Link Development - add Credibility to your Search Engine Marketing

What is Link Development?

Definition

Link development is the cross referencing of sites from one site to another.  Site owners use links to enhance the information and usability of their own site by providing a visitor with easy access to relevant further reading.

There are several types of links:

	External - A link from your site to another site
	Internal - Links within a site (i.e. within a domain)
	Backlinks - Links to your own site from another site
	Reciprocal – Links that are mutual between sites
	One-way – A link from one site to another that is NOT reciprocated.
	Paid for - A means whereby large directories generate revenue by offering links for payment (not always recommended)

Link development is a specialist field in the role of search engine marketing and is a necessary requirement to achieve good rankings.

Link Development

Links from other sites validate your site

The search engines see links as a vote for your site from an external source.  It is an indicator of your site popularity.  Links validate to the search engines that the owners of Site A find the content on Site B valuable and relevant to their visitors.  These links generally hold as much sway with the search engines as your actual website.

Link quality

Historically, the sheer number of links to your site would result in higher search engine rankings, but the search engines are now far more sophisticated.

The quality and relevance of the linking site now impacts the value of the link; a site with a low ranking and irrelevant content to your site could actually have a detrimental effect on your search engine ranking.

Link popularity can be likened to company branding.  It is time consuming and hence costly, but the rewards are long lasting and of significant benefit to your business.

Link Development

How are links developed?

i-Marketing Asia offers professional link building advice designed to improve link popularity.  We aim to ensure you gain qualified referral traffic and build presence with the search engines.

As part of our service we:

	Analyze your compeitor search engine positions
	Assist you in identifing reciprocal and one-way link partners.  We look for link partners related to your business and sites that have high traffic volumes
	Set up systems to maintain link requests
	Train your staff (If required) to ensure an ongoing link building programme is maintained