The Art of SEO, 2nd Edition

Social Networking for Links

When you add social media to the equation, the network effect can multiply the yield from your link-building efforts. You can use this effect to help your content spread virally, or to develop relationships with critical influencers.

Blogging for Links

Blogging can be very effective in link development. How effective a blog will be depends highly on the content on it, the market space, and how the publisher promotes it. The first thing to realize when starting a blog is that it is a serious commitment. No blog will succeed if it does not publish content on a regular basis.

How frequently a blog needs to publish depends on its topic matter. For some blogs, one post per week is enough. For others, it really needs to be two to three posts per week, or even more.

Blogging is very much about reputation building as well. Quality content and/or very novel content is a key to success. However, when that first blog post goes up, the blog will not yet be well known and will not likely have many readers, and those that do come by will be less likely to link to a little-known blog.

In short, starting a new blog for the purpose of obtaining links is a process that can take a long time to bear fruit. It can be a very effective tool for link building, but remember that patience and persistence are required.

One of the best places to get links to a blog is from other blogs. This is best done by targeting relationships with major bloggers and earning their trust and respect. ...