Often used synonymously with SEO, Link building is the process of generating and improving both the quality and quantity of online traffic to your website, via inbound links. The main purpose of link building is to increase its ‘rank’ within search engines, so that your blog/website is one of the first seen when a searcher keys in words that are related to your service/product/niche.

Numerous studies have proven that, when presented with a list of potential related sites, a web searcher often scans a page from top to bottom and from left to right. Obviously, being ranked higher and having your blog/website appear closer to the top of a Search Engine results page will, in turn, increase the likelihood of the searcher visiting your blog/website – something where Link Building can help you in a big way.

Increasing the likelihood for your blog to appear at the top of Search Engine Results Page (SERP) through link building can take a variety of forms, some of which are obvious and some of which are not. However, here goes ten ideas that have worked for many blogs:

1) Ensure that the content of your blog is of good standard and contains information that other websites and blogs would be happy to be associated with. If another potential blog is considering links in your industry/niche, they are more likely to favor link building with a blog that is informative and well-written. As it has been said numerous times – Quality is still the King.

2) Include a regularly updated section in your blog, devoted to industry news. If you can provide useful and interesting information on a regular basis and if you can become one of the very first people to bring such news, people will be drawn to your blog as a source of informed content.

3) Distribute press releases. Most businesses achieve something that is newsworthy at some time, be it a particular award or the gaining of an important contract. Syndicating this news through sites such as PRWeb.com and PRNewswire.com can generate a lot of traffic from within and outside your industry. If you think that being just a blog, you don’t have anything that is newsworthy, how about hosting a blog contest and spread words about it via press release?

4) Include Comments in your blog. If you have space for readers to leave their comments, your blog will be seen to be popular with users and as good link-material. Make sure you interact with readers who leave comments and give them some incentives via plugins like “Top Commentator” and “CommentLuv” to show your appreciation

5) Create an Ezine article. Ezine is very highly ranked and can offer your article, with its associated links, the chance to be seen by thousands of users (and Search Engines).

6) Subscribe to free online directories. Some of the most successful link building campaigns rely heavily on free online directories as a way of exposing their blogs. Manual directory submission can be a time taking process but it can boost your web presence and your Search Engine ranks by a great deal if done right.

7) Research your competitors and find out who they are linked to and more importantly who are linking to them. You can then approach these companies and offer to link to them.

8 ) Use your social contacts. If you have friends or relatives who offer a service or product that may in some way be relevant to yours, offer them a link in return for a link from them. Use social media heavily to reach your potential readers who in turn may link to you if they find your blog interesting. Use your online persona to your advantage and make use of your online friends for your link building success.

9) It is also worth approaching existing or previous clients and service providers. In the case of clients, if you have done a good job for them, you can ask them to link to your blog, thereby supporting the work you have done. Service providers may also wish to associate with a blog that they feel uses their products to great effect.

10) Top 10 lists (like this one) are a great way to generate traffic! They don’t have to be industry/niche related, but can simply be a point of interest that will draw people to your blog and perhaps encourage them to explore further thereby increasing your chance of being linked.

What is your most favorite link building strategy?