Internet Marketing
- Link Building to Increase Traffic

• CNN.com, nytimes.com (New York Times), etc. These types of Web sites are looked upon highly by search engines with a good "authority" rating.
• If you are a hotel operator a travel writer’s Web site would probably be an ideal link. E.g. tripadvisor.com
• If you are a real estate agent a link from a local Home Builders Association would typically be better than a link from out of country steel manufacturer.
• Some directories like the Open Directory Project (DMOZ.org) are well regarded by the search engines. Human editors build this directory with highly regarded standards so the search engines attach importance to listings directories such as DMOZ.

I think you get the idea but it’s worth repeating - the more credible, the more popular, and the more relevant the Web sites that link to yours the better.

An example:
Sites from "link farms". Basically, if you see a page or Web site that is primarily nothing but links it stands the chance a being defined as a "link farm".

Although I haven’t come across any hard evidence that search engines penalize links from "link farms" I would stay away from receiving or linking to such pages or Web sites - if for no other reason that listings on these sorts of pages can result in more email spam. Some unethical businesses scour these Web sites for email addresses to add to their spam database email lists.

The number of outgoing links on any page is considered by search engines.

Typically, the more links on a given page the weaker these links are regarded by the search engines. e.g. A link from an on-line article with one outgoing link to your Web site can be far more effective that link from a "page of links" on the same Web site.

BUT... you should take into consideration the points made above - the more relevant, the more popular and the more credible the Web site the better. It's probably not worth linking to and getting links from Web sites that aren’t relevant, popular (to some degree) or credible. These sorts of links can even be harmful.

PLUS...

Some examples:

• In our area, Whistler Resort, many accommodations and recreation business link to Whistler.com's site for Whistler BC Canada and Whistler accommodation news because it contains credible, reliable, regularly updated content that providers Web site visitors good information about Whistler - especially for planning vacations and holidays.
• Many Web sites offer information for viewing and downloading in PDF format. Adobe.com offers a free version of Adobe Reader form their Web sites. How convenient!? It’s a great marketing ploy, for many reasons, and it gets people to visit the Adobe Web site - often!