PBN stands for “Private Blog Networks” and consist of various different Web 2.0 properties to build authority to your main “target” website. Many people often say PBN’s are blackhat, but I argue if you can provide value through them, they are as good as any other website. Private blog networks can be built through sites like Weebly.com, Jigsy.com, Blogger.com, and Jimdo.com, all with different themes. Each one looks different than the other but they are all targeted around your niche. It’s important to understand the mechanics behind such a network and how they add value to the bottom line. For example, when you build these networks, over time, they’ll increase in value through the videos and content you publish. When you’re ready to build a link to your “target” website, they’ll have enough credibility to distribute link juice, boosting your rank in the SERP’s. Here’s something else…
Over the last 3 months, I’ve been running a case study on the effectiveness of PBN networks and the results have been impressive so far. I’m not ready to publish the entire case study but once completed, I’ll post an update on RankTactics.com.
Anyway, I’ve written about PBN’s in my link building series but I continue to get questions on content writing and a solid posting schedule. I’ll like to go over my content writing as applied to PBN’s and how to utilize it correctly.
Here’s what I’ll go over…
- Content relevancy
- Content frequency
- Link Building Through Content
Content Relevancy
When writing content for your private blog networks, it’s important that attention is given to relevancy. Google loves relevant websites that link to each other and this starts with content writing. However, because you’re only writing anywhere from 500-800 words per post, you don’t need to go into too much detail. The plan should be to visit some of your competitor websites, finding topics relevant to your niche. Make a list of each topic and go through them one-by-one, putting something together. Many people worry about quality, but I’m here to tell you I’ve done quite well writing 500-800 words as long as it’s relevant to my “target” website. PBN’s are so effective, you’re going to have 5-10 websites running at one time, so writing content is going to get tougher each time. It’s hard to maintain 10 websites all at once while writing lengthy in-depth content. However,
If you can learn how to write 500-800 words of relevant content straight to the point, it’ll save you from getting burned out. You have the option to hire freelancers to write content for you, but keep an eye on your budget as writing for 10 private blog networks can get very expensive. No matter how you write content, it’s important to stay focused and relevant in whatever you publish on your private blog networks.
Content Frequency
Since Google introduced their freshness update, it’s even more important you have content published frequently. What is a good rate of fresh content? I usually try to have content published on each site every 2 weeks. Right now, I have 12 websites in my private blog network so I’m producing content every two days with 800 words each. I have 1-2 people I’ve hired to write for me during the times I have projects due and can’t get fresh content produced on my own. No matter what the case, I have new content ready to be published every two weeks. There are a few reasons why I follow such a strict posting schedule.
First, I want to ensure my websites stay relevant and always stay active. Having a two week posting schedule will ensure Google knows these Web 2.0 properties are NOT stagnant. Next, with a frequent posting schedule, I’ll be able to post links back to my target websites more quickly. With my current schedule, I’m building a link every week from a different site. With fresh content published frequently, I’m boosting the value of each website, adding more value to the bottom line.
If you want to make the most out of each Web 2.0 property, then ensure you are posting every 2-3 weeks. It’ll be easy when you have 2-3 websites to manage, but think about hiring someone to help when you continue to add more properties.
Content Link Building
This is the trickiest part of a PBN because you have to be careful NOT to build spam links. Previously, people with private blog networks were banned because of too many links per post and incorrect anchor text. You have to mix things up to ensure you keep stuff flowing smoothly. For example, I tell my clients to build links like you would through your personal blogs. If you think about it, when building internal and external links on your “target” websites, you’ll:
- Link to authority external content
- Interlink to relevant content
- Use LSI keywords
- Use long-tail keywords
- Use EXACT match
I suggest building links to your target blog every 4-5 posts so things stay natural. You should keep in mind what Google thinks is appropriate and always follow their guidelines. Other than the content not being as in-depth, you should consider these properties as normal blogging sites.