There is a lot of talk regarding the best way to structure a link building campaign and how to put together the perfect link building strategy. However, there doesn’t seem to be enough resources regarding how to effectively manage a link building team working on multiple projects and how to get the best out of your team members.

This is why today I’d like to share what are my top tips for SEO managers and Link building team leaders on how to best manage the link building process:

Establishing Roles within the Team

Especially when working with a large link building team over a number of different clients, establishing who’s focusing on what has got to be the starting point of any campaign management. As well as splitting the clients so that each member of the team has the chance to focus on a handful of keywords, establishing definite roles will allow link builders to take more pride in their work as they see exactly how their hard work has affected the client website’s rankings.
Delegating precise responsibilities will also allow the SEO manager of Link building team leader to use the team members’ skills to their full potential and therefore increase the overall productivity of the team.

The Importance of Targets

I’ve come across many SEO managers who are not keen on setting link building targets as they think this will transform the link building team into some kind of sales department. However, in my experience, I have found that agreeing realistic link building targets with the team before the beginning of the campaign actually has a very positive effect on the team’s morale, productivity and ultimately rankings.
Not only link builders, juniors especially, will know exactly what is expected of them, but SEO managers and team leaders will have the opportunity of monitoring the team’s progress and tweak the processes accordingly should things not quite work as planned.

The Importance of Update Meetings

Following on from the point regarding targets made above, I cannot stress enough how important having regular catch up meetings is. I find that a weekly meeting is a very good idea in order to discuss progress in terms of acquired links, their effect on the rankings, as well as any other requirements or issues.
In order to avoid spending hours in the boardroom, have a recurring agenda, keep the meetings brief and to the point and ask all team member to bring in a quick report on their progress.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences on the management of a link building campaign as well as any other tips you might want to share with the community so please leave a comment below.

Guest post by Sara G, online marketer and co-founder of Curiously Digital, a UK based venture offering web design and SEO services in Leeds and West Yorkshire.

When social media took flight in the days of Myspace, nobody expected it to be the way it is now. MySpace introduced the world to a new way of communication that seemed to change the life of every person. Then Facebook came along using the basics of MySpace while adding new features to enhance the social media experience.

As Facebook rose to the top, many new companies came along searching for a piece of the pie. Those who were loyal to MySpace kept their profile but Facebook gave them so much to get familiar with. As they seemed to forget about MySpace the increased competition sent MySpace to the grave and led to the rise of Twitter and LinkedIn. As Twitter stepped on the scene with its 140 characters and unique look, people who frequently communicate on Facebook, created a Twitter account to see what it was all about. The birth of these new websites still couldn’t slow down Facebook but Google + was in the background with a secret of their own.

Facebook continued to shows its hand and unveil new products not knowing that Google was working on Google+. While Facebook spent most of its time trying to keep it users happy, platforms like Google+ continuously look for ways to generate new users. People love options but the generic friendships on Google+ do not seem to have the same appeal and sustainability when compared to Facebook. With over 800 million users it is safe to say the 40 million Google+ users are more than likely already on Facebook. Many celebrities like Britney Spears and Pit Bull are fan favorites on Google+ but there is not any real communication. It is actually more of a promotional page that seems to be ran by publicist.

Google entered the social media scene and tried to control the amount of users who could sign up by making it invite only. That actually had a negative effect because it took away the interest for those who wanted to sign up right away. While Google built its social media brand to overthrow Facebook it looks like it will be many years before the search engine giant will reach the number one spot. The buzz surrounding Google+ and its hangout feature was supposed to be big selling point but it has not worked as a way to excite social media users.

In this era of digital technology, shared information and social media you can not go a day without hearing somebody claiming they have been hacked. Athletes, celebrities, politicians and average citizens are the target of hackers who make a living by making our lives miserable. We could blame this on the hackers and those who educated them but some of the responsibility lies with us.

The skill of so-called hackers has reached new levels with the expansion of technology and the use of online websites to pay bills and store priceless information. Online passwords are used to secure emails, social media accounts, information at work, bank accounts and access to online medical records. People who frequent the internet and use many different websites typically use the same password for all accounts. This may seem convenient but you are taking the same risk as somebody who has a list of passwords written on a piece of paper sitting next to their computer.

In 2010 Justin Bieber complained of a fan hacking into his Twitter account and releasing the teen idol’s phone number to the public. Bieber responded to this not-so-serious threat by releasing the hackers phone number to all of his Twitter followers. Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York tried to blame hackers for releasing explicit pictures from his Twitter account. His use of the blame game did not go over very well and consequentially led to his resignation. The most recent and notable situation involving hackers was the group LulzSec who used their expertise as a way to breach the cyber security of AT&T, PBS, the CIA and many others. This malicious attack led to the release of 62,000 emails addresses, passwords and documents of those who represent these major companies.

