Link popularity is referred to as the process of enhancing the popularity of a webpage by linking it to other domains to increase search engine ranking of a webpage. Link building, apart from increasing the ranking of a webpage on search engine key word search, also helps increase the PR of a page. Mere search engine optimization, no mater how nicely done, is not sufficient enough to guarantee high search engine ranking.

Major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, MSN, and Alta Vista rely on link popularity to determine the importance of a website and rank it accordingly. If more number of related incoming links your have to your website the better for you to rank high in search engines.

Tips for Improving Link Popularity

* Get listed in directories: One of the best ways I know for improving link popularity in search engines is to get listed in the top directories. Start with Open Directory Project, which is free, but also include Yahoo! Express and LookSmart Express Submit. If your site is relevant to a section in About.com, submit to that network. Search for industry-specific directories and topical search engines in Search Engine Guide's Search Engine Directory, and submit to relevant databases.

* Build links: Search for the top key phrases you want to be found for, then review the sites that come up. Visit these sites and select those that are noncompetitive. Ask them to exchange links with your site, giving them reasons why your site is valuable and suggesting where a link to you might be appropriate. These are the best sites to be linked to for your search phrases because their high rankings will improve your link popularity, not to mention increase your traffic if their visitors click your link.

* Redesign your site to promote linkability: Provide quality informational resources and outgoing links on your site, such as links to search engines, news portals, and industry professional organizations. Your outgoing links can be important, too.

* Generate content: Write articles in your area of expertise, post them on your site, and submit them to appropriate publications across the Web.

Why is link popularity important?
Outside links help dramatically to increase traffic to your site. Increased traffic can lead to higher page rank and better conversionrates. Many search engines take link popularity into consideration for your website's page rank by "looking" at how many relevant links are directed to your website.

Here are some strategies that are generally considered to be important to increase link popularity:

* There should be links from the home page to all subpages so that a search engine can transfer some link popularity to the subpages.

* Appropriate anchor text with relevant keywords should be used in the text links that are pointing to pages within a site.

* Getting links from other web sites, particularly sites with high PageRank, can be one of the most powerful site promotion tools.

* One way links often count for more than reciprocal links.

* The webmaster should list his/her site in one or more of the major directories such as Yahoo! or the Open Directory Project.

* The webmaster should only link to sites that he/she can trust, i.e. sites that do not use "spammy techniques".

* The webmaster should not participate in link exchange programs or link farms , as search engines will ban sites that participate in such programs.

To increase link popularity, many webmasters interlink multiple domains that they own, but often search engines will filter out these links, as such links are not independent votes for a page and are only created to trick the search engines.

For more details on Link popularity visit www.mobilex.in and www.swaransoft.com

About the Author

Sandeep kumar
SEO Executive
sandeep.mobilex@yahoo.com