Linking between websites has always been highly valued by web surfers as a way
to find relevant, related information online. What you may not know is that
search engines also place value on inbound links to your site because links
reflect the value that peers have placed on your site by linking to it. The more
inbound links there are pointing to your website from other relevant, related
and complementary websites, the higher your potential search engine rank.
So how do you go about locating potentially suitable websites with which to
establish links? Here are three quick methods to get you started.
Member-based Organizations
The first way to identify sites you want to be linked from is to visit websites
of local member-based organizations. Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Chambers
of Commerce, and other like-industry trade organizations are a few examples.
Most member-based organizations will list member contact data right on their
site. Simply contact the site owner and ask to be linked. Those member-based
organizations that do not list their member contact information should have no
problem providing you a member list or directory - provided you’re a member
yourself of course. If an organization of which you are a member won’t provide
you with fellow member contact data, start questioning your reasons for joining
that organization in the first place. That’s a topic for another day however.
Simple Internet Search
A second method involves nothing more than an Internet search for websites with
links to other sites. For example, say you’re the owner of an Alaskan bed &
breakfast. Go to Google (
www.google.com)
or Yahoo (
www.yahoo.com)
or better yet - both, and do a search for “alaska bed & breakfast links” or
“alaska accommodations links”, etc. Examine the search results and decide which
sites best fit your link strategy. Then start asking to be linked.
Tom Sawyer
The third and in my opinion the most lucrative way of identifying worthwhile
sites with which to establish links, is by using what I call the Tom Sawyer
method. Remember how Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer got his friends to do all the work
of painting his fence for him? The Tom Sawyer method of researching good site
links relies on your competition and other businesses similar to yours, doing
much of the research for you. That’s right; your competition does the majority
of the research while you reap the rewards.
To see the Tom Sawyer method in action, go to Market Leap's Link Popularity Tool
at
www.marketleap.com/publinkpop/ and enter
your URL and the URLs of up to three of your biggest competitors or other
industry leaders. The report that’s generated is interesting in itself as it
shows the actual number of links to your competition’s website as indexed by the
major search engines – Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, etc., but click on your
competition’s numbers and you’ll see the real value of this method. Every site
that is linked to your competition’s website is listed. Again, your
competition has done the research for you. Just as with doing a simple Internet
search, examine the results, decide on the best links, and start asking to be
linked.
Building a website means nothing without visitors. While advertising and other
forms of marketing and site promotion are indispensable in driving those
visitors to your site, establishing links must be considered equally important.
With a little imagination, the right tools, and just a bit of time devoted to
research, the links you establish to your website will pay off handsomely in
boosting your site’s popularity and more importantly, your bottom line.
p.s.
You can start your linking efforts right here in the
Alaska Business Directory.
More Alaskan Experts >>