The quality of the incoming links to your web pages is a critical element to getting found by search engines. The only thing to consider when getting links is, “What will google think of these links?”
Google thrives on relevant incoming links. So consider the following:
NOT GOOD for SEO:
- paid links (relevant cluster content like that found in membership clusters like http://www.paddlingontario.com are still ok, listings generally are frowned upon).
- irrelevant links based on content
- reciprocal links
GOOD Inbound Links for SEO:
- inbound links from relevant blog posts – your own or others
- local links – think Google Maps (edit your biz listing and develop a MyMap)
- links from press releases – send your own free press releases at prlog.org
- links from relevant image libraries, articles, twitter posts, blogs
- directory links (be sure your url is listed in relevant directories and search engines)
- DMOZ.org – Getting listed here is vital… This is a peer-reviewed listing of Web sites. Find your category and suggest your URL.
- articles – media, stories
- forum posts – on sites like tripadvisor.com and other travel advice sites and social web sites like Facebook.com
- comments on other people’s relevant blog posts (use the website box to enter your url where given the opportunity, never embedded in the body of your comments)
- XML sitemap – OK, this is a bit geeky, but telling Google about the link structure of your site is free with Google Webmaster Tools. Webmaster tools also helps you find link errors in your site.