Some of these attacks by hackers can pose a threat to a whole community and sometimes it is nothing serious at all. Most people believe they have a secure password that only they can figure out. Hackers look at these people as a challenge they are willing to face. There are simple things you can do to protect yourself from these threats. Instead of using the same password for every website, pick a password that has a direct correlation to the website. Another way to secure your passwords are by changing them every couple of months. If you need to write the passwords down, make sure you have them in a safe place where you keep other important documents.

Social media has exploded in recent years due to sites such as YouTube, Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, and thousands of other social marketing websites. What really stared the trend was in 2004 at a web conference the term “Web 2.0” was coined by Tim O’ Rilley. Web 2.0 is a way for internet users to directly interact with other internet users on the web via social networking sites, social bookmarking sites, social media sites, blogs, etc. When internet marketers realized the potential of these social media sites is as a way to gather customer information they began to join social and actively participate in these networks. There is a goldmine of information that customers share on social media websites.

All these new means on communication created new jobs in the internet marketing field. There are now companies desperately seeking out designers, programmers, internet marketers, and social media gurus to maintain and grow the company’s presence on the web. Businesses even have entire departments devoted to social media marketing specialists that spend all day interacting with others on the web. This has become a full time job and if your business is not participating in social media marketing strategies then they are falling behind and losing customers to their competitors.

What does all this mean for you? It means there are many job opportunities available in the field of social media marketing due to the influence of the internet and the trillions of websites that have emerged. All these websites are potential employers and many of these businesses are very lucrative; while the majority is unfortunately failing. This is where internet marketing, specifically search engine optimization and social media marketing techniques come into play. If you are looking to get a job involving social media there are endless opportunities out there; from start ups looking to make a name for themselves to established businesses that are looking to boost their presence on the web.

Most social media jobs do not require formal schooling or college degrees, but rather prefer to see that you have had hands on training and experience in the field of social media. You have to love internet marketing and always stay up on the latest trends and topics because what works today may no longer work tomorrow. The internet evolves at a rapid pace so formal education does not play a role in the hiring process; although it is always a good idea to get a college degree in Business Marketing. If you are looking for upper level positions you may want to inquire a MBA program in your local area.

MySpace was once the largest haven for marketers, musicians, and people to visit. That lasted for a few years and then Facebook emerged. Facebook changed the game completely with the live stream, chat features, image and video tagging, and many other innovative features. A few years later Twitter emerged as a micro-blogging platform and has become a favorite site for most internet users. And do not forget about YouTube, which is the second most popular site on the web. All these changes happened so quickly and unexpectedly that to be a successful internet marketer you need to always be reading social media news.

Many job boards have emerged in recent years such as Monster, Indeed, Career Builder, Craig’s List, and many others. These are like social networking websites that allow employers to post jobs and employees to seek out jobs related to their expertise. Another useful way to find a job I to go to the website and search for employment opportunities or a contact us page. This will lead you on your way to finding out who is hiring and how the selection process works.

The of landscape of social media has changed in many ways since the days of MySpace. While many people do not like change there are millions who embrace it with open arms. The swing in social media has come at a time when users continuously want is the newest thing. Those who were fortunate enough to take part in the tech boom have been found a way to stay involved and give users what they want. Sean Parker of Napster fame is one of these people and you can be sure he will not slow down anytime soon.

A new breed of programmers have teamed up with those who were around in the very beginning. Sean Parker is well known for his role as Napster Creator. His knowledge and expertise of what people want is the main reason he has managed to keep his place in social media. Everybody thought they had heard the last of Sean Parker when he lost his courtroom battle with Metallica and the music industry. That was until he found out about Facebook and used his name to befriend Mark Zuckerberg. His cool guy persona and technology expertise led to him becoming one of the initial Facebook investors. When he stepped down from his position at Facebook, the social media world should have known it would not be the last they hear from Sean Parker.

The tech boom has opened the door for new ideas and made a way for programmers to become millionaires. The competition has led to the creation of powerful partnerships similar to that of old mafia families. As new programmers work to build their brand, advice and financing from social media legends is well invited. When Sean Parker signed a check to become an investor in Spotify it definitely put a smile on the face of Spotify CEO Daniel Ek. Sean Parkers ability to predict what social media users want was put on display in the blockbuster movie Social Media. It was only a matter of time before he used his knowledge and contacts to boost the Spotify appeal.

