SEO and Link Building

Link building is an essential part of Search Engine Optimization. Anyone who has been optimizing a website or blog in one way or another would immediately understand the time-consuming process of spreading as many links as possible all over the web. The crux of link building, however, is found in the various search engine ranking factors that affect how each of the link is valued. For one thing, a link back should be from a topically relevant page which generates a high volume of traffic and is generally trusted by users and other websites.

Link building in SEO is woven into any campaign either as a support process or a core activity. Each SEO campaign has its objectives. One campaign can be geared towards aggressively marketing a site. This will require link building as a supporting activity that will complement guerrilla tactics in online marketing. On the other hand, an SEO campaign that simply wants to maintain its search engine ranking or perhaps improve, link building is one of the methods, aside from content development and promotion, that can be employed.

All throughout SEO history, link building techniques are sized down to 5 basic items. One basic link building method is URL submission. This can be done either through manual or semi-manual directory submissions or through social bookmarking. A semi-manual submission process uses a software to target certain directories from hundreds all over the world based on Page Rank, Alexa traffic, free or paid submissions, niche and language. Both manual and semi-manual would require a person to enter site information into the submission form. Automated submissions are often identified and blocked by many directories to prevent spammers from taking advantage of them.

Another way of submitting your site’s pages is to bookmark each URL. Social bookmarking sites are great traffic generating sources. In addition to building the links for your site, you will also be building a positive image or brand for your website or product. Social media sites such as social bookmarking sites encourage community participation that helps new and veteran webmasters in networking with those that belong in the same niche. As a result of relationships created through social media marketing, it is far easier for webmasters to do link exchanges with topically relevant sites.

A third option for webmasters to optimize their site is to join forums and communities that requires active participation. As a link builder contributes more and more to the group, the more positive the goodwill and appreciation generated for the site and the more value the links raise if there are some found within the forum signatures for each forum message posted. However, so few forums now allow forum signature links in prevention of spamming. They place more focus on substantial contributions each member makes.

To counter the limitations presented by forums, a link builder can choose to join in blog conversations through commenting. Blog commenting is a more personal way of addressing relevant topics with bloggers who may or may not be held as authorities on the topic. A sharing of ideas is much more valued than just a sharing of links. This method also encourages link builders, webmasters and bloggers to build a mutually beneficial relationship with each other.

With all the above-mentioned methods, the fundamental needs were to share valuable content and build online relationships rather than simply creating a network of links that point back to your site. Like as any human interaction, value is placed not only on the currency of exchange (which in this case links) but also on human currency such as friendship, knowledge and goodwill.

In the case of exchanging knowledge, this can be achieved through article marketing or through participation in knowledge exchange sites such as Yahoo! Answers, Gather, Knol, Squidoo and Hubpages. Article marketing as the name indicates require submissions of articles to free article directories which many webmasters still make use of. Freely distributed content is available for anyone who lacks the time to write.

However, the constant use of free articles can also hurt a site’s search engine ranking placement. The reason is that the same copy of the article used can be found on other websites or blogs as well. To have a more valuable content than the other sites in your niche, writing original content is far better. Yes, this will take time and skill, but the results will pay you ten times over. After all, investment comes not only in the form of money but also in the form of time and skill.

Busy bees, however, don’t have to despair. A great turnkey solution will be to outsource SEO and link building jobs. Paying someone else to do it for you will save you time and give you a valuable human resource who knows better how to optimize your website without bogging you down with the details. In fact, you can get a link builder from Agents of Value for as low as $625 each month. See the Contact Us for more details or you can immediately chat with one of the Agents of Value representatives by clicking the chat buttons in the upper right corner of this page. You have the option of using either Yahoo Messenger, Skype or AIM as chat client.