Free Link Building Options For Your New Website

Everyone knows how easy it is to start a website these days, but linkbuilding and generating traffic is still a challenge for most fledgling websites. Once a website has been built, it is all about building links and getting traffic in order to generate advertising revenue or to help facilitate the sales of products and services.
Link building is all about getting other relevant websites to link your back to your website. Websites that end with .edu and .gov carry more authority as well as other websites with high PR (Google PageRank). Link building has actually become a rather costly aspect of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as there are many consultants and firms that specialize in link building. Though link building can be somewhat time consuming, it is a process that anyone can learn and do for themselves for free. Here are some tips to get you started on link building for free.

Article writing and distribution
Article writing and distribution is an effective way to build links and inform readers at the same time. Free article directories like ezinearticles, isnare, and Squidoo accept educational articles with links and they encourage the sharing and distribution of the articles as well. Articles must inform the readers, so they cannot be blatant sales copy to promote the website. Most sites will offer a few links in the author byline or maybe one anchor text link. Article directories usually generate revenue through advertising and sometimes part of that revenue is shared with the writers on the site. Revenue sharing usually amounts to very little money, but the directories do help with link building because the articles are often promoted via social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and etc. Pay attention to the anchor text that you use, as including your target keywords within the anchor text can really boost your SEO efforts.

Press Releases
Press releases are a good way to generate publicity and build links at the same time. Press releases are basically news releases that are distributed to the media to publicize anything that an organization would like to share, such as the release of new products or the opening of a new store. Websites can create press releases to publicize new articles, features, products, or services. Although many companies will hire a public relations specialist to write a press release, anyone can learn how to write one because there are instructions and examples available online for free. Once the press release is finished, it can be distributed through sites like PRLog where it will be shared with the media, search engines, blogging networks, and etc.

Guest blogging
Guest blogging is an excellent way to develop links for free. Guest posts can benefit both parties because the blog will receive free content while the writer will receive a link back to their website and publicity.
Most blogs are always looking out for more great content, so they are willing to accept guest posts. Some blogs will mention whether they accept guest posts on their site, or you can contact them to ask about it.
Also, there are free services such as Bloggerlinkup and Myblogguest that will help arrange guest posts. The only thing about this method is that bloggers tend to be very picky about the content and the links in the article, so the writer must be ready and willing to edit the article to their liking.
Most bloggers will only accept links to websites that have related topics, but some bloggers allow links to websites of any kind. The links can be shown in the author byline below the article or it can be an anchor text link where certain keywords link back to your website.

Directory submissions
Web directories are sites that categorize links to other websites of the same topic. For example, DMOZ is one of the most popular web directories and it will link to sites that fit into categories such as business, health, art, and etc.
Directory links tend to be more authoritative and they can help bring more traffic and credibility to the website. Getting directory links is relatively easy because you only have to submit basic information about the website, provide a url, and wait to get accepted. Some directories tend to be more selective than others, but as long as the website fits the general criteria and fits into the category, then it should be accepted.

Forum signatures
Forums are very common places where users get together to engage in discussion and debate about relevant topics on any website. Forums can actually be quite valuable in terms of link building because you have the opportunity to answer questions on the forum and build up a reputation for being an expert on the topic.
Most forums will allow a link back to your site through each post, but just remember that forum links tend to carry very little weight. Forums can also become quite heated at times, so avoid making controversial statements and focus on providing general knowledge and expertise about the subject.

Blog commenting
Commenting on other blogs is a great way to build links and relationships with other bloggers. Comments help bloggers get feedback and build traffic because it shows that people are actively reading the blog and responding to posts.
Usually blog comments can contain a link back to your website, but they also carry very little weight. One of the main reasons to comment on other blogs is to build up a rapport with other bloggers in your niche to become known within the community and hopefully arrange guest posts, link exchanges and etc. Comments should really contribute something to the discussion, so they should be thoughtful and well written.
When looking for blogs, it’s useful to check whether your comments will result in Google PageRank being passed to your own website. In order to check, you can use a tool such as SEO Toolbar.

Conclusion
Link building is a one of the best ways to help generate traffic and build authority for your website. Although some sites will outsource the link building process to costly consultants, you have just learned some of the best ways to build links for free.
Building quality links does not necessarily cost money, but it does take some time and effort. The time and effort that goes into building links will pay off in dividends as your website gets more traffic, increasing its PageRank, and earns more money in advertising and sales.

Author Profile
As a search engine optimization (SEO) expert, Keith Barrett has spent more than a decade looking at link building methods. He currently provides a variety of SEO consulting services for a range of clients.