How To Obtain Backlinks

Backlinks and position in results of search engines are the goal of SEO and the later depends upon the former. Links are obtained by a good and unique content, but some tricks can help a lot.

Subjects which bring links naturally

• Create a page in the style "10 tricks to do this or that", because such a page obtains links easily.
• Demystify an established truth. In the same idea as the preceding rule, give the list of the myths concerning some subject.
• See the annual report of Google or Yahoo on the most often given keywords in requests.
  A contrario, a subject of which you are the only one to speak brings obligatorily links.
• If you have means, create statistics on a subject of general interest. Or more easily, make a survey.
• When a new product or software is announced, get documented in-depth about it and what is referred to it, to be able to say more than all the others which will announce the news.
  

Design of the site

• Pages must be accessible and easy to read, written in a simple language, even if it comprises technical terms and it must be easy to find complementary information on the site. Look after the style, the orthography.
• Look after the design. Of course employ CSS and images.
• Check the validity of your HTML code. See tools.
• Do not place too much advertisements, in particular these groups of Adsense giants advertisements on full page.

Show you are an expert

• For that, give on your site a list of experts in your field.
• Always mention the licence of software and all legal mentions.
• Add links on sites of references, but forget this online encyclopaedia that one knows too well, to not to weary visitors too much.

Referencing

• Directories. Some as Dmoz and Botw are impossible to circumvent, but it is useless and even it can be prejudicial to refer a site on hundreds of directories, with a PR almost null or that require a link in return.
• See the handbook of SEO to know the essential bases.

Take part in sites of news

• Write articles for sites open to external writers.
• Send e-mail to webmasters to announce your product.

Digg-like and other wikis

• By putting a question on Answers from Yahoo, or by answering questions of other Net surfers, you make yourself be known .
• Take part in forums. You will easily have the occasion to put a link on your site if its contents contribute to solve a problem which is posed. On the Google groups in particular.
• Write a summary of your best articles and propose them on the blogs and collaborative sites of information (digg-like).
• Add comments on the pages which allow it, which is always the case of blogs. As for the forums, that can possibly be the occasion to add a link. The Amazon site allows comments and offers other means of placing a link.
• There exists many wikis in which you can take part. It is of course not a tool of referencing, but if there are articles on products similar to yours, and if yours is popular, verify that one speaks about it too.
  Most wikis do not bring backlinks because of the nofollow attribute on the links, useless thus to add a link on your site.

Contributions

• Build a template for Dotclear, Wordpress, PhpBB, PunBB or another CMS. (See the list of CMS). The template must contain a link towards your site and the licence of the topic must specify that the link should not be removed.
• If you can program, write an extension for Firefox. This article could help.
• More easily, an extension for a CMS, which is only PHP code, such as a protection against spams for example.

Exchanges

• If a site speaks about your articles, speak about this site, that shows to your readers that you are known. But that should not be automatic, and do not contact Webmasters to say to them "you owe me a link" when you speak about their site.
• Quote others webmasters in your articles, as experts. They will be flattered and will speak about your site.
• If your site is a blog, blogrolls on similar sites will contribute to your popularity.

Make a blog (for a commercial website)

• As all public celebrities and characters do it now, as well as companies, add a blog to your site. That let you enter in a blogosphere, a group of blogs dependent between them. It is common in a blog to quote another blog. That also makes it possible to speak about what you want to make known.
• News obtain links easily in particular if an RSS feed is created. They must be renewed because their duration is limited.

Local activity

• The Chamber of Commerce has services and publications to make you known. See also other promotional organizations in your city or area.
• See suppliers and other professionals if they can speak about your site, when you are not in competition.

Useful links

• ODP. Lot of links in Dmoz for improving popularity.
• Delicious. Propose your site to the appreciation of others.
• Blogmarks. Your pages can be tagged by visitors and collect BL.
• Answers. Online service of Yahoo. Put your questions or answer the questions of Net surfers.
• Amazon. Make a review, add comments, or create a list. You can even get a percentage on sales.
• Technorati. Relate to blogs, take part in the social network.
• Google Groups. Specialized forums.