Get into Google Spotlight: Benefits of One-Way Links and Ways to Get Them Part-1

You get one-way links from other websites without giving them a link in exchange. Such links are virtually priceless in terms of SEO. Why? Because search engines trust them better; they believe that, if others point to you, there must be something worth looking at on your site. While reciprocal links are not exactly SEes' favorites – they make it quite obvious that you just traded links with other websites. Thus, one-way links are the best kind there is.

So, how exactly does one get those wonder links? On the one hand, it's not as simple as getting reciprocal links, because with one-way links you have nothing to offer in exchange. On the other hand, there are certain tricks you can employ– some of them don't cost you a penny, some you have to pay for:

• Create stunning content on your site. For your site to be popular among Internet users, you should either offer top-quality product or gripping content on it. This way people will link to you naturally and (which is really great) spread the buzz among their friends. The content can be fascinating descriptions of your product or services, breaking news, useful tips or stunning pictures and videos – whatever has the power to impress.

• Submit your website to Internet directories. These are on-line catalogues in which websites are arranged according to categories. They also provide links to all the sites listed in them. Some Internet directories are free to join, and some require an annual submission fee. DMOZ.org (aka Open Directory Project) and Yahoo! are probably the most prestigious ones, since their members are considered and selected by actual people. So, if you are a member of one of these, search engines will give your site more value. Plus, you will find tons of other directories online. Just make sure to submit your URL to a directory that suits your business niche and to an appropriate category. For instance, if you sell laptops, you may as well go for a directory on electronic devices, category "laptops".

• Write articles and press releases. To get publicity, create articles and press releases on topics related to your business niche. These are especially great, because in articles and press releases the context in which your link appears looks absolutely natural to SEs. You can include the link into your signature at the end of the article or into your homepage name. Then you submit articles and press releases to online article directories and wait for your efforts to pay off, that is, to bring you unique one-way links.

• Leave comments on blogs and forums. Yes, something as simple as that can get you a good share of one-way links. Take part in different discussions, leaving helpful and informative comments. Go a bit out of your way and invest into your fellow bloggers, so that they get genuinely interested in your posts and link to you. Do not spam, this will spoil your reputation for good and may get you banned from a forum or a blog. If it's a forum, you can include the link into your signature, and if it's a blog, the link can be in your name. Be warned though that many forums now use the rel="nofollow" attribute on links, in which case the link does not have much SEO value, but can bring you direct traffic.