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External Ranking Factors and SEO

External ranking factors seems to be most important element considered by the search engines to rate a webpage. In SEO, search engine optimization, the steps to optimize these external ranking factors are considered to be the most crucial. Ranking factors are the parameters adopted by the search engine algorithm to evaluate the quality of a page. External ranking factors are the factors considered in the ranking of a website, but not directly related to the content.

External ranking becomes more relevant in the present circumstances, where SEO has becomes so popular. The search engines use programmed algorithms called spiders to assess the web page, by the verification of certain factors that has been incorporated into the webpage. But, in the extreme competitive internet scenario, search engines have to adopt stringent parameters to rank web pages. However, it is essential for the web page developers to get the top ranking in the search engines, to meet their economic targets. Search engine optimization was introduced so one could mould their website to be the most compatible with the search engines parameters. With the advent of  SEO, web developers could easily satisfy the internal parameters, using SEO techniques. But for search engines, content relevancy is the prime factor and they have to formulate means to evaluate all parameters, which web developers cannot manipulate. And, they are comprehensively called external ranking factors.

In the external ranking factors, links are the most important. Links are provisions, provided in a webpage to connect with another webpage. Among the two types of links such as the outbound links and inbound links, the inbound links are accounted to be the important ranking factors. Inbound links are the reference from any other page to the webpage. Search engines have adapted this as a parameter, with an assumption that only a worthwhile site will get a link from another site, since the links are not controlled by the web page developer. In general, it becomes true since links to an unworthy site will lose the popularity of the referring site, and a webpage will be vigilant to provide links only to another competent webpage.

In external ranking factors, all inbound links are not considered to be worthwhile. Along with the number of inbound links, the relevance of the link is also analyzed carefully, while ranking the site. Link importance is assessed using its citation index, as followed in Google PageRank, which indicates the frequency of visits to the site. The link text is also a deciding factor about the quality of an inbound link. The search engine will appreciate that the webpage will have significant information regarding the search query only if the link text in between the HTML tags <<A>> and <</A>>, has the respective keyword. The relevance of the referring page is also an important factor in the context that the inbound link from any site cannot be considered relevant and essential, the contents of  both of the web pages must have some connection with the each other. Hence, to meet the external ranking factors, you have to increase the inbound links, which are relevant.

However, SEO has formulated several tactics to increase link popularity. The most important and easy method to increase the links is to submit the webpage to any directory. The links from directories, especially human driven directories are considered to be relevant by the search engines. But, be conscious to select the genuine directories and not jump into free for all directories. The submission to the site to the DMOZ directory, or the Open Directory Project, which is the largest on the internet, will give added advantages since the link from it is relevant and also it can help to generate links from its related sources. Link exchange is another possible means to improve the links. Press releases, news feeds, and thematic resources can also be utilized to increase the popularity of the site since it will gather attention to your site and the impression will help to gain more inbound links. However, try to incorporate variations in the link text of the inbound links since the similarity of the links is a punishable offence.

External ranking factors are a very important criteria that a webpage has to certainly satisfy, to gain the top ranking in the search engine result pages. SEO techniques will help to optimize the external ranking parameters. Remember that an inbound link from a high ranking site is preferred, so always try to gain inbound links.