7 Days to Better Your SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Day 6: Links

Any good SEO strategy should include link building. Link building is based upon the concept of Link Popularity which is a concept I explained in a past post. When thinking about links you should consider these types of links. I ordered them in the level of importance.

1. Inbound Links - Someone links to YOUR website but you do NOT link back to theirs.
2. Reciprocol Links - Both websites link to each other.
3. Outbound Links - You link to another website but the other website does NOT link back to you.
4. Internal Links - Links on your website that links to pages on yourown website.

Inbound Links

Certainly the hardest type of link to get but search engines like Google weigh these heavily. Why? Because if a website links to only you and you not back, the search engines feel that you must be an authoritive source to have an inbound link. But keep in mind if you have a real estate website in Florida and a pizzeria in Dallas, TX links to you the relavance ranking Google will give you is most likely quite low. However the same Pizzeria in your market area would bwe more relative and certainly a ne wdevelopment in your town even more. Here are some ways you can build your inbound links. Some are fairly easy to do while others take some effort. After all if no effort was involved everyone would do it. Remember that the Internet is based on content and the success of the Web is built upon the proliferation of accessible information. If you build a website with information people want, they will come. If you build good content people will then want to link to it. But always be mindful of not getting into link spamming or placing links on sites that practice the same. So what are some of the ways you can build some good inbound links.

1. Place your links on directories
2. Join social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Active Rain, etc.
3. Write articles in enzines
4. Create pages in hub sites such as Squiddo or Hubpages
5. Use Yahoo or Google news
6. Embed links in video's you post to YouTube
7. Use Microblogging such as Twitter
8. Of course set up your own Blog

Linking Another interesting way to get your links out is allowing people to easily bookmark your pages. Services such as "ShareThis" provide code to put on your webpages which visitors can click on and book mark your webpage on major social media sites. Write good content and people will bookmark you. Press Releases Press Releases are another great way to get your links out. Services such as PR.com allow you to post a press release for a reasonable fee. When you create a release you can then add your link. They also offer a free service but you do not get the luxury to add your link. But even the free release will be picked up by Google News and be broad-casted. Google Alerts Try setting up alerts on your keywords and when you get hits, examinene the source and then comment on the sites if you can. Much of the news comes from Blogs so you can then comment on the Blog. Good relevant comments will ensure the Blog master will publish your comment. Relationships Don't forget the simple ways too. Within your profession you have established relationships with Mortgage Brokers, Appraisers, Home Inspectors, etc. Why not ask for a link to you on their website. The very least is you can get a reciprocal link on a relevant site. Link building is a evolving process and you never really stop trying to build links. Even if you participate in social networking, blogging, etc. on a regular basis you will begin to see your link count go up. Remember good content is the key for good link building. Have a site that becomes an invaluable resource and build upon that.

Reciprocal Linking

While not as important as a good inbound link, never the less having multiple reciprocal links will also help you build link popularity. Keep them in your market area and try building links with local businesses, complementary associates such as Inspectors, Appraisers, etc.

Outbound Links

Outbound links are obviously the easiest to get but getting good ones are a bit harder. Building quality outbound links to good authoritative sites will help the search engines see where your relevance is. Also by linking to these sites you will provide useful information to your viewers as well. Remember you should get permission.

Internal Links

Internal links help the search engines know what is important to you. By links Allendale Homes to a page on your site titles allendale-homes.html and then having that page discuss Allendale homes will establish a clear path for the search engines to see how important that keyword phrase is. The moral of this post is, build links, keep building them over time. Make them authoritative and of value. Links help boost your SEO and they also provide your viewers some enriching related content. Good luck.

Up on Day 7 is Site Submission.

RE/Advantage specializes in Real Estate web site design and Internet technology. We have been working with the Real Estate Industry for over 10 years so we understand what makes a site work for you and your buyers and sellers. After all we have been developing real estate web sites, Internet tools and marketing strategies since 1997. No one provides a more comprehensive, well-thought-out site and tool set for your Internet presence. We provide you with not only the tools to manage and customize your site, but the peace of mind that comes from knowing we are here to help if you need us.