You want to build traffic to your web site, right? Proof positive, links form the foundation of traffic building through search engines.
Let's start with an example. Bob is traveling to Chicago and wants to line up a golf game there. So, he makes a key word query using a search engine such as Google or Yahoo. This is his query: "golf courses Chicago". Immediately, he receives a "return" page of web sites, editorial content, advertising and often a map of various course locations. In a few minutes, Bob can compare prices, read about the courses, find an ideal location, book a tee time and off he goes.
Simple? For Bob, yes. For the courses, it's a bit more complicated. However, there are many tools available now for use on your own or with a web developer to simplify this process so that your course can appear on Bob's "return" page.
Initially, it's vital that you get a few high quality inbound links (also called back links) pointing to your site. Quality is key to any link. Poor quality can do you more harm than good.
Once a site is in their index, search engines monitor links and are putting increasing emphasis on their quality and popularity. The more inbound quality links you have, the higher ranking you will score with the search engines. Conversely, low quality links have the opposite effect.
First, you or your web developer should submit your site to a few high quality web directories for review and admission. Why? Because search engines use spiders (web crawlers) to visit directories for updating, indexing and rating sites that will appear on their "return" pages in response to queries. Also, web directories are rated for inbound link quality (ILQ), so you want to be accepted as a quality site in reputable directories. Finally, it is very important to submit applications to niche directories that include golf.
But before you submit, there are a few questions you should ask. Will
there be a manual review of your site? Human eyes are needed to do
a good job. Does the directory ever reject sites? If not, don't go
there. Are there any fees? If fees are charged for the time and expertise
needed for a manual review, it's usually worth it. Look for links
to lists of directories at the end of this article.
Once your site is accepted by a directory, it may take 2 weeks or more to show up on any search engine. Meanwhile, there is more work to do.
It's essential that you present a professional site with quality content and that you or your web developer continue to build it. Not with just any content. Creative and compelling content. And do sprinkle your keywords through your content, including headlines and body copy.
When you understand your customers interests and write articles that address them, not only will you please your customers but you will generate "automatic linking" by related sites who like your content and choose to link to your site. Other ways of getting exposure and securing links include publishing an E-newsletter, writing a blog or making submissions to article directories - all including your link, of course. These may be picked up by other sites and auto linked.
An inbound linking program is not a cinch. It takes time and work to produce results. Remember that your first priority is to engage potential customers. . The search engines will recognize the quality and the "results" page value of your site as its usability grows. With your initiative, your site eventually can be a highly ranked search result for Bob and thousands of other queries. You bet it's worth a shot.
(Outbound and exchange link programs along with related topics will be covered in other issues.)
The following links will take you to some of the directory lists available:
http://www.seocompany.ca/directory/top-web-directories.html
http://www.strongestlinks.com/directories.php
http://www.avivadirectory.com/strongest-directories/
http://www.web-directories.ws/sitemap.phph