Authority Sites and Necessary Content
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What is an authority site? Why would anyone want to have one? How much content do I need to have to make my site an authority site? These and other questions are answered in the following article by veteran SEO author Wayne Hurlbert.
Your website is in constant need of more fresh content; that's a given. The search engines tend to reward websites that update often, and have large numbers of web pages. Adding fresh content to your site can also help develop your site into the much sought after "authority site" status.
A major problem faced by many webmasters, as they search for ways to add that new content to their sites, is where to find it. While most website owners are aware of the need to upload additional web pages to their sites, writing that content is often a difficult task.
To become an authority site requires strong content in your site's area of expertise. Gaining that cherished authority site status also requires many additional theme related incoming links. Usually, natural links and strong content go hand in hand. The dilemma is creating that content in the first place.
Here's some help for those seeking authority site status, but are at a loss for words.
What is an authority site?
Building an authority site is a goal that website owners should try to achieve. An authority site is a large site that is recognized by the search engines as being the most important for its keywords. Authority sites are built on large numbers of content pages and large numbers of incoming links. While that would appear to be obvious, there are several steps that are required to achieve authority site status.
All authority sites, which can almost always be found in the top ten search results for their most important keywords, contain large numbers of pages of content. With the larger sites, like amazon.com, for example, the total of indexed pages may run into the thousands. For highly competitive keywords, your site will need to add literally hundreds of new content pages, to gain that coveted authority site status. For less competitive keyword searches, obviously not as many pages will be required.
Authority sites are built on content and links. These two features are equally important and are closely entwined with one another. To get those important incoming links, to as many internal pages as possible, there needs to be powerful content to attract them. By adding content, you will draw links like a magnet.
Be certain to have a good internal linking structure, complete with site map and strong anchor text, as your site will need every page working hard. In fact, as your site grows ever larger, you might want to consider multiple site maps, with one for each major category of content on your site. Multiple site maps are a sign to the search engines that your site is indeed a large one.
Don't concern yourself with any Google PageRank leakage to the internal pages. This is a far less important concern than gaining PageRank on those added pages. The goal is to become an authority site, not to have the highest PageRank on your home page. Keep your eyes on the prize.
Authority sites are not afraid to link exchange with competitors. While that would appear on the surface to be counterintuitive, it is part of becoming an authority. The search engines will recognize the importance of your site, if it has incoming links from other top ten search result sites. Those linking sites may indeed be your competitors. While you might not want to advertise your competition's business on your home page, a good resources or directory (avoid labeling any pages as links.xxx) page will suffice for the exchange.
Authority site linking procedures are beyond the scope of this article, however. What is of concern here is the addition of those all important extra content pages. Links will be turned naturally toward your various content pages, if you have strong content. Both links and content are needed to build an authority site.
Next: Where to Find Fresh Content Ideas >>
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