I've written (and read) much about the importance of obtaining good search engine ranking. For today, let's forget about it and focus on another key aspect of your internet marketing campaign. The simple fact is, too many people are obsessed with search engine ranking.

Yes, it is important to publicize your business in the search engines, but equally as important is making sure that other sites link to your site. (Actually, a high number of sites linking to you will, in itself, improve your ranking at a growing number of search engines. It's called the popularity factor.)

So, how do you get other sites to link to your site? Do you send them an email saying, "Would you like to exchange links with us?"

No. This is not the way to do it. You need to use some creativity when trying to secure strategic links.

Just this morning I made a visit to the Web Site Garage to do my monthly check-up. What I learned - beside the fact that I need to speed up my home page load time - was that there are now 1574 other web sites on the internet linking to my site, http://www.bizweb2000.com.

How am I doing it? Lots of ways...

First of all, I want you to know I do NOT have a staff of helpers doing it for me. I wish I had the time and budget to hire some full time promoters, but I don't. Perhaps next year this will go on my "to do list". Right now I rely on ideas. Below are just a couple examples of ways I'm getting links.

• Link Contests - http://www.bizweb2000.com/banners.htm
  
  Simply put, I give away valuable prizes every month. To be eligible, all the entrant has to do is "link up".

• Partner programs - http://www.bizweb2000.com/hlpwantd.htm
  
  I allow others to make money by selling my products. I set up a secure ordering page for all associates and all they have to do is link to it from their site.

• Awards - http://www.bizweb2000.com/submit.htm
  
  I offer an award that other fine internet marketing sites are eligible to win. As the award is displayed on winning sites, it brings traffic to my site. (This idea has been around for years.)

Perhaps you can invent similar link generating machines at your site. The whole idea is to come up with something new and innovative. Below is an excellent example of a fresh approach to acquiring strategic links.

Recently I received the following message from a fellow in England. With his permission I have reprinted the email message. Why? Because it was very effective. His technique earned him some free advertising in my newsletter and a link to his site.

----
>Hi Jim
>
>I have found your Bizweb gazette a great help over the last ...
>well, I don't know how long it is actually!
>
>So I thought I'd add you into the banner ad rotation on our Web
>site. I publish a newsletter in the UK, and please feel free
>to take a look - if we can promote each other then all the
>better for both of us.
>
>The address is http://www.freepint.co.uk/
>
>By the way, if you have a look at the Advertisers page, you'll
>see a link to the administration page for the banner ads. Your
>password is "xxxxxx" and so you can even review how many times
>your ad has been displayed and how many times its been clicked
>on - neat eh?
>
>Please remember, you've only just gone into the rotation so your
>viewings and click-thrus won't be very high for a while.
>
>All the best with your venture, and if you would like to do some
>cross-promotion then please get in touch (for instance, we sell
>advertising space in our email newsletter also). If you want to
>subscribe free to our newsletter then that would be great.
>
>Kind regards,
>William Hann
>Editor, Free Pint
>w.hann@freepint.co.uk
------

Why did William's technique work. Well, aside from being original and innovative, it was generous. He had already established a link to my site and placed my banners in his rotation. He did NOT do it based solely on the fact that I would reciprocate.

When I visited his site, there it was, my banner displayed in his rotation. How could I say no to linking back to his site? His pages were professionally designed and directly related to my business.

Naturally, I'm not suggesting you follow his technique to the letter. The point I'm trying to make is this -- BE ORIGINAL. In addition to setting up link generators like the ones I use, dream something up that no one else is doing.

Now that you have a few fresh ideas, consider taking a few weeks off from the search engine battles and do your business a favor... Get busy gettin' linked!

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* Article by Jim Daniels of JDD Publishing. Jim's site has helped 1000's of regular folks profit online. Check out their FREE "how-to" cybermarketing assistance, free software, business opportunities, manuals, web services and more! Real money is being made on the net -- get in on it at: http://bizweb2000.com - Subscribe to their FREE, weekly BizWeb E-Gazette: mailto:freegazette@bizweb2000.com

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