What is your link building strategy?

I have submitted a few product reviews that contain a backlink. I have yet to try a press release but I hear they are pretty effective. That's about it plus all your methods.

The site in my signature has a PR of 5, I have submitted it to dmoz once (have never checked if it was listed or not), I have my signature here and links to it from 2 of my other sites and thats it. Whats worse is it hasn't been updated for 2 years (although I do keep meaning to update it).
Doing a backwards link check I get 3 results, one from a page within the site (first one), from excite and from dmoz.

What works for one ...
I have never worried about link exchanges, infact I refuse them if offered them.

I'm a string believer in content being king, second being word of mouth because of the content. Example, in the paper today there is an article about a guy who hard a red paper clip and wants a house, he is trading up to a house, so far after 8 trades he has a all expenses record contact to trade for. This all started from a red paper clip.
I'm not going to give a URL but it is interesting (the content) so no doubt someone will look it up. This person didn't use link exchanges, signatures etc for me to find out (he may have had for others to) but I have heard about it and am passing it on now (word of mouth).

I agree with you, Busy, that content and viral marketing is king. Content is not hard to do, but to get a 'buzz' on your site going like the site you mentioned is very difficult. Someone who has a red paper clip and wants to trade it for a house, WILL get attention. The majority of sites on the Internet, mine included, are not that exciting, but still useful nonetheless. And, traditional methods of traffic and seo still exist. I am a realitively new site so I am still using these traditional methods and they have been working. I have begun to get decent traffic from search engines and better traffic in general due to higher rankings.

I know link exchanges have been losing their effectiveness as of late, but I still accept some exchanges. As long as they are related to me site content. And, believe it or not, I actually receive traffic from these exchanges which is an added benefit. When you are listed on a links page with other related sites, the page becomes a useful resource to visitors and therefore, traffic can be obtained. I am against a general link directoy and sites that accept anyone interested.

Quote: Creating a high content site with valuable information to entice people to link to your site

For me, that's it in a nutshell. That's the important one. Not only will you rank higher in search engines, but visitors to your site will be more likely to stick around.

Quote: Posting on forums that allow links in sigs

I do that as well, but it's not really a targeted "strategy" as much as just making sure that anyone who has regular contact with me can find my sites.

Ok another example, I have a custom van I am building, I have mentioned it here in the general section once in a reply to something but no direct links are to it from any of my other sites.
This site (sub site hidden within my main site) is proving to popular for what it is. I never submitted it or even told anyone about it, the search engines found it and have listed it. Custom vans had there day back in the 70 and 80's and this style isn't around much but I am getting heaps of email (dont even make that easy for them) from people all around the world asking for updates and info and edging me on.
To find it you have to go main site/ sub section/ sub sub section and only the sub section has a link to it, nothing else. The sub section isn't even an inviting link to go to. This is a bedford van btw which most Americans wouldn't even now what it is.

My thinking is you can let them find it or you can force them to find it.
If you force them and they aren't ready, they wont buy.

Janet, for your site I wouldn't advertise the service itself, wait until someone sells a paper clip or carrot with the face of the virgin mary (or something silly) then publicise that, the rest will follow. If you advertise people will see it sure, but will they sell anything? chances are no, if they find it from a story about someone seling or buying a one of a kind thing for next to nothing and donating it it will make them think, hmmm do I have something I can sell? More chance of them looking around wondering 'what if that ugly thing Aunt prud gave us is worth anything ...'

people are copy cats and will always try to out do each other. next week could be a carrot, week after could be the whole garden ...
It takes about 2 years to get a business to start paying it's way

I have been using the infowizards program to manage my reciprocal links. It has been working very well. Our site has a PR6 ranking.

Secrets to google? http://hop.clickbank.net/?iq454/ewrite
Crushing the competition? http://www.seoelite.com/index.htm

You guys seem like a smart bunch, you need this stuff if you guys have problems.. And don't think about crushing me, I give you this stuff as a friend. Make sure you read both sites, and especially seoelite..Don't think of it as another scam, if you do, then no wonder you still got a PR of 400,000 . Most of you probably aren't even in google yet? How long you been waiting?

Both programs go hand in hand, one of em alone works well, but both together is a freakin army..

http://www.intelseek.com

Keywords: Dropshipping; Drop Ship PR #1
Keywords: Dropship; #2

Many more keywords I forgot am ranked #1 for.

212 sales in 2 months using those methods above. Google is my next target.

Generally I link swap with bloggers and webmasters and submit to directories to get my links.

I stay away from buying links but advertsing programs do give me some links on other websites.

What has worked best for me is 2 things.

1. Have content on your site that make others want to link to it.
2. Offer free content that links back to your site.

These 2 things have gotten me a lot of one way links.

I was doing a placement search the other day for my custom van site (was bored), and low and behold this thread turned up in the search results. It wasn't at the front but was within 12 page limit (I only look at 12 pages of results max).
I can't remember exact phrase but it was something like custom bedford van nz
This thread doesn't have a link to those pages, those pages don't have a link to here. content I tell ya, content

For link building submit your site in directories, update content regularely, add fresh content, prepare blog & submit press releases. All these points will help in link building.

articles, press release, link exchange, blogs, directory submission

I find that link building is important, but not that big of a deal. Content is King. I have several websites that get spidered by Google daily and the rank changes from 1st to 6th based on what I did the day before. It is my opinion that Google has changed the Algo's on links and points. I have a few PR2-3 sites that are ranked very high on high dollar Adwords key words. Some of my websites rank 1,2 and 3 on words that have a minimum of $5 just to activate the key word for AdWords.

Janet;195326 wrote: I am trying to get an idea of what everyone else is doing in regard to link building. What do you concentrate the most on?

