Methods of website linking 316
Resource linking
Resource links are a category of links, which can be either one-way or two-way, usually referenced as "Resources"
or "Information" in navbars, but sometimes, especially in the early, less compartmentalized years of the Web, simply
called "links". Basically, they are hyperlinks to a website or a specific webpage containing content believed to be
beneficial, useful and relevant to visitors of the site establishing the link.
In recent years, resource links have grown in importance because most major search engines have made it plain
that—in Google's words-- "quantity, quality, and relevance of links count towards your rating."[1]
The engines' insistence on resource links being relevant and beneficial developed because many artificial link
building methods were employed solely to "spam" search-engines, i.e. to "fool" the engines' algorithms into
awarding the sites employing these unethical devices undeservedly high page ranks and/or return positions.
Despite cautioning site developers (again quoting from Google) to avoid "'free-for-all' links, link popularity schemes,
or submitting your site to thousands of search engines (because) these are typically useless exercises that don't affect
your ranking in the results of the major search engines[2] -- at least, not in a way you would likely consider to be
positive,"[3] most major engines have deployed technology designed to "red flag" and potentially penalize sites
employing such practices.Forum signature linking
Forum signature linking is a technique used to build backlinks to a website. This is the process of using forum
communities that allow outbound hyperlinks in a member's signature. This can be a fast method to build up inbound
links to a website; it can also produce some targeted traffic if the website is relevant to the forum topic. It should be
stated that forums using the nofollow attribute will have no actual Search Engine Optimization value.Blog comments
Leaving a comment on a blog can result in a relevant do-follow link to the individual's website. Most of the time,
however, leaving a comment on a blog turns into a no-follow link, which is almost useless in the eyes of search
engines, such as Google and Yahoo! Search. On the other hand, most blog comments get clicked on by the readers of
the blog if the comment is well-thought-out and pertains to the discussion of the other commenters and the post on
the blog.Directory link building
Website directories are lists of links to websites, which are sorted into categories. Website owners can submit their
site to many of these directories. Some directories accept payment for listing in their directory, while others are
free.[4]References
[ 1 ]"Link schemes" (http:/ / http://www. google. com/ support/ webmasters/ bin/ answer. py?answer=66356) Google webmaster central
[ 2 ]"Study on differences in link value" (http:/ / wiep. net/ link-value-factors/ )
[ 3 ]"Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" (http:/ / http://www. google. com/ support/ webmasters/ bin/ answer. py?hl=en& answer=35291) Google
webmaster central
[ 4 ]Wendy Boswell. "What is a Web Directory" (http:/ / websearch. about. com/ od/ enginesanddirectories/ a/ subdirectory. htm). About.com..
Retrieved 2011-04-27.