If you’re building a niche blog/site, link building is just part of the process. In fact, it’s a HUGE part of the process, it’s the part of the process that if you skip the whole thing doesn’t work. It doesn’t matter if you’ve written content worthy of a Pulitzer Prize ~ if you don’t build links you will not get ranked in Google which means you won’t get free traffic from them.
I’ve spoken extensively on link building, and hopefully you know how important it is. These are the tasks that I know I hate ~ and have to force myself to do. I now prefer to use software so the process goes a little quicker and I can work on other things. When you’re just getting started you may not have the money to spend on software, so you’re going to have to pay in time. No matter what… you’re going to pay somehow.
I found it nearly impossible to force myself to go from article directory to article directory to paste in my articles. However, there was something in my brain that didn’t mind doing blog posts so much. For some reason, they just seemed easier for me.
So instead of mass distributing articles to article directories by hand I created a network of blogs for myself. I did some searching online for free blog platforms and found some great lists. I went to each site, set up a free blog thereby creating a platform where I could write a short post and add a link to my site ~ be it niche site, or lens or whatever.
Once the site was started I would add it to RSS directories ~ to get it indexed and give IT some links.
As time went on this little network grew ~ since a lot of the sites I build could fit into “gift giving” or “holiday shopping” niches I did a lot of my free blogs on the general topic of shopping, so I could easily fit in most of the lenses or sites I built.
Was it time consuming for me to go from blog to blog to blog adding a post. You betcha. But since I didn’t have money for someone else to do it for me at the time, it’s what I had to do.
I did finally come across a cool tool that made life quite a bit easier. It’s called ping.fm It’s free, which is fun.
What is ping.fm
It is a site where you can write a blog post and then have the post sent to your free blogs around the internet. They have a huge network of sites they are linked up with ~ they don’t work with every blog of course, but they do work with a bunch of the big names for sure.
How does ping.fm work?
You go into ping.fm, create an account.
Add blogs you want to send posts to, to your account.
Write your blog post.
Choose the group of sites you want it to post to and hit send.
Automagically your post will immediately be published on all the blogs you had in that group.
It’s very spiffy and works like a charm.
What about duplicate content?
I know that’s going to be the first question. I never had any problems. The links that came from these blogs showed up in a yahoo site explorer search, and my rankings seemed to improve.
The key to link building is this:
You don’t have to do everything… but you do have to do something.
If you hate article marketing, then don’t do it.
If you don’t mind creating profile links then get the 5K link packet or Angela’s link packet and build away.
If you love commenting on other blogs then do it.
If you hate twitter, then don’t do it.
If you don’t mind writing short blog posts then create blogs to do that.
The key is to find a couple strategies for building links that you like (or can at least tolerate and will do) and DO them. Do them regularly, consistently, persistently until your site is ranking on page one for your targeted keyword.
How many links does that take?
That completely depends on your keyword, so I can’t tell you that. The question you can ask is this:
Is my site on page one for my targeted keyword?
If not ~ keep building links.
I know link building is monotonous and boring, even mind numbing, but it’s part of the process. If you want to see success (without buying traffic) for your niche sites you’re going to have to build some links, some how, some way. Test a few things out, see what works for you, and then put your effort and energy into that. Don’t worry about all the people who say you “have” to do this, or you “should” do that. Whether that’s true or not is irrelevant if it’s something you just won’t do consistently. It’s much better to find a linking method that YOU can and will do, and then do it.
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Hi Jackie,
perfect timing, here in Philippines where our business operates just a small scale company is learning how to do Link building. this article helps us how to do the right process of link building especially in “The key to link building” part.
TryBPO´s last [type] ..BPO Philippines- Indispensable Business Process Outsourcing Hub
Hey great post.I do agree with your post.Its quite boring to exchange links with other sites but it is good and necessary part for an seo.
I agree. Link building would really make you feel bored and I almost quit doing it. However, at the end I will reap what I sow.
