5 Free Ways to Create Quality Inbound Links

I know many people, businesses, and affiliates who have professionally designed websites but have poor search engine rankings and traffic. In most cases there is a complete lack of website promotion and development of quality inbound links or links from other websites to their site. Without them, search engines and visitors will have a hard time finding a site regardless if it has great content and is search engine optimized. The more related, popular, and established the website that links to you is, the higher the quality of the link. In a sense, that site is recommending or vouching for your site. Inbound links help your search engine rankings, page rank, traffic, and branding. There are several absolutely free methods that anyone can do to promote their personal, business, or affiliate website and create quality inbound links quickly and easily.

Reciprocal Link Exchanges

One of the simplest ways to get a free inbound link is to participate in a reciprocal link exchange with another website. They add a link to your site and in turn you add a link on your site to theirs. Because it's beneficial to both parties, these types of exchanges are easy to accomplish. Most people will gladly accept an exchange request especially if your site is related to theirs and you can easily accept requests if someone asks you to exchange links as well. For example, if your website has information about fish tanks, a reciprocal link exchange with a website selling fish food would be advantageous to both parties. In fact, there are many websites online dedicated to facilitating link exchanges by bringing related and receptive website owners together. Link exchanges between non-related websites (e.g. software and gardening websites) are considered lower quality inbound links. While they still count as an inbound link, they don't assist in your marketing strategy to the same degree because the traffic and content has nothing to do with your site. And having unrelated content on your website doesn't help either. It's better to stay focused on your topic and target that type of traffic.

One-Way Link Requests

Reciprocal link exchanges are helpful but can be seen as a lower quality recommendation since both websites link to each other based on an agreement to do so rather than to provide quality content and helpful resources for the traffic on their site. In contrast, one-way links, where websites link to you without you having to link back to them, are some of the best types of inbound links. Why would anyone want to do this, you ask, when they don't get a link out of it? Linking to your related, unique quality content helps their visitors find information and makes their website a trusted resource. You get a quality inbound link and recommendation, and they help their visitors find quality content. Email other websites and explain how your site could be beneficial to their traffic. Tell them what you offer and ask them to tell their visitors about you. Of course, the more established you are and the more unique content you have on your website, the easier it is to have people link to you. In most cases, you will find people linking to you without having to ask them. Focus on making your site unique and you will get one-way links.

Directory Submission

There are thousands upon thousands of directories on the Internet listing websites according to category. Some directories are specific to a certain niche such as business, real estate, or web design while some target a specific geographic location, gender, or age group. Directories give you a free inbound link to your site and because most are already fully indexed by search engines, can provide quick results (depending on directory approval time). When Google is spidering the pages of the directory, your website link will be followed to your site and indexed as well. While some directories require a reciprocal link back to the directory, others do not. Adding your website to quality directories is advantageous because your website will be listed amongst other related websites in a category also related to your website. When directory visitors are looking for a specific topic and perusing the category, your website will be listed, helping to build your brand recognition and traffic. Look for popular directories and choose the category most relevant to your website. Page rank or Alexa rank can be good indicators of how established the directory is and therefore the quality of an inbound link.

Article Submission

When I first started Internet marketing some years ago I knew nothing about writing articles and didn't consider myself an author. I soon learned first hand how effective articles can be in establishing quality inbound links and targeted traffic. There are numerous article websites online that will accept unique content articles written by you. Similar to directories, they will list your articles according to your chosen category. Your article should be about a topic relevant to your website. Always be sure to include your personal signature at the bottom of the article telling readers about you and why you're qualified to write about the topic. Include your website URL for where to go for more information. This is crucial because this is your inbound link! Articles work because they establish you as a trusted and knowledgeable source in your industry. Readers who find your articles interesting will bookmark them, tell their friends, and click your website link in your signature. Furthermore, articles become free content available to other websites who pick up your article and put it on their own related website (still with your signature credit at the bottom). One article can be spread across the Internet on multiple websites all leading back to your website as the originating source. These are multiple free quality inbound links that are relatively easy to create from one article. Articles are easy - just write about what you know and submit on a regular basis.

Press Releases

If something happens in your business, why not tell others of the change? Press release websites allow you to write a latest news item about your website or business and upload it with your website link. It will be picked up by other websites similar to the way articles are. Say you offer a new product or service, or change your name, simply write a press release about the news item and upload it free to any of the press release websites online. I find press releases are more for larger websites and businesses that have a wider audience who would care about the news. That's not to say that a smaller site can't create inbound links with press releases. It just depends on how much news you have. For personal or affiliate websites, I would recommend sticking with writing articles.

In Conclusion...

Every personal, business, and affiliate website needs to create quality inbound links to increase search engine rankings, traffic, and brand recognition. By using any combination of the free methods I discussed, you will be establishing a solid, long-term, and proven marketing strategy for website promotion that's easy enough for anyone to do from home. Continue to increase your quality inbound website links and you will see your website grow and flourish.

Curtis Kopeschny, B.Sc. has over 10 years of experience in Web Development and Affiliate Marketing. He is the founder of a free resource website that lists residual income affiliate programs and residual income business opportunities for affiliates working from home. The site also includes helpful affiliate marketing articles and tips to earn residual income. He also runs offering over 6,500 low cost HTML and Flash web design templates perfect for personal or business use.

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