When Facebook held its annual developers conference Sean Parker was on hand with Spotify CEO Daniel Ek. The buzz surrounding Spotify just might be the reason they were able to generate 100 million dollars in funding during the month of June. The new partnership with Facebook is sure to bring Spotify new users and more money. To celebrate the success of Spotify Sean Parker decided to host a lavish event that will never be forgotten by the millionaires and billionaires who were invited.

It is officially ten years after 9/11 and the United States is still on high alert. Terrorism had seemed to put limits on our freedom and change the way we live. Then social media came along and changed the way we communicate, share information and stay up to date on relevant news. This is a good thing because it keeps us alert and conscious of the world around us but it becomes a bad thing when people use social media and the tragedy of 9/11 as a way to play around with our fears.

Two days before the ten year anniversary of 9/11, Americans are getting ready to celebrate and give thanks to those who lost their lives. Too bad there was a message streaming across Twitter on Friday that reported another terror attack on the United States. Soon as the 130,000 people who follow NBC News on Twitter received this tweet, it did not take much time for the word to spread. The tweet from NBC News was re-tweeted and began to create a frenzy on social media websites.

The tweet said “Breaking News! Ground Zero has just been attacked. Flight 5736 has crashed into the site, suspected hijacking. more as the story develops.” Unlike the attacks ten years ago, this was a false alarm. NBC is a well known and well respected source of news information for millions around the world. This type of false alarm is serious and can do a lot of harm. Not to mention the rise in fears of those who lived through 9/11 and those who live in the general area around Ground Zero.

Minutes after the tweet appeared, another tweet surfaced on Twitter to confirm that it was a false alarm. A false alarm of this nature is nothing to play with, so NBC released a statement that said “The NBC News twitter account was hacked late this afternoon and as a result, false reports of a plane attack on ground zero were sent to @NBCNews followers,” Soon after another statement released reported that NBC NEWS was hacked by The Script Kiddies. Follow them at @s_kiddies!” Twitter took this type of privacy breach serious and blocked the account of NBC News and Script Kiddies. The word terror strikes fear in many Americans but the bright side of this story is that it was a false alarm.

Social media started out with the MySpace monopoly. Then the world witnessed the rise of Facebook and Twitter. Just when you thought the tide was calm, a series of new social media platforms emerged looking for a piece of the pie. Some may think there is too many websites to keep up with but the people at Yammer have a different outlook on the future of social media.

The name Yammer may seem like a joke but this group of people is all business. The basic idea behind Yammer is an enterprise social networking site for corporate employees to hold discussions. Yammer is in good hands because its founder is none other than David Sacks who earned notoriety when he held the COO position with PayPal. When Sacks started Yammer in 2008 nobody knew if his vision would be well received. That all changed when some of the most influential people in social media took notice. When it came time to generate funding for the startup it was clear that Yammer was on the right track.

One man who was around for the rise of Facebook took his talents and hefty bank account elsewhere. Facebooks former Vice President Chamath Palihapitiya returned to his roots as a venture capitalist Instead of sticking around to be apart of the next stages in Facebook . His new business venture Social+Capital Partnership has been making a name for it self recently because of its relationship with Yammer. Most of the conversations having to do with Chamath Palihapitiya being the man behind the money. His time at AOL, Mayfield Fund and Facebook, gives him and his company Social+Capital Partnership strong credibility in the business world. Not to mention the large amount of wealth that can be used to back his ideas and resume.

The first round of funding for Yammer brought in close to 41 million dollars. This latest round of funding led by Chamath Palihapitiya and Social+Capital Partnership helped to add another $17 million. Chamath Palihapitiya is one reason Yammer generated such a large amount of money. His company Social+Capital Partenership put in $15 million that boosted the funding up to the $17 million dollar mark. This large $15 million investment is one way to see that Chamath Palihapitiya truly believes in what Yammer has to offer. The fact that this deal also gave Social+Capital Partnership a board observers seat at Yammer also had a lot to do with the large investment.

There was a time when people spent hours trying to perfect their MySpace page. You had the option to decorate with pictures, creative back rounds and music to reflect who you are. MySpace was the first of its kind and our preview into the world of social media. As MySpace found its way into households world wide, it was only a matter of time before competition would creep up from behind.

The MySpace era of social media seems to have gone just as fast as it began. In 2005 News Corp. purchased a thriving MySpace for $580 million. At that time they were the first to have a major impact on social media and the way we share information. The birth of Facebook and Twitter seemed to put a dent in the armor of MySpace. The advertising programs and cult like movement of Twitter and Facebook led to their share of control in the world of social media. News Corp revamped MySpace and geared it more towards music marketing as a way to co exist but that did not work well and consequentially sent MySpace into dinosaur like extinction.

