Three Reasons To Use Google Alerts For Improving Your Alexa Rank
Alexa ranking can be a pretty controversial issue, especially among bloggers, but it’s still one of the most popular website ranking tools on the net. Many people still use Alexa rank as a way to judge website traffic at a glance even though the numbers can be manipulated pretty easily.
We know that traffic volume is a huge factor in improving our Alexa rank but few people pay attention to the “links in” number. Alexa uses a more restrictive criteria for determining inbound links than Google does. For example, if you comment on this blog 100 times, and you absolutely should 
, Google may count each comment as an inbound link back to your blog. In fact, since we use CommentLuv Premium$, Google may count that that as 200 links! Now I’m just generalizing here and that’s not written in stone but it should do for this comparison. Alexa, however, will count those 200 links back to your blog (100 to your home page and 100 to your last blog posts) as ONE link.
What? Why? That’s right, Alexa gives you one link from each domain. That’s why it’s important to diversify your blog commenting technique. While you should build a list of regular blogs to comment on and network with, you should also find new blogs to read and comment on. Commenting on new blogs within your niche can improve your Alexa rank, expand your reach, increase your readership and your network.
Using Google Alerts
One very easy way to find new blogs to comment on is Google’s free tool, Google Alerts. Google Alerts are ideal for finding fresh blogs to comment on because:
- You can focus on keywords that allow you to find new blogs within your niche.
- Google Alert results are blogs/pages that have been indexed by Google
- We can set the frequency to daily, for example, as an automatic reminder to comment on new blogs everyday.
Set-up your Google Alerts here: http://www.google.com/alerts
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Alexa Rank also breaks all this data out into an easy-to-read column layout, so that webmasters can easily analyze the relevance of each site that includes their key phrases and that is important. Using Google Alerts will definitely help you out on this.
That’s right Isabel, I sent that out in the newsletter a few weeks ago. There’s a ton of useful information to be gained from the Alexa profiles. Thanks.
Thanks for responding Brian! I thought so! Alexa ranks is meant for you.
very nice tip hawkins. really i don’t know the use with Google alerts
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sai krishna recently posted..Mashable Like Magazine Theme For WordPress Blogs $$
Hi Sai, it’s very simple, Check it out.
http://hotblogtips.com/15-ways-google-alerts-help-bloggers
I have started Google alerts from a while. But never knew to use it to increase alexa. Thank you for sharing.
Abhi Balani (OddBlogger) recently posted..Blogging Tips 101 Contest – Promote OddBlogger, Jump In To Win Cash and More.
Hi Abhi, in it’s self Google Alerts have nothing to do with ranking but by finding new relevant blogs to leave our links we increase that number Alexa counts. Alexa only counts one link for each domain so finding new domains should be a continuous effort.
Nice tip on Google Alerts. Till now I was using stumble upon to find the new blogs for commenting. it has additional benefit of sending the traffic back to your site. But will setup Google Alerts also.
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Sanjeev recently posted..18 Things You Should Take Care Of While Pitching To Blogger
Hi Sanjeev, I love StumbleUpon but their toolbar is horrible. It still calls one and two year old blog posts. I wish there was a way to adjust post age in the settings.
Yes, That is true and one of the issue using that toolbar. I also wish they add a setting for adjusting post age.
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Sanjeev recently posted..Improve your Google Rankings – Blueprint for Success
That’s the main reason why I am already using Google alert service to find do follow blogs. Not only this sometimes I come with new blog post ideas without doing much research.
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Jass recently posted..Why you should have Facebook Page for your Marketing and Business
Thanks Jass, Using Google Alerts has many benefits.
Brian,
Thank you for sharing this post. I have recently been trying out blogging. I have no idea what an Alexa ranking really is or how it can actually affect bloggers like me (especially a newbie like me) but from what I read from your article, it seems to make a lot of sense. I will try using Google Alert and see how it works for me.
Hey Brian,
Thanks for sharing this great tip about Google Alerts to improve the Alexa rank.
Devesh recently posted..WordPress Plugins You Need For Your Blog
My pleasure Devesh, I hope it helps a few bloggers.
