|
Author: Zaak OConan Article source: http://www.euro-plus.net/. Used with author's permission.
Search engines are the gateway to the Internet; they are
the first tool that potential customers use to find the
products and services they need. This is why link
popularity is so imperative. If the customers do not find
your website, you have no possibilities of making any
sales.
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! Zaak O'Conan discovers and presents information
on to enhance your site, newsletter, marketing and other
Internet related topics. You'll find his other articles that
expand your horizons at http://WebWorkersWeekly.com
Preparing For Your Success
When is the best time to prepare for your success in life? What's that you say? " I have to actually have to prepare for it? Doesn't success just happen?" No. ...
Mortgage Leads, Where to Begin
If you are considering investing your hard earned money with a mortgage lead company, or you are switching lead companies because you have gone through the pain...
Research Department Tips
The SearchLogix Group's Research Department utilizes job boards. Job boards, such as Monster, can be very useful. The "perfect" candidate is never found on a ...
10 Ways To Save On Car Insurance
For most people car insurance is a the single largest insurance expense after health insurance. Rates are high and are forever climbing, at least it seems that ...
Where to buy a Used Digital Camera
Christmas coming up and the fact that soon many people will be trying to get rid of their unwanted gifts, it will shortly be boom time in the used digital camer...
Performance Expectations - 5 Tips and 5 Questions
Performance Expectations to clearly explain what is expected of your people is a vital and fairly obvious first step in any organisation. Yet it fails to be ha...
Want to Get Instant Credit Card Approval?
There are many people that need a credit card in a hurry. This can be for many reasons. They may need a credit card right away for an unexpected emergency. S...
Navigating The Squeeze
A paradigm shift teaches us about working with chaos and things turned upside down. The old paradigm needs to be examined and shifted before a new paradigm can ...
Early Retirement The Dream of the Working Classes
Everyone dreams of early retirement. The idea of no longer having to work at an early age is very attractive to some people and they dream and wish all day lon...
To Choose a Wedding Planner or Not to Choose a Wedding Planner
It's like if you're building a house. Would you select electricians, plumbers, and carpenters, and then just turn them loose and hope for the best? Never! This ...
Amish Furniture for Kids Summer Projects
Amish Furniture finishing for the kids summer projects. Industrious activity that will pass on traditions and life lessons.
Wind Energy to Solve Reliance on Foreign Oil
Every once in a while a new technology comes along which helps solve multiple problems and this time it is Wind Energy. You see with all the hot air and BS in W...
10 Tips to Sell Your House Faster!
10 Easy Steps to make Selling your house faster, saving you money for your next house! As Experienced Home Buyers and Sellers, we've been through the process en...
Implement Your Idea Today Lest Someone Else Does
Thoughts are energy and energy moves. I always find it amazing me how someone somewhere implements an idea I've had or currently have. My belief is that in an...
Test Your Hiring IQ
Great hires are always the result of good preparation, good information, and good decision making. Have you hired anyone recently? If so, how well did you do? ...
5 Ways to Get More Traffic to Your Site
One thing you can never have too much of online is web site traffic. If you're looking for ways to drive more visitors to your site, try these traffic generatin...
The One Word Every Prospect Craves
It's arguably the most important word in the copywriter's arsenal. It ranks right at the top with words like "free," "new" and "savings." Do you know what it is...
Putting Your Life in Perspective
One simple way to reduce the stress and create more balance in your life - change your thinking.
Golf Tip #6: Open Putting Stance - Against The Grain But Effective
Ever feel like no matter what, you are just never going to be a good putter? Well dont feel so bad, a lot of people feel that way. We have seen so many people...
Media in the Twenties
I like songs that comment on the conditions of the world around me. Also presented is one of my first poems which I later set to music.
Business Plan: The Simplest Business Plan Ever
If you're a solo professional like I am, you know how tough it is to find any time at all to do any business planning. Doing a full business plan is a must if y...
Cross Training
Get the most out of your fitness program by keeping it new, effective, and enjoyable with Cross Training!
How To Profit From Your Home Business Blog
A blog is a simple tool which all affiliate marketers should be utilising to explode their affiliate sales.
Until We Go Paperless
The 'paperless society' has been talked about since the early 1970's. But we have more paper now than ever before. Here's a strategic approach to managing your ...
|
Print this page