by Norma Budden

Created on: September 21, 2010

Correctly using backlinks is imperative when employing SEO tactics. If backlinks are not used correctly, they detract from your article and your PageRank can suffer enormously.

A few pointers to keep in mind when using backlinks are as follows:

~~ Don’t overdo it ~~

When you have too many links available for others to click through to, it detracts from your article. It gives the reader the impression that your article is not complete without all the ‘extras.’

It’s best to limit backlinks to a couple and that is only for the purpose of allowing others to learn even more than what you’ve provided. In no way does it mean you don’t know your material; instead, it means you haven’t covered a subject in that particular article but you know someone who has - or you have published another article elsewhere.

If you do wish to direct people to multiple sites, list them toward the end of your article as not to interfere with the content your article is presenting.

~~ Reputable backlinks ~~

When requesting others to link to your article, it’s always best to approach sites which have established their reputation and, as such, PageRank. It will benefit your article more greatly than having a dozen links from relatively new or unestablished sources.

~~ Social networking/bookmarking ~~

Always strive to promote your article through social networks. Placing links to your article from Squidoo, Facebook and Twitter, to name a few, provides more exposure. The more exposure you receive, the greater your opportunity for an Internet superstar to find you and want to link to your article.

Furthermore, if the sites on which you advertise your article are ‘Do follow,’ your article will fare better than if placed on ‘no follow’ sites which ultimately give your article a dead end - in terms of that link.

~~ Photos provide a great opportunity ~~

People will often be entranced by a photo which will prompt them to click on any link it contains. However, so that search engines will recognize the link, it must be embedded in the ‘alt tag’ since web spiders do not recognize photos.

~~ Ensure no backlinks are broken ~~

It’s annoying for readers to click on a link you refer them to, only for the link to not go anywhere because of a typo or an extra space appearing in the link. Monitor links often to be sure they are accurate and will direct your traffic accordingly.

~~ Link to other relevant articles ~~

When you’ve created a large number of links pertaining to a certain subject, it has potential to increase traffic for all of your links. The main thing to remember is that, whether you are redirecting people to your own content or someone else’s, the backlinks should be relevant to your article’s subject matter.

There are more tips on how to correctly use backlinks but these cover the basics and will greatly establish your online presence if you follow through with them - and providing you use good SEO and create exceptional online content.

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