Popularity Isn't
Everything
The average Web
site owner needn't obsess over link popularity. Contrary to
popular belief, link popularity plays a relatively small role in
ranking algorithms. I have several clients whose sites have no
links from outside sites other than their listings in major
directories, yet they rank in the top 10 in major search
engines.
That being said,
if you're trying to achieve high ranking with extremely
competitive keywords, it might be helpful to work on improving
your link popularity.
Links on relevant
sites also have a side benefit. They can bring high-quality
traffic to your site — sometimes even more than a high
search-engine ranking. This traffic might be important to you
even if you don't care about link popularity.
But It Sure
Doesn't Hurt
So how can you
improve your link popularity?
Some people try
to create artificial popularity by registering hundreds of
domains for the sole purpose of providing links to their real
Web sites. This is a huge waste of time and money.
Instead, search
for sites that use the same keywords you use and look to see
whether they have a Related Links section. Then send a short
e-mail message to the Webmasters, requesting inclusion in their
sites. Be sure to explain why you think your site is relevant.
Industry-specific portals/directories are an additional place to
look for links.
High rankings in
directories appear to supersede other factors in determining
link popularity in
spidering search engines. Even if no outside sites
provide links to your site, you probably will be able to improve
your link popularity by
ranking well in directories such as Yahoo!, Dmoz,
LookSmart, NBCi and Go.
Reel Them In
Despite the
recent buzz, link popularity is not a crucial part of
search-engine optimization strategy. In fact, if you use the
right strategy, you might not need to solicit links at all.
Other site owners will link to your site of their own volition.
How can you make
this work for you?
Provide unique,
useful content so your site adds value to any site that posts
your URL. Even commercial sites can benefit from this approach.
Be creative.
Joe's Men's Clothing Store could add pages describing the latest
trends in men's fashion. If Joe presents accurate, interesting
information and updates it regularly, other fashion sites will
be far more likely to list his site as a resource.
When it comes to
the link popularity, ask yourself, "How can I make my site so
valuable that others will link to it without being asked?"
If you can figure
that out, you won't ever have to worry about link popularity
again!
The views of our authors don' t necessarily
reflect the views and policies of this company or its
advertisers.
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