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02.16.06
Interview With Eric Ward Of URLwire
 By
Lee Odden
If there is a ying and a yang to search engine optimization then many SEO professionals would agree that content is the ying and links are the yang.
OK I'm simplifying, but work with me. Optimizing content without implementing a linking campaign is like trying to drive a car without wheels.
Linking is important for more reasons than building PageRank though. Links from high profile sites can drive significant amounts of traffic AND attract inbound links as well. In that field there's one person that stands out as the prominent "old school SEO" authority on link building and that is Eric Ward.
Over the years Eric has developed effective processes and coveted relationships with leading online publications that you simply cannot buy your way into. As a result, if your campaign qualifies with his "newsworthiness" standards, you can expect some amazing results. I can personally testify that working with Eric is exceptional. He sets a very high standard and you can tell he truly enjoys his work.
Between handling clients, writing articles, webinars and conferences, Eric was kind enough to answer a few questions recently:
Please describe your background and how did you get involved with search marketing? How long were you promoting web sites before you took on Amazon.com as a client?
I worked in advertising and public relations for years and then a corporation I worked for went bankrupt I decided to go to graduate school in, of all things, Library and Information Sciences. This was 1992-ish. Over the next couple years the Internet started to really emerge into more mainstream use, especially after the first graphical web browser was made available to everyone. That browser was Mosaic and it's Netscape's great grandfather.
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I watched all these new sites launching through the eyes of an advertising/public relations person who just happened to be in library school, and I just knew corporate America was going to jump on it. I went to a local ISP in Knoxville with my idea for a web site promotion service and asked if they thought it was viable. They contracted with me on the spot to handle all their clients, all of whom were local. My business was born.
At the same time I happened to be a member of what was at the time the very first email based discussion list about web marketing. And it so happened that Jeff Bezos was also a member. There were like, 25 members total. When I told the group about my business, Jeff called me and said "I'm launching an online bookstore, wanna help?"
And in retrospect that was the moment that changed everything for me.
What are the biggest differences in site announcement and promotion now compared to 5 years ago? What advice would you give to new search marketers that are looking for reliable and long term link building strategies?
The amount of noise you have to get past to get your message heard is insane. Spam, fake blogs, link farms, you name it. This has caused people to just try and be louder than everyone else, when in reality they need to take the exact opposite approach. Focus on your content and verticality. The web is self organizing. It's a marketers dream. 3000 people all with the exact same interest in some little known subject all end up finding each other through tools like Yahoo Groups or blogs, etc. The key is understanding - and respecting- the medium. Few marketers respect the medium properly.
Read the rest of the article.
About the Author:
Lee Odden is President of TopRank Online Marketing. He publishes daily search engine news on the Online Marketing Blog and also writes regular search marketing articles for AllBusiness.com, Lockergnome.com and Practical eCommerce Magazine.
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