| There are literally billions of web pages out | | | | This may sound like a daunting task, but it |
| there. Everything you can imagine, businesses | | | | really doesn't have to be. You can get all |
| selling all sorts of goods and services, | | | | sorts of links to your website with a minimal |
| information for free and for sale. Saying | | | | amount of effort by making sure you submit |
| that the internet is a phenomenon is not | | | | your pages to many different web directories. |
| doing it justice. The internet has, in fact, | | | | There are many web directories out there on |
| changed everything. It may sound cliché, | | | | the internet. There are some that are free, |
| but there has arguably never been an | | | | while others you have to pay for. Not only |
| invention in the history of humankind that | | | | are their general interest directories, there |
| has such a major impact. Indeed, the only | | | | are also directories that exist for specific |
| thing that may even come close is the advent | | | | areas. Taking the example used earlier of the |
| of agriculture millions of years ago. | | | | business selling aromatherapy soap, you can |
| Understanding the sheer power of the internet | | | | submit your links to general interest web |
| is the first step to using it to your | | | | directories, health and beauty related |
| advantage and learning how to use the | | | | directories, arts and crafts directories, |
| benefits derived from text links is another. | | | | just be creative. |
| There is a universe of opportunity out there | | | | |
| if you know how to harness and utilize it and | | | | Another way to increase the number of pages |
| one of the ways to harness the opportunities | | | | that link to you is to ask appropriate people |
| offered on the Internet is to take advantage | | | | to review your product. Just like book |
| of text links to increase your page ranks. | | | | reviews can propel a book to the top of all |
| | | | the best-seller lists and positive movie |
| That being said, how do you get your business | | | | reviews can increase box-office sales, |
| and your web page noticed among all the | | | | positive reviews on you and your product can |
| billions of other web pages. You may have a | | | | increase your page rank. Ask people who use |
| product or service that you think is unique, | | | | your product and liked it to write positive |
| but in truth there are probably many other | | | | reviews on it. You can offer incentives like |
| businesses around the globe selling the exact | | | | a discount, and it would be well-worth it. |
| same product, service, or information that | | | | There are websites that serve as places where |
| you are trying to sell. Before the internet, | | | | ordinary consumers can review products they |
| all but the largest companies only had to | | | | purchased on the web. Oftentimes, they can |
| worry about competing with people in the same | | | | post a link to your webpage within their |
| town; now even smaller businesses have to | | | | review. Keep in mind, however, that posing as |
| figure out how to make a name for themselves | | | | a customer when you are the site owner is not |
| on the world marketplace to compete. | | | | only unethical, it will probably get you |
| | | | shunned from that particular board if you are |
| Start by doing an experiment. Go to your | | | | ever found out. Again, be creative, there are |
| favorite web-based search engine: Google, | | | | literally thousands of message boards out |
| MSN, Yahoo, Excite, ICQ, Dog Pile, etc. Any | | | | there designed for the general population to |
| one will do for your purposes. Now, type in | | | | share information about a particular product. |
| the keywords for your business, let's say you | | | | Having positive reviews and links to your |
| sell aromatherapy soap, so you should type in | | | | website will increase your page rank, and the |
| aromatherapy soap into the search engine | | | | positive reviews will convince people that |
| window. How many different web pages come | | | | your product is the best. |
| back? Well, for aromatherapy soap, a search | | | | |
| on Google returns nearly 4.5 million web | | | | Another way to increase your page rank |
| pages. If your potential customer specifies | | | | through text links is by placing links to |
| shop in their keyword search, that number | | | | popular, related (but not competing) websites |
| dwindles to 1.75 million web pages. That is | | | | in the text on your webpage. Deep linking, |
| still a heck of a lot of competition. | | | | that is linking to a page buried in a |
| | | | particular site is frowned upon, but there is |
| It is a well-known fact that people tend to | | | | absolutely nothing wrong with linking to the |
| only look at the first page or two of results | | | | front page of a site. For example, say you |
| to find what they are looking for. That means | | | | are still selling that aromatherapy soap. You |
| that for your business to succeed on the | | | | can link to the webpage of noted |
| internet, your business needs to appear as | | | | psychologists or other professionals that |
| close to the front of that search as | | | | will vouch for the efficacy of aromatherapy |
| possible, in other words, you need to | | | | soap. Or say you use only animal-friendly |
| increase your page rank. When people type in | | | | products; you can link to a page that is |
| the keywords for your business, your business | | | | considered an authority in cruelty free |
| web page needs to appear on the first page or | | | | products. By putting the links to popular |
| two of the search results. So how can you | | | | websites within your website, you are |
| accomplish this? Keyword density helps, but | | | | increasing your own page rank. |
| it will only get you so far. What you really | | | | |
| need to increase your page rank is links. You | | | | These are just a couple of the ways that you |
| need other sites, many other sites, to | | | | can use text links to increase your web |
| provide a link to your site. Not just any | | | | page's rank on all of the major search |
| other sites either, you need popular sites to | | | | engines. The same rules apply now that have |
| link to your website, you need to tap into a | | | | always applied, have a good product and |
| network of popular websites. This is by far | | | | provide great customer service. If you think |
| and away the best way to increase your page | | | | about it, networking on the web isn't so |
| rank on Google or any other search engine for | | | | different from getting business via word of |
| that matter. | | | | mouth in your hometown; you just need to go |
| | | | about it a little bit differently. |