You’ve spent the last few months optimizing your site. Your keywords are placed in all the right places on your pages, but the ranking of your site is not improving as fast as you initially hoped. What do you do?

Now is the time to work on link popularity!

Why bother with link popularity? Link Popularity is important because every major search engine uses the data as part of their ranking algorithms. You must build links if you want to rank up with highly competitive keywords.

Fortunately for you, there are many ways to improve your link quality and popularity. Here are some ideas to help you create your own link popularity campaign:

1. Getting your site in order. You must first make sure the site is in good condition. Your site should be professional, have good content and be easy to navigate. Validate the HTML code and check the connections with something like HTML Toolbox. If you have broken pages or links to your site, it is not likely to get linkbacks. You have to make sure that your site is professional and free from errors, otherwise directories are known to block them. So proof read your site!

2. Take time when link building. You can increase the link popularity overnight. Set aside some time each week to work with link building. If you force yourself to spend a couple of hours a week, link building, it becomes a part of the routine. If you do not set it as a priority, it’s unlikely to get done.

It will take time for you to see results, but with time, one or two new links start to add up and soon they are hundreds or even thousands of links.

3. Set realistic goals for yourself. Do not expect to see immediate results. Link Building is taxing, frustrating and time consuming. Convincing another site to link to you can be very difficult. If you get good quality links per month, you’re doing well.

Patience is the key to link building. It is important to keep track of who you ask, because it can be embarrassing to ask for a website link if they have already given one to you.

If someone doesnt give you a link, you must wait and ask again later. Your company may have changed their attention, or there may be another person reviewing links. A “no” today does not necessarily mean “never.”

4. Train your employees in building links. If you are building links in-house, try and educate the internal management of your company about the benefits of link building.

Link popularity is unique to the industry of search engines. Sit down with your management and explain the concept behind link building. Do not assume that your management knows what it is, because most will not have any idea what you are talking about.

Explain the strengthening of links describing the relationship between building relationships and increased revenue, it will usually get the attention of management. You will need management support to give time and money you need to get into search engines or directories, so their understanding is important.

5. Quality before quantity. Be selective. Search engines use sophisticated rules to judge the importance of linking the popularity of the site and is also important. A CNet link is worth more than a link from a personal website.

Stay away from link farms, which are places that exist only for links to other sites. Search engines have a very dim view of link farms. Google is known to ban sites found using these link farms.

Try to stay in sites that are in the same field site, but not compete. Links that are in the same discipline as you will carry more weight than a link to quilting, if you are the site for car components. This does not mean that you should always refuse if the site is not in your field, only a limited number of related sites are likely to accept you. Ties are strong in the notes field, and goes a long way to increase your link popularity.

6. Know the site you are requesting a link from. Establish yourself as a real human being first, so when you request a link, they are less likely to refuse.

Broadcast e-mail is a bad idea, it’s easier, but is very likely to be considered spam by the company and they will just refuse you. Spam Link Requests are a waste of time and do not work.

7. Give them the link to the exact HTML code. When you send a link to what you want, suggest the page where you want it, it makes the job easier. This also ensures the right words are used and the link is established. Everyone is busy, and if you do a simple drop-in, it will be irresistible. The easier it is, the more successful you will be in getting them to use the link.

8. Get listed on as many directories as you can. This is important if the site is new, or if you have no inbound links. Another important reason for this is that, without incoming links, your site will be a disadvantage in most search engines.

The way to overcome this is to get a few quality links. The way to start is to get listed in as many directories as you can. There are many directories out there, and you can get the best.

Here are some directories from which to choose: the Open Directory, Yahoo, Looksmart and Zeal.com, just to name a few.

9. Be prepared to give something to a link. Try to have something to offer in exchange for a link. Create a page that allows you to have a place where you can easily connect to others.

You can offer to work a barter arrangement with them. If your website is popular or in their market, they might consider advertising in exchange.

10. Think of link building a site for investment.

The process of link building is one of your top priorities. Search engines have found link building to be resistant to manipulation, and use it to measure the importance of a site. Since link building takes time, starting early can be a big advantage.

Think of link building as a long-term investment in your website. By the time you do something now to improve your linking today will ensure a good search engine placement in the future.