Link text and SEO
This entry was posted on November 16, 2007
I’m no SEO expert, but I do like to take a keen interest in how people find my site using search engines. Recently I’ve noticed a lot of people (well, several) have come to my site after typing just my first name into a search engine. I did a little research which consisted of typing “Rachael” into Google and found that Calm Banana is listed on the very first page!
Of course, I’m not the most famous Rachael in the world. Rachaels before me on the search results include Rachael Ray (an American TV Chef), Rachael Hale (A franchise of lovable animals), and Rachael Yamagata (An American singer / songwriter). After these Rachaels, though, and the “Did you mean Rachel Stevens?” you get… me!
Further research showed only 8 entries in my blog where my first name is directly mentioned, and I only think that I mention my name on my about page, nowhere else.
All of this research leads me to believe that link text is fairly important for search engine optimisation. After visiting the majority of pages that link to me, “Rachael” is much more common than “Calm Banana” or other link text. Trackbacks are often “Rachael said this” and “Rachael said that”; again, more examples of people using my first name to link to me.
So, I guess this is just a little thank you too all the people that link to me by name. You’ve really helped boost my search engine ranking. Thank you very much!
Has anyone else noticed the same thing with their own site? How far up on the search results are you for your first name?
11 lovely people have commented
Searching “Cheryl” on Google don’t get me on the first page for obvious reasons. 
But typing “Rilla” does! I was actually 4th and now down to 6th. It’s a weird and rare name anyway. 
I find it weird how some people can reach my site through weird, weird search keywords though…
I’m on the first page for Aisling. But I get more hits from my full name (which comes up #1), which makes me nervous, because chances are it’s someone I know IRL… I don’t have a problem with people looking me up, but they don’t comment, so I’m like “WHO IS IT?!?!? Ooooer *Mystery*”
On google.ca, my site comes up second for Kaylee 
But my name is mentioned in my sidebar intro on every page…
I know I haven’t a chance in hell of my site coming up under my name. I accepted that when I decided not to choose some cool-ass name to be my online nick, though.
If you type in Ejoh in Google then my site is listed first. That is really nice, but not many searches for Ejoh. Rachel is more common, I think.
In every comment that you leave on other persons websites you link with your name. I will start linking to you more.
When I search my name, my site doesn’t come up. Well, it wasn’t on the first 5 pages..can’t be bothered to look anymore
But, of you search my name and then ‘Red Dwarf’ then my blog comes up 3rd lol.
It’s weird how people can find your sites through search engines. I’m hoping that no-one in real life tries to find me, i doubt they will though fortunately.
Mine is the complete opposite.
Nothing comes up unless you write my entire address without the dot com
hiya
If you google “Jamie Knight” The i am on the first page, after the singer who owns the domains jamieknight.co.uk and jamieknight.com.
I think it is quite common knowledge that part of google page rank is all to do with trackbacks.
^licks^
Jamie & Lion
You forgot Rachel Greene from Friends!
It’s pretty weird how lots of people actually search for ‘juice’ in search engines, sometimes with undesirable sick relevances. But I’ve just learned to laugh it of haha ;p
I used to be good on both google.com/.co.uk for Carly. Not checked in months and months though. I get a lot of hits from just the word ‘Carly.’ I wonder if it’s people offline I’ve told I’ve got a site, or if it’s mostly people who don’t remember my URL but want to visit?
Either way, for the last million years I’ve used Carly, not any weird handle for my online travels…though used to get a much better PR and position in the search results when I commented and exchanged links a little more than now. Getting better now though, used to neglect my poor iccle web site so much!
Leave a comment?
·
Hannah said:
If it weren’t for Hannah Montana, I’d probably be higher up on the list =P