Once users jumped ship for more advanced outlets like Facebook and Twitter, advertisers did the same. Sean Parker, co founder of Napster and ex President of Facebook spoke to Jimmy Fallon and explained why he thought MySpace was on its way out. “[MySpace failed] to execute the product development,” he told Fallon. “They weren’t successful in iterating and evolving the product enough, it was basically this junk heap of bad design that persisted for many, many years. There was a period of time where if they had just copied Facebook rapidly, I think they would have been Facebook. The network effects, the scale effects were enormous. There was so much power there.”

Users of social media giants Facebook and Twitter will always remember MySpace for the way it changed our lives. On this 30th day of July in the year 2011, News Corp. is finalizing a deal that would sale MySpace to Justin Timberlake and his friends at Specific Media. I am hoping you were not expecting to hear a sale price anywhere near the purchase price of $580 million. MySpace will be turned over to its new operators for a mere $35 million, which is better than nothing if you look at it from the News Corp. perspective. Specific Media is looking to mix its knowledge of online advertising operations with the popular appeal of Justin Timberlake to provide social media users with a MySpace they can be excited about.

By now anybody and everybody on Facebook should know that there is certain things you should not post for all to read. There is really no excuse for making a mistake with social media comments when you can take your time to proof read and delete unnecessary words. Some social media mishaps are funny but there are some that can lead to the end of a relationship or career. When that happens the person on the losing end can almost always blame it on themselves.

First grade teacher Jennifer O’Brien has been on the job in Patterson, New jersey since 1998. She learned this week that she could possibly be fired for using what some would call freedom of speech. Millions of people take to Facebook and post comments about their day and Jennifer O’Brien is no different. In March Jennifer O’Brien found herself in a pile of trouble for something she probably thought was nothing. After a long day teaching her first grade students, O’Brien used her free time on Facebook to say “I’m not a teacher – I’m a warden for future criminals!”

While some post lighthearted jokes that are not meant to be insults, these jokes are not always read by somebody with the same sense of humor. The comments posted by Jennifer O’Brien may have been in reference to her students acting bad that day but the parents of her students did not see her comments as a joke. As the outrage from parents increased the school was forced to place Jennifer O’Brien on administrative leave. She has been on leave since March but this week a judge ruled that she could be removed from her job with the school district. It wasn’t until recently that people started to see small print in employee contracts that state you can be terminated from a job because of actions outside of the workplace. This includes legal actions and online actions.

When posting comments on Facebook many people do not realize how what they say can affect the lives of others. What may not seem offensive to you could actually be a sore spot for someone else. This incident in Patterson, New Jersey is said to be the first of its kind. Teachers are in a leadership position so little things that others can get away with are not tolerated. Even if this does not sit well with those who feel she was exercising her right of free speech this is definitely something to learn from.

Almost everyday you can pick up a magazine and read the daily gossip of who’s with who in Hollywood. Even if you do not purchase the magazine it is hard for anybody to deny the guilty pleasure of reading the tabloids. If you are one who enjoys the gossip, than you know all about the serial daters of Hollywood. The recent split between Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore looks like the induction of a new member to the infamous group of Hollywood serial daters.

For years Ashton Kutcher was just another member of the cast on That 70′s show. Then he took the wife of Bruce Willis’ and used the publicity to create an MTV cult icon better known as Punked. The marriage between Kutcher and Demi Moore boosted the career of both actors and seemed to always have a spark noticeable at award shows and movie premieres. The honey moon lasted six years but now it looks like the house has come crashing down. Maybe it was his new role on Two and A Half Men or maybe it was his drunken night of partying that led to sexual relations with a loud mouth San Diego girl.

Whatever it was, the split has been made public and the media has been working overtime in efforts to catch every interview and tweet. Kutcher who is an active user of Twitter has been trying to find his social media identity since tweeting of his split with Moore, then publicly backing Joe Paterno before he had the whole story. The series of bad moves and negative publicity led to an abrupt break in tweeting for Kutcher. It seemed as if the man who beat CNN to one million followers was losing his Mojo, until he used Thanksgiving as a day to speak to the masses and give thanks.

After Kutcher’s break in silence, his soon to be ex wife Demi Moore spoke to her followers for the first time since November 17th. Moore also used Twitter as a platform to give thanks by saying “Why do we have only 1 day for giving thanks? Is that why so many people feel unappreciated?” Moore pondered. “Make this 1 of 365 days of Thanksgiving!” I guess if you are gone for a while and decide to make a comeback what better day to do so than Thanksgiving. I could be wrong, Christmas and New Years are also great days to make a comeback.