Is it still worth it?
The answer is a simple YES. Why, because as search engines continue to review sites in order to position them in a ranking order, the link popularity is still being used.
But wait; don’t think that this won’t change. It means that search engines are more sophisticated than they were just a couple of years ago.
That is the consensus of those in the Search Engine Roundtable discussion.
What makes link popularity really work is more than just setting links to pages. There is a science to it. First, you don’t want to link to a bunch of sites that are not related to your industry. Meaning, if you are a financial company, you should not create links with a moving company or a retail store.
Your relevant links need to be evaluated often. You don’t want to have any dead or broken links. Otherwise this will also cause poor ranking to your site.
There are several link popularity sites that are free which allow you to check your link popularity. Here are a couple of them. http://www.linkpopularitycheck.com/, and http://www.addme.com/popularity.htm. Many others exist, but you can begin with these searches.
Caution: Don’t get too caught up by hiring a company to find hundreds of links for your site. Do your homework. Research to see if this is what you need, or who can best meet your requirements.
Still thinking you need good links? Then consider a blog site in addition to your existing web site. The results will be very rewarding.
See Also
- Search Engine Roundtable
Discussion Group - Search Engine Watch
Link Popularity and SE Facts - Carson and Company
Web site marketing