You're probably wondering what the blazes is
popular about a link! Well, in a word - plenty! Link popularity
refers to the ranking assigned to your website by the search
engines, and it determines the ranking your page gets when
keywords are entered into a search engine. So, you're probably
wondering, how do I make my link popular?
Search engines are discretionary, giving status
and ranking to sites that have links to their pages from
related, quality sites. It's a simple formula, but a very
important one. Google created the system, and now virtually all
the most popular search engines employ it to rank your web pages
in their indexes.
The more commonly used your keyword is, the
harder it will be to achieve link popularity, but without
achieving this step, it is almost certain your site will never
rank highly on any search engine. But don't be discouraged;
there are tried and true ways of achieving link popularity using
the most competitive keywords.
There are a few things you should be aware of.
The first is that just linking up with a large number of other
websites will not achieve link popularity. In fact, it may have
quite the opposite effect. This is particularly true when
pertaining to websites that are nothing more than "link
farms" - pages containing line after line of indiscriminate
links. Search engines may aggressively discriminate against your
website if you are associated with a link farm, so steer clear
of them!
The next thing to bear in mind is the quality of
the site you are linking to. Never link to a page you have
reservations about your visitors seeing. The last thing you want
your website to appear as is indiscriminate and cheap. Linking
to sites of poor quality will only lessen your link popularity,
if not completely destroy it.
So let's get to what you need to do to achieve
supreme link popularity and improve your rankings to stellar
status on all the popular search engines.
The first step, and the fastest way to get your
foot in the door, is to get a listing in a popular directory,
such as Open Directory Project and Yahoo. If your site is
business-related, you will want to be listed on Yahoo, and
despite the fact that it will cost you around $300 a year, it
will be money well spent. If your site is non-commercial, the
listing will be free, but it will take time and follow-up to
actually get it listed. Open Directory is gives you a free
listing whether you are business-related or non-commercial, but
be prepared to make a lot of follow-up inquiries before you see
your site listed.
You are aiming to get listed in the highest
level of appropriate category, and this just takes some common
sense. For example, if your company ships Alpaca wool from an
Alpaca farm located in the middle of Nowhere, Tiny State, do NOT
submit your listing to "Retailers from Nowhere, Tiny
State." BIG MISTAKE! All you have to do is look a little
deeper - and submit your listing to the "Fine Alpaca
Wool" category. You will not only associate yourself with
culture and quality, but you will be listed in a national
category.
The next step after you have attained directory
listings is to locate other quality sites that will increase
your link popularity. Try to find sites that are in some way
related to yours, so not only will your link popularity
increase, but your customer base may also be expanded. You want
to avoid your competitors and look for sites that are useful to
your site's visitors. Let's look at the Alpaca Wool site
example. Linking up to a site that sells knitting supplies would
be helpful to your visitors, and the chances of the knitting
supply site wanting to link up to your site are also greater. By
linking to a related site that will be relevant to your
website's traffic, you are increasing both of your site's
business prospects - and both of your sites' link popularity.
Not all sites want to link to other sites, so
you will have to do some research when you are looking for
possible linking partners. Google is an excellent starting place
for your search. Make sure you enter keywords that you think
quality customers will also enter to find your own site.
Remember, your criteria are quality, highly ranked,
non-competing websites that have a links or resources page. Go
to these sites and objectively assess them. Look at the quality
of the product, the graphics, and the ease of use. Then check
out the other sites they are linked to, and determine if your
own site would fit in with the crowd.
When you decide you have found a good prospect,
you must set out to woo them. The first thing to do is to add a
link on your own links page to their site. This is an essential
first step; it shows good faith, and ups your chances
significantly of their reciprocity. After you have added their
link, you must contact the webmaster of their site. Since this
is almost always done by email, you want to make sure it is
immediately clear that your message is not junk mail. This
requires that you tell them right off the bat that you have
added a link to their page on your site. A hook like this almost
always insures the reader will read on.
Next, be sure to be flattering and let them know
how much you appreciate their website. Make sure you emphasize
that you have actually visited their site, and that their site
is not just a random pick. Give them the address of your links
page, and ask them to check out the link for themselves. It's a
good idea to mention that they will not only benefit from the
increased traffic your website will direct their way, but you
will also increase their link popularity. Briefly, explain why
link popularity is so essential, but do this in a sentence or
two so you don't sound like a professor! Finally, tell them you
would greatly appreciate if they would reciprocally add a link
on their own links page to your website.
Go through this process with as many appropriate
sites as you can find, bearing in mind the criteria of quality
and non-competitiveness. After you have emailed all relevant
sites, be sure to check these website frequently to see if they
have added a link to your page. Give it about a month, and if no
link appears, try another charming email. Then give it another
month, and if your site is still absent from their links page,
it's time to remove their link from your own links page. The
only time you want to pursue a link further than this is if you
believe a site is crucial to your link popularity and your
business needs. Just remember to keep all your communications
complimentary and cordial.
Then set up a schedule to check your ranking in
search engines frequently to see if your link popularity has
improved. This is not achievable in the blink of an eye. It will
take some time and a good deal of work. There is no way around
the labor-intensive quality of improving your link popularity,
which is why search engines regard it with such importance.
By the way - make sure you have a beautiful,
streamlined site or you will never persuade anyone to link up to
you. Be prepared to keep plugging away at this process, as long
as it takes, until you achieve link popularity stardom!
Michael Rasmussen is a successful Internet Marketing Consultant
and author of many top-selling eBooks. Michael has been
marketing online since the early days and he knows what it takes
to make money and succeed online. Stop by his Web site and
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