So, your web site is created. Your meta tags are in place. You've submitted to all the major search engines. Besides twiddling your thumbs waiting for busloads of traffic to hit your site... now what? Now, you need to use link popularity to improve your ranking on the search engines.

What is link popularity?

Link popularity is the total number of external web sites that link to yours.

Why is it important?

Many search engines include a new factor into their ranking algorithm: link popularity. Google is the most prominent search engine optimization use link popularity in their ranking algorithm. If you want to have high rankings on search engines, you must have good link popularity.

How do you know which sites are actually linking to you?

Check your link popularity and compare it to other sites on the Internet by LinkGnome™!

Why is it important to have many links to your web site?

First, links to your web site bring you additional visitors. Second, many search engines consider link popularity as an important ranking factor - the more web sites link to your site, the higher rank your web site will have.

Why is it important to know who links to your site?

Just to know it and compare with the list of web sites that link to your competitors. Also, it's useful to check who links to avoid links from abusive sites.

Why is it important to have a list of web sites that link to your competitors?

Because well placed links bring consistent and targeted traffic. Once you have a list of web sites that link to your competitors, you can start contacting them to check if they are interested in linking with your site as well.

Thus, knowing who links to your site and to your competitors and constant increasing of the number of links to your web site is an important component of web site promotion.