Website link popularity is used to indicate how many other web
pages link to your web page. It is calculated by counting the
number of web pages that contain your link, also known as
inbound links.
Proper website linking strategies can help you gain inbound links which in turn can greatly improve your search engine ranking. For this reason, it's wise to maintain link popularity strategies as part of your overall search engine optimization efforts.
There are several linking techniques and strategies used to
obtain inbound links. Here are a few popular strategies that
just may bring you the results you need:
1. Reciprocal linking
This strategy involves exchanging links with other sites. You put their link on your site, they put your link on theirs. Probably the most common linking strategy, but there are a few do's and don'ts to keep in mind:
- Link only to sites that have a page rank.
It's my preference to link to sites that have a page rank of 4
or better, however lower ranking is certainly acceptable.
I don't, however, recommend linking to sites that have no page
rank at all. Sites that are penalized by the search engines
for spamming or other various reasons will not achieve page
rank, therefore; if you link to them you are liable to be penalized as well. This is not to say that all PR0 sites are being penalized, this is not the case at all, but since you have no way of knowing for sure, it's safer, in my opinion, to wait until the site gains some sort of page rank before you link to it.
- Look for sites with high page rank but few links. The higher the page rank and the fewer the links, the better. Stay away from link farms, these are typically sites with low or no page rank and many, many links.
- Link only to like sites.
Link to sites that are related to your site's topic. If your
website is about pet care, link only to sites that are about
pet care.
- Include your best keywords in the title and description that you give to your reciprocal link exchange sites. This creates
association between your keywords and your site.
- Place your very best link exchange sites on your home page.
Don't overload your homepage with links, however it's acceptable to include a few high page rank links.
- Try to make sure the links coming into as well as going out from your page are related to the content on your page. Also try to keep the text of the link itself related to your page's topic.
2. Write articles and submit them to sites that accept articles.
Submit your articles with your resource box containing your
name and website address. Article sites often have high
page rank. Also, if someone decides to use your article on
their site or in their newsletter you've just received a new
inbound link.
3. Write product testimonials for products you found worthwhile and make sure the testimonial contains your website address.
You will not only gain an inbound link, you can draw traffic
from those that read your testimonial.
4. Include your own website's navigation as a linking strategy.
Every page of your site should include links to the rest of
your site. It's a good idea to include a site map as well.
Keep all your site navigation links consistent on each page.
5. Create useful and unique content on your website that will
compel others to link to you.
This will not only help improve
your link popularity but it will also satisfy the search
engines and very possibly increase your keyword search ranking.
6. Join Forums.
Ask questions and contribute your knowledge.This will allow you to place your site URL in your signature line, which in turn creates an inbound link for you.
Elizabeth McGee has spent 20 years in the service and support industry. She has moved her expertise to the world wide web helping businesses find trusted tools, enhance customer service, build confidence and increase sales. You can visit Elizabeth's sites at:
http://www.homenotion.com and
http://www.pro-marketing-online.com