WordPress › Support » My theme does not handle First Link Priority correctly.

DiDe
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

I have just finished watching video on a great SEO trick from Noble Samurai on the principle of First Link Priority, showing how to detect but not fix for a wordpress blog. View post here

After running Ben's test a site I am working, I find that it is not set up correctly and does not handle first link priority probably.

Sample templates are provided to fix the problem, but Ben is not a wordpress person and could only offer limited help.

How would I go about implementing this in a wordpress blog.?? I know my way around wordpress, and have become quiet good at following step by step instructions.

But..

I am clueless when it comes to try and figure out for myself..
..... Which file do I modify ???
.... Where abouts in the file should I paste the code???
.... What exact changes do I need to make to the code ??

Can anyone help and head me in the right direction.

View the site here

Cheers
esmi
Theme Diva & Forum Moderator
Posted 1 year ago #

This is a content issue - not a theme one! You need to be aware of how you link to external sites in your content.
DiDe
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

Hi, esmi.

I have a reasonable understanding of SEO and how to link to external sites in my content. That is not my problem. Thank you for your help :).

The test shown in the video shows you exactly how the search engines view your site on arrival. On doing this test, the first thing the search engines see on arrival on the site I am working on is the header that links to the home page

To optimize the site properly the first thing the search engine should see on arrival is your main keyword in a anchor text link, then the header.

The code below will fix the problem. My problem is I dont know where to paste it. Should anything be deleted, and what parts of the code should I change.

This is the code that has to be implemented
>>>>>>>copied from Noble Samurai Blog <<<<<<<<

First Link Priority

creating first link priority.
CSS Method

Using CSS you can have a simple anchor with desired text and replace the text with an image.
HTML Required

Your link text

CSS Required

.logo{
display:block;
text-indent:-1000em;
background: url(images/noble-samurai-logo.png) no-repeat 0 0;
width:90px;
height:90px;
}

Any suggestions..?

Cheers
Dide
Chip Bennett
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

I agree with ESMI. This is primarily a content issue.

Any suggestions..?

Create a custom Theme, if this issue causes you significant concern.
Chip Bennett
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

Also, I think this theory is a load of rubbish:

Imagine a 1000 page website where every page in the site links to home using a banner. That’s 1000 partially wasted links that can be fixed with a simple template update. If you’ve got a big site and can see First Link Priority problems, please implement a fix, let the site re-index and drop me a note in the comments to let me know how you went, hey?

Search engines don't really care about internal linking. Incoming and outbound links are what matter. Your own site linking to itself thousands of times is neither going to help nor hurt your SEO.
DiDe
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

Hi Chip,

Thanks for your help and suggestion

I must admit I am more confused now thou. What do you mean by 'content issue'. I understand that the content will help the sites rankings, I dont understand how the content on the site can fix how google actually views the site on arrival.

Are you saying that first link First Link Priority has no value.. That I should not worry about it. As it makes perfect sense to me what Ben is saying in his video.

First Link Prioritisation occurs when Google looks at a webpage and analyses its outbound links.
Anchor text links put there for SEO value is what we want Google to see, (the anchor text in the link infers meaning), however, Google will completely ignore it. Instead Google only sees the graphical link (which contains no anchor text). :-(

(And no, for the curious, putting an “Alt” tag on the image link won’t serve as a substitute to anchor text).

The First Link Priority rule states that when a page links more than once to the same target page, Google will completely ignore all links after the first, often with negative SEO consequences.

When I disable styles and view the site that I am working on this is
the layout that is viewed. Which is exactly the problem as described in Ben's post.

Header Banner Image.jpg.
* Home
* Contact Us
* Privacy Policy
o Disclaimer
o Terms & Condition
* Sitemap
o Resources
* Edmonton Home Builders (THIS IS THE ANCHOR TEXT LINK THAT SHOULD BE FIRST before the Header banner Image)
* About
o HomePro New Home Warranty
o Careers

and so on etc. etc. etc.

Thank you for offering you help.

Cheers
Chip Bennett
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

Internal links are, by definition not outbound links.
zeniph
Member
Posted 1 year ago #
Hi DiDe

Well you were right it is a theme issue... but I'd probably say that how you craft your internal links in your content will have a bigger effect on SEO than this.

To implement it for your site do the following:

probably in header.php delete the logo image IMG tag and change to:
```
<div class="left" id="logo">
<a href="http://yoursite">Edmonton Home Builders and some other keywords for seo</a>
</div>
```
in style.css replace existing #logo with this:
```
#logo {
    background: url("images//MHI_Banner D.jpg") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;
    height: 150px;
    text-indent: -1000px;
    width: 960px;
}
```
Wont hurt and it's good SEO practice to have the most relevevant terms come first in the html but I agree with Chip and dont think it will make any major difference to ranking - 1 single quality inbound link can have more effect that 1000 (or 10000000) internal cross links.
DiDe
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

Hi,

Chip.. I agree with you, this did confuse me a bit.. (mind you it seems that is easily done these days)

Internal links are, by definition not outbound links.

Zenip. Thankyou very much for you help on this, you I will implement and let you know how I go. I agree about the inbound links but I like to follow all good SEO practices, giving the site as much SEO EDGE as I possibly can.

Hope you are all having a great Easter break.

Cheers
DiDe
Member
Posted 1 year ago #
Zeniph

I have tried to implement the changes you suggested.

Had no problems with making the suggested changes to the style sheet, but the header.php wont update my changes.
When I press update instead of staying in the theme editor, I am redirected back to the home page of the site. When I check go back into the theme editor and check the header.php, no changes have been made.

This is what I am doing

Deleteing
```
<div id="logo" class="left">
	<a>/"><img src="<?php echo get_option('home'); ?>/wp-content/themes/arthemia/images/MHI_Banner D.jpg" width="960px" height="150px"" alt="" /></a>

	</div>
```
and REPLACING with this:
```
<div class="left" id="logo">
<a href="http://michaelhomesinc.ca">Edmonton Home Builders</a>
</div>
```
Not sure what to do or what I am doing wrong.

Cheers
DiDe

[Please post code snippets between backticks or use the code button.]
zeniph
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

Hi, sorry I've only ever used FTP to update themes - never used the built in theme editor.

It sounds like you may have a permissions issue with the themes folder/files not allowing you to update - if so you'd need a FTP program to rectify that (but if you get that far you might as well just update the files on your PC and upload them)
zeniph
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

though if you can edit the style sheet your permissions are most likely OK..
DiDe
Member
Posted 1 year ago #

I have full permission, have no idea why I cannot edit the header.php.

Working with the theme editor is normally a walk in the park, if you know what you need to do.. I'll keep trying, frustrating thou..
Otherwise FTP the a new file just might be the only way.

I have also contacted support of the theme creator, see if they can shed some light on the subject. As every owner of the theme will have a first link priority issue.

Cheers

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