One of the most strategic aspects in doing competing in the search engines (assuming the fundamental principles like outstanding content are already in place) is developing links aimed at your website. You can garner this a couple of different ways, some viewed positively by the serps and some not so happily.

A honest ways, that the search engine engineers think is very well is link building with articles.

Basically this involves writing a great article, preferably about something from your niche, and then publishing it to a free article directory.

You really shouldn’t lowball the importance of link building. If there is one signal that takes precedence to the search engines, generally, it is links. Fine, there are alot of other signals, such as the domain name, but you are deluding yourself if you conceive you are going to be listed well, and easily heard, if you do not stimulate any links.

Building links with articles is easy. It is something the search engines say is okay. And, it adds value to the web, by providing valuable content that might be interesting or useful to users. The real question is what are you waiting for?

Now you can optimize your search engine placement these five easy, non-techie ways. My Web site is now # 1 in Google.com and others. If you are in the top ten listings in your category (mine was book coaching) you are in good shape. This placement has put my web site URL on 4700 other sites with a link back to mine. With targeted viral marketing my sales are 30 times what I started with each month–now over $4500.

Here’s Five Ways to Get Search Engines to Boost your Ratings:

1. Makeover your signature file that goes out with every email you send. Include your fre.e report or ezine offer, your email, URL, and phone numbers plus a line with your product or service name on it. See more on this in my fre.e article “Top Ten Things to Do to Make your Signature File Sell” at www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article124.shtml.

2. Submit short articles to dozens of opt-in ezines who need content daily. Make a special offer in each signature file that relates to your article. Through a hyperlink, offer a free ezine with a free report by autoresponder. To get started, go to www.yahoogroups.com and subscribe to one of the opt-in ezines (no spam).

3. Rewrite your best list of key words and phrases you used for your Web site. Incorporate them into your excellent, well-edited short articles or tips. For more information go to www.goodkeywords.com or see my special fre.e report “Know Which Key Words Will Bring Targeted Visitors to your Web Site” at www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-47.shtml

4. Submit to top Web sites looking for new content.. They want and need your information, because that is why people visit any site–for free information. Follow directions for each site. Many want a list of key words and a description. Others require your article by autoresponder. Four years ago, my URL was on 987 other Web sites. Today it’s on 4700. Amazing viral marketing!

5. Makeover your Web home page. Place those top key words and phrases in the top half of this page and in the links you list along the bottom or side of your page. Search engines pick up these and you receive a higher placement. For instance, my top key words include: book coaching, eBook, ePublishing, self-publishing, Online promotion, Web copywriting, Free Publicity.

Yes, you can buy key words and put paid ads in Google and Overture, but when I tried that I got almost 0 results and spent a lot of money. The above ways to boost your search engine placement are totally free. It’s a building process this viral marketing, but if you are willing to stay a while, you’ll get money results as well as becoming well known and trusted for your product or service.

Judy Cullins ©2004 All Rights Reserved.

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people’s lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including “Write your eBook Fast,” “How to Market your Business on the Internet,” and “Create your Web Site With Marketing Pizzazz,” she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, “The Book Coach Says…” and “Business Tip of the Month” at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 155 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com.