Before I get this post rolling, I’d like to confess something right up front. I’ve read a LOT of articles about link building. I’ve read endlessly about article marketing, press releases, social bookmarking, commenting, blah, blah, blah….
Aren’t you just a little bit sick of all the rehashed material.
So here’s the deal. I want to raise the bar. I want to blow all of those other half-baked articles out of the water and bring you something insanely valuable.
Before we dive in though, I’m going to tell you now that this is a looong article. But I promise not to waste a second of your time. If you commit yourself to studying this article I promise that every word will drip with tasty marketing insights.
You’re going to learn some cool ways to get featured on ZDNET, CNET.com, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Newsweek, and CNN. I’m going to reveal one of my favorite techniques for getting hundreds of powerful one-way backlinks in just a few hours. Plus, you’ll see how I turn articles into multiple formats and open up 5x as many link opportunities.
Plus, you’ll learn how to use the internal link juice of your own website to catapult your search engine rankings.
So, let’s dive in. We’ll start with one of my favorites…
Getting your site featured on major new sites is one of the best kept secrets in the blogosphere and I’m going to show you two different strategies for getting your links on sites like CNET, CNN,
FoxNews, Reuters, and USA Today.
The first technique uses a site called BlogBurst, a website that connects bloggers with mainstream media sites. Simply join the BlogBurst network and start getting picked up by some of the world’s most popular media sites.
All you need to do is submit your RSS feed. Once you’re accepted into the network, you’re articles will enjoy exposure on major media sites and a ton of extra publicity at no extra cost to you.
But it doesn’t end there… There’s actually an even simpler way to get your blog featured in major news sites like CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and Newsweek.
All you have to do is link to a story and a company known as Sphere.com matches up mainstream news items with articles in the blogosphere. Go to the bottom of any CNN story and you’ll see a drop down box that says: “From the Blogs”.
Click on the link and you will find blogs that are linking to the article. Not only does this put your blog on a major news website, it can also drive hundreds of visitors.
Sphere is also being used by TechCrunch, Time, Reuters, CBS, AOL, the Washington Post, WordPress, GigaOm, Newsweek, and ZDNet, allowing you to get your blog featured on any of these prestigious sites.
Now, here’s one of my favorite techniques for getting hundreds of high-quality one-way backlinks in just a few hours…
Best of all, it requires no additional “brain” work on my part. Here’s what I do. I take my articles and turn them into EXE files (an executable file).
This allows me to submit my article to hundreds of software directories. Each directory sends me a one-way backlink. Not to mention, hundreds of extra visitors.
Now, you’re probably thinking this is way too techy and complicated, but it’s really pretty simple. First, you need to get some free software called WebSiteZip Packer.
This will allow you to turn an HTML page into an executable (.exe) file. So all you need to do is put your article in HTML format, enter it into the software wizard, let it do a bit of magic, and an exe file pops out the other end.
You then need to create what’s called a PAD file and submit it to all the software download sites.
Now creating the PAD file is a bit more difficult. I actually used a program by Michelle MacPhearson called 30 minute backlinks to get complete step-by-step instructions on how to do this. So if you want to really take advantage of this method, she’s an incredible person to learn from.
This technique is extremely powerful and I’m surprised that more people aren’t doing this because it allows you to obtain unlimited one-way backlinks from sites with a PR of 4,5, 6 and 7.
Just think…you can easily turn all of your articles into exe files, meaning every article you write has the potential to create hundreds of links back to your site.
Now, if you want to take this strategy to the next level, I suggest you use a site called Download.com.
Download.com is one of the largest software directories online with a huge distribution. However, Download.com also offers a hidden benefit that most people miss.
Google LOVES download.com. It has extraordinary authority online, allowing you to get a Top-10 listing within Google in a matter of days. Just like Squidoo and Scribd can rank very quickly in Google, Download.com is another incredibly powerful tool for ranking in Google. However, most people haven’t discovered this hidden gem.
Quick Note: Keep in mind that you can distribute a number of different types of programs to download sites, including screensaveers, widgets, and toolbars. Get Creative…
Here’s one of my golden nuggets…
Another cool way to get backlinks is to streeeeetch your content by turning your articles into podcasts.
