Building Backlinks: A Three Question Discussion

[FrankDickinson]

After Lynn's extensive series, I have been doing a good deal of backlink building over the last week. I have a set of 10 Squidoo Lenses that are in the "Holiday Shopping" Market that I have been building backlinks for.

I have to say that backlinking is one of my least favorite activities in my business. Something about as fun as a root canal! :rolleyes:

These are the methods I use in building backlinks:
1. Social Media - Digg, Stumbleupon etc.
2. RSS Feed Directories
3. Article writing
4. Blog commenting

Three questions:

1. What other methods of building backlinks do you use?

2. What is your favorite method?

3. What do you feel is the most effective method?

I always learn SO much from all of you. Looking forward to the discussion!

Cheers,
Frank :)

P.S. My fave is probably blog commenting.

[cindybidar]

Article marketing is probably my favorite method, but I also like blog commenting and forum posting. Frankly, if I truly disliked any of it I just wouldn't do it. Building Squidoo lenses, for example, is not my idea of fun. So I don't. There are lots of other ways, so why spend time doing stuff you don't like?

[FrankDickinson]

I with you Cindy. There are more ways than one to skin this Internet Marketing cat! (ok...I can't believe I just said that!)

You are right - focus on the things that contribute to happiness.

I think I am still trying to decide which of the backlinking activities fit that bill.
Frank

[FrankDickinson]

Thanks shelwriter for taking the time to post.

Forum posting is something I haven't done a lot of, but enjoy it here at SSWT - so I ought to try it out at my niche forums.

Squidoo is a fun and free way to market in niches. I use it to link out to my affiliate sites and then build back links back to the Squidoo Lens. I have several friends who are doing well with Squidoo.

Cheers,
Frank

[NicoleDean]

There are oodles of ways to get backlinks, and, like you said, it's important to choose the ones that you enjoy so that you DO them.

I love guest blogging and cross blog conversations and written interviews.
Ex: http://www.webcopyresults.com/2009/11/cross-blog-conversation-with-nicole-dean/
Ex: http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/1690/

I also do YouTube, do interviews on podcasts, and rely upon my affiliates for incoming links. I'm also a huge fan of offering viral reports, too. :)

I do have a few Squidoo lenses, but have recently outsourced that to Lisa Marie who is a member here and loves making lenses. I don't enjoy Squidoo as much so that's a bill that I'm happy to pay.

Hope that helps!
Nicole

[FrankDickinson]

Thanks so much Nicole! You've added a bunch of additional backlinking methods:

Add to my original list:
1. Forum posting - from previous comment
2. Guest Blogging
3. Cross Blog Conversations
4. YouTube
5. Podcasting
6. Affiliate back links
7. Viral Reports

Any thoughts from anyone on the most effective method?

Loving the conversation!
Frank

[constance]

I've decided to change what I originally wrote and write this. I also don't love getting backlinks, mostly because of the time it takes. I've found interviewing well-known people in your field works most of the time. When they agree, send them a list of questions to answer and they will usually link back to their own interview. If they don't do it though, all you can do is politely suggest it.

[Adriana]

Squidoo looks interesting. I just looked it up. Does anyone really make any money there? It doesn't look like you can backlink to your own site - or am I missing something?

Actually, you can link to your own site, just don't do it extensively. I suggest you do it on the first module once: it's at the top of the page, and more than one link to your site form the same page, doesn't count as much anyway.

[Lynn Terry]

Here are my favorite methods, with examples:
http://www.clicknewz.com/2124/one-way-link-building/

I prefer doing guest blog posts, because I have more control over the backlink and anchor text - and you get a one-way link from the content area of an optimized web page (blog post). Blog Interviews or Cross Blog Conversations are even easier because you have prompts for the topics.

[FrankDickinson]

Thanks so much Lynn! Your blogging on this topic has really helped in my back linking strategy.

One thing I am still confused about is building backlinks to a specific product page.

Here's an example: I have a Squidoo Lens that is optimized to sell a specific product = LG BD 390 Network Blu-ray Disc Player.

My usual backlinking methods include social bookmarking, RSS Directories and article marketing. I'm not sure how to fit any of the other examples listed in this thread into a backlink strategy for this type of sales page.

Any insights from anyone?

(did I mention that I LOVE this Forum? :) )
Frank

[Lynn Terry]

Getting backlinks is all about creating content. Whether it's a bookmark (content) or a tweet (content) or an article or blog post. So when you want to get a backlink to a super specific page, you create topical content that leads into what you offer on that page.

Linking to the main page of a site is usually done with general content. But deep linking needs to be done with very topic specific content. Make sense?

[FrankDickinson]

Linking to the main page of a site is usually done with general content. But deep linking needs to be done with very topic specific content. Make sense?

I think so. Example: an article published to an article directory linking back with content about the specific benefits/uses/features of the LG BD 390 Network Blu-ray Disc Player?

Close?

[Lynn Terry]

Exactly. Your article could compare that with something else, or it could discuss creative uses for the product, or "how to choose your XYZ product", etc.

[FrankDickinson]

BINGO!

Thanks Lynn - I don't know why, but I have been struggling with this type of backlinking. I've got it now!

Frank

P.S. I've really enjoyed this thread. All of the Members here are phenomenal!

[Lynn Terry]

Cool :)

As an example, when I had a sales page for digital photo frames, I created an article titled "7 creative uses for digital photo frames". You have to market on the micro level. ;)

[encsteph]

My usual backlinking methods include social bookmarking, RSS Directories and article marketing.

Frank,

What do you do with RSS Directories? How do you create backlinks from them?

Thanks

Eric

[Lynn Terry]

You add your RSS Feed to RSS Directories. I think I did this once years ago, but haven't done it for my current blog, or since then. I'm not sure how much weight it really carries. Would have to test it again...

You'll do good to focus on content links, and deep (internal) links.

[HarryJackson]

I like article submission which always returned some thing..Forum and blogs also help to get links..Press releases and email marketing are also useful.