Obtaining links from websites related to yours are one of the best and most difficult steps in a search engine optimization campaign. Many SEO experts believe that right now, relevant links are one of the highest factors in ranking well on Google. Not only do high rankings in the search engines help, but links from other websites also send you traffic. Here are some tips to help you get started in finding and getting the best links possible.

1. Create content that people will want to link to. This is a very effective way to obtain links because you often won’t have to request the link. People are choosing to link to you. Some content that is very popular are “10 Best” lists or other help documents. This type of content is also very popular in social networking sites like Digg which has the potential to bring your website tons of traffic and links.
2. Become the authority on a particular subject. If you are known and respected as an authority in your field, many people will want to link to your website. This is another great way to obtain links without having to request them.
3. Submit your writings to websites like EzineArticles. These types of websites rank well in search engines and being the author of a great article on their site will bring you significant traffic. And if the article is impressive, people will link to it.
4. If you are a business, take advantage of press releases. There are many news sites and press release sites out there that list different press releases for various businesses. Your press release should include a link to your website.
5. Find another website that is related (but not competing with yours). Trade content with each other and include your link with your content.
6. Many company websites link back to blogs and websites that are covering news and information about recent events dealing with their company. If you cover company news and information, make sure you link to their websites and they may link back to you.
7. Find a highly debated topic and create a discussion group or poll about it. Many people who are passionate about the topic will link to your site and advise others to visit your site to give their opinion or vote.
8. Get your site into authority directories in the “right” categories. Such directory listings offer not only much needed authority backlinks, but also co-citation benefits where your site is listed side-by-side with other quality sites in your field.
9. If you are a business, join business associations like the Better Business Bureau and the local Chamber of Commerce. Some of these groups may have websites where they will post a link to your website.
10. Request a link from your business partners. Some will be more willing than others but this is an easier way to request a link since you already have your foot in the door. If you supply a product to different vendors, you can easily require that they have a link to your website on theirs.
11. If your site is dedicated to a certain topic or if you are a brand name, you may be able to add a link to your website on Wikipedia. This will be counted as a very strong link since Wikipedia is widely known and popular.
12. Include your website address in your email signature and forum signatures. These may not count as links to your website but if you have a good reputation and are helpful, people may follow your signature to your website. If they like your site, they may end up linking to it.
13. If applicable, have satisfied customers or clients write a testimonial claiming how wonderful your product or service was. These will often include a link to your website.
14. Blogs are extremely popular right now and you need to have one. Links to blogs are common since the content changes regularly. Make sure your blog is useful and up to date. Link to other relevant blogs and you will find people linking back to you.
15. When viewing other people’s blogs, leave intelligent comments. The link to your website in the comments will not add much value for the search engines but people will follow that link and potentially link to you later on.
16. List your blog in different blog directories and use Technorati tags which are known to rank well in many of the popular search engines.
17. Provide a good looking site to your visitors. People are much more likely to link to your site and tell their friends if you have a professional looking website. If you have a run of the mill, cookie cutter web site, people may not even look at it.
18. Trade links with related websites. This is one you have to be careful with. It’s easy to find a reciprocal link network that will trade links but you only want links for relevant sites and you only want to give links to relevant sites. If you go the wrong direction with this one, it will hurt your campaign more than help.
19. Try to get links from older websites. Search engines seem to trust older websites more and often have a higher PageRank.
20. Have a contest or giveaway. These types of promotions often create a buzz in different communities. The better the prize or contest, the more publicity your site is going to receive.
21. Provide the most up to date and current news in your industry. Cover important news and events but also cover the famous people in that industry. People turn to the internet to get the most current news.

Link building can be a tedious and difficult chore when it comes to search engine optimization. If you follow some of these basic tips but are also creative and find new and interesting ways to gain links, you will be successful. While asking for links may seem easier, creating a buzz and providing content that people want to link to will usually result in more relevant and important links.

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