You can automatically turn all of your blog posts into podcasts using Talkr or Odiogo. These services use text-to-speech technology to convert text to audio.
All of your articles are now podcasts that you can submit to podcast directories. By converting your articles into multiple formats, you open up entirely new link building opportunities and expose your content to new audiences.
Why not turn your articles into ebooks, affiliate tools, emails, or even slides to post on SlideShare.net. Look for ways to leverage your existing assets…
You can also build links with contests. Holding a blog contest is a great way to grow your blog’s audience, build inbound links, and improve your search engine presence.
You can promote your contest through the following sites…
Contest Blogger
ThePrizeBlog
MyBlogContest
ContestBeat
AboutBlogContest
Contests are a great way to interact with your community, generate buzz, build backlinks,
and attract new readers.
Here’s a strategy almost no one is taking advantage of…
Forum links!
I know, you’ve probably heard forum links are worthless but nothing could be further from the truth.
Forum links can be extremely powerful.
However, I do NOT suggest that you waste your time away on forums. Instead, I would look for popular forums related to your niche and buy sig links from the top users. These active users will likely have made thousands of posts and you can usually buy their sig links for pennies.
Seriously, most forum members don’t know how valuable their sig links are. This is especially true for forums outside of Internet Marketing. Look for forums that have a PR of 4 or higher and users that have at least 1,000 posts.
This technique works well for all 3 search engines, but it can quickly catapult you to a top 3 position on MSN. The key is to use a targeted keyword phrase in the anchor text of your sig links. I would shoot for a keyword phrase that’s 3 - 4 words long.
The next link building technique is a method that takes blog commenting to an entirely new level, allowing you to build thousands of backlinks in just a couple of weeks.
As you probably know, every time you make a comment on a blog you get to put your name in it. However, if you’re a smart SEO, then this is where you place your targeted keyword phrase, which is then hyperlinked back to your site.
Unfortunately… this is where most marketers stop.
But a few smart marketers look for Wordpress blogs with the Top Commentators plug-in installed.
This allows you to become a top commenter and get a site-wide link in the blog’s sidebar with your targeted keyword phrase. Unlike comments, these links are almost always do-follow. Start becoming a top commenter on just a few blogs and you will quickly build hundreds, if not thousands of links.
The final link building tactic is one of the most under-used strategies but also the most effective
when used properly. It’s internal linking.
Every one of your pages has inherent link power. By controlling the flow of link juice through your site you can dramatically increase your search engine rankings without having to build external links.
You can do this by adding the right links in strategic places on your website. Some of the most important pages on your site are the category pages. The category pages are listed as navigation links on the sidebar of your page. Because these links are site-wide, they can be extremely powerful for ranking for your targeted keyword phrases. These category links should contain the anchor text for the top keyword phrases you want to rank for.
Another powerful strategy for optimizing your internal link structure is to use contextual links. These
are links that are present within the body of an article. Wikipedia is one of the very best examples in the use of contextual links. Almost all of their articles have contextual links peppered throughout the content. Each one of these links leads to a related page on Wikipedia.
This extremely powerful network of contextual links has enabled Wikipedia to dominate the top
positions in Google.
Another way to boost your internal link structure is by utilizing footer links. This is a great place to use links to target different variations and modifiers of your core terms. For example, if one of your core keyword phrases is “golf wedding favors”, you might place a link in your footer for “golf ball wedding favors”, which is a variation on the core phrase.
These footer links allow you to target a broader range of keywords. Don’t limit yourself to using the same footer links on every page. Change it up a bit so that you can target an even greater variety of anchor text.
Congratulations! You’ve just made it to the end of this very long article and I want to thank you for taking the time to read my tips. I’m honored that you would take the time to read what’s going through my zany little brain.
My goal on this blog is to provide you with an insane amount of value. So if you have any friends you think might benefit from this article, please feel free to pass it along.
June 6th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Fantastic article Kim. I’ve been using the Podcast technique when relevant for my clients and that is a great way to get some juicy backlinks. This should hopefully get some people thinking and sniffing out new ways for those links. I personally like watching killerstartups.com for any new sites that might be link building material.
