Content vs. backlinks

[Fallen Angel]

I suppose this links with Nicole's 'using key phrases' thread, but I decided to start a new thread because with the site in question I haven't really done much work on key phrases (or really any SEO for that matter).

Tonight, while submitting MasterWeb to DMOZ I decided to check out a client site I submitted to DMOZ a couple of months ago and then forgot about it. To my surprise (after stuff I've read about DMOZ recently) it was listed! That prompted me to check out the site's ranking in various serach engines. As I said, I've done no serious SEO on it, just designed the site, added the content, put in the meta keywords, published the site and submitted to the major SE's, and that was that. There's around 50 pages of what I would consider good quality content on there (at least in human terms), but the site has very few backlinks at all. We're talking possibly just into double figures from sites that are pretty relevant, but don't have significant PRs. In it's present form the site's been up about 8 months.

With the two keywords I think it's most likely people would use if they were looking for information on the subject in question, I got the following results:

• Google - 36th
• Yahoo - 20th
• MSN - 4th
• Ask.com - 11th
• AltaVista - 9th

Not bad going I don't think.

[Tailslide]

I think backlinks are very hard to get for a small business - many don't really want to pay for the links and don't want a links page either. 

I've found that good content and localisation are the key for a lot of small sites - and I'm talking about non-web based businesses that just have a site for extra advertising etc rather than the web being their sole outlet.

For instance my own site - I've got number one and two spot in Google for my top two key phrases and yet I don't actually have that many "quality" backlinks.  Maybe a couple of dozen - plus forums. BUT since 98% of my customers come from my own region I've made sure that I've tweaked the phrases accordingly.  80% of my customers find me on Google.

I think once you're unable to effectively localise a site then you must rely much more heavilly on good backlinks even with great content.

[Taz]

With all these pay for linking schemes I don't even bat an eyelid over the backlink thing, far as I am concerned it's no biggy.

& all the mutual backlinking for PR points is like a house of cards, it's just waiting for the wind to change.

If your content is good, it will pay off eventually.  Instead of paying out to get above other sites which I feel is wrong.