Thanks for the tip about ping.fm. Saves a lot of time.
Philsout@Philippines Outsourcing´s last [type] ..Benefits of working with Philippines Outsourcing
Hi Jackie,
I’m trying to see if I fully understand this.
1. Can can use this to point to my Christmas lenses through article posts with anchor text?
2. I’m assuming each blog would have a different name than my blogger blog, is that correct?
3. This works with articles on free ad blogs and Ezine or alone?
Or have I not understood this?
Thanks.
Bea´s last [type] ..The Best Gift from Lladro for that Special Nurse
Yes, this is one (of many ways) to build links to your lenses, or a site or wherever you have your money site.
Yes, each blog can have a different name. Or they can have very similar names ~ names really don’t matter ~ this is just a piece of real estate you are creating that you can use for what you need.
This isn’t about ezine or the free ad blogs. This is a totally different thing ~ creating blogs on free blog platforms, and then sending posts to them via ping.fm
I think that in the moment the best way for link building is comment posting. There are many sites that give dofollow link and they have high PR and are trusted from search engines because have unique content and because are blogs
. The best part is plug-ins like Keywordluv and CommentLuv.
isn’t using software cheating, just coz everyone is osing it doesn’t make it right.
john@steroids uk´s last [type] ..British newspaper The Sun goes on anti-steroids crusade
Hi
Using software as long as its automating a manual task is not cheating
you could call link building and link wheels as cheating i suppose but they are hardly black hat techniques. Just building Juice to encourgae visitors.
I see no issue with automatiction myself and use it extensively such as building a standard build for my wordpress niche sites which replicates all the plugins and settings i can.
regards
Steve Wyman
I already use ping fm but didnt realize you could set it to post to blogs too. its so easy to use, its the first thing i do when i make a new page. so thanks for the tip- sounds like i can get more out of it now
A couple-few months back it was reported on several blogs that pingfm was having issues; something to do with the much needed API…has this been resolved?
Dennis Edell @ Direct Sales Marketing´s last [type] ..Last Post and Current To-Do List
Hmm…I just used it and it worked for the services I had chosen. I don’t use it to tweet or facebook ~ only to post to blogs.
This will save so much time. Thanks for the information. As usual, you’re a genius at explaining things!
Debbie @ That Figures Woman’s Fitness´s last [type] ..4 Reasons You Can’t Lose Weight
Jackie Lee – In regards to your comment about if you hate twitter then leave it alone. I agree with you however as Lloyd said there may be some missed important opportunities.
For people who do not like Twitter there are apps where you can promote your products/services for the entire week in just one sitting then have the posts auto post at whatever times you wish.
I think it would be worth a second look.
Great stuff though!
I agree, there are tools you can use to make twitter easier and less time consuming, but it’s not “promoting your products/services” that makes twitter work. It’s spending the time to create relationships. So just autotweeting your stuff isn’t going to get you traffic and/or sales. (IMHO)
I really enjoy this blog and the insight from everyone who participates. I find it to be refreshing and very informative for starters like me. Thanks for this post!
# “If you hate twitter, then don’t do it.”
Hi Jackie,
thanks for your tips. Just one question: isn’t twitter too relevant to be left aside? Thinking of a link-building prospect that leaves Twitter aside, I’m under the impression that you lose a lot of traffic…
Lloyd
Lloyd Burrell @ Office Desk Reviews´s last [type] ..Bush Grove Park Office Suite in Tea Maple
Hey Lloyd,
Yes I think twitter is important, but if you hate it and you don’t get it, and you never log in it doesn’t do you any good, and there’s no reason to beat yourself about the head and shoulders and feel guilty when you could just do something and do it consistently.
Internet marketing happened long before twitter… it makes life a lot easier, but there are other ways ~ especially if you’re trying to create set and forget niche blogs.
If we can get our heads round posting an a high PR article site I think our time creating the post will get more Google Luv value than from a new site we create ourselves.
