Ideally, you want only inbound links from other sites that are relevant to the subject of your site. If you have a plumbing site, you want links from other plumbing or home improvement sites. Despite all the junk email you receive, links from casino and pharmacy sites are not going to help the rankings for your plumbing site. They will hurt the rankings because they are not relevant.

When building links to your site, Google favors a slow, steady increase in links. If you want top rankings on Google, you should follow this mantra with one exception. If you have a new site, you need not be a slave to this approach.

As you probably know, new sites are not ranked by Google. Instead, your site will sit for six months or so in the much discussed Google sandbox. Given this fact, you really don’t need to worry about Google for the same period of time when it comes to your links. Google isnít going to rank you anyway, so picking up the pace isnít really a problem.

With a brand new site, I prefer to create as many legitimate, relevant links as possible as soon as possible. The reason is I find it beneficial to start aging the links as soon as possible. Links to your site tend to grow in value the longer they exist on another site. From my point of view, why not maximize the number as quickly as possible? It isn’t like it is going to hurt your rankings on Google. You arenít going to have any!

In taking this approach, I am not suggesting that you purchase links, use link farms or so on. I am just suggesting that you maximize your link trading efforts immediately to build up as many links as possible and get the aging process rolling. As you approach month four in the sandbox, you can start scaling back your efforts to a more slow and steady approach. Its worked for me.

One way to attract more search engine visitors locally is to use local keywords when optimizing your site. For example, if you offer web design services in Arizona, research keywords and include keywords with your location when optimizing your pages.

You should also submit your site for free local search engine listings. There are several local ones to choose from but Google and Yahoo are the two big ones. When you submit you can add details about your business including your address, office hours and so on. You can also grab a link to a map of your location which you can place on your website.

When targeting local clients, placing your local address, phone number and a link to a Google map of your business at the very bottom of the page footer may help in your local search engine results.

Local city business directories can also be a good source of leads and traffic, but make sure you research the directory to see if it will actually produce results for you. There are many business directories popping up and you’ll want to choose one with a good reputation and which can produce results.

But don’t stop there; remember to include your website address on your business cards and local mailings so that local customers can view your website at their convenience. With many local business owners yet to get into the online marketing game, by starting early youíll stand out from your local competitors.

The links to your site in online news databases may remain for years and have significant weight with link popularity. Donít bother stuffing your press release with insignificant content. Make sure you offer newsworthy information. There are several reputable press release services available to you. One of them is PR Web. PR Web can help you to distribute your press release to a wide audience. Placing your website URL in online copies of your press release showed increase your siteís link popularity.

Include Your URL on Stationery, Cards, Brochures, and Literature

It is obvious but sometimes overlooked. Be sure that all reprints of cards, stationery, catalogs, brochures, and literature contain your company’s web address. Always double check that the syntax for your website address is correct.

Promote using traditional media

Traditional media advertising can be a great compliment to your online advertising efforts. You can drive significant amount of traffic to your site through print advertising. Because it is so expensive constantly, monitor its effectiveness. Your online business can succeed without traditional media, but donít write it off as an option.

Always include your Web address in any display or classified ads you purchase in trade journals, newspapers, yellow pages, etc. View your website as an information accessory to your print ads. Refer readers to your website and let it close the sale for you. You have a limited space in print advertising, so use it to drive traffic to your site. Once in your site you will have an opportunity to provide detailed information about the benefits of your product.

Provide Free Information

Providing free information to your site visitors could lead to sales. You might have a new book for sale, and making the first chapter freely available might help you close more sales. Letting your customers try some of your product before buying reduces buying stress, and it can lead to higher conversions. If you are a consultant, you could give away free online reports.

Publish an E-Mail Newsletter

It requires a significant time commitment, publishing a newsletter may be one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with your clients. The newsletter can help you, generate trust, develop brand awareness, produce leads, and build future business. In addition, it helps you build a list of e-mail addresses from those who visit your site but aren’t yet ready to make a purchase. Always, ask for an e-mail address and first name so you can personalize each newsletter. The key to an effective newsletter is quality not quantity. If you cannot produce enough quality content each month, release your newsletters less frequently. Provide quality and your readers will thank you for it.