How to Build Link Popularity - The Natural Way

by Sean Odom

Link popularity is the number of relevant quality inbound links pointing to your website. Most major search engines use link popularity as part of their algorithm which helps to determine the relevance of your website.

Exchanging Links is Not Always the Best Way

One of the most prevalent ways to develop link popularity is by exchanging links. But it is not necessarily the best way. First, exchanging links willy-nilly with anyone you can find willing to do so is not a good tactic. It doesn't help your site visitors if you link to irrelevant, poor quality sites. It makes your site look trashy. And it doesn't help your search engine ranking either. In fact, if you're exchanging links too carelessly you could be pegged as a link farm and actually banned from search engines.

The right way to exchange links is by finding quality, relevant sites with which to exchange links. These are the links that search engines care about. But the process of finding the right sites and then convincing the webmaster or site owner to exchange with you is a time consuming process. Time better spent, we believe, on building link popularity the right way: the natural way.

Link Popularity and Great Content Search engines include link popularity as part of their ranking algorithm based on the theory that if you have great content, offer a valuable service, or sell a product people want, then people will naturally link to you. So what's wrong with doing just that? The first step to building better link popularity the natural way is to improve your website. Spend the time you would have spend searching for link exchange partners on creating sticky content for you site instead.

Press Releases If your company or website does anything even mildly noteworthy, write a press release and distribute it on the web. There are several paid and free press release distribution services that will post your press release with a link back to your site. Take advantage of them.

Affiliate Programs Start an affiliate program. Offer to pay per click through or per sale that originates at your affiliate's sites. They'll link to you as affiliates and you'll have more inbound links.

Offer Free Articles or Tools Write articles in your area of expertise or create free web-based tools. Offer the articles or tools free to anyone, and ask only for a link back as payment.


Directory Links Directories are crucial for building link popularity and targeted traffic. Directories are broken down into specific categorical topics followed by subtopics. A quality link from a major directory carries more relevance and weight than scores of links from websites that aren't relevant to your website, product or service.

There are many directories out there that provide free registration, and some charge a fee. Below is a list of quality directories that we recommend and their PR:

**Important** Read the submission guidelines before you submit to any directory.

Open Directory (PR-9) - Free. To submit, dig down and find the most appropriate category for your website and submit. Approval can take anywhere from 3 months to a year depending on the category you submit to. Tip: submit to a regional category. Submission Guidelines: http://dmoz.org/help/submit.html Add URL: http://dmoz.org/add.html

Jayde B2B Directory (PR-6) - Free. To submit, find the most appropriate category for your website and submit. Approval usually happens within 1-5 days. You can expect decent traffic from this clean user friendly directory. Submission Guidelines: http://www.jayde.com/subfaq.html Add URL: http://dir.jayde.com/cgi-bin/submit.cgi

GoGuides Directory (PR-6) - Free. You have to be an editor to submit but its free to join. To submit find the most appropriate category, click the add url link, then apply to be a Goguide. Tip: read the editor guidelines before you apply. Editor Guidelines: http://www.goguides.org/info/help_desk.html Editor Agreement: http://www.goguides.org/DIR/editors_agreement.php?c=1 Add URL: http://www.goguides.org/info/addurl.html

JoeAnt Directory (PR-6) - Free. You have to be an editor to submit but its free to join. Same as above. Editor Application: http://www.joeant.com/editor_application.html Add URL: http://www.joeant.com/suggest.html

Yahoo Directory (PR-8) - Charges ($299 yearly fee). A bit pricey but very important. You will receive a nice amount of traffic from a listing here as well as a nice pr boost for your website. It's very important to read the guidelines and tips before you register. Directory Basics: http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/dir/basics/index.html Submission Guidelines: https://ecom.yahoo.com/dir/reference/instructions Add URL: https://ecom.yahoo.com/dir/express/intro/

Business.com (PR-8) - Charges ($99 per year). Business search engine and directory with very affordable registration prices, and submission review within 5 days. Listing includes up to 4 additional links per listing (about us, services etc). Guidelines and FAQ Add URL : Standard Listing

BlueFind Directory (PR-8) Charges ($40) - Human edited directory, accepts website registration, individual web page submission that are relevant to the site, also offers sponsored listings. Add URL : Home Page

Our credits to the source/author of this article: Author: Sean Odom Specialist in search engine optimization, internet marketing, and website usability. This article is taken from the Goarticles website.

Source: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=27767