No harm in at least working on our psychology a little to see if that inspires us more to use the directories.
According to Rvan Deiss 1 link from a PR5 is worth 555 links from a PR1 & Ezinearticles is a PR6 so from an efficiency point of view it might be worth biting the bullet. Think how long it would take to post 555 links on your own sites.
& with an ezinearticle one gets 2 links, that’s worth over 1000 links from a PR1
But yes, what ever works.
FitRosie´s last [type] ..Best Meal Replacement Drinks – Organic!
Thing is… blogger is a PR 8, tumblr is a PR 8, livejournal.com is a PR 8 ~ so you’re still getting high pr links.
You just get to add them to a sidebar and within the content, using your affiliate links if you want, and not have to wait a week to 10 days to get them published. 
OK – I just went through the blogs on the link you included in your post and looked to see which were also supported by ping.fm. Only these 5 were on both: WordPress, Xanga, Blogger, Vox and Tumblr. Pity there weren’t more – but even that will help!
Meryl @ USA Jigsaw Puzzles´s last [type] ..USA Jigsaw Puzzles updated Wed Jul 21 2010 2-38 pm CDT
I wouldn’t use wordpress.com. They are super sensitive to using their blogs to build links to other sites and WILL delete your entire acct. (personal experience).
Go through the list of sites on ping.fm (click add more networks on the dashboard and it will give you a list) typepad is on there, posterous, there are a few more that are in ping.fm’s list and not on the one from mashable.
OK will do. And I was not planning on using WordPress for the reasons you gave – I have a ‘real’ blog there!
Another question. I am trying to post my first blog post using ping.fm. How does one hyperlink to anchor text if using the dashboard to enter a blog post? Or if it is not possible, how do you submit blog posts? I have spent about an hour reading the help on ping.fm but am not finding answers.
Meryl @ USA Jigsaw Puzzles´s last [type] ..USA Jigsaw Puzzles updated Wed Jul 21 2010 2-38 pm CDT
You have to use html code ~ the whole
Hi Jackie! Thank you so much for this post. Such perfect timing.
Since I’ve finished setting up my site, linkbuilding has been my major challenge for the past weeks.
Thankfully, I’m on page 4 and I’ve already made two sales. Makes me really think how much more it could be when I get to page one. I know linkbuilding is the key for me to accomplish that. Thing is, you’re right, it really costs me so much time, to the point that I neglect it sometimes.
I’m grateful for the encouragement you provide in this post. Among all the IM people I am subscribed to, you’re the only one who recommends low-cost, even free resources first instead of pushing some high-end product or subscription people like me can’t afford yet.
When you said that we don’t have to do everything, it’s like a lightbulb went off my head. I realized I like blogging a lot and I think I’ll follow your footsteps in creating a free blog network, at least until I could afford having self-hosted ones of my own.
Thank you so much, Jackie. You’re an angel!
Fran@Eco Friendly Yoga Mats´s last [type] ..Extra long yoga mats
Jackie, approximately how many different platforms did you use?
Meryl @ USA Jigsaw Puzzles´s last [type] ..USA Jigsaw Puzzles updated Wed Jul 21 2010 2-38 pm CDT
I started small ~ as not to get overwhelmed, 2 or 3. Then as I had more “money sites” I’d add one here or there. I have no idea how many sites I have now ~ they are all on a spreadsheet so when I have a topic I need build links for I can go in the master list and find relevant sites.
I think I have 6 to 10 going through ping.fm now. a couple are on the same platform, but most are spread across different ones.
The greatest advice about link building I’ve ever heard: “you don’t have to do everything…but you do have to do something.”
Too many people try to do every little trick or tactic they have heard – they get bored and quit.
Like you said, pick something you like and DO IT!
As always, great stuff Jackie!
Frank Dickinson´s last [type] ..Why Making Money Online Is The Hardest Thing You Will Ever Do