Search engines are growing more and more fond of link popularity. Link popularity is very close to search engine optimisation and therefore, any company who wants to make their web presence felt needs to start building their strategy for link development.

Several online marketing experts have the opinion that link popularity means getting hold of the maximum number of links. Nevertheless, it not about how many links you have, rather it is much more about what kind of links you have. If you have back links from popular websites then you will be able to get higher rankings

In order to make your website popular, you can submit your website to the reputed directories for example, Yahoo, About.com, LookSmart as well as the Open Directory.

If some directory that already is in association with some search engine, reviews your website, then your chances of gaining higher ranking with a search engine increase. Credible content is the key to being accepted by any major directory. Things such as a tips section or page, a links page, even a how-to section or page, help to show that your product is credible.

In order to become popular with search engines as well as directories, you need more than simple links from many other sites. You also need people to click these links of yours and come and browse through your web site. Besides that, they also need to come again to your site.

In order for this to happen, you need to have quality content on your website and your web site should be user-friendly. It should not be so complicated that any visitor will get lost on their first visit, never to return again.

According to search engines as well as directories, this is what popularity means: not just having your links on different websites, but rather people coming to your website through those links and returning. This can be termed as click-through popularity.

Hence, a combination of click-through popularity along with link popularity is required for bagging a high position on the search engine results.

When you do gain a better position in the search results, do not fly too high because these positions are not permanent and if you do not take care about your status then you can lose that position easily.

You need to be listed in various directories, other popular web sites, specialised directories dealing with specific niches such as financial, health, travel, etc.

You can check the popularity of your link with AltaVista. Simply type link:domainname.com in the search field.

In Google, type link:www.domainname.com
Link development can drive traffic to your website, get your website a higher ranking. Therefore, you should include it in your marketing plan.