Very n00b question re generating backlinks

[KelliShaver]

I'm starting to get a couple of ocntent sites up and going and I was wondering, what's the best method for someone just starting out to generate incoming links to their sites without having to invest a lot of money?

I know I can include it in signatures on forums, blogs, etc. but unless you spend your entire day going around and posting on various forums that doesn't seem like it would generate that many incoming links.

The reason we choose niche sites to write about is, in part, because of the lack of competition, but that also means a lack of similar sites to link back to yours.

I'm just a little unsure on how to get the ball rolling. I get the researching, writing, designing and developing and the basic SEO, but not the promotion. That's not one I have experience with.

Any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, everyone. :)

[Masetek]

I always start by getting links in directories. Just submit to the free ones. See link in my sig for list. It might be worth paying for a listing in a niche directory thats your site fits, as you might be some real traffic from it.

[Cutter]

Submit to Dmoz for sure, and stick your link in wikipedia if appropriate. The best ways to get incoming links require a little more creativity. First try to get a link on a major site in the niche or broader catagory. A direct link to the front page is unlikely, but if you publish a good story it can happen. For example, my first site was a gaming site. I wrote a review of a beta game and got it on slashdot.

Now of days there is digg and a bunch of other similar sites. Also be sure to hit up all the blogs in your niche regularly.

The key to this is good content. Some content sites I've written are garbage. I read as much I could about a specific niche and then wrote 10+ pages on different topics in the niche. For me to be able to contribute worthwhile info to get good links would have required far more research and effort. On the other hand, one of my content sites I am an expert on the subject and I was actually asked to write a feature article for a magazine on it.

Here is what you shouldn't even waste your time doing: link exchanges (unless site is on topic and isn't linking to unrelated garbage), generic link request e-mail. Instead identify the site you want to get linked on and get to know the website owner. When you have quality content that is relevent to them, they'll link to you. I've learned just how effective this is with websitepublishingblog.com.

[Giles]

Great stuff. Hit the nail right on the head. I didn't even have to ask a question. I better get back to work.

[Emancipator]

I have never relied on directories, good or bad you decide for yourself. Find its just way to much work and in the past when i did it did nothing for me. Cutter hit on a VERY good point. Do not use those annoying automated "link me" programs. Larger sites get thousands of those annoying emails and will not only delete it but ignore and future personalized emails you send. I know its what I do

[Masetek]

Adding your sites to directories is just the first 1% of link building, its not the be all and end all. He asked for a cheap method of starting out, and directories are pretty easy and free. Also, a good article can get you loads of backlinks..

[Emancipator]

Masetek my response wasnt to you. I was responding to him with my own experiences. Seems like you took offense to my response.

[KelliShaver]

She. :)

Thanks for the advice/tips, guys. I realize directories would be just a start, but still, one does have to start somewhere.

It is going to be an interesting experience of building connections within the variosu niches. I've heard from many that link building is the hard part (which makes sense).

[Masetek]

Seems like you took offense to my response.

Nah :) I re-read my first post and just wanted to clarify

[Giles]

If you have a content based site then submitting your articles to a bigger better website in your niche will just give them some extra content and leave you buried, sure you get a link on your site but they get a whole extra page of content.

[Emancipator]

not true giles. The RIGHT big content site can send you a ton of links. One article got me over 1million unique visits. The key is to know where you are submitting your articles and not waste time on BS sites. :)

Thanks Mastek, just wanted to be sure I wasnt mis-understood :)

[Giles]

not true giles. The RIGHT big content site can send you a ton of links. One article got me over 1million unique visits.
I've gotta get me one of them!

[Emancipator]

Even still submitting your article to a bunch of crappy sites that are well spidered is worth its weight in gold as well. I guess I pretty much disagree with you completely Giles :P

[Cloughie]

How would you go about finding the good sites to get a link back from?

Are they typically large sites within your niche that have good page rank and high traffic?