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