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Increasing Link Popularity
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Search engines are the first tool that future clients use to find products and services.  This is why link popularity is so imperative.  If the shoppers do not find your website, you've no chanc of making any sales. 

So, what's so popular about a link?  Plenty!  Link popularity makes reference to the ranking assigned to your website by the search engines.

Search engines give ranking to sites that have links to their pages from related, quality sites.  It is a simple formula, but a very significant one.  Google made the system, and now nearly all the most popular search engines employ it to rank your site pages in their indexes. 

The more frequently used your keyword is, the harder it will be to achieve link popularity, but without this step, it is virtually certain your website will never rank well on any searchengine.  Do not be discouraged ; there are proven methods of achieving link recognition using the most competitive keywords. 

So let's get to what you must do to reach supreme link acclaim and improve your rankings on all of the preferred search engines. 

The fastest way to get your foot in the door, is to get a listing in a popular directory, for example,  Open list Directory Project and Yahoo.  If your website is business-related, you will want to be mentioned on Yahoo, and despite the undeniable fact that it will cost you around $300 a year, it is going to be money well spent.  If your site is non-commercial, the listing will be free, but it will take time and follow-up to basically get it listed.  Open list gives you a free listing whether you are business-related or non-commercial, but be ready to make lot of follow-up inquiries before you see your site listed. 

You are aiming to get listed in the top level of acceptable class, and this just takes some common sense.  For example, if your company ships widgets from a store located in the middle of nowhere, miniscule State, don't submit your listing to'Retailers from Nowhere, llittle State. BIG MISTAKE!  All you've got to do is look a little deeper - and submit your listing to the 'widgets' category.  You won't only associate yourself with culture and quality, but you'll be listed in a specific category.

The step after you have catalog lists is to find other sites with quality content that will increase your link popularity.  Try to find sites that are in some way related to yours, but do not compete directly, so not only will your link popularity increase, but your shopper base might also be expanded.

Not all sites wish to link to other sites, so you will have to do a little research when you are looking for possible linking partners.  Google is an excellent starting place for your search.  Ensure you enter keywords that you think quality shoppers will also enter to find your own site.  Remember, your criteria are quality, highly ranked, non-competing websites that have a links or resources page.  Go to these sites and objectively evaluate them.  Glance at the quality of the product, the graphics, and the simplicity of use.  Then check out the other sites they are linked to, and establish if your own site would fit. 

When you have found a good prospect, First add a link on your own links page to their site.  This is an essential step ; it shows good faith, and ups your chances of their reciprocity.  After you have added their link, you should contact the webmaster of their site. Since this is almost always done by email, you would like to ensure it is immediately clear that your message is not unsolicited spam. This requires that you tell them right off the bat that you have added a link to their page on your site.  A hook like this almost always insures the reader will continue reading. 

Next, be certain to make them aware of how much you appreciate their siite.  Make sure you stress that you have actually visited their site, and that their site is not just a random pick.  Give them the address of your links page, and ask them to check out the link for themselves.  It's an excellent idea to say that they will not only benefit from the increased traffic your site will direct their way, but you'll also increase their link popularity.  Temporarily, explain why link popularity is so essential, but do this in a sentence or two so you don't sound like a professor!  Eventually, tell them you would greatly appreciate if they might add a link on their own links page to your website.  Be ready to keep plugging away at this process as long as it takes, until you achieve link recognition stardom!

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