If Google starts sentiment analysis of backlinks, SEOs will need this…

As many SEOs now know, Google is planning to unleash a series of updates to its Penguin algorithm-update-thingy.

While Matt Cutts was about as transparent as he could be, without tipping Google’s hand to spammers,[highlight color=”yellow”] Greg Boser told a packed room at Interactivity Digital that he believes sentiment analysis will come in to play when looking at backlinks.[/highlight]

How will Google use sentiment analysis in its next update?

[pullquote]…Google will start using some kind of automated sentiment analysis to determine whether a backlink is not just authoritative, but positive or negative in sentiment.[/pullquote]Well,  Boser speculates that Google will start using some kind of automated sentiment analysis to determine whether a backlink is not just authoritative, but positive or negative in sentiment. Why? Well, there are many industries that receive plenty of back links to their web sites, but they are usually from articles or posts that attack their practices or industry. Using sentiment analysis, Google will be able to add extra weight to those links that are neutral or positive, and devalue the negative links.

Of course, we don’t know if Google will start implementing automated sentiment analysis on backlinks–heck, it may already have started–but as an SEO, it would be a good time to start shifting your focus to making sure you acquire links that are positive in sentiment towards your page and desired anchor text.

That’s where Trackur comes in. 😉

All of Trackur’s paid plans include automated sentiment analysis as standard. What sets us apart is exactly how we calculate our analysis of a page’s sentiment. We don’t just look at the overall sentiment of the page–a page could be positive towards one keyword and negative towards another. Instead, we take the keyword being monitored and automatically calculate the sentiment of that keyword on the web page in question.

What does this mean for SEO?

Well, in addition to finding any mentions of your company or product online, you can use Trackur’s automated sentiment analysis for improved back link prospecting. Here’s how:

1. Enter your desired anchor text as your “keyword” in Trackur.

2. Select only to view news, blogs, and perhaps forums.

3. Trackur will return matches to all pages that include your desired anchor text. You can then select to view only those that are positive or neutral.

4. Now you have a list of those bloggers/journalists that are already talking about your keyword and have nothing but positive things to say. You can reach out to them and ask for a link in their existing post, or persuade them to write about your company.

5. You can export the data to CSV so that you can slice and dice it in Excel. For example, you could view only those pages that have a positive sentiment and then sort by those that have the most influence! A double rainbow win!

6. You could even go back to step 2 and select Twitter only so you can find those tweeting about your industry with a positive tone! Or even target links/tweets from a specific country!

[pullquote]Provide us with a URL and your desired anchor text and we’ll analyze that page for sentiment towards that keyword![/pullquote]If you have any kind of developer skills–or already have your own SEO toolset–then you can take this to the extreme with Trackur’s automated sentiment analysis API. You can provide us with a URL and your desired anchor text and we’ll analyze that page for sentiment towards that keyword! A great way to help you–or your users–find quality, influential backlinks…with a positive sentiment!

Whether Google does indeed start implementing automated sentiment analysis in its algorithm, we don’t know. Either way, you’ll be a step ahead of your competition with fresh, positive, influential backlinks! 😉