How many links are there to your website?
Every link is another opportunity for clients and connections to find you and your business!
So are you looking for ways to get more links to your website? Of course you are!
Links also help build your website’s authority, credibility and search engine positions.
Here are 5 easy ways you can get more links to your website. We’ll start with the simplest, quickest options. Tomorrow I’ll share 5 more ways to get links.
1. Get listed in search engines.
Search engines are the starting point for most searches online so you definitely want to get your website listed in them.
Most search engines will find you if you’ve got links to your website from other sites. If you really want to submit directly you can visit each site and find the submission page, or use a website like www.addme.com I’ve found the quickest way to get Google to notice a new page on my site is to share it on Twitter.
You’ll also want to get listed in local search engines if you do any local sales/services.
2. Get listed in directories.
There are general directories like DMOZ as well as niche directories like EcoFirms (for earth friendly companies) and Technorati (for blogs). Find the ones that fit well with the audience you want to reach and submit your website.
Here are some free directories you might consider submitting to. Some offer upgraded options so it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it. I haven’t paid for any directory listings but would consider it.
General Directories
- www.dmoz.org
- www.joeant.com
- www.jayde.com
Local Directories
- www.yelp.com
- www.brownbook.net
- www.merchantcircle.com
- www.insiderpages.com
Blog Directories
- www.technorati.com
- www.blogcatalog.com
- blogs.botw.org
- www.blogged.com
- www.blogflux.com
Green, Earth-Friendly Directories
- www.fairgreengrade.com
- www.greenopia.com
- www.greenmaven.com
- www.ecobusinesslinks.com
- www.bestgreenblogs.com (only free for non-commercial)
Crafters and Artists
- www.bust.com/Girl-Wide-Web
- www.artzee.net/accounts.php
- www.youcraft.org/
- www.byhand.me/create-new-item.html
- www.votehandmade.com/submit
- www.craftsitedirectory.com/addlinksform.html
- www.creativity-portal.com/bc/molly.childers/creative-careers.html
- www.craftytips.com/psubmitting-a-site.html
- www.artscollab.com/main/submit_profile.php
3. Comment on blogs.
It’s great for building links, traffic, and most importantly–relationships!
Do follow blogs especially help you. And watch for ones who have the Comment Luv plugin. They’ll give you two links: one to your website and one to your latest blog post.
4. Exchange links with other websites.
You can swap links with other website owners. Exchange blog roll links, links on your resources page, or whatever works for you.
5. Be active on social networking websites.
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networks are an excellent way to build more links to your site.
If you’re a blogger, visit this post for suggestions on how to automate sending your content out to the networks: Blogging Like a Clover: Syndication.
Check back tomorrow for part 2 with 5 more ways to get links to your website.
Photo Credit: mconnors at morguefile.
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Awesome list. I saved it for later as it’s pretty late here. Thanks!
You’re welcome! :)
Excellent post Michelle! Lots of good information that I will be implementing right away. Can’t wait for the next one!
You won’t have to wait long. It’s queued for tomorrow. ;)
This IS a great list, thank you. I’ve gotta question: how does commenting on no follow blogs help? And should our own blogs be do or no follow? I’m getting conflicting information and trying to sort all this out. Thanks!!!
Eep! Didn’t proofread carefully enough — I meant DO follow. :) Do follow, definitely do follow. LOL Thanks so much for pointing that out. Off to edit right now.
Michelle, what an awesome list you have here! I have trying to build back links via guest blog post but it has not worked out like I have wanted it too. This list give me hope that I CAN build in other ways.
Yes, thankfully there are lots of options for building back links. :)
This post came at the right time! Thanks, I was researching this today, and I was wondering if the rules where still the same as they use to be when I first ventured onto the web, lol!! Definitely bookmaking this one.
Thanks Michelle for those list of directories for link building. I haven’t done much of directory link building and here I found some I’d never known of.
Added it to my link-building pack.
There are so many directories out there! I tried to focus on the free ones that also seemed to be getting traffic and attention (since many directories look pretty dead). The nice thing about directories is that generally it’s a one-time submission and then the link stays permanently. :)
Another tip, which may be a bit more difficult and time consuming is guest blogging, however the links you get from publishing your article on authority blogs in your niches are of higher quality.
Guest blogging is an excellent strategy, Andreas. It does take more time but the results can be great if you get published on higher traffic blogs.
Hi Michelle, I have heard of Technorati several times and will go by to check them out. Thanks as always for your valuable posts. I always learn something new when I am here – good because I need it and less good because I need to go do the work LOL
It’s a good place to get listed on. They give your blog a profile that will show others who’ve linked to you recently which I like, gives me another way to see who’s linking: http://technorati.com/blogs/michelleshaeffer.com
Great list of things to do. More for me to learn. I have to pick and choose what I can fit in. Sometimes it can be overwhelming as to what to do next and what is most important. I will keep this handy and work on which one needs the most attention. Thanks for the great tips!! So fortunate for me to find people who know what have gone before me!!
One step at a time you can climb a mountain. :)
The nice thing about these 5 is that they’re one time actions and you can just do them as you have a few minutes here and there.
Michelle:
Great advice! You are a trusted voice in the blogging world. I look forward to the things you share, but this article on getting links is great. Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Eric, I appreciate that. :)
wow!! Thanks for all of the sites to submit to….guess I will be up for awhile!!!
Thats very good info… Thanx for providing the links to submit the sites to…
Thanks for the share Michelle. Just came across this post, I was looking for some seo link building tips and your article is very useful. I’ve been mostly focusing on guest blogging but want to start submitting my blog to directories too now.
Thanks your information has help my site http://www.kaperville.com move up in the Alexa ranking form 22 million to 400,000 today. I appreciate the info and help.
Everything you post, I gobble up! Thanks for your post mich! Very helpful especially for upstarts like us. So far, no alexa rank but getting a couple of visits to my site. Blog not yet a month old tho based on posts et al but over 3 years for account creation. Thanks
Very helpful. Thank you.
I liked the article. More the backlinks, more the better Alexa ranking. Keep writing.