My presentation from Linklove Boston 2012 on April 2nd. Gives a rundown on link development process maps and how to structure your calendar to actually get results.

1. BUILDING
YOUR
LINK
DEVELOPMENT
CALENDAR
RHEA DRYSDALE | @Rhea
Outspoken Media

2. What
you
know
about
Outspoken
Media:
Online
ReputaIon
Management
Social
Media
Branding
SMALL
BUSINESS
MARKETING
Blogging
SEO
Women
CONTENT
CREATION

3. What
we
actually
look
like:
(and
women
are
as
crude
as
men,
just
ask
@josephschaefer)

4. We
do
more
with
less.
6
team
members
Focus
on
process,
not
tools
(oUen
unreliable)
Natural,
low-­‐risk
approach
to
link
development

5. How
do
we
do
it?
Process
maps
and
sexy
calendars!

6. I
agree
with
Rand
and
JusIn.
We
need
to
focus
on
more
strategic
content
marke2ng.
But,
content
is
inImate.

7. If
link
dev
is
1st
base,
content
markeIng
is
3rd.

8. Are
we
really
ready
for
3rd
base?

9. Current
link
development
process:
Can
I
have
a
link?
Can
I
have
a
link?
Can
I
have
a
link?
Can
I
have
a
link?
Can
I
have
a
link?
=
$

10. How
do
we
break
the
cycle?

11. Stop
treaIng
SEO
like
fast
food!

12. Or,
find
a
way
to
ensure
customized,
high-­‐quality
results
with
your
fast
food,
scalable
process.

13. Moment
of
inspiraIon.
Yes,
from
a
chic-­‐flick.
;)
h@p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG1qceS9NM4

14. We
want
to
be
consultants.
Not
a
vendor.

15. 2nd
Moment
of
InspiraIon
Client
wanted
links
YAY!
We
build
links.

16. Proposed
link
development
strategy:
INFOGRAPHICS
LINK
OUTREACH
STRATEGIC
CONTESTS
PARTNERSHIPS

17. That
sucks,
but
we
can
do
this!

18. What
I
didn’t
anIcipate:
Liele
success
pitching
as
the
client.
Had
to
turn
to
personae.
Effect
on
internal
team
morale.
Client
delays
with
legal,
markeIng
and
IT.
THAT
THE
CLIENT
HAD
HIRED
ANOTHER
SEO
TO
DO
THE
SAME
THING!
#@(!

19. Something
had
to
change.

20. We
needed
to
get
to
3rd
base.

21. Calendars
were
the
basis
for
change.
We
(all
of
us!)
base
our
work
around
calendars.

22. Client
Agency
Leadership
calendar
Internal
resources
Budget
restricIons
Budget
restricIons
Development
calendar
Methods
match
goals?
Department-­‐level
Development
Imeframe
PoliIcal
roadblocks
Seasons
(holidays
kill
outreach!)

23. We
revamped
our
process:

24. Tracking
Implementa2on
Link
Development
Process
Map
Strategy
Approval
Research
&
Discovery
Intake
Proposal

25. Think
OODA
Loops:
OutspokenMedia.com/seo/seo-­‐and-­‐ooda-­‐loops/

26. OBSERVE
ACT ORIENT
DECIDE

27. Proposal
Phase
Technical
-­‐
Current
limita2ons
(content,
CMS,
host
environment,
code
freeze,
redesign,
etc.)
Financial
–
Budget,
goals,
2meframe,
and
contract
length
Assets
-­‐
Brand/reputa2on,
resources

28. Intake
Phase
Data
collecIon
-­‐
analy2cs,
logins,
webmaster
accounts,
necessary
approval
process,
business
insight,
internal
calendars
&
resources
MarkeIng
–
Marke2ng
campaigns,
social
media,
IT,
and
PR
processes
Outreach
access
(email
as
client)

29. Research
&
Discovery
Phase
Review
–
data/content,
query
meets
intent?
If
no,
build
resources.
If
yes,
move
forward.
Strategy
formaIon
–
based
on
2meframe,
resources
and
goals
DocumentaIon
–
in
the
event
of
turnover

30. Strategy
Approval
Phase
ExpectaIons
–
defined,
strategy
re-­‐visited
if
necessary
Approvals
–
received
for
strategy-­‐level
and
calendar
defined
for
future
work
Calendar
creaIon
–
responsibili2es
assigned
to
individuals
and
dates

31. ImplementaIon
Phase
ACT.
Tracking
setup
-­‐
analy2cs
setup
and
goal/conversion
tracking
Tools
-­‐
raven
for
pitching,
placements,
rankings,
traffic,
conversions

32. Tracking
Phase
Manage
expectaIons
–
internal
and
external
System
of
accountability
–
budget,
strategy
and
standing
mee2ngs
Client
communicaIon
–
keep
ac2on-­‐focused,
data-­‐driven
and
be
open
to
change
if
focus
shi_s
(goals/resources)

33. Now,
we
have
the
process.
Just
need
the
calendar...

34. CreaIng
Your
Link
Development
Calendar
Factors
to
consider:
CONTRACT
WEB
SITE
RESOURCES
LENGTH
INDUSTRY-­‐
SEASONAL
SPECIFIC

35. Calendar
files:
Mozilla
list
of
holiday
.ics
files
by
country:
hep://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/holidays.html
Google
calendar
search
for
“interesIng
calendars”:
heps://www.google.com/calendar/render?pli=1
iCal
calendars:
hep://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/calendars/
Outlook
holidays
by
country
built
in:
hep://www.addicIveIps.com/microsoU-­‐office/add-­‐holidays-­‐in-­‐
outlook-­‐calendar/

36. CommemoraIve
months/dates:
hep://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_commemoraIve_months
hep://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awareness_days
hep://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InternaIonal_observance
hep://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_environmental_dates
hep://healthfinder.gov/nho/nho.asp
hep://www.epromos.com/educaIon/calendars/

37. Will
your
calendar
deliver
results?

38. This
is
AWESOME:
http://pointblankseo.com/link-building-
strategies

39. THIS
IS
USEFUL:

40. Want
it?
Tweet
us:
@OutspokenMedia
Or
email:
rhea@outspokenmedia.com

41. THANK YOU !
GET LIVEBLOGGING
COVERAGE:
OUTSPOKENMEDIA.COM/BLOG
Rhea Drysdale
Outspoken Media
rhea@outspokenmedia.com
@Rhea