June 6th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Excellent Point! KillerStartups.com is a great place to look for new link building opportunities. I’m so glad you pointed that out. If anyone else has some additional link building tips, please feel free to share them in the comments.
June 6th, 2008 at 6:55 pm
Excellent post, Kim! I love the idea or turning your articles into exe’s! I am definitely going to try that!
June 6th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
This is a fantastic article and I do appreciate you taking the time to write this. So many newbie’s, such as myself, struggle with driving traffic to their site and this article has helped answer all the questions that’s been difficult to find on our own. Thanks again for the great post.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Wow… these are definitely some great ideas for link building!! I am doing a lot of them already, but a few i hadn’t heard of before, so I will deifnitely get on it.
June 7th, 2008 at 3:02 am
Excellent post. I actually have re-branded a bunch of software lately and want to submit it to the software download sites. Thanks!
June 7th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
To be honest, when i read the description i thought, here we go again, another post that claims to be TOTALLY DIFFERENT and boy, was i surprised. Excellent guide with the software. The keywords for the username on blog comments i have already thought of but the rest is gold…. well done m8. Thanks
June 7th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Excellent article.
So far I have tried only forums and it has produced terrific results.
June 7th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Hey good article! One of the better ones that I have read that has some good tips. It wasn’t too long at all.
June 8th, 2008 at 2:17 am
Thanks for great non “Black Hat” tips. Excellent work.
Got a good Google query for finding Top Commentators plugins?
June 8th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Thanks so much for linking About Blog Contests!
June 8th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Probably the best link building article I’ve read.
Couple questions about the internal linking, category pages/anchor text part:
Are you referring to the main links on every page? (ex- ‘Home’, ‘Store’, ‘Testimonials’, ‘About us’, etc.) and putting different targeted keyphrases (ex- ‘bronze golf balls’)in the html for those main links?
Thanks,
Julian
June 8th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Excellent set of ideas here. Turning your posts into podcasts is a great idea, and the Top Commenter plugin for Wordpress is another great secret. Thanks.
June 8th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
This is a great post with tons of great information on link building! I was especially intrigued by the idea of converting pages to .exe files and putting them up for download on sites.
June 9th, 2008 at 10:18 am
This is FanTasTic!!!
I could have never imagined these ways to get more traffic and I think many other users won’t.
Thanks a TON
niksan
June 9th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Excellent post here - some really new and creative methods rather than going on about the same old stuff.
Nice work - thanks
June 9th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Awesome! Great ideas im trying them now thanks again will post update on my pregress
June 9th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
This is a great tips, fresh and useful. Thanks for sharing!
June 10th, 2008 at 1:16 am
This was …oops an excellent article. I already the internal building but the other creative ways are gold !. They’re gold Jerry!
June 10th, 2008 at 3:39 am
This is great information, thank you!
June 10th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
This was truly a great article. Seriously very well written, not only will I take notes from the methods you mentioned, but the style & format of writing as well.
Hook -> Direct to the Point -> Information
Thanks
June 12th, 2008 at 4:44 am
This is really really brilliant. I’ve been searching all over the web for advice on building my new Film blog community. This is by far the best… Can’t wait to give it a try.
Thank you!!! Richard
June 12th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
How hard is it to be accepted by Sphere.com?
June 12th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Well this is an excellent article that has techniques which can be put to use right away.
I never thought of half of these before reading this one and am implementing one here itself.
June 13th, 2008 at 1:27 am
Kim,
I left a response at DP pertaining to this article, but that was after a cursory reading of this article. I have sine read this article thoroughly 5 TIMES and MAN! talk about knocking your socks off. You do not know how much simpler that you have made my life.
June 13th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Awesome post..really…tons of fantastic info. Well appreciated.
June 14th, 2008 at 12:04 am
Great article, this is by far the best link building article I’ve ever read. You’ve just changed my entire business, and huge profits will be mine.
June 14th, 2008 at 8:10 am
god bless you 10000 times for doing this article. you have shown us what all the great guys know and earn a lot for this. i hope we will have many more articles like this.
June 15th, 2008 at 12:58 am
Excellet article Kim. I already submited my blog to Sphere, and I might try some of the rest tips till the end of the day.
