The Low-Hanging Fruit

safest, easiest, best links

[Tonearm]

I've always been a little scared of link building because I don't want to run afoul of Google and trigger a penalty. The only link building I've ever done was acquiring a DMOZ link many years ago. Which other types of links are safe, relatively easy, and most helpful for Google rankings?

I've just done a lot of research into non-profit or government-affiliated websites geared toward local business advocacy in my area. I was only able to find two such websites which maintain a page which links to local businesses. One of them is the local Chamber of Commerce on a .com domain. Membership costs $250/year and the link goes on a PR3 page with 200+ other links. The other website is a non-profit tech company advocate on a .org domain. Membership costs $200/year and the link goes on a PR3 page with 10 other links.

These strike me as safe and easy, but are they worthwhile? Does Google somehow know they are non-profit sites and value a link from them more highly than they would a "regular" .com or .org?

Are for-profit local website directories safe and worthwhile?

[Hoople]

What you propose is sound for most. I have seen here and advocate myself the concept of 'joining the niche neighborhood'. How? Well, what you've already stated plus:

Ask for a link on your niche's 'authority site'.
Add your site to your niche's directory.
Add your site to the well trafficked local portals.

In some niches the Forums where your widget is discussed still has value. Join in on answering the questions with a modest signature link block. Avoid the fan boy type of replies - don't even mention you have a site unless a page on it has an authoritative answer to the thread topic's question.

[Hoople]

Are for-profit local website directories safe and worthwhile?

Very few pass much value anymore due to algorithm changes on the last 3-4 years.

Avoid any that seem the scream 'a SEO lives here' as G already has discounted their value no matter how tempting the green of the Toolbar PR is.

[Tonearm]

I can't bring myself to do the submission thing on a commercial directory site. Too scary.

What do you think of the Chamber of Commerce and local non-profit links I mentioned? Are they worth shelling out $450/year for?

I'm curious, can a DMOZ link still be obtained these days? Is it still worthwhile? Can the anchor text or description be changed once the link has been added?

[Leosghost]

non-profit links

!=

$450/year

I know you didn't decide on the "non profit" term;-) but in my book ( and that of many people, and maybe that of search engines ) a "non profit" chamber of commerce that charges $250.00 per year for a link and a "non profit" tech company that charges $200.00 per year for a link ,
are very definitely in it for profit!

Just like any other link seller..

[Tonearm]

Well, they aren't selling the link directly, they're selling membership which includes the link, but point taken.

What I'm wondering is if organizations such as these which are technically non-profit in the eyes of the government are more valuable as linkers because of that non-profit status. If not, I suppose I don't have any reason to believe those links would be worthwhile and I'm back to DMOZ-only.

[bhartzer]

There are a few directories that are "worth it", if in fact it's directories where you want to be listed. Yahoo! Directory, Best of the Web, and DMOZ are still "safe" directories, as well as Business.com (although it may be going away at some point).

When it comes to the Chamber of Commerce site(s), it's not necessarily the link directly from the Chamber of Commerce--it is the fact that the Chamber site(s) tend to have a lot of good authority sites pointing to them which makes the Chamber site(s) more trusted by Google.

Other "safer" sites, where you would expect to have a link or listing tend to be industry-related. Whatever industry you're in, most likely there are sites that have business directories with the companies in that industry.

Another option would be to start writing and providing some content to industry magazines or industry sites--in order to get a bio link back to your website and recognition in your industry.

[Tonearm]

There are a few directories that are "worth it", if in fact it's directories where you want to be listed. Yahoo! Directory, Best of the Web, and DMOZ are still "safe" directories, as well as Business.com (although it may be going away at some point).

How much benefit do these links provide? It looks like $300/year for Yahoo and $300 one-time for BOTW. Business.com looks to be B2B-only. What about deemoz.org?

When it comes to the Chamber of Commerce site(s), it's not necessarily the link directly from the Chamber of Commerce--it is the fact that the Chamber site(s) tend to have a lot of good authority sites pointing to them which makes the Chamber site(s) more trusted by Google.

Very interesting, that's the sort of thing I was wondering about. How beneficial is a link from the local Chamber?

Other "safer" sites, where you would expect to have a link or listing tend to be industry-related. Whatever industry you're in, most likely there are sites that have business directories with the companies in that industry.

This is where I get the creeps. I've read so many backlink horror stories and some involve submitting to the wrong directory. I want to focus on 100% safe links.

[Planet13]

This is where I get the creeps. I've read so many backlink horror stories and some involve submitting to the wrong directory. I want to focus on 100% safe links.

Can you get a really, really good, sexy piece of content for $300?

If so, then I would do that, and then spend some elbow grease emailing people about it who would want to tell others about it.

Can you give out $300 worth of merchandise (or whatever you have) to influential bloggers / tweeters / others?

Can you give out a free ebook that people will really appreciate and spend $300 promoting it?

I got a link from Huff Post that I didn't even know about. After that, some other publications started linking to the same article. It kind of pyramided from there.

So maybe there is another way to get some "safe" links?

[onlineleben]

This is where I get the creeps. I've read so many backlink horror stories and some involve submitting to the wrong directory. I want to focus on 100% safe links.

Play it safe and build your own niche directory.
List sites that are in your niche but not 100% competing with your business. Accept submissions to this directory (moderaetd by you). always put a link to your site in a prominent position so it is seen by real visitors first.

[CainIV]

I like Planet's angle here.

Acquire citations that support brand. Links come later.