SEO, or search engine optimization,
is the most important element in building a successful website. Most people
online have heard the term SEO and have some idea of what is involved yet it
remains a mysterious process to many. One of the reasons SEO is so mysterious is
that it can be a complicated endeavor and search engines are constantly changing
the way they rank sites and the way the recognize the many tools of SEO.

At the forefront of the SEO check and
balance system is the leading search engine Google. They have pretty much
set the standard for technology in search engine algorithms that can track the
relevancy of a website to its content and SEO efforts. Their ranking system
remains one of the most popular methods of determining a web site's quality
because of their diligent efforts of weeding out the bad apples that have little
to offer a consumer other than skilled manipulation and the ability to 'play the
system' to their advantage.

Of course taking advantage of the system
makes perfect sense from a business standpoint but from the search engine
outlook of wanting to provide the best quality sites on their results for the
viewer it can become difficult to differentiate the site that is good quality
wise from the site that is good because it has a very manipulative operator at
the helm.

Because the rules for SEO evolve
and change rapidly the mystique of search engine optimization continues to
confuse website owners. Many people build their websites thinking the only SEO
tool they need is key word density. While key words are an important aspect in
SEO they are not the only means to an end, they are simply a part of the puzzle.
There is another tried and true method of SEO that is as relevant today as it
was at the start of the concept of web 2.0 marketing and that is back linking.
While back linking remains one of the most successful ways to get your site to
rank high on the search engines it also has undergone some changes making the
types of links important so that search engines do not penalize a site for bad
incoming links.

The term "back link" refers to an
outside link on another site that points to yours. In the past any link from
another site would have a positive impact on your site by the search engines.
Because there were so many gimmicks developed in the last few years to garner
massive back links to websites such as link farms, and irrelevant reciprocal
linking Google began to develop a way to weed out links that were purchased, or
had little meaning or relevancy.

Even though back linking is used to
manipulate search engine popularity there are many very legitimate reasons for
using the system of back linking. Finding web sites that have a common interest
to your own who are willing to place your link on their site can get you extra
exposure. When their visitors come to their site they will see your link and
likely visit your site as well.

The fact that onsite links like that have
such a perceived relevance to the visitor makes them a valuable marketing tool,
but that perception of quality is also why Google works so hard to be sure they
are real quality links. You will get higher ranking on a search engine for a
number of truly appropriate back linking partnerships however if the sites
linking to you do not share any common information or products Google will
penalize you for the link. There are new programs in the works with Google where
your site could even be devalued if the site that links to you is determined to
be bad quality so it is important who you choose to link to, and also who links
to you.

In the past many web site owners
would open up multiple websites with the sole purpose of promoting one principle
site. They would use the extra websites as a means of placing back links to the
main site. Google now watches for sites that are created with the same IP
address. Creating a large number of websites on the same IP address and putting
back links on them to quickly develop a number of links is known as link
bombing. That is not to say that you cannot ever link to your own website from a
site you own. If there is a reason to show your visitors some additional
information a few well placed back links are fine. It is when there are many
links from each site all pointing to a single 'main' site that the search
engines look at them suspiciously.

The system Google is working hard to
put in place to discount a link from a bad site is why it is very important
to know who is linking to you and if their site stacks up to your standards. It
is no longer true that all inbound links to your site are good links. There are
very good tools available online for free that can show you who is linking to
you. If you find a site that is linking to you that you feel is questionable in
terms of how they relate to your website either in information or product you
should contact the webmaster of the site and demand that they remove the link to
your website to avoid being penalized by the search engines.

Probably the best way to obtain a back
link to your site is through anchor text. That is when you have another
website with content that is relevant to your own (relevancy is ALWAYS
important) including your site in the actual content of their site with a
hyperlink inside the text. These back links are valued much higher than a simple
sidebar link as long as they appear in the text in a way that has a fluid and
meaningful association with the content of the article. There are several ways
to get such back links.

Providing articles to content sites with
your link built into the article is one method. If you write very compelling
information on your website is another as someone else with a similar site may
wish to point it out on their own. You may not even realize they are doing it
unless they tell you about it. This is one of the main reasons it is important
to keep an eye on who is back linking to you. While the majority of those types
of links are wonderful and you should thank the site owner for their inclusion,
if you feel the site that is linking to you does not meet your standards, have
similar information, or the content is not relevant to your site you should
definitely ask them to remove your link.

Back linking is an extremely important
aspect of SEO development and it is something you need to understand well in
order to implement and control it properly. There are many secrets and mysteries
in the SEO world that diligent study can clear up. Keeping your website in good
standing with the search engines and popular with your visitors is the best way
to ensure a vital and profitable future for your business online.

About the Author:
My name is Rick Youngblood, and I am the web designer and owner and operator of Spyglass Studios, Website Design. Living and working in Redding, California, I have been designing websites for seven years.

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Posted By PeaceNic to PeaceNic Names Registry System | Domain Name Registration | Protecting Your Brand Names at 9/13/2008 10:45:00 PM