[Search Engine Optimization] 04. Link Building

CREATE LINKS WITH MEANINGFUL ANCHOR TEXT
Links are essential for search engine navigation
o Allow search engine to discover new content
o Determine where a page should rank in the search engine results

Anchor text describes what an underlying link is about
- make it as descriptive as possible

FOCUS ON LINK BUILDING
Generate backlinks for your page to help build status in search results.

Focus on high quality links!
Two kinds of links:
- Organic links
- Manual/outreach links

Natural vs. Manual Link Building 
Natural(organic) links:
natural links are the links you do not have to ask for. They are naturally given to your website or page from external websites
Manual Outreach Links:
manual links are the links you gain by actively promoting your site and content

Black Hat Practices:
Black hat practices are the strategies and techniques employed with the intention of deliberately 'tricking' search engines
-> should avoid using self-created link
-> Quality > Quantity

LINK BUILDING STEPS
Evaluate current links (or links for a competitive site)
Identify high quality websites
Approach identified sites with link request

Link Building Tools and Evaluating Your Site
www.moz.com