Plural Anchor text question

UKZJ007 · 07-02-2004, 04:29 AM

Hey guys.

Heres a question thats been bugging me since day 1 when it came to link exchanges.

If I am targetting for example the search term "webmaster forum".

1) Does the plural tend to get more searches in SE.
2) If I build up good anchor text for "webmaster forum", does that mean I will naturally get good ranks for "webmaster forums"
3) When it comes to link exchanges should I only get anchor text for "webmaster forum" or should I just vary all the time between "webmaster forums" and "webmaster forum"
4) Anything else to say which may be of benefit?

BTW - "webmaster forum(s)" is just an example, im not trying to compete with IMR lol

Thanks guys,

PC-Clever

hurricane_sh · 07-02-2004, 05:03 AM

Here is my understanding, I'm sure others will correct me or give more detailed answer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pc-clever

If I am targetting for example the search term "webmaster forum".
1) Does the plural tend to get more searches in SE.

It depends, check out with the keyword tool:
http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/suggestion/

Quote:

Originally Posted by pc-clever

2) If I build up good anchor text for "webmaster forum", does that mean I will naturally get good ranks for "webmaster forums"

No, but yes on the other way around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pc-clever

3) When it comes to link exchanges should I only get anchor text for "webmaster forum" or should I just vary all the time between "webmaster forums" and "webmaster forum"

I suggest you concentrate the popular one.

UKZJ007 · 07-02-2004, 05:07 AM

So if i build links for webmaster forums it should naturally get ranks for webmaster forum?

Thanks for your view

hurricane_sh · 07-02-2004, 05:10 AM

I think so, but not as good as building specially for "webmaster forum", if "webmaster forum" is much more popular, maybe it's better to focus on the singular.

UKZJ007 · 07-02-2004, 01:33 PM

Hmmm ... does anyone else agree before I change current inbound links?

Jonathan VanSchaack · 07-02-2004, 01:42 PM

if you do plural your hitting 2 keywords in one, when they search forums and just forum, pretty sure if you do forum and they search forums u dont get the links credited.

UKZJ007 · 07-02-2004, 01:51 PM

Ok Thats great. So all this time I have been targetting the singular lol, when the plural gets more and it also helps singular.

jlknauff · 07-02-2004, 03:31 PM

That was a really cool tool. Here's a question for you, I rank in Yahho for adjustable air beds but not air beds. Why?

Jonathan VanSchaack · 07-02-2004, 03:34 PM

"air beds" being search more has more competition, this is only a guess, heh

sundancerz · 07-02-2004, 04:29 PM

hey pc you come up # 1 if you search for:
PC-Clever - Computer Forum :: Index
in google.
sent you a PM with some additional info. let me know how it works.

MerlinX · 07-12-2004, 10:02 PM

I am having a similar issue with singular and plural keywords. For the relatively new site shown in my sig link, I have targeted the phrase "psychic readings". As a result, an "allinanchor:" search on Google revealed the site was ranked #4. However, if I do an allinanchor on "psychic reading", it isn't even in the top 1000.

This doesn't make sense to me since the word "reading" exists within the word "readings". Is there a concept I am not grasping?

Is there a relatively simple way to get good results for both, or should I just continue to target the better performing phrase and stick with that?

awall19 · 07-12-2004, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MerlinX

Is there a relatively simple way to get good results for both, or should I just continue to target the better performing phrase and stick with that?

target the better one and then mix and match a few of the other version in here and there in the inbound links and page copy

UKZJ007 · 07-13-2004, 05:49 AM

I see it as this - Each time I get like 5 link for Computer Forum(s), It counts as one extra link for Computer Forum (in terms of the effects in SERPS - Just my opinion there.

I, Brian · 07-13-2004, 05:58 AM

with Aaron - vary the link text.

UKZJ007 · 07-13-2004, 06:07 AM

Psychic readings and Psychic reading bring in alot of visitors!!!

I would say for every 2 links you get for the plural get one for the singular.

MerlinX · 07-13-2004, 08:46 PM

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

After exploring the listings of my competitors a little more closely, I realized that their rankings don't differ much between the singular and the plural phrases. And yet, I checked out their backlinks and found that the anchor text seemed to target either one phrase or the other, but not both.

At first glance this would seem to indicate that the singular or plural only makes a difference with the Google "allinanchor:" modifier that I was using before. However, this is contradicted by the fact that in actual rankings, my site is showing up #152 for plural, and not even in the top 1000 for the singular.

I will have to ponder this some more...