Let me say it again… Consistent Link Building = Better Search Engine Ranking
Yes, I am repeating that point as much for my benefit as I am for yours. 
When it comes to my own web projects (vs. for clients) – I am what could be described as a very lazy backlink builder. I tend to view it the same way I do strenuous exercise – I know I NEED to do it, yet always seem to put it off because there are other things I’d rather do.
However, once I get a good workout in – I am always really glad I did.
(I am trying really hard to convince myself this will also be the case when it comes to developing a consistent link-building strategy).
Because backlinks are so critically important to the success of your online business, we are going to focus on them quite heavily throughout the 90-Day Content Marketing Challenge. In order to see what kind of progress we make in this area over the next 90 days, let’s figure out our baseline – or how many links we have today.
How to Find Your Backlink Baseline
I use Yahoo Site Explorer for this task – you can find it here: http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com
At the top of the page, you’ll see a search field with a submit button that says “Explore URL” – enter your domain there.
Note: I don’t include the “www.” in front of my domain when I check (and when building backlinks). You can include the “www.” – as long as you remain consistent. We’ll talk more next week about why this matters – but for now, just keep in mind that it does.
Once you enter your domain, 1.) click on the “Inlinks” tab, 2.) use the drop down arrow to select “Except from this domain” (to exclude internal links) and 3.) select “Entire Site” – this will show links to all pages of your site and not just your home page. (See image below for a visual explanation of these instructions).
If you’ve signed up for the 90-Day Challenge, go ahead and enter your results in the worksheet I sent out yesterday. If you are just joining us, you can still grab a copy of this worksheet to help you get started, plus future weekly action plans by signing up at the bottom of this post.
Anyway, here is where my site is today:
Based on my notes from last year’s challenge, WebCopyResults.com had 18 backlinks in August 2009 and 94 by November 2009. In case you can’t read this screenshot on your monitor, the result is “252.” 
(See, I told you I am a lazy backlink builder!)
I am suddenly feeling a little embarrassed, because I would never allow this to happen with a client’s site. I guess this is what happens, though, when you don’t have a solid game plan in place.
Oh well. Can’t change the past – so best to learn from it and chart a different course for the future.
To help me step up my game in this area, I’ve been studying a great link building program by Susanne Myers. You may already know Susanne as the Hillbilly Housewife – or from her awesome resource site, AffiliateTreasureChest.com. If so, then you already know she really knows her stuff – and she definitely over-delivers with her link-building course.
(I am actually amazed at how much I am picking up from every single lesson. I have a good grasp on “how” to build backlinks – but am still having lots of “a ha!” moments while reviewing this course).
Now, of course, it is up to me to put this information into action… and I’m going to need a clear strategy to make that happen.
Tomorrow, I’ll post the content publishing and promotion schedule I plan to follow for the rest of this challenge. Plus, we’ll talk about how to customize a plan that works for you.
Til Next Time,
PS My plan is to follow Susanne’s 13-Week Link Building course alongside this 90-Day Challenge and report my results from it at the end. (Kind of like a “mini” case study within a case study). My natural strength is in content creation – so I am excited to see what focusing more on the promotional side of the equation will do in terms of results.
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I am right there with you Trish! I feel like back linking is like exercise I don’t want to do every day but I know it is good for me! I am hoping you can inspire me to set a consistent schedule of back linking!
I will do my best!
I am leaning toward a “time chunking” approach to backlink building – working on them in blocks of time vs. x number/ day – want to see what is more effective for me (and my tendency to get distracted while looking at blogs to comment on!)
I have to start scheduling this task on my calendar just like I do writing blog posts or any other necessary can’t-miss appointment!
Just a couple of questions:
1. Blog commenting as a way of building links – I’m confused as to how effective this is – on the one hand I’ve read ‘a backlink is a backlink’ and on the other it has been ‘blog commenting is not counted in terms of backlinking’! Does Google count these kinds of links? Are they going to help my site get more traffic other than someone checking me out after reading my comment?
2. Articles – I’ve been writing articles and then posting them to about five different article directories. However, will I get penalised by Google for submitting the same article? Apparently this will happen with a press release if you submit the same press release to different agencies.
Thanks
Hi Rebecca,
Depending on where you look – you will get conflicting answers to your first question. There is a lot of debate regarding the whole a ‘backlink is a backlink’ vs. you need links from authority sites. Frankly, I think too many people get too hung up on trying to generate high quality backlinks (i.e. from .edu or .gov or PR 8, 9 or 10 sites) – and wind up not doing much at all. Google is notorious for under-reporting the number of actual backlinks to your site. They have acknowledged that they do this on purpose. However, links from blog commenting is counted by other major search engines, such as Yahoo.
I think blog commenting still offers value beyond backlinks and short-term increases in traffic. Leaving comments is a great way to get to know other influential bloggers in your niche – which can open the door to guest posting opportunities (and links from within the content area of a site ARE valuable).
When it comes to article marketing, the value isn’t from the links generated from the directories themselves – that comes in when an individual publisher picks up your work and runs it on his or her site. (In addition, this also opens you up to a whole new audience for your work). So the value is twofold – it extends your reach (significantly) and generates backlinks back to your site.
As far a duplicate content penalty from Google, I haven’t had any problems there – I always submit my work to multiple directories – again to extend my reach to a wider audience (not just for backlinks).
The person who’s advice I trust (and follow) is Susanne Myers – I recently read that one of her sites gets 10,000 visitors PER DAY – and I am confident that her efforts to amass an amazing number of backlinks (70k+!!!!) is behind those incredible (and surely profitable) numbers!
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