because most forums are open to membership, and usually don’t require registration to read discussions, forums can be a great place to do some market research as well.

Email groups

Email discussion groups are very similar to forums, and have been around just as long. They can be a little more difficult to discover, as they are essentially private groups. However, if you can discover a group and begin to participate it is a handy avenue whenever you wish to implement marketing campaigns. You can begin to research email groups through Yahoo! Groups.

The success of your approach to community groups is dependent on your enthusiasm and your skill with words. Clumsy attempts at marketing can do real damage to your site’s reputation and your search engine ranking. It is a good idea to involve an SEO professional when you’re considering community participation. You can talk to us at SEO Consult about the potential for your site in community groups.

With any community network, it can be extremely helpful to spend some time just watching before you begin to participate. Not only does this give you an idea of the ground rules for participation, it can provide you with valuable information about how your users behave.

Get Involved