How Directories Help Search EnginesWritten by Mario Sanchez
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There are several ways to get inbound links, among them writing articles that include your bylines with a link to your page, exchanging links, and listing your site in directories. Listing your sites in good directories is probably best way to get quality links that are highly valued by search engines. Since directories rely on human editors who enforce strict criteria to list a site, and since directories organize information in highly focused categories, they are an invaluable resource for search engines to measure quality and relevance of a web page. In summary, directories are important not because they generate significant traffic (they don't), but because they are given great importance by search engines to qualify and rank web pages, and to determine their topical relevance. You should definitely list your site with quality directories if you want to increase your chances of success with search engines.
Article by Mario Sanchez: The Internet Digest. For more search engine tips go to: Seotips
| | Cult of Linking Exorcist Casts Out Linking Demons!Written by Mike Banks Valentine
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were interested in his "Linking Engine" for my client sites. He pointed out that it cost better part of $1000 to install this PHP script on a client site and customize it. He sent me promotional sales letter they use to convince prospects of value of script. He told me he sells it ... "to all of our SEO clients". When I asked if he had any proof that this "Linking Engine" benefits clients after installation by increasing their rank or traffic, he seemed shocked and said, "I don't have time for that, everyone knows linking works to increase rank and traffic." Now I like this friend very much on a personal level, but he's lost all track of reality when he's too busy to prove value proposition of this $1000 software to potential customers, then expects them to take it on faith that it's worth money. What about ROI? The final straw came when I was emailed another one of hundreds of usual daily reciprocal link requests. They wanted a link from a particular highly ranked page of my site and since their site is new, he'd give me TWO links to my one. WOW! Two worthless links for one valuable one, what a deal! I worship links, so I’ll take you up on that! I recently heard Michael Palka speak at WebmasterWorld Search conference, he's Director of Product Management for AskJeeves, and during his presentation, he said plainly that webmasters should ALWAYS post a linking policy on their site. I'm inclined to agree with that and I'm considering a notice saying that I ONLY link to those contributing content to my site. It has been my policy for nearly a year anyway, that will just make it official. I link only to those who contribute content to my site via their resource box giving them credit for articles. That said, now I have only to add that to over 1000 pages over several templates. I doubt it will reduce link requests because many are generated by software or are requsted by link campaign managers from SEO's who don't read site, they simply run software looking for highly ranked pages for client keyword phrases and fire out a couple hundred link requests to site owners who turned up on top of their list. I'm coming very near to turning into a linking exorcist in a campaign to rid these raving linking lunatics of their maniacal linking demons!
Here's some free link popularity software http://website101.com/download/link-popularity-software.html Check your link popularity at major search engines and through Alexa This article available online with working links at:
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