Backlinks have meaning but it defiantly isn't the only factor these days. In fact, I have pages on Google's top 10 that don't have a single backlinks. Here are a few things that matter:
1. How competitive is the keyword you are after. If you are targeting "long-tail" keywords - you should rank faster.
E-A-T:
2. The writer's Expertise in the domain (i.e. an MD will have better chances to rank in relevant medical search queries.
3. Authoritativeness is about the writers and the website’s reputations. If the writer and/or website have good reputations and have backlinks from relevant high-quality websites, they have authority.
4. The writer's and website's Trustworthiness - We trust the things we see. If there is no about page or no information about the writer, they are less trustworthy. If the content itself doesn’t include links to relevant sources, we tend not to trust it.
5. User intent - does your article answer users' real intent? Type a certain search query on Google and see that the results are different than the exact keyword you entered. They have additions. These additions in the results are users real intent. Google knows where users who entered search query X ended their search and return those results eventually, even if they include additional keywords and are different from your original query.
6. Does your article have relevant outgoing links? Do you link to reliable sources?
7. Are the backlinks you get from reliable RELEVANT websites?
8. Is your content long-form or short form?
9. How people interact with your page - do they end the search there (great) or move to other sites? What's your bounce rate like? How is your CTR?
10. Is your search query YMYL related (Your Money Your Life)? If you'd want to rank for the "Covid Symptoms" phrase because you want to sell masks on your new Shopify store, I wouldn't bet on you getting to Google first page. This search query is "your life" related and Google gives significant emphasise on the site's reliability regardless of how many backlinks you have. You'd see MayoClinic there, WebMD, .Gov, Healthline and more.
There are many more factors, but I can tell you that while RELEVANT backlinks are important, especially from authoritative sites, it's not the only factor and I even don't treat it as the main factor.
The client submits a project via Typeform, gets an email confirmation using Zapier, and the project's details go to an Airtable base. Freelancers go through a similar process when they submit their details.
I have an "applicants", "submitted projects", and "active projects" tabs on the base.
When a project is submitted I email relevant freelancers the job description (this could be automated as well with Zapier, haven't got to it), who apply directly via email.
I just started (launched several weeks ago). These are good for the MVP phase, after which I'll have to build something.
1. Think about what’s broken in the industry you worked at or have expertise in. Make a list of all the things your previous employer lost money over (employees’ time is probably the most expensive resource). This list is essentially a list of potential companies. If for example, you were in the fashion industry, you might be able to come up with ways to solve the guesswork fashion brands need to do in order to keep up with the market trends.
2. Build something that solves a problem for you. Many companies started that way. Say you are trying to go on a keto diet, and you found a way that makes it easier. Chances are many other people would find it helpful and be willing to pay for it.
3. Research. You might know a specific demographic is experiencing several difficulties, but you don’t know exactly what’s the core problem. Start reading and writing about it. When I started Spectroomz I didn’t know it’s going to be a freelancing platform for autistic people. My son is autistic so I started researching on Reddit what would be his future biggest challenges. You can passively research (i.e. read), or do so actively (I actually posted that question on Reddit r/aspergers). Once I got a sense that one of the main challenges is employment, I started searching for more content on Google Scholar, corresponding and chatting with other autistics about it and more.
After you find the problem, talk to users as jppope said. In the blog post I share a format of how to talk to users which I simply summarized from a YC startup school lecture - https://spectroomz.typeform.com/to/HR5R10
If you have several ideas and want to assess what has most potential, you can use a startup evaluation tool I created (also following a YC startup school lecture) - https://spectroomz.typeform.com/to/imIL7z
80% of autistic adults are unemployed or underemployed! In the next 10 years over 1M autistics will make the transition into adulthood (about 40%-60% with NO intellectual disability), only in the US. US autism costs are over US$ 268 BN annually, a big portion of it due to loss of productivity. Ever since my son was diagnosed (at age 3.5, he is now 4.5) I was researching what will his biggest challenges. Employment is a big one. I had two solutions in mind. The first one is helping companies become autistic-friendly (some companies are doing it) and by doing so increasing the employment rates. After long research, I wrote the lean guide to hire your first autistic employee (https://hackernoon.com/how-to-hire-your-first-autistic-emplo...), it even includes a Trello board. I reached out to hundreds of diversity and inclusion directors but very quickly noticed they don’t prioritize this high enough (I’m sure they want to, but they have other factors). In addition, I talked to many autistic adults who told me they wish they could work remotely. It will save them the difficulties they experience with the traditional hiring process (especially the interviews) + the socializing associated with meeting other employees every day, attending company events, etc. That leads me to my second solution, a freelancing platform for autistic people. I’m currently at startup school and just launching the MVP version, which is an autistic-friendly job/project posting process, a place to apply as a freelancer, a closed Facebook group for freelancers where I'll post jobs (also via email if you don't like FB), and Airtable to manage projects and applicants. If your company is open to take 1 or 2 freelancing projects (mainly writing, design or admin support, but any category works), it will be great if you’ll be early adopters. I’m here for questions.
