Eight Ways to Get Quality Web Links

Links to your site are vital for your page ranking. Without page ranking, the chances of your site being found is very small.

But the quality of your links is a major factor in how the search engines value those links, and how they use them to rate your site. Often, site owners will spend a great deal of time generating links that have little value and which do nothing for their page ranking.

Here are eight ways to make sure you have quality web links to your site.

1.How many separate domains link to your site. The number of domains giving you links has much more value than the total number of links. So one link from each of 10 domains is worth far more than 10 links from one domain.

2.How the referring page ranks with the search engines. If the site giving you a link is ranked high with the search engines, the value of that link will be higher. Check up on the page rank and aim for links from pages that are ranked higher than yours.

3.Anchor text links. Links from anchor text (links behind a phrase that is relevant to your site) rate higher than plain http:// links. Send a 'suggested' link to the site that uses the appropriate anchor text for the page you are linking to.

4.Using you page title tag in anchor text. Title tags are vital for search engine optimization. It is one of the factors that has the highest value with search engines. Therefore, a link using the phrase in you title tag will rate highly. The page title tag should, of course, accurately reflect the content of your page.

5.Link to more than just your home page. Link in depth to your site. At the very least, link to all your important pages. This takes the visitor direct to the subject that interests them, rather than leaving then to use the site navigation to get there. This also allows better value for your link because the content is more relevant.

6.Links from relevant sites. If the site that links to you has similar content to your own it has more value. The closer the content of the two pages match, the better. Links from sites with unrelated content may actually harm your page ranking.

7.One way links. Reciprocal links are ok, but one-way links have more value. Always try for one-way links, especially if the page your are linking from cannot give you links that are valuable in other ways (see above).

8.Link bait. Link bait works in two ways. It encourages people to link to that page, and in ensures that people visiting your site stay to hear what you have to say. Work hard to make at least some of your landing pges 'link bait'. here is lots of advice around if you google 'link bait'.

Links are for people. That’s why search engines value them. Look after the people and the search engines should follow. Consider what it is that would make you link to a page. What is it that is unique or valuable? Why would you send someone there?

SEO for 2009
Blog entry, with some surprising information!