I am not sure how accurate the GA system is… I have not tried it much, but the search results shown in the home page doesn’t seem to be accurate enough. Maybe I need to give it another try now…
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Raj recently posted..3 Simple Things to Remember About Your Content Strategy
Hi Raj, I’m showing you with a 78,969 Alexa rank. That very good. I do agree though, Alexa rank isn’t that accurate or dependable.
I think I completely missed the train earlier on in the blogging train. How could I have missed such an awesome tool like Google Alerts? Thanks for the gem share there buddy!
Glad to help Jeremy, we aim to please.
Google Alerts will not catch nofollow links, only dofollow and there is still some benefit to nofollow links as far as PR juice, not sure if Alexa see’s nofollow links however from unique domains.
Google Alerts is ideal for building keywords and updates around keywords of interest, I use it to find any blogs talking about “Kindle Fire” for example and article is in last 24 hours. I know to leave my comment trails right away. If you follow a few specific niche topics, then Google Alerts is something you can’t afford not to use.
Hi Justin, I believe Google Alerts will catch any page indexed by Google. Like you mentioned, the great thing about GA is it’s almost always a recent link.
Alexa doesn’t care about do/no-follow. For example, they count this no-follow link to your blog by Hubpages:
http://techmaisha.hubpages.com/hub/10-Guest-Blogging-and-Adsense-Revenue-Sharing-Blogs
The tough part about Alexa is, even though you could have hundreds of other links from Hubpages, they’ll never count as more than a single link because we only get one link per domain. That’s why I look for new blogs to comment on using Alerts.
Here’s your Alexa links for Dragon Blogger in case you never checked it out:
http://www.alexa.com/site/linksin/dragonblogger.com
Keep thinking about setting up google alerts for keyword alerts for blogs to comment on and I am not sure why I haven’t done it yet but after reading this I will give it a go.
Matt Kinsella recently posted..How To Be Lucky In Life
I know how it is Matt, we have so much going on it’s very hard to keep up, much less add more projects. I’ve been meaning to update my avatar for months yet you still see that silly cartoonish me. lol
I use Google alerts for other reasons and could care less about Alexa rankings but some people do so this is a great way to help improve and get that Alexa ranking lower.
Hi Danny, I try not to care about Alexa rank but it’s like credit ratings; when so many people give it so much weight, deserved or not, it becomes impractical to ignore it.
Like I said in the post, Alexa ranking is a pretty controversial issue, mainly because it can be manipulated so easily and therefore an unreliable traffic indicator. Personally, I put Alexa rank right up there with Klout (almost), as a rating system that has gained a lot of undeserved credibility. With that said, we are planning an upcoming post to help bloggers lower their Alexa rank, that’s what we do here.
I also want to use Google Alerts to improve my Alexa Ranking,this is a great way to help improve and get that Alexa ranking lower.
Well the Alerts are just a tool to find new blogs Abily, we still have to do the work. Thanks.
I just tried this Google Alert, but not for Alexa ranking. Just to get awareness about certain topic.
There ya go Kirman, that’s what it’s all about.
I started using Google Alerts not so long ago, but still I can estimate all its benefits. It really helps me to follow all the new blogs, and as a result follow all interesting news and opportunities in my niche. And that’s really marvelous that it can also help me to improve Alexa ranking
Blog commenting is an awesome way to build backlinks to your site. It helps with SERPs, as well as increases traffic and exposure. Never thought about Google Alerts though, good idea and well written article. Thanks for the insight
Adam Boyd recently posted..15 Ways to Get More Traffic to Your Blog- Part IV
Thank you Adam, I appreciate that and I hope it helps.
i am using Google alerts to make a note of whenever Google indexes my blog
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tushar recently posted..Why Big Bloggers Need to Write Own Posts?
Hi Tushar, While Google Alerts are very helpful, I still recommend using much more reliable tools such as Google Analytics and SEO tools.
This is great info. I know that the alexa counts one links from a domain but never know that the google alerts can improve our alexa rank. I will surely try this. thank hawkins.
