We all know that the number of inbound links pointing to our sites is extremely important in determining where our sites stand in the search results pages. There are many things you can do to boost your link popularity, and I'd like to share a few of them with you in this article.

Ways to Boost Link Popularity:

1. Link exchange programs. You've already completed this step by joining LinksMaster and automatically receiving reciprocal links from the hundreds of sites in our database. Because we understand the demands placed on webmasters, we've automated our link exchange program to free up more of your time. Now you can focus that time on other duties! Wasn't that nice of us?

2. A great way to get your name out there is by writing articles. You don't have to be an expert in anything to write an article, nor do you have to be an award-winning author. Just start out writing about what you know, drawing inspiration from your own experiences, and see what you come up with! In addition to posting your articles on your site, submit them to article directories or to webmasters who might be interested. In your email be sure to include an author biography section with a link back to your site. Search engines love content and many webmasters realize this, so you might be surprised at just how many people take you up on this offer!

3. Have articles written ABOUT you! I can't count the number of times I've been contacted by a site owner wondering if I would write an article on his or her business. And if you're thinking that only struggling, desparate sites do this - think again! I've been contacted by a wide variety of companies, from blossoming new Mom-and-Pop businesses to already well-established portals like Yahoo! Think about it: if someone writes an article about you, he/she will expose your site to a new audience of possible customers and linking partners. It certainly can't hurt anything.

4. Give web forums, discussion lists and programs like Orkut a try. These programs are good for more than just brushing up on information. Online networking is a great way to meet possible new linking partners.

5. Contact other webmasters. Focus on sites that are related to yours but aren't your competitors. Search Google or directories like DMOZ and Yahoo. Contact the owners or webmasters of related sites about possible linking. Don't just copy and paste the same message into each email, though. Take some time to check out their sites before you contact them, and find creative ways to personalize your emails. It's also best if you can find the first and last name of the person whom you're contacting. One persuasive idea is to go ahead and post a link to the site and ask for a link in return. If they agree to link back to you - great! If not, you can always remove their link from your own site.

After contacting site owners, check back and make sure that they followed through with their promises to link back to you. Also, you might want to establish contact a second time with those who turned you down, just in case they change their minds.

6. Set up an affiliate program - encourage your clients and customers to help promote your site, and reward them for doing so!

7. Make sure you have a site worth linking to. Nothing promotes natural link building like a great site! Must-haves include an accessible design, a well-optimized site, and quality content that is of value to the visitors.

8. The power of email. The simplest solutions can often be some of the best solutions. Have you considered how many people you email in a given day? Are you sending your URL as part of your signature in each of those emails? If not, you are missing out on a valuable marketing opportunity! The same holds true for newsletters. Starting a newsletter for your website not only keeps your customers updated with the latest news and information, but it gives them reasons to keep coming back for more...

9. Press releases. Never underestimate a press release. If something important happens, such as a business change or a company milestone, write it up and turn it into an official press release! Publish it on your site or send it out to companies you think would be interested. If you make it sound newsworthy, many sites would be more than happy to publish it for you.

10. Offline advertising. The Internet may be the way of the future, but don't forget about the power of newspapers, magazines, and other forms of offline advertising. I've found valuable link partners just from looking through the advertisements in magazines. I've discovered new websites by seeing their URLs printed on the side of a company vehicle during rush hour. If you're targetting a local audience, try contacting your local newspaper for advertising details or even an article opportunity. Or get your URL or an advertisement listed in a niche-specific magazine.

Like anything, of course, link building takes time, regardless of what method(s) you use. It may be anywhere from a few weeks to several months before the search engines crawl your new links. This really gives meaning to the phrase "patience is a virtue." But while you're waiting, why not continue the process of gathering MORE inbound links? It can't hurt anything. Try a few of the tricks I've just shared in addition to LinksMaster, and watch your search engine rankings rise! Good luck!