Google is a links-based search engine

Google is a links-based search engine. To achieve high rankings you need high quality links to your website and this won’t be changing in the near future.

Therefore we’ve compiled a list of 50 link building ideas to help to kick-start your link building strategy:

1. Create an extensive resource list for a specific topic.

2. Build the content on your site and make it easy to understand. Link baiting is one of the most effective strategies.

3. Use pay per click advertising. More people will see your site, some of which may be bloggers who could decide to link to your site.

4. Submit articles to high-quality article directories. Take a look at this huge list of article directories.

5. Write a press release and submit it to hand-picked journalists, selected bloggers and PR distribution sites such as PRWeb and PRLeap.

6. Track who picks up your articles or press releases. Offer them exclusive news and articles.

7. Perform surveys that make people feel good or important. Salary.com conducted a study uncovering how mothers were so underpaid, resulting in many high quality links.

8. Submit your site to free directories. Check out the top online directories.

9. Submit your site to paid directories, focusing on quality and PR ratings. Consider the Yahoo Directory, Business.com and Best of the Web.

10. Create you own directory, specific to your industry. Then link to your site.

11. If you create a particularly interesting article ask a few friends to tag it onDigg.com or the Del.icio.us popular list. If it reaches the front page your website will receive a lot of traffic.

12. Join the Better Business Bureau.

13. Get a link from your local chamber of commerce.

14. Request links from relevant government and council resources and websites. These sites have high PR ratings so even a couple of successful requests can make a huge difference.

15. Consider posting an opportunity for bloggers to write about on PayPerPost. For more on this site see our Pay per Post in-depth feature.

16. See if your partners, such as retailers or manufacturers, are willing to link to your site.

17. Submit free classified ads to sites such as Gumtree and Vivastreet. Find more free classified advertising websites to advertise on.

18. Answer relevant questions on Yahoo! Answers and Google Groups, or even start a new topic and link back to your site.

19. Try adding relevant links to your site on Wikipedia.

20. Most forums allow you to leave signature links. If you make quality posts and helpful comments then people will take a look at your signature and often visit your site.

21. Review relevant products on Amazon.com.

22. Review related sites on Alexa.com.

23. Submit product and service reviews to shopping search engines such asePinions.

24. Start a blog. Post regularly, research articles, and ensure they are interesting and informative. If executed well then other bloggers will link to your blog. For more information about blogs see our Blog Marketing Guide.

25. Link to other blogs from yours. Many bloggers track who is linking to them so this will help to get yourself noticed and bring in some links.

26. Start a Business Blog external to your website. Link to important resources and ask them to link to your website in return.

27. Comment on other blogs, ensuring that the comments are insightful and interesting. This will bring your blog to the attention of the blogger and the readers of the blog.

28. Have your posts featured on the Technocrati tag pages through tagging your posts with relevant tags.

29. List your blog in a few dedicated blog directories. Check out thiscomprehensive list of blog directories.

30. Make your site standards-compliant. This will help you to get links from governmental resources as well as enabling you to be listed on authoritative directories such as WC3 Sites.

31. Have an excellently designed website. Good designs can get links from sites such as CSS Vault.

32. Swap links with selective sites. Steer clear of link farms. Only trade links with sites that are related to your industry and will send you traffic. The best way of deciding whether to trade links is would you consider exchanging links if search engines did not exist? If no, then don’t swap links.

33. Rent some high quality links. Text Link Ads is the main company in this field.

34. Holding a contest is a great link bait strategy.

35. Give something valuable away for free. Then get listed on sites that list where you can get free stuff, such as TheFreeSite.com.

36. Build a tool collection. People love tools and will often link to them.

37. Obtain and carry out an engaging and interesting interview. Unique content such as this will spread like wildfire.

38. Create a “Top 10″ list, such as the Top 10 myths for a specific category. People love to link to Top 10 articles.

39. Create a list of experts in your industry. Flattery can often be an excellent strategy – if the experts are impressed with your site then they may decide to link to you.

40. Add a ‘News’ resource to your site. Add interesting stories, particularly ‘Top 10 Tips…’ articles. These are especially easy to link to.

41. Launch an affiliate programme. Many links to your site will be banners or logos but some sites will link to your site from within their content, which can be of SEO value.

42. Publish an RSS feed of your new articles.

43. Sell products on eBay and offer to donate the profits to charity. You can get a lot of charities linking to both the auction and your site this way.

44. Launch a petition about something that people really care about – high fuel prices for example.

45. Do something controversial. Sue Google.

46. Become involved in guerrilla marketing – everyone likes a quirky marketing campaign.

47. Get hold of some pictures of celebrities in your industry and host them on your web site.

48. Bribery. Do you have a members-only site? Offer website owners free membership if they link to you.

49. Utilise MySpace – set up a scheme whereby anyone who includes your link on their MySpace page receives a discount at your online store.

50. Stuck for any more ideas? See who is linking to your competitors – they may also be receptive to linking to you. Use this link analysis tool to discover who’s linking to your competitors. Good link building services can also produce tangible results.