Currently at YC's startup school, trying to solve the unemployment and underemployment problem autistic and Aspergers people experience. Currently validating assumptions and it looks like a freelancing platform for autistic people is the most promising direction. Started accepting application from potential autistic people: https://www.spectroomz.com/work-from-home
Mimoona.co.il (local Israeli platform launched in 2012). Getting free access to software in that nature is something people are used to getting for free. I wouldn’t put my efforts on such campaign since it requires lots of time commitment. Spend that time on building the software. Just my 2c
I think you shouldn’t go in that ally. If you are looking for reward based crowdfunding campaign than you don’t really have anything to give. If you are looking to give equity it’s too early. Generally, software crowdfunding campaigns don’t do well on platforms like Kickstarter or indiegogo. I founded a crowdfunding platform and helped around 5000 campaigns.
Hi,
1. Not a developer so please forgive any tech mistakes;
2. I looked on ahrefs on some of the keywords you mentioned and some more (e.g. "how to query redis with sql") - there are some searches but very limited (I would say up to 300-400/month in the US total). That's not a lot, but I don't know if it's the beginning of a trend or the end of it (devs can say that).
3. Regardless, I understand you do have users (when I say a user I mean retained users). If so, you need to talk to them, understand exactly what problem you are solving them. You can incentivize them with gift-cards or just sweet-talk your way to have a phone call with them; That's the most important thing.
4. Once you are on the call, do everything to understand what problem are you solving them + what they want you to add to the product.
5. That's the process. I did it with a social app in which I texted any user who did a meaningful action. It wasn't fun, but that's the way to do that. Get them to talk to you.
Hope that helps.
In that sense I agree, we can all be influencers, but that’s more like a referral program and not an influencer imho. I wrote about my experience here, I think it sums up my view https://www.polidoesntcare.com/blog/thoughts-on-influencers-...
However, I do have some ideas on how to make it more efficient with ecommerce
I write about autism and employment https://www.spectroomz.com/ and very interested in the domain (would love to talk about this specific topic of moving to leadership)
I don't think it's stalking. As mentioned, it's anon'; In addition, $ isn't always the KPI you are looking at. If, for example, you want to see what source of traffic brings the most retained users in order to invest your marketing budget in the right place? Totally legit IMHO.
1. How competitive is the keyword you are after. If you are targeting "long-tail" keywords - you should rank faster.
E-A-T:
2. The writer's Expertise in the domain (i.e. an MD will have better chances to rank in relevant medical search queries.
3. Authoritativeness is about the writers and the website’s reputations. If the writer and/or website have good reputations and have backlinks from relevant high-quality websites, they have authority.
4. The writer's and website's Trustworthiness - We trust the things we see. If there is no about page or no information about the writer, they are less trustworthy. If the content itself doesn’t include links to relevant sources, we tend not to trust it.
You can read more about E-A-T here - https://www.spectroomz.com/seo-eat-checker
5. User intent - does your article answer users' real intent? Type a certain search query on Google and see that the results are different than the exact keyword you entered. They have additions. These additions in the results are users real intent. Google knows where users who entered search query X ended their search and return those results eventually, even if they include additional keywords and are different from your original query.
6. Does your article have relevant outgoing links? Do you link to reliable sources?
7. Are the backlinks you get from reliable RELEVANT websites?
8. Is your content long-form or short form?
9. How people interact with your page - do they end the search there (great) or move to other sites? What's your bounce rate like? How is your CTR?
10. Is your search query YMYL related (Your Money Your Life)? If you'd want to rank for the "Covid Symptoms" phrase because you want to sell masks on your new Shopify store, I wouldn't bet on you getting to Google first page. This search query is "your life" related and Google gives significant emphasise on the site's reliability regardless of how many backlinks you have. You'd see MayoClinic there, WebMD, .Gov, Healthline and more.
There are many more factors, but I can tell you that while RELEVANT backlinks are important, especially from authoritative sites, it's not the only factor and I even don't treat it as the main factor.
Hope that helps!