How To Generate Incoming Links

We've talked a little bit about getting free listings inside Google over here and here.  Today, let's talk about one of the most important ways to make search engines see your site as valuable... and that's through getting high-quality incoming links.

A good analogy is that incoming links are like "votes" for your site.  The more you have, the better.  Additionally, when a higher-quality site links back to yours, this vote counts more than a link from a low-quality site.

For instance, a link from a university's website (ends in .edu) is worth more than JoesBrandNewWebsite.com.

Plus, Google doesn't just pay attention to the links, but also what they say.  If a hundred quality links pointing to this site said, "Adwords marketing strategies," then Google is going to consider ranking this site highly for this term.

Links occur in two ways:

1.  Others will link to your site naturally.  They may do this because you have a unique and valuable product or you're providing quality content, perhaps in a blog.

2.  You can get them by acting pro-actively.  Getting others to link to you naturally isn't always easy or fast.  Instead of waiting, you can encourage others to link to your site or submit content across the web.  The sites you submit content to, then offer high-quality links back to any web page you want.

Here are different techniques you can use to get links:

• Tackle controversial topics in your blog or on your website.  You can give your take on a "hot topic" in your market or you can ask for the audience's opinion.  Then, just moderate the discussion.
• Ask other site owners to link to you. You might get them to do this by offering high-quality articles or reports to put on their sites.  You also might return the favor with a prominent link back to them.
• Use the power of social media sites and other distribution sites.  There are hundreds of sites you can submit your content to.  From YouTube.com for videos to PRWeb.com for press releases, EzineArticles.com for articles, and Scribd.com for reports.  Each of these sites are considered very high-quality by Google.  Plus, you don't just get links from these sites, but your pages claimed on them are often ranked highly-in Google.  

One more important point is that you don't care so much about getting links to your home page, but you want incoming links to each of your individual pages.  So, you wouldn't link to http://www.YourHomepage.com in your YouTube video description, but you would link to, http://www.YourHomePage.com/AdWordsMarketingArticle.html (a page built around a term you're targeting inside the search engines).

By working to get incoming links, you build-up the value of your site.  Google sees your site is providing value and rewards you for it.