The Art of SEO

The Psychology of Linking

Since we have already established the importance of links, the next logical question is how to go about getting them.

Why Are Links Created?

It is important to step back and examine why links are created in the first place. Why did that person decide to link to that particular website? There are many possible reasons:

1. She was paid for the link. Although this is a perfectly legitimate reason, in the search engine’s eyes it carries no editorial value (and search engines may even penalize sites for linking or attracting links in this fashion).

2. Links were traded between sites. Also called reciprocal linking, the practice of trading links between sites is popular. However, search engines view this as barter and therefore as having limited editorial value.

3. Something on your site triggered an emotional reaction from the publisher, causing it to link to your site. For example, perhaps your site had the funniest cartoon the publisher ever saw, or it offered an inflammatory political opinion.

4. The publisher may see something of value on your site and wants its site visitors to know about it. The majority of the highest-value links are given for this reason.

5. A business relationship comes into play. For example, you may have a network of distributors and resellers for your product. Do they all link back to you?

How Can Sites Approach Getting Links?

The keys to getting links are points 3, 4, and 5 in the preceding list. Understanding these link triggers is the key to successful ...