Social Bookmarking Value Adds Your Search Engine Optimization Program

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It is becoming very apparent to those in the know that social bookmarking will give your search engine optimization program a big boost. I have noticed that several pages that I have worked on and had bookmarked appear far higher in the search engine results pages than those that have not been bookmarked.

When I say higher, I am talking about significantly higher. I see some pages appearing on the front page for Google while a similar page with the same keyword strength and same link structure not appear until a day or two later, and when it does appear, it can be five or six pages deeper than the bookmarked page. If this is the case, you should be including social bookmarking in your search engine optimization program.

Having tested out several different options, there is little to differentiate most of the top bookmarking sites. What does differentiate the results is the number times your site gets ‘voted’ upon. Depending on the bookmark site, anything from six to ten votes seems to have an effect. If you decide to include social bookmarking in your search engine optimization program then I suggest you also find a dozen friends to make the effort worthwhile.

We often talk about ‘on site’ and ‘off site’ search engine optimization strategies. Using social bookmarks, while considered ‘off site’, still requires ‘on site’ work to ensure the content being bookmarked is worthy. All your hard work may come undone if the quality of your work is such that it gets voted down.

Every time your page is voted it is flagged as important. This almost has the same effect as shoving your page under the search engines nose. The downside, your position in the SERP’s is only temporary and after the first day you will slowly slip down the rankings. In the meantime you have sat near the top and hopefully gained some real benefits.

Search engine optimization is an ongoing process that never ends. If you can find a strategy that gives you even the smallest boost, use it. Everyone else is trying to get that little edge so you cannot afford to miss any opportunities. Social bookmarking can boost your search engine optimization program so use the strategy to your best advantage.

Nick Stamoulis - SEOJ