Link Building is one of the most frustrating, misunderstood and time consuming aspects of marketing your website online.

It is still however, the key to attaining higher ranking in the search engines (See Google PageRank™)

We are often asked the question that if everyone is link building, to 'artificially' increase their ranking, surely Google will alter it's algorithms to 'penalise' such a strategy.

The reality is that links are such a fundamental aspect of the web experience that it is difficult to imagine a better system to gauge a websites 'importance' other than by measuring it's 'popularity'.

Bearing that in mind Google is clever at determining which inbound links should be 'trusted' and which to ignore, and in some cases which to penalise.

The lesson here is to go for quality, not quantity.

REMEMBER don't mix up link building with reciprocal link building which Google does not like. Also, links are better in the content of a page than on a 'links page'.

What is Google's View on Link building?

But be careful...

Some Good Ideas to Build Links to your Website

Create a List page

A list page can become an authoritative document, that others will link to or recommend.

• Build a 'Top Ten List'. 
• Create a 'Tip Sheet' 
• Create a resource document for topic(s) in your industry.
• Debunk a few myths.

Develop Your Authority in your field

• Ensure that your web content is clear and simple.  The more people understand what you do the more likely, they will pass it on and link to it.
  
• Add some information about yourself.  People trust websites if they can put a face to a name.  Don't be a faceless company.

News

• Submit an article to your industry news sites.
• Create press releases and submit to local publications, industry blogs.
  
• Track who picks up your articles or press releases. Offer them exclusive news or content.
• Swap articles with other webmasters. (Your own web company should be a good help here.)
• Follow 'news alerts' in your field and write about industry developments on your blog.  (What do you mean you don't blog?)
• Create competitions.
• Create Surveys.

Social Bookmarking and Directories

• Submit your site to DMOZ and other free directories
• Submit your site to paid directories. (Quality Only)
• Create a FAQ section on your website
• 'What are people talking about in your industry?' Go to Google Blogs to find out.
  

Get Local Business Links

• Most Councils and Chambers of Commerce have a business directory. Get on it.
  
• Local Library Websites.
• Talk to businesses in your immediate area about reciprocal links.
• Develop relationships with non-competing businesses in your area.
• If you have an e-commerce site - launch an affiliate programme.
  

Easy Free Links

• Gum Tree (now owned by ebay)
  
• Craigslist
• Yahoo Answers
• Brownbook
• Google Groups
• Wikipedia
• Squidoo
• Digg
• Reddit
• Facebook
• Bebo
• MySpace
• DMOZ
• Your Web Designer
  

Start Blogging

• Link to other blogs from your blog. 
• Comment on other blogs and allow comments on yours. 

Link Swappiing

• Be careful here.  A lot of clients confuse link building and swapping links (sometimes referred to as reciprocal linking) Reciprocal linking is frowned upon but build links with partners companies that you have a relationship with. Stay away from the linking hubs, linking networks, link farms and don't reply to spam emails from companies that you do not know asking to swap links. Remember - link pages on websites are dying out, when swapping links, try to get links from within content pages.
  

Other ideas

• Sponsor a local charity or event.
• Organise a monthly contest or quiz on your site.
• Build a useful resource or FAQ that becomes well known on the web.

What NOT to do

Here are a few link building methods that may result in your website being penalised by Search Engines.

• Submit your site to 200 'pay for directories' that don't send traffic to your site.
• List 100 Web sites in your signature file on forums and in emails.
• Don't blog spam.
• Don't push you /your company / your product too hard in your own blog. Supply useful information and people will link, comment and return
• Don't become 'yet another link' in other sites link pages.
  

So what is the best way to get sites to link to yours?

Google is by far the biggest search engine and we recommend that you take their recommendations seriously.  Check your statistics regularly to understand and get a feel for what is working and what is not. Use Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools.

and as Google say..

Notes

In this article we have concentrated on the Google Search Engine, but many if not all of the principles laid out apply to the other two major search engines Yahoo and Bing.

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