Hi Martin, again, Google Alerts is just another way of finding new blogs within your niche and has nothing to do with ranking of any kind. It’s just a tool we can use.
Hey Brian,
I’m very aware of Google Alerts but I didn’t know you could use to find new blogs to comment on. I don’t really pay attention to my alexa ranking too much but it’s good to know how to improve my ranking if I really wanted to. I wasn’t aware that Alexa will count 200 backlinks to your blog as just 1 link. Diversifying the blogs I comment on has always been important to me, and this post shows me that I’m doing the right thing by doing so. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks John, That’s a great practice, even without the Alexa factor, diversifying the blogs we read and comment on.
didn’t heard of google alerts.Thanks for sharing.Will definitely get google alerts now.You are doing a great job here.Looking for some more tips from your side.
Thanks Shanky , I’m glad to help.
Brian Hawkins recently posted..New Year, Great Look and Big Plans – Hello 2012!
Nice tips it’s amazing.
Thanks Nnidhi
Just your call to action to comment here alone was masterful! How could we resist? But, it was actually a great article. I never knew the difference between how Google and Alexa treated links. Diversity is more than just the spice, huh? Thanks for all the great tips!
agree
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nidhi recently posted..The Best Strategies To A Successful Search Engine Marketing
Thanks Serena, I appreciate that. Your Twitter name really stands out. I’ve been following you but I just noticed how cool it looks below your name.
Brian Hawkins recently posted..New Year, Great Look and Big Plans – Hello 2012!
I’ve been using Google Alerts for sometime, mainly for updates on topics, but never thought of using it for my Alexa ranking, Thanks Brian
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Karen recently posted..What A Brilliant Way To Start 2012 With An Announcement From BlogEngage
Nice tips thanks for sharing..I’m not familiar with this.Thanks for sharing this info.
I totally agree with you Brian that Google Alerts is a great way of finding the latest blog updates for a particular keyword. It is very helpful as it reduces the search time for finding new and niche related blogs. Thanks a lot for sharing.
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I will never go to learn about decreasing my alexa ranking from someone else
your blog is just 4 months old and you are making a great success and looking at your alexa rank can give us a hint about that.
well done
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faissal alhaithami recently posted..How To Generate Free Traffic To Your Facebook Fan Page Using SEO
Great Post but I disagree about Alexa can be easily manipulated. Alexa has made great progress and I consider them highly now. The rest of your post, I agree, Cheers
Thanks for sharing this! I’m a new blogger trying to improve my rankings by any means possible.
Here I found something different for improving my alexa rank other than downloading alexa toolbar and all. Thank for this post.
Wow i have been having trouble finding commentluv blogs to comment on. Very excited to be on this one. I just finished reading and i’m looking forward to seeing google alerts work for me
I recently started a photography related website and was looking for a healthy way to build links. Now that this article tell me how to find fresh content to comment on a regular basis, hopefully I will be able to build certain good number of links.
Not only is this a good way to increase your own Alexa rank, it is also a darn good way to find new blogs to participate on and possibly receive a good link back to your site.
I will try to use this method to increase my alexa ranking, I tried few methods but they didn’t work that well, I didn’t know that Alexa counts only 1 link from the domain! wow glad to hear that!
As mattkuchar said we can use Google Alerts to find blogs that we can write for! it never crossed my mind so thanks Matt
I’ve signed up to Google Alerts and spend my time each evening responding to various blogs, forums etc.
I’ll let you know how I get on, but at the moment I’m optimistic and enjoying it.
I had not thought of using Google Alerts for finding relevant sites and blogs to comment on, it’s a great idea. Does it matter that they might not be followed links?
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Matt Kinsella recently posted..Bucket List Ideas
Good point here – I’ve been a bit shy in building relationships with other blogs and will try GoogleAlerts as recommended. It’s easy to become obsessed with the Alexa ranking and it is frustrating when after weeks of slow improvements – it suddenly jumps up without apparent cause or reason. My inbound links are week though – so going to spend a bit of time working on improving them