Linkbuilding-Experte Wil Reynolds auf der SMX 2012

Seit einigen Wochen ist das Programm der SMX online. Mit diesem Blog wollen wir auf einige Highlights aufmerksam machen. Wir beginnen mit Wil Reynolds (@wilreynolds). Er ist CEO der SEO/SEM-Firma SEER Interactive mit Sitz in Philadelphia, und einer der bekanntesten Linkbuilding-Experten der Branche. Wer den begeisternden Redner erleben will kann sich einige seiner Tipps für bessere Links auf seinem YouTube-Kanal abholen:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ7xlWiouwQ&w=440&h=253]

Am ersten Tag der SMX München (Dienstag, 27. März) wird Wil Reynolds uns einen Einblick geben, wie man Linkbuilding im großen Stil betreibt: Was gilt es bei Linkkauf, Linkbaits und Linkgenerierung zu beachten? In einer zweiten Session am Mittwoch zeigt er Strategien auf, um die perfekten Links zu bekommen: Von den richtigen Quellen zu den richtigen eigenen Seiten. Dabei macht es einen großen Unterschied, ob man Webseiten für einen Online-Shop oder für einen Content-Anbieter optimiert und ob man seine Online-Reputation verbessern oder den Umsatz erhöhen möchte. Man will ja auch nicht irgendwelchen Traffic, sondern den richtigen.
Zu seinem Auftritt auf der SMX München 2012 hat uns Wil Reynolds einige Fragen beantwortet:

Have you talked to audiences in Europe or Germany before?
I was in Munich recently for the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest, but I guess that does not count! I have spoken in Madrid and also 3 times in London for the same large conference there. I am looking forward to speaking in Munich for the very first time.

Have the leading search engines changed a lot in their algorithms in the past year regarding the assessment of links?
Definitely. I have seen more changes in the last year than in my 13 years working in SEO. With things like the integration of social media, the way they look at links, altering search results with social connections, there is a lot of change happening. However, the old tried and true tactics of ranking well as related to links are pretty much the same in the algorithm that they have always been, but I do see change related to that coming very soon.

How fast and in what way are links from social media gaining relevance in comparison to classic links?
Social signals are not a large influence on competitive keywords. However, it is in my focus to take people who do social well and turn the strong social following to get links. Even though it does not help with ranking, I notice that the more my clients connect to Twitter, Facebook, etc., the easier it is to approach getting links. I did a study that outlines how social signals are not yet impacting SEO rankings, found here. I also have a presentation that describes how social is influencing SEO, found here.

Why should marketers update their knowledge on conferences like SMX?
The pace of change is insane, so to stay on top of that it is best to attend these conferences. With speakers from all over the world presenting in one place, you get a more condensed version of the changes and new things. Research through blogs online could take months to get the information you would receive at one of the conferences. There is also nothing better than to connect directly with the people who created the content.

In a video, which you have posted, you explain the “the power of one”, which means that one single advocate can support your breakthrough and help you getting your message out to many. Was there a time for you when it was really hard to get the first endorser to admire something you wanted to promote?
Early on in my career I had made pitches to large conferences but I would not be selected. I didn’t get discouraged and continued to to create great content and network to get noticed and I eventually did!  I received the opportunity at first to speak at smaller conferences, so when they gave me opportunities so did others and then it grew from there.

Wir freuen uns, dass Wil auf der SMX München dabei ist. Morgen geht es auf diesem Blog gleich weiter: Dann verrät uns Keynote-Sprecher Rand Fishkin seine Pläne für die SMX.