What are backlinks?
Wikipedia: Backlinks are incoming links to a website or web page. The number of backlinks is an indication of the popularity or importance of that website or page. In basic link terminology, a backlink is any link received by a web node (web page, directory, website, or top level domain) from another web node (Björneborn and Ingwersen, 2004). Backlinks are also known as incoming links, inbound links, inlinks, and inward links.
If you like to earn money online or to bring in more search engine traffic, backlinks are extremely important to indicate the popularity or importance of that website or page. However, links with a “nofollow†tag will stop any PageRank going from the linking page to the page being ranked, however, PageRank is only used by Google. Other search engines might also use “nofollow†for similar purposes.
What are the benefits of backlinks?
The key benefits of backlinks are Traffic and PageRank. If you place your backlinks strategically, it should see some quality traffic coming to your site. By, strategically, I mean the link should be placed on a visible location, a related and popular website. You can either buy a text link or you can also participate in Web2.0 to make your links visible.
PageRank improves your Google search engine position, when people search, your site appears higher up, so the more back links the better. The higher the PageRank on the site that is linking to you the more PageRank it will pass to you.
Do Not Forget Your Anchor Text
You must also put some focus on your anchor text. When you are linking to your website or webpage, use a relevant anchor text that tells people the topic of your website. For example when linking to this site, KPeBiz.com, I would like to be linked as Extra Income Earn Money Online SEO Blog. Search engine picks up links with their anchor texts. So, the more links to my site with anchor text: “Extra Income” or “SEOâ€, for example, would make my search engine ranking with the term “Extra Income” or “SEO†rank better.
How to Obtain Backlinks?
Now, there are many different ways you can obtain backlinks.
1. Write Articles
Submitting your articles to articles directory such as GoArticles.com, EzineArticles.com, Web Pro News, Site Reference, Article Dashboard, Articles Base. There are many publishers like to use reprint articles, they will come to these directory to source for relevant articles, once they pick up your articles, congratulation, you have a one extra backlinks.
2. Submit to Web Directory
Web directory is another great place you can submit your backlinks. Some are paid service while there are some free service. Depending on your budget, you can pay for a backlinks for a high quality directory, for example, Yahoo charges $200 for a review of the submission, not quaranteed approval. Of course, it will definitely boost your search engine value if you are listed on Yahoo Directory. There are also many other cheaper service as well, or you can also place some directory for free.
I have worked our a free submission on a PR3 directory with one of my partner, you can read the Free Link Love for details.
3. Web 2.0 Social Networking Sites
Web 2.0 social networking sites are excellent medium to build quality backlinks and search engine likes them. This isn’t very difficult to do and many of the backlinks you can build there are quality one way link, which carries much weights on search engine. You can check out my 141 Web2.0 resource list to see where to find backlinks. You can also download my secret report to teach you exactly how to search for quality and relevant backlinks on these Web2.0 service. The download box is on top of this blog.
4. Forums
Please read my earlier Forum Traffic post to learn how you can skyrocket your forum traffic.
5. Buy text links
Buying links is the one of the easiest way to get backlinks and it is one way link. Great, search engine likes one way links. However, Google doesn’t like link sale or purchased link, if you like to use this service, you must not buy too many at one go to keep under the search engine radar. it is still very popular.
Special Bonus for You!
Now, you can gain some popularity by having a sitewide backlinks from my blog for free. It is very simple to do, simply follow the instruction on my Link Love post, leave me a comment and you can get a PR3 backlinks for free. You can also have a free listing on a PR3 directory as well, you can visit my partner site, read Free PR3 Directory Listing Now to get a backlinks or spread this wonderful news to your friends.
Anchor text in links is really a very important aspect in link building. Get it done well and webmasters can see a rapid increase in their SERPs. I however do not suggest buying links because there are many other methods of building links for free and there is always a time interval of nearly 2-3 months between each PR update which then give you ample time to build your links.
Good basic information on backlinks. But what about posting comments to web blogs. This is a free method of building backlinks that can be very effective. Although it does take time to do. I suppose some can be outsourced if you’re really pressed for time, though.
Your suggestions were very helpful, I will study it. Thanks!