Data Overload! So . . . ..Confused . . .. !
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Just when I think I'm starting to get it . . . info comes in that blows my mind.
I'm using several tools at SeoMoz and others trying to keep track of my link building success, which has been largely me registering at related industries bulletin boards and forums and posting as well as making sure we are listed properly in any and all sites listing companies in our industry etc.
I have to say I was a little frustrated with the results. I had seen SOME increase in the back links, but almost no move in the number of linking domains.
NOW I just logged into googles webmaster tools . . . and their data says I have more than DOUBLE the number of linking domains as any other sites are suggesting.
What's going on here? I can understand slight discrepancies due to when they crawl the data etc . .. but 22 linking domains compared to 9-10 from everyone else? What the heck?
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SEOmoz and Google Webmaster Tools use different sources for their data. I believe EGOL meant to look at the trends over time for each metric compared to itself. Don't compare GWT to SEOmoz, compare GWT in one month to GWT in the next month, and SEOmoz in one month to SEOmoz in the next month.
Open Site Explorer updates about once a month, so it does have a lag time in showing your updates, and it only crawls about the top 1/4 of the web, so its numbers will differ from GWT.
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I'm not sure I understand your question. I'm using SEOmoz for a bunch of data and had the conflicting data from google webmaster tools.
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**using apples and apples comparisons from one metric to another is very helpful. **
Great... you are looking for trends over time. Where do they tally that for you?
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actually, that answer was very helpful! I can't help but to obsess over the numbers a little bit because I'm so new at this, the website was just relaunched, and I'm thrilled with every piece of data that shows I am accomplishing SOMETHING.
Your advice about using apples and apples comparisons from one metric to another is very helpful.
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you will probably not like this answer
If you want to really succeed at SEO two things are really important.....
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don't obsess over all of these numbers
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decide who you are going to believe and watch the ups and downs there
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