A commonly recommended strategy by Internet Marketing gurus is to create free backlinks to your website (which is posting a comment or article with a link back to your website) as an SEO strategy to increase your Google page rankings.

In theory, this method works. In practical terms it doesn’t work!

Why doesn’t this strategy work? Because practically every Blog, Forum, Review Site amd Message Board these days has automated Spam detection or live administrators who check each post very carefully to ensure there is no alterior commercial motive for your post. Even if you manage to get something posted on another website, it is likely to be temporary and not benefit your SEO. You can get lucky on occasion, and you can purchase automated tools to identify and post on suitable Blogs and other content sites, however it takes a lot of time and work.

Don’t use Link Farms!

Too many backlinks from non-relevant websites (sites who’s content doesn’t closely relate to the product or service you are trying to promote) can actually harm your search rankings in Google.

An increasingly popular option (and one of the only really viable alternatives for free backlinks) is to Joint Venture (JV) with other websites who sell complimentary products or services to those you offer. You can create a win-win situation for both businesses by cross promoting eachothers websites. All you need to do is identify the other businessess websites with the highest Google Page Rank and contact them to propose that you will link to their website to promote their products, if they could do the same for your business website. If you can convince them of the win-win for both parties and they link to your website, Google will see this favorably and your own page rank will increase. Do this for as many legitimate company websites, blogs etc. related to your area of expertise and you will reap the benefits of increased traffice – increased prospects and sales leads!

Backlinks from Relevant Authoratative sites does help SEO

But only if the sites linking back to yours have content relevant to your website and if the sites are very popular.

In many cases you can buy backlinks from other websites. This is often seen in the form of advertising displayed on a popular website. But the more relevant the content of the page your backlink appears on, the more credible and beneficial your backlinks will be.

The best method to gain backlinks to your business website which will help with your SEO and Google Page Rankings is to actually provide content that other relevant websites and your prospects want to link to. You do this by becoming an “expert” in your field and regularly posting information which others want to read and find valuable. Before you know it, they will be linking back to your website and telling others about you. Your website could eventually become what is known as an “Authority Site” where you have achieved top Google page ranking because your content is the most linked to in your business niche.

In today’s internet, content is king. Not just any content, but well written, relevant, engaging content. The benefits to your personal reputation as an expert, and to your increased sales will make the effort worthwhile.

Learn the strategies that work in our Free Report – 10 Steps to a Successful Business Website