10 SEO Link Building Tips

1. Don't submit to each and every directory out there.  Whilst you can waste away hours submitting to random, free, irrelevant web directories in the hope you're site is approved and gets a link, be sure to set aside some time and money to get yourself listed in Dmoz, Yahoo Directory, Best Of The Web and Business.com.  Most free sites can take an age to show your link whilst many require a reciprocal link that can devalue your website if they are totally irrelevant.

2. Find niche directories.  With the emphasis of links being on quality rather than quantity, find directories that apply to your niche and get listed in those.  Simply type search for “your niche directory” in Google to find such sites.

3. Don’t just link to your homepage.  When adding links to your site, be sure to link to pages that go deeper than the home page. 

4. Vary your anchor text.  Don’t use the same anchor text in all your links to your site – try to vary this with varying keyword rich phrases and avoid using text such as “click here”.

5. When working on internal linking, make sure each and every page you want people to find can be found by search engine spiders.  Use keyword rich (but not keyword spamming) title and anchor text in your links and ensure you have a sitemap.

6. If you read blogs and forums relating to your niche, contribute to these whilst leaving a link back to your site.  Try to make your contribution and informative rather than just saying “I agree with everything that person said”.  People are more likely to follow your link if you have something interesting to say.

7. Write articles of interest and submit these to article directories, such as ezinearticles, again, if you have something interesting to say, people will listen.

8. Have social media bookmarking facilities integrated into each page on your site – make it easy for the ever growing online communities to spread your good word.

9. If applicable, get a Google Local Business Centre listing, these are free, local searches are on the increase and the results appear above the natural listings which in some instances is as effective a highly placed Adwords placing.

10.  If you have your own blog, create a “top 10” list you believe will be of interest to people within your niche, chances are, someone else will find it both useful and interesting and link to it too.