• by Ross Fadner , December 4, 2008

Search engine optimization guru Rand Fishkin took the stage at the Search Insider Summit in Park City, Utah to discuss strategies on how to boost natural rankings. First and foremost, content owners need to keep in mind that “SEO is not fair” Fishkin said. Google generates results based on how many sites link to your content; it has no way of guaranteeing that the best results rank first. Great content doesn’t naturally build links, Fishkin added. Right, SEO firms do that.

One of the most important ways for content owners to earn links and boost natural rankings is to target the right audienceâ€"an audience prone to linking. That means targeting the so-called “Linkerati”, Fishkin said: bloggers, people with powerful Twitter accounts, journalists, etc. Earning their link means finding the right triggers. People link when they’re angry, prideful, or they strongly with something. Surprising/shocking news stories do a great job of inciting these emotions in the so-called “Linkerati.” As Fishkin says, “in a link-based economy those with best hooks win.”