Search Engine Optimization Q&A Part 2 of 2

Last week I answered some questions that I received in part one of a two-part Q&A. This week I will answer the remaining questions. Remember that if you have any questions that you would like answered that you can send them in, or just comment on this post. Without further delay, we move onto the questions!

What is the best method to gain one-way links?

Believe it or not, one of the most effective ways to gain one-way links to your website is to simply ask for them. If you find a website that seems like a good match, send an email to the webmaster and let them know that you have a related website. Ask if they would be interested in linking to you. If your website is a good resource for their viewers, they are likely to add your site. They may ask for a link in return, turning this into a reciprocal link, but if it is a related website, a reciprocal link can still be mutually beneficial.

I have seen several DMOZ clone-like directories and such that allow submissions. What else is out there beyond that?

Submitting to the DMOZ directory will usually result in your site being in the DMOZ clone directories, depending on how often they refresh their data with the main DMOZ directory. The Yahoo! Directory is another high-quality directory to which you may want to submit your website. Aside from these, it is a good idea to find other directories that focus on the vertical that your website fits in.

For buying links, what is a good way to find sites with a decent PR and some traffic that may have advertising available?

You can find several text link brokers out there with a quick search on Google. Another good way is to visit well-recognized and authoritative websites in your industry to see if they offer advertising. If you can find any this way, you are more likely to receive some very valuable traffic through the link as well as the recognition of a high profile link to the search engines.

What is a good reference guide, book, or tutorial for using Google AdWords? What are the best practices? The help engine on the site is informative but I feel overwhelmed. I need help making sure I have covered all the bases.

Some high profile members of the AdWords advertising community that you can check out frequent some websites and forums out there. WebmasterWorld is a good one for asking questions. DigitalPoint also has an AdWords advertising forum that you can check out.

In addition, while the information that you find may seem overwhelming at times, there are many complicated parts involved in advertising on Google AdWords. Another recommendation is to find and hire a professional that can help you set up and manage your AdWords campaigns.

What are some other good PPC engines?

The following is a list of PPC engines that I have worked with myself. What you will find is that most, if not all, are nowhere close to Google AdWords in terms of volume and traffic. With some below you may have to initiate contact with the company in order to sort out any issues that you may have. The quality of the traffic you receive from any of these will vary depending on any number of factors including the industry of your website. Experiment with them and find out which ones work best for you.

The three most popular and highly recommended are:

Some additional ones that you might want to check out: