When determining your search engine results, one of the criteria used by the search engines is the number of links you have on your site. They look at:

• Inbound links: Links to your website from external sources.
• Outbound links: Links to other sites from your website.
• Internal links: Links between individual pages on your website.

Search engines also look at the quality of this links. Check out the blog post I wrote on link quality titled: Don’t Let Your Site Hang Out On The Wrong Side Of The Tracks.

Your overall goal is to build a good mix of inbound links, outbound links, and internal links that are relevant to your content, business, industry, and audience. Inbound links from in-industry authority websites, especially those that use anchor text, are the most valuable links you can get – but they are very hard to get.

Here are some tips you can use to start building quality links to your website:

1. Grab a Profile on every social network available and complete the full profile. Take advantage of all of the automation features offered, such as linking your blog. This not only increases your visibility and builds links back to your site, but it also prevents others from using your name or business name on those networks.
2. Review books related to your industry on book sites like Amazon and include a link back to your site in the signature.
3. Update membership profiles for any networking organizations, trade organizations, and business associations you belong to online and make sure your profile is complete.
4. Publish articles online on sites like www.ezinearticles.com, www.articlesbase.com, and www.self-growth.com and include a link back to your website in your author resource box.
5. Comment on other blogs and participate in public forums.
6. Ask to link trade with colleagues that serve the same target market you do, but offer a different and complimentary service.

Do you have more ideas for simple link building? Or did you try one of these an experienced good/bad results? Let me know – I’d love to hear what you think!