Link exchanges
Submitting to directories
Creating a high content site with valuable information to entice people to link to your site
Exchanging content links
Buying text links
Posting on forums that allow links in sigs
Other???

Right now I am submitting to directories, adding content to my site and initiating link exchanges with sites that have similar content to my site and pass all my other requirements. And, of course, posting on forms, but that I enjoy.

It just never seems like enough, kwim? What are you guys up to in this area? What has worked best for you, what had not worked?

Do Article Submission :roll:

Try article submission.

Janet;195326 wrote: I am trying to get an idea of what everyone else is doing in regard to link building. What do you concentrate the most on?

Link exchanges
Submitting to directories
Creating a high content site with valuable information to entice people to link to your site
Exchanging content links
Buying text links
Posting on forums that allow links in sigs
Other???

Right now I am submitting to directories, adding content to my site and initiating link exchanges with sites that have similar content to my site and pass all my other requirements. And, of course, posting on forms, but that I enjoy.

It just never seems like enough, kwim? What are you guys up to in this area? What has worked best for you, what had not worked?

Forum signature links
Directory links
Link exchanges
Link buying
Links from articles
Links from Press releases
Links from comments
Links from other sites
Three-way link exchange
Links from blogs
Links from social networking
Links from ads

I agree with your statement.than you so much:)

Janet;195326 wrote: I am trying to get an idea of what everyone else is doing in regard to link building. What do you concentrate the most on?

I usually do the following for link building campaigns: submitting to directories (quality and high PR), link exchanges (related sites - preferably with high traffic and PR), three (4, 5, ?) way link exchanges, forum postings (signature), join social bookmarkings / networking (stumbleupon, del.icio.us, digg, etc), article submissions (that allow links), online classified ads, use blogging services, text link advertising, etc..

The very first thing i do is what i call 'piggybacking' another site. For all new sites, i have a few clients sites with a high PR which i will hide a link in for the new site. So rather than waiting for the site to be recognised by Google, and back links to be noticed, the site is often indexed within a week. After a couple of months i can then remove the hidden link!

Ultimately you can always get a certain amount of links from directories, if you spend enough time trawling, there are about 200 worthwile directories, most being free. I barely ever waste my time with recipricol links.

When it comes down to the crunch though, the site NEEDS to be good. People have to talk about it and have to want to link to it. That is the difference in my eyes, there's only so much SEO you can do. In essence the website/business needs an overall marketing plan to generate interest. Resting all of your hopes on SEO is simply misguided in most cases.

For me all of the above mentioned strategy.. include social bookmarkings and promotional ads posting...

Below are the three strategies of Link building:-

1. By Linking out to attract links you can engage a dialogue with the relevant blogs in your niche which is a great way to get noticed, and it can lead to links back
2. By networking emails you can reach out to other bloggers as a way to raise your own profile.
3. Through guest appearance of networking within your niche is creates opportunities to make a guest writing appearance. your web site rank well in search engines.

My link building consists of

Link exchanges
Submitting to directories
Creating a high content site
Buying text links
Posting on forums that allow links in sigs

My strategy for link bulding is:

Submission of Articles in the Article directories.

Directory Submission

Regular Posting in Forums including your signature.

Writing Press release and submit it to press release sites.

Free Advertising on CraigsList.org & Google Base

Using a Blog on site.

Site Submission to DMOZ/Yahoo/MSN/LOOKSMART/

Site submission to free niche directories.

Start a page on social bookmarking sites such as mybloglog.com, myspace.com, delicious

Post free classified ads on free ad posting sites as : classifiedsforfree.com, http://classifieds.yahoo.com, thefreeadforum.com, postyouradforfree.com, http://classifieds.sulekha.com/postanad.aspx

Use of user generated content site such as Digg

Blog Commenting

Yahoo answers.com

Creation of Directory for related sites.

Link Exchange Campaign.

Working on your content should always be at the top of your list. Providing relevant and useful content in your niche paves way for more organic / natural links in the future. It is more like giving reasons to other sites to link to you This makes your link building efforts easier.

Well thoughs are some prety intense link building strategies...
For me, I just wing it and pretend I know what I'm doing.

I just got back into working on websites... I have a seamless gutter company here in St Louis and with the gutter cleaning season closing in, I think I'll put some links into free directory's and create a few seamless guttering How to Blogs linking to my Gutter Site targeting my local key words phrase...

i usually do the following:
1.submit website to the major search engines.
2.Submit site to related niche directories
3.Write and submit articles to the article directories.
4.Leave comments on other people’s blogs with a backlink to your site.
5.Post in forums and have a link to your site in your signature.
6.Advertise your website in the appropriate category
7.Do some Social bookmarking
8.Post free classified ads
9Exchange reciprocal links with other related websites.

i just submit my website to the major search engines and related niche directories
Write and submit articles to the article directories.
Leave comments on other people’s blogs with a backlink to my site.
Post in forums and have a link to my site in my signature.
Write a press release and submit it
Advertise my website in the appropriate category
Do some Social bookmarking
Post free classified ads on any of the sites that allow them with a link to your site.
Exchange reciprocal links with other related websites.

Viral marketing is when you have something that people think is so cool they pass it onto their friends (sort of like cold germs

Michelle

Viral marketing is just the same as “tell a friend” mechanisms.it's an effective way or advertising or producing brand exposure through social networks. The technique spreads throughout the network rapidly by word of mouth or by Internet resources like e-mail, blogs or other services.

Michelle is right..it's like a cold germs that replicates and spreads quickly. ...

My strategy for link bulding is doing Directory Submission, Forums Discussion,Blog Commenting,Link Exchange, Article Marketing,Press Release, Social Bookmarking,Craglists,Stumble Upon