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It's no secret that if you want your site to appear in the search engines, you need to get as many links from other sites as possible. Getting a lot of links requires some effort. Because they were relatively easy to get, reciprocal links were the rage not so long ago.

Reciprocal links are links that are exchanged between two or more websites. For instance, Site A will give Site B a link so long as Site B is giving Site A a link in return. Innovative software programs and scripts have made reciprocal linking an easy, automated process. Unfortunately, reciprocal links are thought to be devalued by search engines because of these automated programs. With automation, sites are exchanging links at the drop of a hat with totally irrelevant sites. By way of example, you might find a graphics site exchanging links with a scented candle site. If you are reciprocal linking, you might discover that your URL is appearing on link partners' sites that are nothing but a hodgepodge of uncategorized links, with dozens and dozens of links per page. Having your site appear in these reciprocal link page collections does not necessarily add value or rank to your website.

Webmasters are discovering that one-way links are much more beneficial than reciprocal links. Without question, one-way links are the most powerful method of boosting your topical authority online because these types of links are considered a "vote" of popularity for your site. In a way, this vote of popularity is untainted because it is not obtained with the "bribe" of a return link.

Since they have lasting value and in the case of free links, since the site giving you a one-way link gets nothing in return, one-way links can be more difficult to get than reciprocal links. Although it requires some perserverance and effort, obtaining one-way links is worth your time because they create solid, long-term search engine results for your site.

You can get one-way links in a variety of ways. You can buy permanent, one-way links that are announced in various forums or available through online brokers. Of course, you can also buy one-way links in the form of advertisements, whether they are pixel ads, banner ads or other forms of paid ads.

Another great way to get one-way links to your web site is through directory submissions. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of directories which offer free submissions. The problem with directories is that they are becoming so backlogged that it can take months before your link appears. I think that directories are becoming so commonplace that one-way backlinks from them will eventually become devalued, just like reciprocal links.

Another fantastic way to get one-way links is through article submissions. This can be a time-consuming process but one that will reward your site for an indefinite period of time. Best yet, article distributions are generally free. Articles require some effort and work, which is why many online marketers grow weary of using this method after they have submitted a couple of dozen articles.

If you want a combination of the ease of directory submissions and the long-lasting effect of articles, blog submissions are the best way to go. Blog posts do not take as long to write as articles, yet blog entries (or comments, where allowed) can be more informative and flexible than the brief descriptions you are allowed to give with directory submissions.

The general rule is that the directories will give links to your home page only and will not link to the interior pages of your web site. The beauty of articles and blogs is that you can create one-way links to your interior web pages instead of just the home page.

It will take some work and effort, but if you want to give your site long lasting value, use the various techniques that are briefly discussed in this article to build an arsenal of valuable one-way links. One-way links are, in effect, the lifeline for your web page.