I have a question for you: Why is your home page PageRank 0> I guess you’ve made all your above tips successfully, but still 0?
June 19th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
I really atonished about the load of information you have provided us here. Indeed, the work and dedication will pay off.
chipT
June 21st, 2008 at 4:21 am
Why would you want to turn blog posts into .exe files and put them on a software download site when they aren’t software? Isn’t that going to clutter the software sites with non-software downloads?
There may be something I’m missing.
Everything else was very creative and very helpful. Thank you.
June 21st, 2008 at 11:39 am
Excellent question! Most software directories have ebook sections, so you’re actually adding value by submitting your quality blog posts in exe ebook form.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:32 am
Great article, I’ve just checked Download.com and you’re right, there are plenty of articles listed, packed up as eBooks. Now I can go through a back catalogue of hundreds of articles and submit the best.
Thanks for the tips.
July 6th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Thanks for the great tutorial. I am going to apply all these techniques for my website http://www.theultimateyoga.com
July 6th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Great article, I have been writing little articles more general tips etc. when I have some extra time I would like to write really solid articles like this. Feel free to comment or email me if you would like to share tips. I live in your same world. http://johnwieber.com
July 6th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Nice article, thumbs up!
July 7th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Gr8 article m8! Pity though that you need to be real skilful with computers. Not all of us are….
July 7th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Wonderful article! I think this is the best article about this subject I’ve ever read. I’ve been looking for last several days for tutorials teaching how to increase traffic to my new money-making-blog. I believe I’ve found the best one.
Thnx for the great work!
July 9th, 2008 at 1:16 am
Not a long article at all, but great information. I have just started to Breathe Google like the rest of the world. This article will help me out a lot in my work.
Thanks Kim,
~ Jim
July 9th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Awesome article, good information. This will keep me busy for the next couple of weeks. I am sending this to a bunch of my friends.
Thanks!!
Mitch
July 10th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Great article! I have to try those tips i didnt know about…. Thank you.
July 10th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Great job!
July 11th, 2008 at 1:27 am
Great article. Turning blog posts into podcasts is an awesome idea. Thanks for sharing.
July 11th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Some of these ideas are great, I’m a bit sick of seeing the same link building ideas, some of these ideas are great! Not sure I fully understand the .exe idea, won’t these get removed? Anyway these ideas should keep me busy for a while, thanks for a great article.
July 11th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
wow wow wow.
:D
Very great post, some ideas are very interesting, thanks for article.
I will try your method for my website
July 11th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
The best article with doubt ever seen. I hate wasting time reading those trashy articles saying content is king, link bait, blah blah blah.
It’s really eye-opening for most claimed-to-be SEO experts.
July 11th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Wow, for once new information other than the same old “build reciprocal link mantra”. I am going to try the exe trick. Wish me luck!
July 12th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
How does turning an article into EXE work in the first place? could you explain? I submit these EXEs to software directories and website but how do I get a backlink?
July 14th, 2008 at 1:09 am
Yes, can you explain the “exe” method?
July 17th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
great post. One of the best SEO/link building articles i have ever read!
July 17th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Kim - great post! I am trying some of your advices already. Not sure though where one can submit .exe files on Download.com. Do you also, by any chance, have a list of software directories you can share?
Another question: you said - “All you have to do is link to a story and a company known as Sphere.com matches up …” I am new at this so I just wanted to know what “link to a story” means. Are you referring to commenting on a post with your url? Please educate.
Thanks much
Daniel
http://www.spiffybaby.com/resources
July 21st, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Well I came from this post from a non hot link on DigitalPoint. I originally was thinking everyone was going to flame the original poster for such bold statements about being different etc..
But everyone seemed very impressed by the article so I had to take a look for myself. I must say that this is quite a good article! Lots of newer stuff here and a lot of great tips. Far better than your typical ’submit to directories’ types of posts.
Good job!
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Dude,
You rock.
I launched a website 2 weeks ago.
Tried your Software technique on it.
Within a day, i’m on 7th rank on Google.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Great article. This will keep me busy for the next few weeks but well worth the effort.
Thanks!
August 11th, 2008 at 1:17 am
This was an incredible article, loved it. I hope to use these tips effectively with my websites.