Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your website

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Friday: Submittals and E-mails

You now have the two elements in place that you need for your link-building cam-

paign: a list of quality sites that might be interested in linking to your site and a sample

link request letter.

Today, step through the list on your Link Tracking Worksheet and, one by

one, personalize and send out your link request e-mails. If you encounter a site with a

“Contact Us” form, it’s perfectly kosher to paste your link request e-mail into that so

long as you dutifully enter your contact information into the proper fields. As you go,

record the date that you requested the link, and who you e-mailed, in your worksheet.

You will want this information later if you wish to send a follow-up request.

Finally, let’s take one last look at the niche directories you began reviewing on

Tuesday. If any of them include a free submittal option, go ahead and do it now.

However, if a niche directory requires payment for a listing, take a step back and

evaluate it further before submitting:

• As you were searching and surfing related sites this week, did the site pop up

regularly?

• Are your competitors listed there?

• And, does the directory have a PPC or other advertising campaign of its own?

Websites are so easy to create that there are thousands of directory sites on the Web

that aren’t worth the virtual paper they’re printed on. Unless you can get a several-

month free trial, you should be very cautious about paying for niche directory listings.

Now that you’ve gotten a strong start on the organic side of your SEO cam-

paign, it’s time to create a pilot pay-per-click campaign.

Week 3: Set Up Your PPC Account

Welcome to PPC with training wheels. This week you’re going to develop good habits

and a firm grasp of how the PPC system works, using a small-budget starter campaign.

We can’t tell you what “small” means, but whether you choose to invest less than $100

Now:

Submit your site to niche directories.

Now:

Step through your list of potential linking sites and send link requests to as many as you can.

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