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Link popularity is a measure of your website's popularity based on the number of links to your website. That is perhaps the simplest explanation possible.

But why is the measuring of inbound links important? Well, even the best designed website isn't worth much when no one is visiting... So, after building a website it is important it appear high in search engine rankings. The most popular search engines use link popularity in their ranking algorithms (how sites are evaluated). Improving link popularity moves sites up in the ranking and a high position in search results is the goal of most webmasters.

Link Popularity - In the Beginning

As always, you should start increasing your link popularity from the moment you begin preparing the site itself. Make sure your pages look professional and well organized. Your site's content should be well prepared and navigation thorough the site must be as easy as possible.

Carefully check for spelling errors, validate HTML code and outbound links. Be sure your pages load quickly. People won't wait more than 3 for 4 seconds to see your page.

If you don't pay careful attention to all of the details of your site you just won't have a chance to score above average link popularity. Search engines down grade sites with many misspelled words and broken hyperlinks.

If you submit a carelessly constructed web site to a web directory you will find that your site is soon removed from the directory.

Lind Popularity - A Never-Ending Story

Increasing link popularity is a full-time job. Just after starting your site spend a set amount of time each week on link building. The most important link you can have is a one way link. That means you are not trading links to get links. Reciprocal linking strategies have far less value than they once did. Your time will be much better spent getting incoming, one way links.

The most efficient ways to get one way links is by constantly submitting articles to article directories and ezines. In most cases you are allowed to put one to three links into each of your articles. If your articles are well written they will be widely distributed. That means you will be building scores of one way links.

Patience, patience and even more patience are the most important part in building link popularity.

Link popularity - No Link Farms

There are some sites that you just don't want linking to your site, so be sure you don't ask for links from them, or accept their offer to trade links. Link farms are link poison. They exist only for linking. They add no value to the internet. Search engines hate them. Never submit your site to a link farm.

Never accept an offer to exchange links with a gambling site. They will kill your chances for link popularity.

Finally... the very best link is one that comes from a site whose theme is related to yours. A link from a health site to your health site, a link from a sports site to your sports site... those are top quality links. These are called "relevant links", they are the highest quality links and will go a long way to building your link popularity.

Keep thinking linking!

About the author:

Mark Walters reveals everything about website linking at http://www.LinkingUniverse.com